Asian American Leadership
Forum for Youth
2017 PANELISTS.
JIYOON MARY CHUNG
Apex for Youth
Director of Mentoring and Educational Programs
Jiyoon oversees Apex for Youth's Mentoring and Educational Programs that help underserved Asian and immigrant youth to become confident, college-ready, and community-minded. She has worked with various immigrant communities around NYC. Jiyoon looks forward to joining AALFY's panel at Hunter College High School, her alma mater. She studied English, psychology, and sociology at SUNY Geneseo, where she became deeply involved in student activism and led many Asian American and diversity initiatives.
NERIEL DAVID PONCE
Border Crossers
Administrative Coordinator
Neriel David Ponce is a core leader at RAISE, a pan-Asian undocumented youth-led group in NYC. He studied Asian-American studies and Anthropology at Hunter College ('16) and has been active in Asian/American, immigrant, LGBTQ, and youth organizing spaces. He currently works at Border Crossers, a racial justice and education nonprofit organization.
JAMES HONG
Minkwon Center for Community Engagement
Executive Director
Mr. Hong oversees the MinKwon Center’s Civic Engagement Program as well as advocacy and community organizing efforts. He is a 2nd generation Korean American from Miami, Florida who joined the MinKwon Center in 2010. Prior to joining the MinKwon Center, James was a Senior Research Analyst at Market Dynamics Research Group, Synovate USA and Synovate Korea. James received his A.B. from Bowdoin College and his M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary.
JAMES HONG
Minkwon Center for Community Engagement
Executive Director
Mr. Hong oversees the MinKwon Center’s Civic Engagement Program as well as advocacy and community organizing efforts. He is a 2nd generation Korean American from Miami, Florida who joined the MinKwon Center in 2010. Prior to joining the MinKwon Center, James was a Senior Research Analyst at Market Dynamics Research Group, Synovate USA and Synovate Korea. James received his A.B. from Bowdoin College and his M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary.