Jo-Ann Yoo stands as a formidable champion for the Asian American community, leading the Asian American Federation (AAF) as its Executive Director. Under her dynamic leadership, AAF has solidified its position as New York’s preeminent leadership organization, partnering with over 70 organizations to amplify the influence and welfare of the 1.5 million-strong Asian community. Jo-Ann's unwavering commitment has transformed AAF into a formidable force advocating for a community-driven response to the escalating anti-Asian hate crisis.

Jo-Ann Yoo's leadership has been pivotal in steering the Asian American Federation's (AAF) initiatives to combat anti-Asian violence in New York since 2020. Her strategic direction of the Hope Against Hate campaign, AAF's flagship program, has been crucial in ensuring the safety and security of Asian New Yorkers. Her influence extends to the national stage, where she recently provided powerful testimony at a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights hearing in Washington D.C., addressing the federal response to anti-Asian racism. Jo-Ann has also served as a Commissioner on New York City's Racial Justice Commission and on Mayor Adams' Covid Recovery Roundtable and Health Equity Task Force. She is part of the Advisory Board on Implementation of the Racial Justice Commission, co-leads the AAPI Mental Health Task Force for the New York State Office of Mental Health, and is a board member of Nonprofit New York. Her significant impact has been recognized by City and State NY, which named her to their Power of Diversity, Nonprofit Power 100, and Asian Power 100 lists.

Joo Han is the Deputy Director of AAF. Over the past six years, Joo has managed numerous mental health, education, and capacity-building programs to support AAF's member agencies and advocate for the urgent needs of New York City's Asian communities. Since the onset of COVID-19-related xenophobia in January 2020, she has worked tirelessly to address the rise in racism, bias incidents, and hate crimes targeting the Asian community through advocacy, education, and community response. In 2015, Joo launched a citywide community education program to address the rise in bullying of Asian American youth and its impact on their mental health. This initiative led to a research project on the mental health needs of Asian New Yorkers, resulting in the first-ever mental health report focused on New York City's pan-Asian community. She currently leads the Asian American Mental Health Project at AAF, which aims to increase access to culturally competent mental health services for Asian New Yorkers. Joo holds a B.A. in English from Williams College and an M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

In our interview, Jo-Ann and Joo shared their deep commitment to providing resources and advocacy for marginalized members of the Asian American community, particularly women and immigrants. They recounted personal experiences of discrimination and their advocacy efforts, highlighting the need for greater visibility and recognition of Asian American women in leadership positions. They also discussed the challenges faced by marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of community-based advocacy, effective leadership, and addressing misplaced anger and frustration towards the Asian community.

Jo-Ann and Joo underscored the importance of fighting for equity and access in healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities. Their dedication to creating a more just world is driven by a profound belief in the need to advocate for improvements rather than settling for less.

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