Event Diaries: 2025 RepresentAsian Summer Program
2025 RepresentAsian Summer Program: I am Powerful
Asian Girls Ignite (AGI) recently hosted our fifth annual RepresentAsian Matters summer program, bringing together girls and gender- expansive youth in grades 6–9 for a week of reflection, creativity, and connection.
Centered around the theme “I Am Powerful,” each day invited students to explore a different lens of personal and collective empowerment through hands-on activities, community building, and connecting with AANHPI storytellers 👉To learn more about all our storytellers, click here!
A huge thank you to the Denver Botanic Gardens for sponsoring our summer program for the third year in a row! Their support makes all the difference and helps make the event memorable for us.
For the first time ever, we were thrilled to welcome AGI high school students, Elise, Katie, Naiya, and Sadie, as our first-ever camp guides! These incredible leaders brought energy, heart, and creativity to the week—supporting, inspiring, and guiding students every step of the way through their summer journey.
Day 1: Affirmation
We kicked off Day 1 of RepresentAsian Matters with a joyful welcome at the Mordecai Children’s Garden, where students met their camp guides-Sadie, Elise, Katie, and Naiya-and connected through playful games led by AGI staff- group handshakes with Jenny, charades with Jane, and a human knot with Jihee!
Breakfast featured pandesal from Bahala Bakery in ube, nutella, and everything seasoning flavors. While eating, students decorated their tote bags (that featured affirmations from AGI staff 💜), journals, and created group names and norms with their camp guides.
The day’s theme was Affirmation with the guiding statement-“I recognize all the parts of myself that make up who I am in this moment” with key explorations of “How do I care for the different parts of who I am?” and “How do I take up space?”🔎
These guiding questions came to life through an “Identity Wheel” reflection, followed by exploration stations created by the camp guides, such as web of connections, scavenger hunt, and creative collaging.
Afterwards, students transitioned into a calming sound bath with storyteller, Christina Ifurung (she/her) of Kapwa Healing, reflecting on self-care.
“When you give people space, no matter their age, they intuitively know what they need. Watching the students listen to themselves during the sound bath reminded me just how powerful that can be.”
-Christina Ifurung (she/her), Energy Medicine Practitioner, Kapwa Healing
Then, it was time for lunch! On the menu was plant-based Filipino comfort food from Kids Table, featuring Lumpia, Tofu Pancit, and Ginisang Sayote (including making their own buko pandan for dessert through a game!).
We ended the day with a grounding yoga session, led by Melissa Mooney (she/her) of Kids Table, affirming that self and community care can be joyful and nourishing.
“Watching the kids play during the buko pandan ice-breaker reminded me that joy, fun, and community aren't limited by age. Seeing them lift each other up with affirmations showed how powerful it is to feel supported, especially among fellow Asian kids.”
-Melissa Mooney (she/her), Entrepreneur, Kids Table
At the end of every AGI event, we end with a closing circle with a Head, Heart, Hands- Head is what I learned, Heart is what I felt, Hand is what I am taking away from this experience.
Student reflected on the question:
What are two parts of yourself that you thought were separate, but now realize are connected? How are they connected?
This question helped students make sense of everything they'd explored that day—identity, expression, and being present with their full selves. We welcome you to take the time to read some reflections our students shared as their first day of summer program came to a close:
I thought my art style and people I hang out with didn’t connect but after going through 8th grade, I realize that my art expands with my friends and my own interests.
Being an older sister adds to my personality.
I am feeling happy after today.
I realize that my mental health plays into not being active.
Sports helps me feel better.
I am looking forward to whatever comes next.
Our storyteller, Christina, said something that really connected to them.
Day 2: Trailblazers & History
Today’s theme centered on honoring those who came before us and imagining how we might become trailblazers ourselves. Students explored the guiding statement: “I appreciate my diverse history and the trailblazers before me,” reflecting on how history is something we both inherit and shape with key explorations around “How do I honor the trailblazers before me?” and “How do I pave my own path?”🔎
The morning’s community builder was to strike a cool pose with their groups! Take a look above to their poses! 😎
The day began with breakfast from a local Filipino coffee shop, Coffee Sarap, while settling in and building some LEGO’s! After, students began a gallery walk of historical photos, they practiced curiosity, added reflections, and uncovered the stories behind each image—gaining a deeper understanding of how the past impacts the present.
We were joined by storytellers, Joie Ha (she/they) and Akemi Tsutsui-Kunitake (she/her), who shared personal family stories, photos, and snacks, inspiring students to reflect on their own heritage. Akemi later led a karate workshop in Cheesman Park, helping students embody strength through movement.
“The students are often the moral compass of our country. And when students know that their stories have weight in that their ideas are valuable, it really allows them to step into their own power and truly be the leaders of the next generation.”
-Joie Ha (she/they), Executive Director of Colorado Asian Pacific United
Lunch was from Rocky Mountain Momo featuring Nepali dishes- Spicy Potato, Fried Tofu, Crispy Veg and Chicken Momo, Chowmein, Jerry Swari, Mango Lassi, and Mint Lemonade! Students had the chance to participate in a momo-folding workshop led by Rocky Mountain Momo, learning the history the history behind momos’ and Chatmari!
“The various services and education to help build their students confidence to really share their own stories and become trail blazers for future generations by drawing upon the power that they already have inside them.”
-Akemi Tsutsui-Kunitake (she/her), Channel, Artist, and Educator
We closed the day with a Sparkle Session of joyful play. Akemi, along with AGI staff Jihee and Mehgan, taught games that bring them joy. From silliness to strategy, students were reminded that making your own path also means making space for play.
For closing circle, the question for the day was “How will you pave your own path, make your own choices, and/or create a world for yourself?” This reflection gave students a moment to consider what it means to build something new, bold, and fully their own.
Day 3: Connection & Community
We reached the midpoint of RepresentAsian Matters! Day 3’s theme was one that brought everyone closer-Connection & Community. Students explored the guiding statement: “I am part of a community that is intertwined with other communities.” 💫with key explorations of “How do I find my place within community?” and “How does learning about others teach me about myself?” 🔎
The day began with breakfast from a local Japanese cafe, Tokyo Premium Bakery, followed by a high-energy rescue relay at Cheesman Park led by our camp guides—mixing up groups and building new bonds. Afterward, students circled up to reflect on belonging and community care.
In a storytelling session with Abi Clark (she/her) and Tran Nguyen-Wills (she/her), students learned interview skills, then headed into the Denver Botanic Gardens to gather real stories from staff. Their reflections explored identity, culture, and connection!
“Sitting with these students today, seeing them be their authentic selves, bringing their own flavors to the conversation. I just feel like having that curiosity and really creating a space for community is the best way to attract, you know, people and build community.”
-Abi Clark (she/her), Senior Community Producer & On-Air host at KUVO Jazz Public Radio
“Trust your instincts about what community should look like and make sure you're truly listening as you build it. Everyone's voice deserves to be heard. No one should be left behind, especially the most vulnerable. We rise by lifting each other.”
-Tran Nguyen-Wills (she/her), Deputy Director of Outreach & Values Driven Leader
Lunch from Paborito featured comforting Filipino dishes like arroz caldo, lumpia, lechon kawali, and diced fried tofu! Arroz caldo was mindfully chosen to be served for Day 3’s menu because of it’s significance to community. It is a dish that is typically served in response to emergency or tragedy- as a meal to bring everyone together with comfort, aligning with the day’s theme!
The day wrapped up with a Sparkle Session led by Hue Helen Nguyen (she/her), who taught students to weave individual yarn pieces into a collective tapestry. This activity is a visible reminder that we are all unique, bring our own differences together, and can make something beautiful, and are most of all, stronger when connected—tune into Day 5 to see where it will be displayed!
“The advice I would get the students as they seek out and create their own community is to be as authentically yourself as possible. And I know that's really hard, all the rules and stereotypes and barriers in the world. But I promise you if you follow your passion, or if you show up as authentic as you can, you'll find a community that looks up to you as you are. So just be yourself and you'll be loved just as you are.”
-Hue Helen Nguyen (she/her), Caregiver (of People and Plants)
At the end of the day, our closing circle question was “How does it feel to be “in community” with others? How does it feel to learn about people who used to be complete strangers to you before today?” Together, we explored what it means to truly be in community—and how powerful connection can feel, even with people who were strangers just a few days ago. 💫
Day 4: Legacy & Dreams
As we neared the end of RepresentAsian Matters, students turned their attention to the theme of Legacy & Dreams-imagining how they might leave a lasting impact on their communities through creativity, care, and intention.
The guiding statement of the day was: “I will leave a legacy to keep my community and history alive.” 💫 Key explorations included “What legacy do I hope to leave?” and “How do I hope to grow, change, and expand?” 🔎
We began the day with breakfast from Banh & Butter, a local AAPI-owned bakery known for its Vietnamese-inspired pastries and drinks. Students got energized through a round of AGI Jeopardy, a fun way to bond over trivia, AGI facts, and shared stories.
Our first storyteller of the day, Yu Ning Chan of Knots of Kindness (she/they), shared her journey with mental health and guided students on a mindful walk through the Botanic Gardens. Students captured a meaningful moment and transformed it into a watercolor painting—blending memory, emotion, and reflection. A special thank you to Richard Lo Photography for capturing these photos during our workshop!
“In the students today, I saw a freedom and an acceptance of themselves and others that I didn't see growing up. This is their legacy. The ability to show up for themselves and others.”
-Yu Ning Chan (she/they), Queer/WOC business owner, Knots of Kindness
After lunch from Ca Phe, a local café serving Vietnamese classics, students received their AGI summer t-shirts—co-designed by our very own AGI students and our marketing designer, Jane Ly- with joyful illustrations inspired by summer and self-expression! Try to see if you spot a doodle your student drew during our secret project during our CelebrAsian event in May! A special shout out to A Small Print Shop in Denver, thank you for collaborating with us to print out these special t-shirts and tote bags for our students this week!
To end the day, Anh Phan of Decadent Dough (she/her) led a sweet and tasty cookie decorating Sparkle Session where students created edible art inspired by their dreams! Anh taught students about different types and methods of icing and encouraged creative expression through sprinkles, colors, and dreaming as big as they could with these treats!
“I am just absolutely so proud of all the students we had today at the summer program cookie decorating. Everyone shows so much confidence. Everyone shows so much creativity. And what I see is that everyone was not afraid to ask questions. It was not afraid to start over. And that gives me confidence that as they grow and become adults, that they will become leaders. And I respect how everyone respected each other. And I'm just really proud of everyone here today.”
-Anh Phan (she/her), Owner & Cookie Artist of Decadent Dough
In our closing circle, we asked: “What is a legacy someone you love will leave behind, and why does it matter to you?” Students reflected on gratitude, growth, and the mark they hope to leave on the world. 💭
Day 5: ropes Course & Community Picnic
We closed out RepresentAsian Matters with a powerful day of bravery, reflection, and joy. In the morning, students took on the ropes course at Colorado Adventure Center, pushing past fears, cheering each other on, and embracing the courage we’ve explored all week.
The afternoon brought a joyful community picnic with food, games, music, and connection. We shared lunch and desserts from a Cantonese-fusion restaurant, Chopstix Fusion, where we had bite-sized eats like vegetable egg rolls, crab cheese wontons, salt-and-pepper chicken wings, and two sweet treats- pandan cake cups and mango mousse!
At the picnic, we connected with one another as summer program came to a close. But, it wasn’t over just yet. Annabel unveiled the collective tapestry woven by students earlier in the week. Annabel shared that as this was being put together, it was easy to think that it looked messy, however, it actually fit together… perfectly. The “mess” of each thread shows that there’s so many things connecting us together that we don’t even know at face value, so this messy, beautiful piece embraces all our differences and shows our strength as come together as a community. This piece will be gifted to the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Center (CACEN) Social Fabric Hub!
We ended our time by celebrating all who made this program possible, community closing circle, and saying a “see you later!”
At the community closing circle, we heard our students and team members share:
🤯 Heads:
Different ways we can intentionally take care of ourselves
What being in community means to us
How to embrace all parts of us
How we show up for ourselves plays a role in our mental health
Our differences can make us stronger
Parts of our identity can be connected- even if we don’t realize it at first
Taking time to be silly and play can be necessary for self-care
What gratitude, legacy, and growth means to us
💜 HEARTS:
Proud of how we showed up for ourselves and others
Grateful and inspired to be around other AANHPI students and storytellers
Deeper understanding of our identity and what it means to be “powerful”
Supported and valued by each other
Being able to express themselves openly
🤲 HANDS:
Making new friends throughout the week
Connecting with their camp guides through activities
Had fun eating lots of good food/new types of foods :)
How expression can transform in different mediums such as painting, cookie decorating, weaving, etc.
Reflections from Team AGI
We’re feeling so much gratitude as we wrap up another incredible summer. Thank you to everyone who made this program powerful—from the families who trusted us with their students, to the students who showed up each day with courage, kindness, and joy, to the storytellers, staff, and community members who poured love into every moment.
It was such a joy to welcome back familiar faces and meet new students this year! Whether you’ve been with us from the start or joined us for the first time, thank you for being part of this journey. We’re so grateful to build a future with you—one where we get to define power, joy, and success in our own ways, together.
A special shoutout to our camp guides, Elise, Katie, Naiya, and Sadie, who led with so much heart, humor, and care all week long. And to Reina and Emmy, our incredible helpers who gave their time and energy to support the group, thank you! As students continue their journey with AGI or begin to head into their next chapter, their impact will always be part of this community’s story.
Thank you to our full AGI summer staff, storytellers, families, and most of all—our brilliant students—for making this week unforgettable.
And lastly, the biggest love-filled shoutout to Annabel Kaey, our Program Coordinator, who lovingly crafted every detail of this week. This was her first time organizing the summer program, and it was nothing short of powerful, thoughtful, and full of care.
💜 Keep reading for a personal note from Annabel!
“It was truly an honor to be part of creating this year’s summer program. Last year was my first time attending, and I had the privilege of watching Shené work her magic. Following in her footsteps felt like a daunting task at times, but all of my anxiety would melt away whenever I had a conversation with someone on the AGI team. I am so grateful that I had the support and ideas of everyone on the team in order to help shape the way this summer program was planned.
This experience also would not have been the same without the dedication, creativity, and humor of the high school guides. This was a summer of many firsts for me, and for AGI - it was my first time running AGI’s summer program, our first time having high school camp guides, our first time with a non AANHPI storyteller. I feel like the word “overwhelm” can have a negative connotation, but I want to emphasize that all of these firsts were overwhelming with love and joy in a way that I could not have predicted.
This summer’s theme was “I Am Powerful,” and during the week we talked about the different facets of that statement ; the intersecting parts of our individual identities, the trailblazers who create space and the history that deserves space, the various communities we are part of, and the legacy we will leave behind, simply by existing. My biggest takeaway from this week is that our power comes from community. Even in moments where I feel alone in achieving success or falling behind, when there is community, there is always someone who held my hand along the way, or someone who will notice me in the aftermath. I always say this, but thank you for trusting us with your kids this week. It is a privilege to witness them be and to do so alongside them.”
join us next year
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join us next year 〰️
OUR 2026 SUMMER PROGRAM WAITLIST is open now!
If you know of a student who identifies as an AANHPI girl or gender-expansive youth in grades 6-9 in Colorado, please encourage their family to join our waitlist!
Feeling inspired and want support our programming? Make a donation today! $10 funds one student’s workshop materials (art supplies, STEM kits, books, etc.) and goes a long way to make programs like these magical.