Dear AAWAA Community,

It is with great joy that I, Angela Han, write this letter of celebration as AAWAA’s newly elected Board President. I want to take this opportunity to shine a spotlight on our incredible Staff and Board who have worked tirelessly to increase the visibility and recognition of Asian American women in the arts:

First and foremost, I wish to envelope our previous Director, Diana Li, in heaps of gratitude for robustly building our organization and amplifying AAWAA’s members these past four years. In recognition of her immense impact and that of AAWAA’s staff, I am delighted to extend this invitation:

Diana will be present as well as AAWAA staff members Melanie Elvena (Programs & Communications Manager) and Ivy Chen (Membership Coordinator).

Thank you, Diana, for being the Director of AAWAA (2020-2024)!

During this celebration, you will also have the opportunity to meet AAWAA’s current Board of Directors: newly elected Treasurer Michelle Lee and Secretary Dan Lau, Mariela Montero, Midori, and Susie Kagami (Founder and Director of KOHO Creative Hub who is generously providing the venue). I want to express deep appreciation to Michelle, Mariela, and Kimi Taira – former Board President, Treasurer, and Secretary, respectively – for their steadfast leadership in guiding AAWAA through the pandemic and bringing us powerfully to the present. While Kimi is moving on as her work in art conservation shifts, she will continue to be a resource for our organization's archival endeavors and part of the AAWAA community.

Learn more about AAWAA’s Team

Thank you, Kimi, for being the Director of AAWAA (2021-2024)!

Please stay tuned for more information regarding the open director position in one of our upcoming newsletters. In the meantime, AAWAA’s Board and Staff are carrying the torch forward and fulfilling all director-related responsibilities at this time. If you are interested in joining AAWAA’s Board or would like to volunteer for this celebration, I encourage you to email me at angela@aawaa.net.

On behalf of the Board and Staff: We look forward to seeing you at AAWAA’s Past & Present Leadership Celebration on Sunday, August 25th, 6-8PM at KOHO, San Francisco!

Many Smiles,

Angela Han
(she/her)
President, Board of Directors
Asian American Women Artists Association