The Department of Ethnic Studies UC Berkeley

Our department’s very own Dr. Lisa Hirai Tsuchitani has been appointed Director of Engagement for the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AA&PI) Thriving Initiatives here at Berkeley.

 

Many of us know Lisa through her years of impactful teaching–AAADS 122, on the Historical and Contemporary Experiences of Japanese Americans, and AAADS 146, on Asian Americans in Higher Education. Some of us have been lucky enough to know Lisa as an undergraduate mentor for numerous honors theses and DeCal courses. This new position in the Division of Equity and Inclusion builds on Lisa’s impactful commitments to university service.

 

Indeed, the list of activities Lisa has undertaken to advance educational equity at Berkeley is truly remarkable. Lisa was the founder and faculty co-chair of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Standing Committee (AAPISC), where she was the lead author and co-PI on a recent study of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at UC Berkeley. She has served as the campus representative at the UC Office of the President’s AANAPISI Initiative convenings, and has organized and facilitated meetings for UC Regent representatives with Native Hawaiian leaders in California and Hawai’i regarding the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea. Moreover, Lisa serves on the Asian Pacific American Student Development Advisory Board, the Japanese American Studies Advisory Committee, and the Asian American Research Center Steering Committee, among numerous other campus-wide committees.

 

The spirit of service Lisa brings to her work at Berkeley is an inspiration. Congratulations on this important appointment!