Asian American Pacific Islander Leaders Network

The Asian American-Pacific Islander (AAPI) Leaders Network is open to site and systems leaders in districts served by the 21CSLA Bay Area Regional Academy, including Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano counties.

The AAPI Leaders Network is a space where education leaders who identify as AAPI come together to build community. We aim to build trusting relationships among AAPI school leaders in the Bay Area as a way to support, retain and mentor each other. To accomplish the goals of this affinity group members co-create a confidential, non-supervisory space where the use of reflective storytelling, the processing of complex challenges we experience in the field; and the sharing and mentoring of each other serves to uplift, empower and amplify our community as AAPI leaders.

The community we create serves to strengthen our resolve to address the systemic inequities that exist in our leadership contexts.

Community Members will:

Create a network of AAPI leaders across the Bay Area who will support, uplift, empower, and amplify each other through the sharing of experiences, practices, and expertise
Engage in meaningful conversations, to build community, and promote the sharing of ideas, advice and wisdom
Improve resilience and sustainability in the profession, through the maintenance of mental health
Focus on the importance of balancing family, life and work
Explore strategies that support improving professional practice and career advancement for AAPI leaders

Schedule

This localized professional learning series will be delivered in-person at Berkeley Way West from 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the following Saturdays:

September 27, 2025
November 8, 2025
January 31, 2026
March 14, 2026
April 11, 2026

Facilitators

As a proud Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Cohort 12 graduate, Wesley Tang brings over 30 years of experience in the K–12 educational system as a teacher, literacy coach, instructional reform facilitator, site administrator, and district office leader. He is deeply committed to equity and social justice work, and he recently joined the 21CSLA Bay Area Regional Academy team, serving as the Coaching Coordinator. He is excited about his new role and eager to support and enhance the impactful work across the UC Berkeley leadership programs.

Mai Xi Lee, Ed.D. is the Social Emotional Learning Director at the Sacramento County Office of Education, having served in various K-12 educational and leadership roles for 27 years. As the SEL lead in Sacramento City Unified School District, Ms. Lee’s work bolstered CASEL’s groundbreaking Collaborating Districts Initiative (CDI) on systemic SEL implementation. She has also contributed to several pioneering CA SEL priorities, including the CA Collaborating States Initiative, Advance SEL in CA, and California’s Transformative SEL Skills & Conditions Workgroup. Ms. Lee believes that transforming school systems requires intentionally braiding SEL and Equity efforts into teaching and learning from the boardroom to the classroom. Ms. Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University, Master of Arts in School Counseling, Pupil Personnel Services Credential and Administrative Services Credential from California State University, Sacramento. Ms. Lee is a graduate of the Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) doctoral program at the University of California, Berkeley.

Who should participate

Site leaders, systems leaders, teacher leaders, counselors, school psychologists, TOSAs.

Cost

21CSLA programs are no cost to participants employed in Title II districts and schools in six Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Solano.

Click here to see schools served by the 21CSLA grant. If you do not see your school, district, or charter system, please contact us at 21csla_bayarea@berkeley.edu.

Registration

Questions?

The UC Berkeley School of Education complies with the University of California Anti-Discrimination Policy, and prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals based on the following: race, religion, color, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability (including having a history of a disability or being regarded as being disabled), medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), predisposing genetic information (including family medical history), marital status, age (at least 40 years of age in employment context), or veteran or military status.

This affinity group is open to all education leaders, regardless of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other protected class status. UC Berkeley is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that welcomes participants from all backgrounds.