Why We Lead

To shed light on the leadership aspirations and challenges faced by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) girls and gender-expansive youth, Girls Leadership, in collaboration with Evaluation Studio and the Girls Leadership’s Youth Research Council (YRC), has released this first-of-its-kind national study.

As Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders continue to emerge as one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the United States, comprising 7.7% of the total population, “Why We Lead” addresses a critical gap in research. Through a comprehensive approach encompassing a national survey of 2,275 youth participants, 30 in-depth interviews, photovoice submissions, and meaningful discussions with over 30 AANHPI-serving community-based organizations, as well as a national survey of 500 teachers, this report delves into the motivations, needs, and barriers faced by AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth.

Key Findings:

AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth are engaged in leadership roles or aspire to lead.

More than 3 in 4 AANHPI girls and gender-expansive survey participants are leading or plan to be a leader in the future (77%).

Culture and lived experiences shape the definitions of leadership.

AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth and teachers agreed on the importance of a leader being “someone who brings people together to get things done” (60% and 63%, respectively). The biggest discrepancy between students’ and teachers’ perspectives in defining a leader is as someone who “is in charge of other people and makes decisions that affect them” (agreed upon by 47% of youth and 73% of teachers).

Generational immigration status impacts the emotional and physical safety of AANHPI youth.

Ninety percent (90%) of 1st-generation AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth state they experience negative bias, the highest reported amongst surveyed generations. In comparison, 64% of 3rd-generation AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth feel similarly (the lowest reported amongst surveyed generations).

While schools serve as vital communities for AANHPI youth, they also serve as arenas of bias and prejudice.

Schools are a major source of community for AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth, but also where they experience bias and prejudice. 42% of AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth consider school as their community; at the same time, 38% report bias happens in school from a peer, and 29% report bias happens from a teacher or school administrators.

Teachers play a pivotal role in supporting AANHPI leadership, yet discussions around identity factors remain insufficient.

While 68% of teachers report being aware of generational differences amongst AANHPI youth, only 1 in 5 teachers have discussed generational differences in their classrooms (20%).