#34 John Yang, Asian Americans Advancing Justice

John Yang brings layers of life experience to his leadership of Asian Americans Advancing Justice. His family moved to the US from China when he was a child and coped with losing their documentation, temporarily, after overstaying a work visa. After becoming a lawyer, he litigated for a DC based law firm and was legal director for a fortune 500 company in Shanghai, China. And he served in the Obama Administration as Senior Advisor on Asian issues to US Department of Commerce Secretary Pritzker. As President and Executive Director of AAJC, the largest Asian American policy organization in Washington DC, John leads a team of 20 staff members in advocating for the civil rights of a diverse, and growing constituency. AAJC's work is informed by community partners, locally based nonprofits in 32 states that provide day-to-day services to Asian American. AAJC is now a powerhouse advocate on the most pressing issues of the day: Census 2020, affirmative action, immigration and civic engagement in the policymaking process. AAJC embraces data, debunks stereotypes and collaborates with nonprofit partners to make change possible.