In my free time, I love cooking and learning about other cultures through food traditions and the arts. I also love old films, going to theater and music performances, and I am drawn to jazz, orchestral, and film music especially. I have a background in theater and I am currently developing my creative writing skills. I spend most of my time thinking about the ways human beings connect with one another in direct and indirect ways. I believe that the arts are vitally important for our collective wellbeing and can be transcendent.

Dasharath Yata
He/him/his
Dasharath Yata (he/him) is the Program Director for SEWA-AIFW (Asian Indian Family Wellness), a non-profit organization committed to bringing total family wellness to the vulnerable and under-served South Asian-Indian community in Minnesota. He is involved in several projects including mental health, community outreach and civic engagement. Some of his work includes organizing free health clinics and health education outreach, working with 35 organizations providing culturally specific services to the community through education and trainings, and educating and engaging people on voter registration and voter engagement.

He also advocated at the MN legislature for bills regarding temporary housing for exploited women and children and domestic violence survivors among Asian women, data-disaggregation, mental health etc. Dasharath Yata was born in a village in Nalgonda district, Telangana State, India and studied at Osmania University, Hyderabad. His wife Padma Yata works for Medica and they have two kids who are in college.

Dee Pha
She/her/hers
Dee is a daughter of refugees which as informer her interest in understanding and improving the relationship between power, place and politics.

She currently is a fundraiser for Democracy For America, a progressive political action committee working to build and empower a broad coalition of grassroots organizers to elect progressives at all levels of office in all 50 states.

She is also an aspiring noodle soup connoisseur, always looking for the best noodle shops in town.

Jae Hyun Shim
They/them/theirs
Jae Hyun organizes around environmental justice, food sovereignty, and police abolition. They were adopted transnationally and transracially to Minnesota as a baby and have spent many years working in community based nonprofits locally and international aid abroad. They are part of a synchronized swim team, the Subversive Sirens, and find joy in creating spaces centered around Black and brown queer folks.

Jinath Tasnim
She/her/hers
Jinath Tasnim is a 1.5 generation Bangali American. A proud Texan, she fell in love with Minnesota when she originally moved here to attend college 7 years ago. She has a BA in geography from Macalester College, and a background in human rights, communications, and multicultural education. She is also passionate about the arts as an avenue for change.

Currently, Jinath works at Girl Scouts River Valleys as a youth worker serving 200+ girls of color in Minneapolis Public Schools and the west metro to provide a life skills and empowerment curriculum in a supportive, culturally-responsive space. Prior to this, she worked at The Advocates for Human Rights where she donned many nonprofit role hats to support the mission of protecting asylum seekers, trafficking victims, women, and other marginalized groups around the world and here in Minnesota. Jinath believes her call to seek justice in the world comes from a deeply spiritual place; she was a St. Joseph Worker from 2016-17, a leadership, spirituality, and service year program for young women founded by an order of badass nuns whose legacy of activism continues to inspire her daily.

Jinath dreams of creating spaces for people from all walks of life to come together to heal and speak across difference and commonality.

Kara Carmosino
She/her/hers
Kara Carmosino is a queer transracial adoptee who was born in Jeonju, South Korea and grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania. She currently works as the Civic Engagement Manager for Forward Together, a national organization that unites communities to win rights, recognition and resources for all families. Previously, Kara served as Director of Programs for the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, overseeing a range of efforts to build power and develop leaders in Oregon’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities. During that time, she grew the organization’s political analysis, strategic direction and commitment to reproductive justice, including work to pass Oregon’s landmark Reproductive Health Equity Act. She has worked on systems change in education, consulted on curriculum and training for multiple organizations and recently served on the Board of Directors for Oregon’s Coalition of Communities of Color. Kara is a co-founder of the reproductive justice storytelling project We Carry Oceans, as well as a proud Pisces, astrology and policy nerd, and cat mama.

Leona Thao
She/her/hers
Leona relocated to Minnesota from Oklahoma in 2013 and currently resides in Eastside Saint Paul. She is an Evaluation Specialist with Minneapolis Public Schools and supports the district’s equity framework to ensure MPS has equitable practices and policies.

Leona holds a BA in Business Management from the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University and MA in Public Policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

May Thao-Schuck
She/her/hers
May Thao-Schuck has over 20 years of experience leading organizations in key leadership positions. She is a known leader and change agent with an extensive background in change management, organization development, strategic planning, business operations, training and development, HR, and Talent Management in the Twin Cities that successfully transforms cultures, propels business and leadership growth. May is an impactful, positive, and trusted collaborator, partner, mentor, and coach that focuses on building strong relationships and inclusive environment where each person can thrive to reach their highest potential. She capitalizes on opportunities to achieve organizational goals and vision through her work. May has worked in various industry that includes government, eduction, healthcare, and fitness. May has a BS degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Minnesota, MBA from Argosy University, and currently completing her Doctorate in Organization Development from the University of St. Thomas.

Michelle Chang
They/them/theirs | She/her/hers
Michelle Paj Hmoo Chang is a second generation Hmong American woman. In her role as the Policy and Equity Coordinator at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, she leads mobilization efforts to get out the count for the 2020 Census through the power of nonprofits, and facilitating MCN’s growth in intercultural competence. She holds a B.A. in Asian Studies from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University and a M.A. in International Studies, with a focus on International Development, from Concordia University, Irvine.
In her free time, she enjoys buying books that she never has time for, traveling Southeast Asia, recovering her Hmong identity, being a foodie, and learning new ways to play + create.

Montha Chum
She/her/hers
Montha Chum was born in Khao-I-Dang, a refugee camp located in Thailand. She immigrated to Saint Paul, MN as a refugee after her family fled the genocide and civil war in Cambodia. She is the Co-Director for RelaseMN8 and National Logistics Coordinator for The Southeast Asian Freedom Center (SEAFN). Her advocacy and organizing work began in the summer of 2016 when her youngest brother and seven other Cambodian Minnesotans were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcemen (ICE). Prior to this work, Montha’s career was in medical finance. She and her husband live in Rosemount, MN with their 3 daughters and son. Above all things, family is everything to Montha. This is why she is passionate about helping other families in crisis. Quality time with family and friends over good food, laughs and board games is how she enjoys her free time.

Sook Jin Ong
She/her/hers
Sook Jin Ong (first name: Sook Jin; family name: Ong) comes from the multicultural cosmopolitan city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and identifies as Malaysian Chinese. She posits you can take her out of Malaysia, but not the Malaysian out of her. She credits the complexity of her tanahair – homeland – for her worldview that becomes the foundation to grow her understanding of social justice, locally and globally. With that, she brings with her curiosity and empathy in learning about the stories that people carry with them, and ways in which she can host and create space for them to grow and thrive. Her passion is in the stories of how and what we eat, and the intersection of our identities and cultures with food. In her seven years of living in Minnesota, she has come to love and treasure the complex, abundant foodways of this land.

Currently, Sook Jin serves as the director of the Future Services Institute, an initiative of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, focusing on improving human services in Minnesota through innovation, leadership development, research and evaluation. In that role, she brings her practice of blending human-centered design and participatory leadership practices, including that of graphic recording, facilitation, and teaching. Sook Jin’s professional experience spans roles in both corporate and public sectors. She graduated with a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota.

David Wang
Him/him/his
My name is David, and I’m a queer, second generation Chinese American born and raised in the Bay Area. Groomed to work in the tech industry from a young age, I studied cognitive science and computer science at Stanford and worked in Silicon Valley before realizing that the culture there was toxic for my well being. I moved to the Twin Cities in 2017, and aside from a totaled car my first winter here, it’s been a smooth transition settling into the region that’s now my home. During my first year here, I did a year of service through Americorps and worked as a case manager at a public school in Minneapolis. These days, I’m slowly starting to study Asian American history by reading works by writers like Erika Lee and Helen Zia; I low key feel like it’s my way of making up for feeling more and more disconnected from my culture (and my language) as a young adult. In my spare time, I swing dance too much for my own good, and I’m interested in learning about how movement and the arts can be vehicles social change. I have dreams of learning how to draw and starting my own home yoga practice, and hope that the right amount and kind of motivation will set me on the right path!

Geetanjali S Mittal
She/her/hers
Geet is an educator, artist, and internationally-published researcher. Originally from India, she grew up in a variety of cities and has a deep appreciation for different cultures. She holds two Master’s degrees in English Literature and Post Colonial Literature. Before coming to the US, Geet taught post-grad students English Literature at the Panjab University and has a teaching experience of ten years in different settings, with a variety of students. Social justice and advocacy have always been dear to her heart. And it has been a major reason for a career shift from teaching to community and social work. While her spiritual practice keeps her centered, she is an artist at heart and enjoys reading, writing poetry, painting and singing. She has recently completed Community Health Certificate course at Normandale College.

Jen Racho
She/her/hers
Jen proudly identifies as a Queer, second-generation Filipino-American dedicated to living a spiritually meaningful life while still working in philanthropy. She is on a joyful and difficult learning journey to understand, reconcile and embrace what her truths are at the intersection of those identities.

Cultivating sincere relationships with her partner, dog, family, friends, colleagues and spiritual sangha fuels her. As does meditating, playing basketball, hiking and being outdoors.

Jen strives to cultivate an attitude of optimism, humility, and patience. As a Program Officer at the Northwest Area Foundation she partners with nonprofit and community leaders as a listener, translator, connector and advocate. “I approach my work with both my heart and mind. Because I believe a lack of empathy and a lack of understanding are what perpetuates social and economic inequalities.”

Jen has experience in the private sector in technology, financial management and recruiting fields. Prior to joining the Foundation, she managed workforce and human services programs at a nonprofit that works with immigrants and refugees. She received a bachelor’s in English and economics from the University of Rochester in New York. And she earned a master’s in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

Jostna Dash
She/her/hers
Jostna grew up moving all around the U.S. and Germany due to her father’s career in the Army. Her family settled in Des Moines, Iowa after her father retired from his 21 years of service. Jostna attended the University of Iowa where she majored in Communications and International Studies. After the University of Iowa, she joined Teach For America in Kansas City where she taught 9th and 10th grade English. After that, she then went on to teach in Minneapolis at Hiawatha Academies. Currently, Jostna is an Manager of Teacher Leadership Development in the Twin Cities where she coaches and recruits new teachers. She calls the Twin Cities home, as it is where a lot of her big Indian family resides. She is a proud aunt, the youngest cousin/sister, traveler, and an avid reader.

Khou Lor
She/her/hers
Hi, I am an advocate, active community member, artist and leader in the SW region of Minnesota. I have a two year old daughter and have been married to my partner for 7 years. I enjoy deep conversations revolving personal development and leadership. I have many interests but of the many some include; photography, graphic design, and crafting. I also am a co-founding member of a group in SW MN called Project Uniting Southwest Hmong. Our mission is to create opportunities and empowerment to the members of our community both economically and educationally. I enjoy coffee and quiet spaces even though I’m not always a quiet person!

Mai Yee Chang
She/her/hers
Mai Yee Chang is a Hmong daughter of refugee parents and a first-generation college student. She graduated in 2016 from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Science in Youth Studies. Throughout her college years, she worked as a nursing assistant helping seniors with dementia and other mental and physical disabilities. She currently works at Lincoln Center Elementary School as a special education paraprofessional helping students with disabilities such as autism, down syndrome and developmental cognitive disorder. Outside of work, Mai Yee is a caregiver to her family. To help her family survive and thrive, she helps her illiterate parents navigate systems to receive benefits and resources. Altogether, Mai Yee’s professional and personal work experiences have instilled in her a passion in mental health and well-being.

In the summer of 2017, Mai Yee began community organizing and learned that many people in her community other than her family also struggle in poverty and suffer with mental health issues. For a long time, she always wondered why so many people struggle and community organizing has liberated her to see that it is the existing oppressive systems that hurt people’s lives. She hopes that one day she can become a bold, powerful leader who can uplift people out of poverty and prevent people from struggling with mental health issues. Aside from work and volunteering, Mai Yee really enjoys singing and running at the lake.

May Yang
She/her/hers
May is a change maker who has always been committed to empowering historically underrepresented and underserved communities. She enjoys bringing people together on causes that they themselves identify as critical to their well-being and working towards sustainable solutions. May has worked as a researcher on projects multiple projects focused on closing the opportunity gap in Minnesota and advancing racial equity in higher education. She has also collaborated with students and communities of color on local digital storytelling projects.

For the past two years she has lead strategic advocacy campaigns centered on eliminating barriers to student success with a keen focus on underrepresented students. Currently she is leading projects focused on reducing food insecurity amongst college students. May supports student leaders across 48 campuses and also develops and executes a culturally competent leadership curriculum, which serves over 500 students per year.

May is a proud mama to two rabbits and one angel bunny, Kingsley. She enjoys living a cruelty free lifestyle is a nature enthusiast. She has an exorbitant amount of plants and is always down for a round of karaoke. May is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where she earned a M.A. in Organizational Leadership and Policy Development, a B.A. in Communication Studies, and a B.S. in Business Marketing.

Mina Kobayashi
She/her/hers
I’m a proud Japanese-American and native New Yorker. After spending four years in Waterville, Maine at Colby College, I moved to the Twin Cities for an AmeriCorps VISTA term at College Possible. After spending a year here, I moved back to NYC for 7 months but found myself missing Minnesota. Since February 2017, through some ups and downs, I’ve called St. Paul home. My professional passions include education equity, access to the arts, and social justice. Currently, I’ve found myself very involved with the arts here, and it’s been a wonderful and welcoming community. I’m particularly passionate about college access and success, as I credit organizations in these areas for getting me into and through Colby, a pre-dominantly white liberal arts college. I’ve been in nonprofit development for a few years now and intend on staying in it. Outside of work, some of my interests include soccer, reading, eating, and simply exploring the Twin Cities. I’ve found joy in the accessible entertainment, the multitude of local events, and the variety of restaurants that exist here.

Thet-Htar Thet
She/her/hers
Thet-Htar Thet is a writer, educator and activist originally from Yangon Myanmar. Now based in St Paul, Thet-Htar has used her experience and identity to explore the creative non-fiction genre. She is a College Access mentor, has served as a community editor for the St Paul Almanac, and was selected to be an Asian American Youth Story Tellers Researcher. She is a board member of LOCUS, an organization whose mission is to provide space, connection, and opportunities for authentic community building, identity-driven leadership, and resource sharing – by and for people of color and indigenous peoples. Her work can be found in publications such Jungle Azn and St Paul Almanac.