DNA Fellowship Program

Elizabeth Sweet (she/they) is a recent graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle with degrees in neuroscience and political science. Transracially and internationally adopted from South Korea into a rural town in Washington state on S’Klallam land, she was raised outside of Asian American community and culture. She has since worked to reclaim her Asian identity and reconnect with Korean culture, advocating that there is no singular way to be Asian American. Elizabeth identifies as a queer woman of color whose experiences before and during the rise of anti-Asian hate in the global pandemic have shaped her vested interest in mobilizing around racial justice, progressive and inclusive politics, and intersectional advocacy and liberation. She is a model minority denouncer, who lived under the control of this deeply problematic stereotype for years until realizing her value existed outside of it. She champions recognition for adoptee issues, dismantling mental health stigma, and the convergence of science with policy. She is passionate about increasing accessibility to, combatting elitism in, decolonizing, and organizing around increasing the political representation and visibility of underrepresented groups. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, discussing Asian representation in media, and reclaiming and wearing Korean traditional dress, or hanbok.

Lisa (she/her) was born and raised in the Bay Area, growing up in the vibrant city of San José where she had the honor of being part of VietUnity’s inaugural Vietnamese Americans Civic Leader Academy, embarking on grassroots organizing as a multigenerational and multilingual leader. She also served as Vice Chair of the District 2 Youth Commission and worked on developing policy memorandums for the city approved by Mayor Sam Liccardo.

Lisa rerooted to Los Angeles for college and is a first-generation graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lisa was involved with the SEASON Conference at UCLA and expanded her community organizing roots at UC Berkeley’s Summer Institute with the Southeast Asian Student Coalition.

She is passionate about centering her work to uplift AANHPI communities. Lisa previously interned with the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) as well as Kaya Press, an independent non-profit publisher of writers of the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora under the academic auspices of USC.

In her free time, Lisa is an avid food blogger can be found exploring trendy food spots. She enjoys developing her skills in professional photography and going to concerts.

Nayomi Her is a Hmong American senior pursuing dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Economics and Public Policy, with a minor in Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity at St. Catherine University. She has conducted research in education policy and labor economics, with a focus on racial disparities in education and the economic outcomes of Asian Americans. Her most recent work “Not All Asians are ‘Crazy Rich’: Differences in the Returns to Education of Asian Americans” was awarded second place in the Term Paper category of the Minnesota Economic Association’s 2023 Undergraduate Student Paper Contest. At St. Kate’s, Nayomi serves as the Program Coordinator for the Minnesota Center for Diversity in Economics and the President of the Economics Club. This past summer, Nayomi was a scholar of the American Economic Association Summer Program. In her free time, Nayomi enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants and cafes.

Resty (he/him/his) is a senior at Yale University studying Ethnicity, Race, & Migration (ERM) and Statistics & Data Science (S&DS). His work leverages both data and activism as tools to preserve and protect AAPI communities. His previous research projects include visualizing public opinion data, analyzing the effect of survey weights in regression, and interviewing Filipino seafarers docked in Miami. At Yale, he is a former co-head of the Asian American Cultural Center, co-president of Kasama: the Filipinx Club, and co-moderator of the Asian American Students Alliance. In the latter role, he led a BIPOC student protest at the Supreme Court in defense of affirmative action. He now serves as a residential/academic advisor for a cohort of 15 first-year students.

Previously, Resty served as the Data & Policy Fellow at OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, with support from Dwight Hall and the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale. He is also a former Summer Lab research assistant at UChicago’s Data Science Institute. He is excited to incorporate these experiences as he begins his new role as a Data, Narrative, and Action (DNA) Fellow at AAPI Data.

In his spare time, you can find Resty with his friends at a thrift store, café, or dance studio. He is a proud native Chicagoan—though recently, he now also considers the Bay Area home. Wherever he is, AAPI communities have always made him feel at home, and he looks forward to the relationships he’ll cultivate at AAPI Data!

Dawn Lagmay (she/her) is a Democracy Associate at the Local Policy Lab (LPL), where she actively contributes to the non-profit startup organization’s mission of providing vital support to local governments and policymakers. As an inaugural member of LPL’s dynamic team, Dawn brings a breadth of experience from her previous role as the former Deputy Field Director and Internship Director of Congressmember Mike Levin’s (CA-49) 2022 campaign.

Dawn is passionate about fostering a human-centered approach to politics and data. In June 2023, she earned her B.S. in Political Science/Data Analytics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). As an undergraduate, Dawn served as a Research Apprentice for UCSD’s Political Science Department, conducting an exploratory analysis of the impact of partisanship on COVID-19 language in U.S. Senators’ press releases.

In late 2023, Dawn extended her commitment to mentorship by becoming a Mentor at the San Diego API Network (APIN). Through her involvement with APIN, she aspires to create a pipeline of AAPI professionals and decision-makers, reflecting her dedication to community building and empowerment.

Ranen (he/him) graduated summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis with a triple major in political science, sociology, and women, gender, and sexuality studies. On campus, he served two terms as student body president, as co-president of the Asian Multicultural Council, and an executive board member for his Asian-interest acappella group, the WashU Sensasians. As a student leader, he expanded access to menstrual products across campus, created a Food Security Fund and fundraised $74,000 to combat food insecurity, and programmed dozens of campus events. Nationally, he has served as the Communications Director for the College Democrats of America, where he spearheaded national social media and digital mobilization strategies for the 2022 midterm elections. Ranen is passionate about generating representative policy change for historically marginalized communities. He has interned at the American Civil Liberties Union (national and Missouri chapters), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Congressional Offices of Jamaal Bowman and Barbara Lee (as an APAICS intern and OCA intern), the House Veterans Affairs Committee, the State Department, NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri, and the campaign for then-Treasurer Tishaura Jones. He has been recognized for his public service work as a Truman, Udall, Point, Prism, and OCA-NJ Scholar. Currently, he works as a paralegal for a plaintiff’s public interest law firm and conducts policy research with Path to Progress. Outside of school and work, he enjoys watching Netflix, catching up with friends, and reading.

I am a first generation college student, a first generation Tongan American, the eldest sibling in a big family, and a Bay Area native. Each of these aspects of my identity play a huge role in the way that I carry myself and my dreams and aspirations. I earned a BA in sociology from UCLA in 2019 and I am in the process of earning an MHA degree from LSU, Shreveport. I am also currently applying to nursing school and dream of using each of those degrees to effect real change on a systematic level in health care as well as on a more personal level during one on one interactions with patients and their families. I hope to create greater access to healthcare for underrepresented and underserved communities while also paving the way for members of those same communities to earn seats and positions to continue to effect necessary change.

Sandi is a junior at Stanford studying Science, Technology, and Society with research interests in algorithmic labor, global labor networks, and border surveillance. On campus, Sandi is involved in the Stanford Myanmar Student Association and Stanford Asian American Advisory Board. Sandi enjoys knitting, reading, and drinking hojicha lattes.

Anamalia (Ana) Suʻesuʻe (she/her) is a Community Psychology doctoral student at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Ana’s family is from the villages of Utulei, Fagatogo, and Fitiuta, American Samoa. Ana and her two younger sisters were born in Hawaiʻi and raised in Kaʻaʻawa on Oʻahu and Keaʻau on Hawaiʻi Island. Ana’s research interests include culturally responsive policies and programs for Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in health and education. She is also interested in community-based participatory research and Indigenous research methods. As a graduate research assistant, Ana has worked on projects focused on Native Hawaiian resilience and historical trauma as well as alternative incarceration models in Hawaiʻi. Ana was selected as a Public Health Law Fellow with the CDC and ChangeLab Solutions in 2023 where she worked with the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board in South Dakota on issues related to tribal health data access policies. Ana holds an M.A. in Psychology from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and a B.S. in Psychology from Chaminade University of Honolulu. She currently lives in Hauʻula with her husband and their two children, her mother, and younger sister.

Ina Thigith (she/her/hers) is the Senior Production Associate of Development & Operations for the Pacific Council on International Policy. In her role with the Pacific Council, she manages development projects, provides technological support and maintenance, and creates graphic designs. Ina also serves as manager of the Junior Fellowship Program.

Ina is a 2024 M.A. Law & Diplomacy candidate at the Fletcher School specializing in Human Security, International Business & Gender and Intersectional Analysis. Her capstone research focuses on social urbanism, architecture, and civic engagement as tools for community wellness and restoration, specifically in the Latin American context.

Ina received her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, with a concentration in International Relations, from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her studies, she focused on the relationship between the U.S. and East Asia and spent time living in Hong Kong, where she studied business at The University of Hong Kong, and in Tokyo, where she lived as an English teacher.

Currently, Ina resides in Arlington, MA on the colonized land of the Wôpanâak (Wampanoag) and Massachusett tribes. She is a proud Micronesian of indigenous Yapese origin. Ina enjoys spending time with her dog Goomba, supporting small businesses, nail art, and baking.

Paige comes from a culture that values people, collective community work, and the natural environment. Having lived in this country for more than half of her life, her mission is to end destructive systems and bring a trusting, collective, and compassionate approach to communities, empowering them to be their own voice in rights advocacy. Her lived and work experiences with people from diverse background communities have molded her experiences making her a stronger champion to serve the population of California, hand-in-hand with statewide advocacy work. Paige holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and is currently attending graduate school working towards a Master of Arts degree in Political Science.