Welcome!

What
14th Annual Asian Pacific American Conference on Law & Public Policy: Generation Heroes

When
February 29 - March 1, 2008

Where
Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School, Austin Hall, Cambridge, MA

One of the most fundamental cultural archetypes is that of the heroic figure overcoming adversity. This theme has been expressed in many different forms throughout history, from ancient legends to modern day TV series. Heroes not only possess unique strengths and inspire others to follow their example, but, most importantly, they also take on challenges on behalf of their community, their nation, and their world.

As Asian Pacific Americans, we often struggle to develop strengths in our respective fields, trying to define a vision for ourselves. Many of the challenges we encounter along this journey seem far greater than ourselves. We must shape our individual identities, respond to changing attitudes towards Asian Pacific Americans, and take on an active and vocal role in society at large. We are also often called upon to form a united front despite our different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

The 14th Annual Asian Pacific American Conference on Law and Public Policy—Generation Heroes—will address the various topics raised above. Building on the collective experiences of Asian Pacific Americans, we will explore our strengths and weaknesses, and discuss how we can complement and support each other. We will look at the challenges that face our community today, as well as consider our direction for the future. In the process we hope to inspire each other to reach beyond ourselves, to draw on the lessons of the past generations of heroes and become heroes in our own right for the next generation.