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Empower web site
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Math Literacy Project
    • Asian Leadership Building
  • About
    • Team
    • Donors
    • Contact

Asian Leadership Building

🌏 Our Shared Journey

Across every field—business, academia, and family life—Asian Americans have contributed immeasurably to the success and vitality of this country. Yet many of us still face invisible barriers when it comes to leadership and voice. We excel at working hard, solving problems, and supporting others, but often hesitate to step forward, speak up, or take credit. These patterns come from deeply rooted cultural values—humility, respect, and harmony—that have shaped who we are.


It’s time to bridge cultures and redefine what leadership means for us. Leadership does not mean abandoning our values; it means expressing them with confidence and authenticity in the American context. Through shared learning, self-reflection, and community support, we can lift one another up—breaking barriers, leading with purpose, and inspiring the next generation to rise with pride and courage.

👨‍👩‍👧 For Asian Parents and Youths

As Asian parents, we work tirelessly to give our children every opportunity to succeed. Yet to truly help them thrive in America, we must also understand how success and leadership are developed in this culture.


In the U.S., achievement is not only about knowledge or grades—it’s equally about confidence, communication, and the courage to take initiative. Leadership here grows from having a voice, expressing ideas, and inspiring others through authenticity, empathy, and service.


By learning these cultural and leadership insights ourselves, we can better guide our children to become confident, compassionate leaders who carry forward the best of both worlds.


One key area to start early is soft skills development. Among these, communication and public speaking are especially important for Asian children, who may need more encouragement to express themselves openly. We hope more parents will actively help their children build these skills—and we are developing ways to offer greater encouragement and incentives for participation.

Our Training Program for youth:

Our Coaches

Jimmy H. Hong is a seasoned executive, entrepreneur, and community leader whose career spans global finance, technology startups, and youth development . He has held senior leadership roles as Executive Director at Morgan Stanley and Managing Director at Dresdner Kleinwort in Tokyo, where he built and led high-performing international trading teams and managed complex, multi-billion-dollar portfolios. After his finance career, he co-founded AutoReportCard, a venture-backed automotive technology company that he successfully grew and sold in 2016.


A Stanford Graduate School of Business alum and UC Berkeley graduate, Jimmy is deeply committed to leadership development and service. He is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow, Distinguished Toastmaster, long-time USA Swimming official, and volunteer educator helping students develop strong public speaking and leadership skills.


Jimmy is also dedicated to youth development through sport. He served as Race Director of the Bay Area Kids Triathlon Series, overseeing large-scale events that inspired thousands of children to build confidence, resilience, and lifelong habits of health.


An accomplished athlete, his personal journey includes marathons, a full IRONMAN, World Aquatics Masters swimming and twice swimming across the English Channel as part of a relay.


Anita Chen is a speaker, advocate, and educator passionate about helping students discover their unique voice. Her journey in communications began as a teenager when she founded Courageous Communications. In the past decade of teaching, she has supported thousands of students in the Bay Area and beyond to find their confidence in communication.


In her professional and academic pursuits, Masters in Business Administration and a doctorate in Instructional Design and Technology. Her dissertation examined how digital learning tools can be deployed among adolescent students who have experienced trauma to create transformative learning. Today, she also serves as the Strategic Impact Officer at Finding Kids, a non-profit that hires private investigators to find missing children.


Justin Paras has been a Toastmaster since 2009. He has received numerous awards and accolades, some of which include two-time District 57 Evaluation Speech Contest Champion and District 57 Toastmaster of the Year.


Justin is a sought after speaker both in Toastmasters and within the community, known for being able to connect with audiences of all ages and backgrounds in any setting.


Justin received his bachelor’s degree in Information and Computer Science from the University of California, Irvine, and had a successful career in enterprise software sales, working for Oracle, IBM, Symantec, and Akamai.


In his spare time, Justin enjoys volunteering, playing guitar, singing, tennis, and performing magic tricks.


Additional Resources for Asians in Industry and Academia

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