The Center for Asian Pacific American Women (CAPAW) hosted their West Coast Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Conference at Portland State University (PSU) on Thursday, August 24, 2023. The conference, aimed towards AANHPI women, was a day of self-care and making a commitment to prioritize yourself and your health so you will be at your best to accomplish your purpose. 

This year, Access Tech’s Marketing Admin, Joyce Cam, was invited to attend the event. Joyce started her day at 8:30 a.m. at PSU and was welcomed by local and national AANHPI women. Sue Ann Hong, CEO and President of CAPAW, and Gloria Adeboi, Strategic Business Development Strategic Business Development at Maxim Label & Packaging, kicked off the conference with a welcome and history of CAPAW. 

Speakers including Marisa Hamamoto, Founder, CEO, Artistic Director of Infinite Flow Dance; Tutti Taygerly, Executive Leadership Coach at Taygerly Labs; and Dominique Narciso Kim, Founder and CEO of The Dominique Narciso Company LLC, spoke on their experiences as AANHPI women, imposter syndrome, and the balance between your professional and personal life. Dr. Eliza Ng, the Chief Medical Officer of The Coalition of Asian-American IPA, also spoke on the importance of self-care and prioritizing health.  

Along with the speakers, multigenerational panels were also presented. The first panel consisted of AANHPI women in the beginning of their careers and the second panel consisted of AANHPI women well into their careers. The panels spoke about the joy and challenges that come with their identities, the effects their identities had on their career paths, and their hopes for their futures.  

Joyce thought the conference was inspiring and ignited a stronger passion in her professional career as the Marketing Admin at Access Tech.  

“The conference was amazing. It was great to share a space with women like me, with shared experiences. Speaking to other attendees and speakers gave me more self-confidence in my work and belonging in the tech industry.”  

Access Tech believes in the importance and practice of DEI and uplifting underrepresented communities.