Call for Proposals

Call for Proposals for the 2026 APAHE Conference, blue graphic with angled microphone on the right side

Legacies in Action: Courage and Resilience 

The Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education invites you to submit a proposal for our 2026 National Conference, Legacies in Action: Courage & Resilience.

Our work in Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) is part of a much longer arc that is shaped by courage, resilience, and actions–both individual and collective– taken by those who have come before us. This year’s theme, Legacies in Action: Courage & Resilience, is a direct response to the current national climate, as we witness history being repeated and being rewritten–through narrative suppression, political pressures, battles over curriculum, targeted attacks on social justice-oriented programs and initiatives, and weaponized budget cuts, including the recent elimination of MSI discretionary funding, which directly impacts  AANAPISI and  NHSI. These moves undermine the very legacies we seek to extend. Though this is not the first time in history when such forces have tried to silence or diminish our communities, like those who came before us, we remain courageous and resilient to ensure that those who come after inherit the legacies we continue to build. 

Now, more than ever, our community needs to come together to carve a path forward and ensure our work endures. How do we honor the struggles and triumphs that brought us here today? What kind of courage is required of us now? What actions will carry us forward? What legacy are we going to leave for those who come after? 

We welcome proposals that reflect, reimagine, and take action across higher educational contexts–from research to policy; from storytelling to practice; from individual to collective actions that exemplify courage and resilience in service of the AANHPI community and its legacies in higher education and beyond. 

Submit a Proposal

Presentations, Roundtables, and Poster Sessions

Proposals should address issues that are relevant to AANHPI experiences in higher education and align with at least one of the topics below: 

  1. Coalition Building
  2. Community Well-being and Cultivation
  3. Equity, Student Success, and Support Programs
  4. Ethnic Identity, Empowerment, and Advocacy
  5. Honoring and Building Legacy
  6. Leadership Development and Career Advancement
  7. Legislation, Policy, and Research

*NEW* Pre-Conference Workshop Proposals

We understand that APAHE is one of the few spaces where the AANHPI community can grow and learn from each other, so the APAHE Program Committee is piloting a new feature to our conference offerings: inviting proposals to facilitate pre-conference workshops. 

To be held on Sunday, April 12, 2026, the pre-conference workshops are three-hour, action-oriented sessions that go beyond traditional presentations. Their purpose is to create a space for deep engagement, skill-building, coalition building, community learning, problem-solving, and/or action planning. Unlike traditional breakout sessions where a majority of the time goes to delivering content, we imagine pre-conference workshops as immersive and interactive, with the goal of providing intentional spaces for learning and/or preparing attendees to take meaningful action in their own institutions and communities. 

Possible Pre-conference Workshop Formats

  • Storytelling and legacy circle (e.g. a workshop on cultural practices as connected to   indigenous ways of knowing, where participants practice embodying indigenous knowledge in their institutional roles)
  • Action lab (e.g. a workshop where participants learn how to intentionally expand AANHPI support services on campus.)
  • Skill-building workshop (e.g a hands-on training on data story-telling, where participants learn how to frame data to advocate for AANHPI community)  
  • Policy organizing workshop (e.g. a deep dive into the importance of building safe spaces on campus, coupled with a hands-on activity on drafting a proposal and/or a plan for action)
  • Healing and well-being retreat (e.g. guided mindfulness exercises rooted in AANHPI traditions)
  • Intergenerational mentoring exchange (e.g. structured dialogues between seasoned AANHPI leadership and emerging professionals that will result in a leadership action plan)

We also welcome other formats so long as they center the AANHPI community and have clear format, structure, and actionable outcomes.

Conference Date and Location

Dates

  • Pre-Conference: Sunday, April 12, 2026
  • Conference Day 1: Monday, April 13, 2026
  • Conference Day 2: Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Location: Anaheim Marriott (700 West Convention Way, Anaheim, California 92802)

Proposal Deadline

Proposal submissions open: Monday, September 15, 2025

Proposal submissions close: 11:59 PM Samoa Standard Time (SST, UTC-11) on Friday, October 31, 2025 / 2:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC-7) on Saturday, November 1, 2025

Questions may be sent to proposals@apahenational.org 

*Note on Terminology

Racial and ethnic identity labels abound and often are associated with time and a historical context. Adopted for the 2024 APAHE annual conference, the term Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) is predicated in the spirit of inclusivity amongst our Asian, Desi, and Pasifika communities and identities. APAHE’s intent is not to be dismissive of any other labels that are and have come before it. We are not a monolith. On the contrary, we acknowledge the complexity and diversity amongst and within us.

PROGRAM FORMATS

*New* Pre-conference Session  (3 hours = 180 minutes)

This extended-format session offers a focused exploration of a single topic through a dynamic mix of presentations, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities. Participants will engage with content through expert-led segments, collaborative group work, and practical exercises. Throughout, there will be ample opportunities to connect with presenters and peers, ask questions, and walk away with clear, actionable insights.

Breakout Session (Workshops, Panels, etc.)  (75 minutes)

General presentations can explore a specialized topic from multiple perspectives or examine a broader subject in depth. They may be delivered by an individual, a group, or a panel.

Roundtable Session   (75 minutes)

Hosted at a round table, this setting creates a more intimate and personalized setting for deep discussion, reflection, and examination of a topic or subject.

Poster Presentation 

Poster presentations allow participants to share their research through visually engaging materials and in-depth discussion with conference attendees.

Submit a Proposal