Elevate your unique experiences

Eric Kwak believes that “every person should have an opportunity for financial stability, happiness, and fulfillment.” Growing up as a low-income, undocumented student in Los Angeles public schools, Eric’s experiences shaped his views on education and policy.

“I firmly believe that education can be the best tool for intervention in poverty and systematic oppression if we galvanize politically and hone in on these specific policy solutions to address institutionalized racism in our schools.”  

Since leaving the classroom, Eric has focused on policy work, including time as a Policy & Advocacy Summer Fellow. He is currently a Public Policy Fellow at the Alameda County Office of Education, where he works on a variety of projects including advocacy and legislative efforts.

Eric attended the AANHPI Emerging Policy & Advocacy Leaders Summit (EPALS) where he was able to gain unparalleled access to senior policy and advocacy leaders and engage in policy discussions at a legislative caucus conference.

“Through the summit, I found a mentor in Sam Kang who shared the identity of growing up in an immigrant household as a Korean-American. He gave me advice on how to gain a better understanding of California’s political landscape, encouraged me to pursue the Public Policy Fellowship, and helped me get re-acclimated to the Bay Area. I am grateful for his guidance as well as the space that this summit created that gave me the opportunity to connect with Asian-American advocates around the country."

We need more Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voices working to dismantle systems of inequity and oppression — including issues of invisibility, erasure, and silence of the AANHPI community.

If you’re ready to unlock and leverage your unique experience and identity as an AANHPI person to be an advocate for your community and pursue the change you want to see in the world, then apply for the AANHPI EPALS today.