Asian American Pacific Islander Employee Affinity Group (AAPI EAG)
Mission and Vision
The AAPI EAG is a space for individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to gather to address and share issues and concerns that impact the group, such as racism, immigration, mental health, and the like. It is a space to have their voices heard and to make the invisible visible while engaging in both social programming and community activism.
Contact Information
EAG Leadership: Laura Mariko Cheifetz
EAG Facilitator: Yu (Wendy) Wu
Join Us Here
Looking for other on-campus and off-campus resources? Please visit AAPI Identity Initiative.
Upcoming Events
Jan 24th – AAPI EAG Process session In response to Monterey Park
- 12:30-1:30pm via Zoom
This is a virtual space for AAPI employees to talk a bit, sit in silence, or join in the community.
Past Events
October 17th – Humans of Vanderbilt: AAPI EAG Edition
- 1:00 pm – 2:00pm via Zoom
Confirmed speakers will be Stephanie Mahnke (Director of the KC Potter Center), Bobby Smiley (Director of the Divinity Library), and hopefully (fingers crossed) Justin Gung (of Development & Alumni Relations)
October 27th – AAPI EAG Meet-and-Greet
- 3:30pm – 5:00pm, In Person Only @ Divinity School Room 124
We will have food and drink and time to mingle! Join us for a couple of ice breakers but mostly time to chat and meet each other.
October 23rd – Calling AAPI Writers!
- 2:00pm – 4:00pm, The Porch (2811 Dogwood)
Professor Ben Tran shared a community event with us: The Nashville-based writer Yurina Yoshikawa has organized a meet-up for AAPI writers. This is an open invitation to AAPI writers at any stage of their writing lives. More info: https://www.porchtn.org/happenings/nashville-aapi-writers-meet-up
May 19, 2022 – AAPI EAG Outing to Cheekwood!
Celebrate spring with a visit to Cheekwood Gardens with other AAPI EAG members! We have 20 tickets for a Thursday Night Out on May 19th, entering the estate at 6pm (timed entry between 6 and 6:30pm). Sign up here for a ticket (first come, first served). More information on Thursday Night Out at Cheekwood here.Hope to see you there!
April 15, 2022 – Humans of Vanderbilt: AAPI EAG Edition
- 1:00 pm – 2:00pm. CT via Zoom
We will hold the second panel of a monthly series we’ll call “Humans of Vanderbilt: AAPI EAG Edition” or something like that. The idea is three panelists will each take 10-15 minutes to share about themselves and their journeys to Vanderbilt – and why they are part of the AAPI EAG. It’s a chance to share more in-depth than we usually get to at our AAPI EAG meetings. The April “Humans of Vanderbilt: AAPI EAG Edition features Mark Sanchez (College of Arts & Science), Freeman Wu (Owen), and Susan Yang.
Please email Laura and Justine for more information.
April 12, 2022 – Happy Hour
You are all invited to gather for happy hour on April 12, at 5pm at The Stillery in Midtown (drinks on VU!). This will be only our second in-person gathering, and we’re excited to see and meet all of you.
Mar 24, 2022 – From Vincent Chin to #STOPAAPIHATE with Helen Zia
For those of you who missed the Helen Zia event, please find a recording here.
When: March 24, 2022; 12:30pm
Where: Commons Center Multi-purpose Room (2nd floor)
Before the alarming escalation in anti-AAPI xenophobia resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was similar backlash decades prior amid the rise of the Japanese auto industry. The backlash included the murder of 27-year-old Chinese American Vincent Chin in 1982. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his death. From then until now,journalist and activist Helen Zia has been front and center in leading AAPI advocacy and she’s seen it all. Join us for a panel discussion as Helen shares her experience and observations on 40+ years of AAPI resistance, how far we’ve come since Vincent’s death, and the work we have left to do to achieve justice and equity.
Moderator: Rev. Laura M. Cheifetz, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation & Stewardship, Vanderbilt Divinity School
Panelists:
- Dr. Vivian Shaw, Mellon Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies, College of Arts & Science
- Linken Lam, President of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) at Peabody College
- Varsha Nair, Senior Advisor for the South Asian Cultural Exchange (SACE) and the Asian American Advocacy Project (TAAAP)
Light appetizers will be served on a first come-first served basis.
March 4, 2022 – Humans of Vanderbilt: AAPI EAG Edition
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. CT via Zoom
A new lunchtime series hosted by the Educate! Committee of the AAPI EAG. Each panel will feature three members of the AAPI EAG sharing about who they are, their journeys to Vanderbilt, and why they are part of the AAPI EAG. The first panel on Friday, March 4 will be held via zoom and will feature Sue Oldham, Associate Dean of MBA Operations at Owen, Hasina Mohyuddin, Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Peabody, and Laura Cheifetz, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Vocation, and Stewardship at Divinity.
Feb 2022 – Virtual Lunar New Year Gathering
Nov. 19, 2021. AAPI EAG Gathering
Dec 10, 2021 – Lucky Bamboo gathering
Photos