MEET THE 2022-23 TEAM
Executive Director
Ashley Song
Soon-to-be college student, Ashley is a Chinese-American located in New England. She spends her time running, reading, chatting, and thinking. At school and on her high school campus, she does work as a part of the affinity space for Asian women and pursues her own questions regarding identity and Sino-American relations through literature and research in her spare time. Above all, Ashley cherishes her time as a part of a community, amongst friends, amidst thoughtful conversation. She hopes to bring Asian communities and youth together—connected and in dialogue.
Civic Engagement Director
Rishi Damarla
Rishi is an Indian Canadian from Windsor, Ontario. Possessing an avid interest in political discourse, he aims to shed light on the critical issues affecting the Asian American community by uplifting the voices of the unheard. Aside from civic engagement, he enjoys spending his time coding, swimming, conducting biomedical research, and debating on his school's MUN team.
Secretary
Jinyu Xu
Jinyu (she/her) is a junior from New York! Spending countless weekends in NYC’s Chinatown has motivated her to give back to her community through volunteering and leadership. Additionally, it has also inspired her to utilize her opportunities to inform Asian-Americans about the importance of civic engagement as a factor in local change. With that being said, she looks forward to the new term and all the events planned!
Administrative Director
Cheng Rui (Emma) Zhu
Cheng Rui (Emma) Zhu is a Chinese-American and high school junior from Connecticut, and is currently living in Beijing. She hopes to promote greater Asian American visibility in political spaces and media representation through her work at AYCE. This includes diversifying and uplifting the voices that construct America’s next generation of leaders and voters. Outside of AYCE, she is a part of other research-based Asian-American advocacy groups, can somewhat crochet, and her go-to cafe order is an iced coconut matcha milk latte!
Editor in Chief
Daniel Kim
Daniel is a Korean American from Potomac, MD. He is passionate about promoting the voices of Asian American youth through creative writing and the arts. He also hopes to shed light on injustices against the Asian American community that have largely gone unnoticed. In his free time, he enjoys playing lacrosse and hanging out with friends.
Communications Director
Emily Wong
Emily Wong (she/her) is a Chinese American from San Diego, CA. She looks forward to uplifting AAPI youth voices in politics and connecting with fellow activists to fight for equitable representation. Her other passions include bullet journaling, eating shrimp chips, and diving down anime rabbit holes.
Design Director
Namita Hegde
Namita is a Taiwanese-Indian American from San Jose, CA. She enjoys crocheting, drawing, and reading in her free time! She’s excited to help spread political awareness to AAPI youth through media and graphic design. She also hopes to uplift and encourage AAPI youth to let their voices be heard within the world of politics.