About Us

Who We Are

The UA Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Association is an umbrella employee resource group for faculty and staff members of UA’s various AAPI organizations which function under the auspices of the UA Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The UA AAPI association offers educational opportunities around AAPI culture, history, heritage, and diversity within the AAPI community, and contributes to the intellectual and social learning environment on campus.

Our History

The Launch of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Association
at The University of Alabama

Approximately 300 people attended the launch celebration of the UA AAPI Association, which is an umbrella employee resource group for faculty and staff members of UA’s various AAPI organizations which function under the auspices of the UA Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Association offers educational opportunities around AAPI culture, history, heritage, and diversity within the AAPI community, and contributes to UA’s intellectual and social learning environment. Dr. Hee Yun Lee, professor and Endowed Academic Chair in the UA School of Social Work, serves as the inaugural and founding president of the Association. The University has six employee resource groups.

Our Mission

To support, celebrate, and empower AAPI faculty, staff, and students by fostering an inclusive community that provides both personal and professional opportunities for networking, communication & growth.

Our Goals

Enhancing education and dialogue on issues affecting members of the AAPI community.
Advocating policies that support and protect the AAPI community and combat discrimination, microaggression, harassment, and violence against the AAPI community.
Assisting in the recruitment, support, and retention of AAPI faculty, staff, and students as well as steady growth of the AAPI community as a whole.
Supporting leadership and career development and advancement among AAPI faculty, staff, and students, in part by providing opportunities for professional and social networking and mentoring.
Fostering the exchange of diverse intellectual, social and cultural perspectives.
Collaborating with other affinity groups to build a diverse, inclusive, engaging, intellectual, and social learning environment for everyone in the University and Alabama.