Ethnicity: Chinese-American
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Involvements: Colorado Asian Pacific Youth Association (CAPYA), Asian Student Alliance, Heritage Camp for Adoptive Families – Chinese Heritage Camps, OCA
Quote Andrew lives by: “Go big or go home.”
Three words that describe Andrew: Extroverted, proud, self-assertive
Hobbies/interests: Being organized, presenting workshops, exchanging and experiencing new cultures, and eating
Dream job: Run his own corporate office
Andrew Yeh is a youth leader in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. He is currently Program Director for the high school leadership program Colorado Asian Pacific Youth Association (CAPYA) and has worked with higher education institutions to promote Asian American studies, involvement and activism. On a national level, Yeh has promoted civic engagement projects for the Asian American Justice Center Youth Advisory Council.
Yeh has been involved with the local AAPI community since the age of 14. His father, a refugee worker involved in the Vietnamese and Chinese communities, along with his older sister, engaged in AAPI political issues—both inspired him to give back to his community.
Yeh believes raising consciousness of AAPI stereotypes in higher education is challenging. “I have tried to raise so much awareness of increasing the diversity and population of AAPI,” said Yeh. In addition to asking for desegregated data and increasing student services, Yeh has promoted AAPI advocacy and activism through campus events. As President of the Asian Student Alliance at University of Colorado Denver, Yeh promoted civic and political engagement through a youth voter campaign, a family immigration story collection, a 20th anniversary town hall of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, and a hate crime toolkit.
“I want students to challenge themselves, share their experiences, and develop leadership tools in order to effectively serve as catalysts for change,” he said. Yeh has also engaged student organizations outside of the AAPI community to increase understanding as well as foster a sense of inclusion.
Recently, Yeh travels the nation attending AAPI student conferences. He presents workshops on networking or student leadership, but also loves observing how other students coordinate conference logistics. “I travel to learn how to use these different resources so that I can take what I have learned and give it back to the Colorado community,” he said.
Yeh studies Communications at University of Colorado Denver with a minor in Ethnic Studies and Biology. He wants to continue ensuring the successful development of CAPYA and one day hopes to become a keynote speaker for AAPI students.
