In summer 2025, the Asian American Initiative, in partnership with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), selected Kathleen Hoang and Dorothy Zhang as summer interns at TAAF. Kathleen and Dorothy worked on administrative support, process development and improvement, and project management. In addition to having a dedicated mentor, they participated in leadership and professional growth activities.
Founded in 2021 in response to rising anti-Asian hate and long-standing underinvestment in AAPI communities, TAAF supports the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity free from discrimination, slander, and violence. TAAF funds best-in-class organizations working to mobilize against hate and violence, educate communities, and reclaim narratives through its pillars of Anti-Hate & Safety, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation.
Upon completion of her internship, Kathleen shared with AAI that her summer at The Asian American Foundation “was easily my favorite internship — having just graduated from Columbia, I am grateful to have been surrounded by incredible mentors who supported me in navigating all the different paths I could possibly take in my first year postgrad. Now as I move into fashion full-time, I carry with me the same purpose and community-driven values that fueled my political work, and I owe much of it to TAAF.”
