It began when presidential-level taunts about “the China virus” and “Kung Flu” fanned the flames of violence against members of the Asian community. An 85-year-old Thai-American grandfather was senselessly pushed to the ground in San Francisco, later dying of his injuries. An 83-year-old Korean-American grandmother in White Plains, New York was spit on, punched in the face, knocked unconscious and left lying in her own blood. Then came the horrific mass shootings at the Atlanta spas that killed eight, including six women of Asian descent. Asian Hate had become a tragic symptom of COVID-19, with AAIP people of all ethnicities and backgrounds being blamed for the pandemic. In this moving talk, Emmy winner Juju Chang examines the root causes of anti-Asian xenophobia — racism that is deep-seated in both American history and American culture. Citing positive examples of rising activism and advocacy, Chang breaks generations of suffering in silence to drive an honest and thought-provoking discussion of how we can all come together as allies to create real and lasting change.

When Juju Chang started out as a young journalist, she would dress in masculine clothing to “look as tough as the guys” and shy away from reporting on the AAPI community for fear of being pigeon-holed. Today, she not only embraces her identities as a woman, mother of three sons, wife, volunteer, Jew by Choice and Asian American — she  actively brings her lived experience to her work as an award-winning journalist and network anchor. From co-hosting a prime-time news special on Asian Hate and highly praised coverage of the Atlanta Spa Shootings, to covering gender inequality, immigrant stories and human rights around the world, Juju has elevated her career by whole-heartedly bringing her life experience, identities and passion for social justice to her work. In this inspiring talk, Juju empowers more women to celebrate their authentic selves, blend their talents with their passions, and bring their invaluable lived experiences to their professional roles. According to Juju, it’s also a win-win for any organization. Celebrating diversity of experience helps to create more  inclusive and innovative workplace cultures that are also more in touch with their communities and customers.

“Oooh…you look so exotic…” “You’re  a delicate lotus flower… ” “So, where are you from…I mean, really from?” Juju Chang’s answer: “CALIFORNIA!” While these kinds of comments seem benign and are mistakenly meant to be complimentary, Asian-American women have universally endured them as part of a dehumanizing trope that characterizes them as hypersexualized, weak and submissive. Now, in the COVID-driven era of Asian Hate, this stereotyping has escalated to include verbal assaults, mass shootings,  and a crime rate against AAPI women that is twice that of AAPI men. According to one expert, it even feeds into rape culture. In this revealing talk — which draws heavily on her acclaimed reporting of the mass shootings at Asian-themed spas in Atlanta and conversations with scores of women throughout her lifetime — Juju Chang brings a compelling voice to a long-standing issue that is only beginning to be discussed. She also takes on unconscious bias, the notorious “bamboo ceiling,” and how we can all stand up to fight biases against AAPI women in our workplaces and communities.

The AAPI identity includes over 50 ethnic or language groups, but there’s one thing they have in common: A feeling of “otherism” that includes being asked “but, where are you really from?” even if their family has been in the U.S. for generations. This “otherism” was weaponized during the pandemic, with anti-Asian hate crimes rising 169% in 15 American cities during the first three months of 2021 alone. In a conversation with members of your organization, Juju Chang takes on key components of biases against Asian Americans and the ways they are harmed, including scapegoating and the fetishization and dehumanization of women. She also confronts the  “model minority myth,”:  the  “Crazy Rich Asian” mischaracterization that renders a huge populations of low-income Asian Americans invisible. Believing that the best way to end unconscious bias is to get to know someone different and hear their personal story and points of view, Juju leads a thought-provoking  conversation that increases understanding and amplifies allyship.

In May of 2020, when New York City was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, Juju Chang reported from one of the epicenters of the epicenter: the South Bronx. Home to 1.5 million, people, the South Bronx had the city’s highest rate of COVID deaths. Contributing factors included a high proportion of essential workers, inability to work at home, density of housing, and intergenerational households. But Juju’s reporting revealed that the true root cause was actually poverty itself. In the Bronx and in poor communities across the U.S., COVID was merely shining a light on long-standing healthcare disparities and inequities. In this America, children were twice as likely to have asthma because of environmental pollution, mold, mildew and vermin;  adults have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes; and all are impacted by  food insecurity and lack of access to healthcare. In fact, even before COVID, someone living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan lived 10 years longer than someone in the South Bronx. In this powerful talk highlighted by clips that give voice to actual South Bronx residents ranging from a nurse and a hospital sanitation worker to community activists, Juju examines healthcare disparities in America — and how we must not forget the fatal inequities that the pandemic laid bare.

“50% Korean. 100% Jewish.” That’s how Jew by Choice Juju Chang describes her three sons with husband Neal Shapiro. Their blended cultures share a reverence for education, a powerful immigrant experience, and sadly, a history of persecution, discrimination,  “otherism” and scapegoating in the United States. In this highly personal talk, Juju shares her journey to Judaism and Jewish identity and discusses the historical parallels between Asian Hate and anti-Semitism. Noting that the Trump and COVID-era rise in internet hate speech against Asians was first flagged by the Anti-Defamation League’s Jonathan Greenblatt, Juju calls for the two communities to become allies against the rising forces of hate in our country.