With a foundational background in psychology, Isabelle brings a unique perspective to the tech industry, where she specializes in human-centric issues. At her company, she's renowned for her expertise in enhancing team communication and serving as a transformative coach, translating complex code into understandable language for all stakeholders. Communication isn't just her job; it's her passion.

With a foundational background in psychology, Isabelle brings a unique perspective to the tech industry, where she specializes in human-centric issues. At her company, she's renowned for her expertise in enhancing team communication and serving as a ... Show more

I am an assistant professor of urban design and analytics at TU Delft, passionate about asking spatial and non-spatial questions with R. I co-initiated Rbanism, a community of R users that aims to empower urbanism researchers, students, educators and practitioners to use open-source software and related open-science practices effectively and with confidence. Currently, I focus on developing an open-source tool for urban river space analysis, and on text mining applied in urbanism education.

I am an assistant professor of urban design and analytics at TU Delft, passionate about asking spatial and non-spatial questions with R. I co-initiated Rbanism, a community of R users that aims to empower urbanism researchers, students, educators and... Show more

Researcher, writer, curator, public speaker and community activist in Asian Germany since the 1990s

Education
2009 Ph.D. Cultural Studies (summa cum laude), University of Bremen (Germany)
1998 Diploma Political Sciences, Free University of Berlin

Academic and Professional Appointments
2023 Curator Asian Presences in Colonial Metropolis Berlin, Sinema Transtopia Berlin
Since 2020 Postdoctoral Researcher, Asian-Orient-Institute, University of Tübingen
2014-2016 Co-speaker of the Association for Intercultural Welfare, Empowerment and Diversity
2015 Senior Research Fellowship an der Bayreuth Academy of Advanced Studies, University of Bayreuth
Since 2012 Associated Fellow of the Institute for Postcolonial and Transcultural Studies, University of Bremen
2012 Co-curator of the Asia-Pacific Weeks at the House of World Cultures (Berlin)
2011 Visiting Professor at the Asia-Orient-Institute, University of Tübingen
2010 Curator Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond, Hebbel am Ufer Theater (Berlin)
since 2010 Member of korientation. Network for German-Asian Perspectives
2009-2010 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Cluster of Excellence “Asia and Europe in a Global Context”, University of Heidelberg
2009 Visiting Scholar at Asian/Pacific/America-Institute, New York University
Since 2001 Independent researcher, writer and public speaker frequently invited to universities, museums, cultural and art institutions

Academic Awards (selected)
2023 Conference grant from the Platform “Global Encounters” of the University of Tübingen, funded by Excellence Strategy of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
2022 Project grant from “Promotion of Contemporary History and Remembrance Culture” of the Berlin Senate
2011 Augsburg Science Prize for Intercultural Studies – Main Award
2009 Publication grant from the FAZIT-Foundation of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
2007 Conference travel grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG)
2001-2004 Doctoral scholarship of the Heinrich Böll Foundation
2001 European Commission’s “Human Potential Programme”

German Publications - Books (peer-reviewed)
2010 Impure and Mixed. Postcolonial Border Crossings through the Cultural History of Hybridity and Colonial “Racial Bastards” (Postcolonial Studies, Vol. 6), Münster: transcript
2005 Hype about Hybridity. Cultural Consumption of Difference and Postmodern Techniques of Utilization in Late Capitalism (Cultural Studies, Vol. 11), Bielefeld: transcript
1999 Ethnicity and Migration (Introductions: Basic Concepts of Social Philosophy and Social Theory, Vol. 9), Münster: Westfälisches Dampfboot

German Publications - Books (non peer-reviewed)
2025 Editor Anti-Asian Racism in Transatlantic Perspectives: History, Theory, Cultural Representations and Social Movements [in English in preparation]
2023 Editor Asian Presences in the Colonial Metropolis Berlin. Localizing Decolonialization. Berlin: Assoziation A [in print]
2012/2021 Editor Asian Germans [Extended]. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin: Assoziation A
2014 Editor Asian Germany–Asian Diaspora in Germany.Heinrich Böll Foundation
2013 Leading guest editor of the special edition surfacing – Empowering Asian Germany, No. 21, April 2013, Transcultural magazine freitext
2007 Co-editor Re/visions. Postcolonial Perspectives of People of Color on Racism, Cultural Politics and Resistance in Germany. Münster: Unrast
2005 Vietnam Revisited. Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin
2004 Ethnicity and Migration Reloaded. Identity, Difference and Hybridity in Postcolonial Discourse. Berlin: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Berlin

More than 60 Book Chapters and Articles in Academic Journals (translated)
In print: On the Colonial Matrix of Anti-Asian Racism: Yellow Danger, Invisibility and Exoticization. In: German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) (ed.): Racism Research: Racisms, Communities and Anti-Racist Movements, Vol. 2, Bielefeld: transcript
In print: The Pogrom in Rostock-Lichtenhagen as Institutionalized Racism. In: Gudrun Heinrich/David Jünger/Oliver Plessow/Cornelia Sylla (eds.): Perspectives from Science on 30 Years of Lichtenhagen 1992. Berlin: Neofelis
2023 Coloniality and Asian-German perspectives in Hito Steyerl's “The Empty Middle” (1998). In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian presences in the colonial metropolis of Berlin. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A [in print]
2023 Chinese community in Berlin. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian presences in the colonial metropolis of Berlin. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A [in print]
2023 Interwoven Concealment: Coloniality, Anti-Semitism and Racism in Hito Steyerl's The Empty Middle (1998). In: Ömer Alkin/Alena Strohmaier (eds.): Racism and Film. Marburg: Schüren Verlag [in print]
2023 Human Rights: Multiple (State) Citizenships, Democracy, Anti-Racism and Decolonization. In: new German organizations (ed.): Citizenship Reloaded. Critical perspectives on citizenship in post-migrant society. Berlin, pp. 48-66.
2023 Anti-racist Alliances and Self-designations. A Critical Reflection on the BIPoC Approach. In: Birgit Jagusch/Yasmine Chehata (eds.): Empowerment and Power Sharing. Anchor Points – Positioning – Arenas. Weinheim: Beltz Juventa, 2023, pp. 156-177.
2022 On the Transnational Coloniality of Anti-Asian Racism: Yellow Peril and Anti-Chinese Migration Policy in the Pacific. In: Mechthild Leutner/Pan Lu/Kimiko Suda (eds.): Anti-Chinese and Anti-Asian Racism. Münster: LIT-Verlag, pp. 38-58.
2021 Hybridity and resistance. Constructions of identity and culture in the age of colonial globalization. In: Frank Eckardt/Hamidou Maurice Bouguerra (eds.): City and racism. Analyzes and perspectives for anti-racist urbanity. Münster: Unrast, 2021, pp. 27-42.
2021 Looking back and looking forward: Decentralized communities and transnational solidarities. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 11-20.
2021 The arrival of the Vietnamese boat people. Conjunctures and anomalies of an exceptional refugee and integration policy. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 132-139.
2021 Nguyễn Ngọc Châu and Đỗ Anh Lân († Hamburg 1980): No two-class society in cultural and remembrance politics!. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 140-149.
2021 Rostock-Lichtenhagen – The return of the repressed. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 150-166.
2021 Decolonial commemoration: The Peace Statue in honor of Asian defiant women. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 364-369.
2021 Solidarity and critique of power relationsships within the movement? Anti-Asian Violence and Intercommunal Alliances. In: Kien Nghi Ha (ed.): Asian German Extended. Vietnamese Diaspora and Beyond. Berlin-Hamburg: Association A, 2021, pp. 418-459.
2021 History and conception of Asian-German presences. In: Overview: Quarterly magazine of the IDA-NRW. No. 2/2021. June 2021, pp.3-9.
Full listing: See https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/208381

Researcher, writer, curator, public speaker and community activist in Asian Germany since the 1990s Education 2009 Ph.D. Cultural Studies (summa cum laude), University of Bremen (Germany) 1998 Diploma Political Sciences, Free University of Berli... Show more

I am Indigenous Nahua and Maya from the highlands of ‎Chiapas, Mexico. I study self-transcendence in Indigenous contemplative traditions ‎and how it enhances prosocial behavior (ethics, compassion, ‎kindness, and a sense of awe, love, and sacredness).‎ My ‎approach intersects ‎Indigeneity, psychology, and contemplation for ‎epistemological equity, relational ‎well-being, and actions toward planetary flourishing. I co-chair the Indigenous Religions ‎Unit of the American Academy of ‎Religion, I'm on the Contemplative ‎Studies committee, and I'm contemplative ‎faculty and scholar at UC Berkeley.‎

I am Indigenous Nahua and Maya from the highlands of ‎Chiapas, Mexico. I study self-transcendence in Indigenous contemplative traditions ‎and how it enhances prosocial behavior (ethics, compassion, ‎kindness, and a sense of awe, love, and sacredness)... Show more

Leah Milne is the author of Novel Subjects: Authorship as Radical Self-Care in Multiethnic American Narratives https://linktr.ee/leahmilne

Leah Milne is the author of Novel Subjects: Authorship as Radical Self-Care in Multiethnic American Narratives https://linktr.ee/leahmilne Show more

-Clinical Psychology student
-Writer, Speaker, and Content maker

-Clinical Psychology student -Writer, Speaker, and Content maker Show more

I'm 34 y.o. and I live in Russia. I have university degree in Human Resources speciality. As many people in the world I'm worried a lot about what happens in our planet now. As a mother I couldn't stop thinking what future my child will have. As a human being I want to do anything possible for our human race to evolve with love and peace, because it is the only way we can help our planet and develop the other ones. For the last 2 years I've been writing my book, which I'd love to present you.

I'm 34 y.o. and I live in Russia. I have university degree in Human Resources speciality. As many people in the world I'm worried a lot about what happens in our planet now. As a mother I couldn't stop thinking what future my child will have. As a hu... Show more

Mohamed Laghdaf is a 22-years old certified software engineer from BlueCrest College, where he obtained a diploma in software engineering. He also holds a diploma with distinction in Peace and Conflict Studies and a BSc (Hons) in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Sierra Leone. Currently, he is in the final stage of pursuing an LL.B alongside an LL.M (Master of Laws) simultaneously, with a particular interest in technology law.

Professionally, Mohamed Laghdaf is an academia, aspiring to become a global expert in AI accountability and liability frameworks. In 2024, he serves as the director of the FALAS Human Rights Student Wing at the Republic of Sierra Leone. In October 2025, he serves as a keynote speaker in Liberia and has also been invited to Kigali for a subsequent session in October 2026. Additionally, he is the president of the Njala Association of Law Mooters. He is fluent in English and Arabic and a beginner in Spanish.

Mohamed's professional memberships include being a Rotarian at the Rotary Club of Freetown Peninsula, a young student member at the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (England), and an honorary member of the Honours Society (USA).

His currently trying to obtain a license from the Chartered Institute of Professional Security Studies in AI governance and risk management. He is also a PhD applicant at the University of Canberra, Australia, focusing his research on "Assessing the Concept of Legal Personhood in the Age of Artificial Intelligence."

In summary, Mohamed Laghdaf is an emerging international legal scholar dedicated to integrate law, technology, and conflict resolution, with the aim of promoting a better global policy framework.

Mohamed Laghdaf is a 22-years old certified software engineer from BlueCrest College, where he obtained a diploma in software engineering. He also holds a diploma with distinction in Peace and Conflict Studies and a BSc (Hons) in Peace and Conflict S... Show more

Speaker Bio (Enhanced Professional Version)
Chidera Okpara is a passionate education leader, business administrator, marriage counselor, and transformational speaker dedicated to helping individuals and families build meaningful, successful lives. With a background in Economics and an MSc in Business Administration, she combines academic knowledge with practical life experience to deliver impactful insights.
As a school administrator and entrepreneur in Nigeria, Chidera has firsthand experience navigating the realities of education and leadership in underserved communities. Beyond her professional work, she is a committed marriage counselor who has mentored and guided many couples toward building strong, healthy, and successful marriages.
Through her speaking, Chidera shares powerful lessons on resilience, leadership, relationships, and personal growth—especially for women balancing career, family, and purpose. Her sessions are practical, relatable, and deeply inspiring, equipping audiences with actionable strategies they can immediately apply in their lives.
She is particularly passionate about leadership development, women empowerment, education transformation, work-life balance, and building thriving relationships and families.

Speaker Bio (Enhanced Professional Version) Chidera Okpara is a passionate education leader, business administrator, marriage counselor, and transformational speaker dedicated to helping individuals and families build meaningful, successful lives. W... Show more

Ann Tran is an Assistant Professor of Asian & Asian American Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Tran's research brings together digital studies, food studies, religious studies, and sociolinguistics to explore how Vietnamese community cultural identity, hauntology, and familial stories of intergenerational trauma and healing are digitally archived to foster a global Viet Nam.

Ann Tran is an Assistant Professor of Asian & Asian American Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Tran's research brings together digital studies, food studies, religious studies, and sociolinguistics to explore how Vietnamese communit... Show more

Ellie M. Hisama is Distinguished Professor of Music, Society, and Culture at the University of Toronto, past Dean of the Faculty of Music, and Professor Emerita of Music at Columbia University. A social historian and music theorist, she has published widely on gender, sexuality, and race in musical modernity, critical listening in relation to music by Asian American musicians and representations of East Asians in U.S. and British popular music, and sound and culture. She is a member of the Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab at the Institute for Advanced Study and held the Edward T. Cone Membership in Music Studies at IAS. She is writing a book on the composer and musician Julius Eastman.

She has created learning opportunities in digital sound for female-identifying and gender nonconforming youth of color in Toronto and New York, establishing the programs Future Sound 6 and For the Daughters of Harlem. She has worked with numerous international bodies dedicated to anti-racist agendas in the arts and the academy including Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity. She organized the panel We Have to Reimagine: A Conversation about Anti-Asian Racism and Violence and was named an Honorary Member of the American Musicological Society, a lifetime achievement award that recognizes her contributions to musicology, her distinguished teaching career, and her commitment to creating a more diverse, inclusive, and ethical profession.

Ellie M. Hisama is Distinguished Professor of Music, Society, and Culture at the University of Toronto, past Dean of the Faculty of Music, and Professor Emerita of Music at Columbia University. A social historian and music theorist, she has published... Show more

2nd-year PhD student at the Department of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University

2nd-year PhD student at the Department of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University Show more

I am a PhD researcher at the University of Graz (Centre for Southeast European Studies) working at the intersection of security, political violence, and governance. My doctoral research examines genocide recognition, political silence, and security discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina, drawing on Critical Security Studies, discourse analysis, and political theory.

Before returning to academia, I spent over a decade working in international organizations and public institutions on security sector reform, governance, and results-based management, with a regional focus on Southeast Europe and post-conflict contexts. This professional background continues to shape my research interests, particularly my focus on how political authority, legitimacy, and knowledge are produced and contested in practice.

Alongside my doctoral work, I am increasingly interested in questions of epistemic and cognitive security, including misinformation, disinformation, and the governance of emerging technologies such as AI in peripheral and post-conflict settings. I aim to contribute research that bridges critical theory and policy-relevant debates, engaging both academic and practitioner audiences.

I am a PhD researcher at the University of Graz (Centre for Southeast European Studies) working at the intersection of security, political violence, and governance. My doctoral research examines genocide recognition, political silence, and security d... Show more

Jinah Kim's research focuses on the American Century in Asia, decolonizing Korea, and legacies of US militarism in the Asia-Pacific. She is the recipient of the 2020-2021 National Endowment for the Humanities Award and the 2020 California Civil Liberties Grant.

Jinah Kim's research focuses on the American Century in Asia, decolonizing Korea, and legacies of US militarism in the Asia-Pacific. She is the recipient of the 2020-2021 National Endowment for the Humanities Award and the 2020 California Civil Liber... Show more

Janah Esplana Balane is a first-generation college graduate who aspires to contribute to the preservation and expansion of Filipino American history through the arts and education.

Janah attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she earned both a B.A in English with a minor in Asian and Asian American Studies and her M.A in English Literature. She currently teaches first-year English Rhetoric and Writing to UNLV undergraduate students. Her scholarly scope includes twentieth-century Asian American literature, Filipinx/a/o-American diaspora, post-colonialism, musical theatre, and performance studies.

Janah believes that every story deserves to be told, and these stories are at the root of who we are. She aspires to draw on her expertise in arts, culture, and leadership to further develop scholarship as well as advocate for the AAPI community.

Janah Esplana Balane is a first-generation college graduate who aspires to contribute to the preservation and expansion of Filipino American history through the arts and education. Janah attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where ... Show more

lawrence-minh bùi davis, PhD is a refugee diaspore, curator, writer, and troublemaker who lives as a guest on the ancestral lands of the Piscataway Nation. A co-founder of the arts anti-profit AALR (2009), the Asian American Literature Festival (2017), and the Center for Refugee Poetics (2018), he believes in stewardship of literature as social and ethical ecosystem. As far as anyone knows, he was the first curator of viet descent at the World’s Largest Museum and Research Complex, as well as the first to be exiled from it. Sometimes you can see new things by the light of his neurodivergence.

lawrence-minh bùi davis, PhD is a refugee diaspore, curator, writer, and troublemaker who lives as a guest on the ancestral lands of the Piscataway Nation. A co-founder of the arts anti-profit AALR (2009), the Asian American Literature Festival (2017... Show more

PhD candidate, English Literature

PhD candidate, English Literature Show more

Agilist, feminist, humanist

Agilist, feminist, humanist Show more

Born and raised in the medieval city of Siena, Italy, Eleonora Buonocore earned a Master in Philosophy and a PhD in Philosophical Sciences from University of Siena (2009). In the USA she earned an MA in Italian from University of Notre Dame, IN and a PhD in Italian Language and Literature from Yale University (2016), where she worked on Medieval and Renaissance Italian Literature, completing a dissertation titled “Ciphers of Remembrance and Fluidity of Oblivion: A Study of Memory in Dante.” Her research lies at the intersection between philosophy and literature in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance. Her work includes a thesis on medieval philosophy, and she has published articles on medieval logic, Ramon Llull and Lullism, Giordano Bruno, Dante, and Italian Cinema. In the modern period, she also has an interest in Italian women poets and novelists. Since August 2017, Eleonora teaches Italian language and literature at the University of Calgary, AB where she is also finishing her book on memory in Dante.

Born and raised in the medieval city of Siena, Italy, Eleonora Buonocore earned a Master in Philosophy and a PhD in Philosophical Sciences from University of Siena (2009). In the USA she earned an MA in Italian from University of Notre Dame, IN and a... Show more

Yves Richez est docteur en sémiologie, anthropologue et lexicologue (historien des mots) ; membre du Syndicat des Serious Game Designer et président de la maison d’édition Les Editions de l’Homo-Viator™, spécialisée dans le développement de dispositifs digitaux et gamifiés.

Yves Richez est docteur en sémiologie, anthropologue et lexicologue (historien des mots) ; membre du Syndicat des Serious Game Designer et président de la maison d’édition Les Editions de l’Homo-Viator™, spécialisée dans le développement de dispositi... Show more

Guido Thys (b. 1956) studied General, Psycho- and Neurolinguistics and the Philosophy of Language in Antwerp (B), Leuven (B), Brussels (B) and Salzburg (AT). As a Lecturer in Strategy, Marketing and Database Management at a Business School, he (co-)authored 20 books & dozens of articles on these subjects and has presented over 2,600 times to business audiences. Wrote the (dBase-II) code for his first database in 1985 and has been at the forefront of database use ever since.
He is an avid collector of books (printed in Antwerp) and vice-president of the Antwerp Bibliophile Society.

Guido Thys (b. 1956) studied General, Psycho- and Neurolinguistics and the Philosophy of Language in Antwerp (B), Leuven (B), Brussels (B) and Salzburg (AT). As a Lecturer in Strategy, Marketing and Database Management at a Business School, he (co-)a... Show more

Dr. Fanny Jimenez specializes in the psychology of personality, social relationships and organizational behavior. She is VP Performance & Collaboration at the newly formed PREMIUM-GRUPPE (Politico, WELT, Business Insider) after having worked as the head of the Career & Science Department as well as the head of the Audio Department at Business Insider Germany. Fanny studied psychology and neuroscience in Berlin and the USA before completing her doctorate at the International Max Planck Research School/Humboldt University in Berlin. She is hosting the weekly psychology podcast "Never Mind – Psychologie in 15 Minuten".

Dr. Fanny Jimenez specializes in the psychology of personality, social relationships and organizational behavior. She is VP Performance & Collaboration at the newly formed PREMIUM-GRUPPE (Politico, WELT, Business Insider) after having worked as the h... Show more

Maarten is a polymath trying to make sense of the exponential times we are living in.

He is doing so by is creating an art-collection mirroring our times and opening up expositions around these artworks, with the Project Copernicus collective.

The art is also the foundation in creating Your Guide into the Exponential Age, a set of theoretical frameworks that support us in consciously applying exponential technologies.

Maarten is a polymath trying to make sense of the exponential times we are living in. He is doing so by is creating an art-collection mirroring our times and opening up expositions around these artworks, with the Project Copernicus collective. ... Show more

Grace Nicholas is a Ph.D. student in the College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. Her research centers around marital communication, with an emphasis on the challenges of the postpartum period and miscarriage. Additional research interests are sexual communication, focusing on aspects such as self-disclosure and sex education, as well as the sensitive domain of child sexual abuse.

Grace Nicholas is a Ph.D. student in the College of Communication & Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. Her research centers around marital communication, with an emphasis on the challenges of the postpartum period and miscarriage. Add... Show more

Daria Berndt ist Master-Studentin im Fachbereich Design an der HAWK Hildesheim.
Im Jahr 2023 schloss sie ihren Bachelor durch die Einreichung ihrer Arbeit 'KRISE GESTALTEN – Die Einflüsse visueller Gestaltung auf die politische Risiko- und Krisenkommunikation am Beispiel COVID-19 (2020–2022)' an der HAWK ab. Wie bereits während ihres Bachelors konzentriert sie sich auch in ihrem Master auf die Schwerpunkte Kommunikation und Designwissenschaft. Ein zusätzlicher Schwerpunkt liegt seit 2023 auf künstlicher Intelligenz und verhaltenswirksamer Mensch-Maschinen-Interaktion.

Im Rahmen ihrer Arbeit mit KI ist Daria eine von vier Future Scouts für GenKI in der Hochschullehre, die in der Saison 2024-2025 vom Stifterverband und der Reinhard-Frank Stiftung gefördert werden.

Daria Berndt ist Master-Studentin im Fachbereich Design an der HAWK Hildesheim. Im Jahr 2023 schloss sie ihren Bachelor durch die Einreichung ihrer Arbeit 'KRISE GESTALTEN – Die Einflüsse visueller Gestaltung auf die politische Risiko- und Krisenko... Show more

Dr. Bernard James Remollino (He/They/Siya) is an Associate Professor of U.S. and Asian American & Pacific American History at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. Their doctoral work focused on the history of Filipinx American popular culture, labor, and migration in California during the early twentieth century. Bernard writes on Filipinx American histories, Asian American popular cultures, and transpacific cultural imaginaries in the Philippine diaspora. Bernard is a 1.5-generation undocumented immigrant from Makati, Philippines. Their family first settled in Stockton and still resides in the San Joaquin Valley.

Bernard collaborates with several Filipinx American organizations across California in amplifying the histories of struggle and community building that make Filipinx experiences part of the larger fabric of U.S. history. They are a National Trustee for the Filipino American National Historical Society representing the Mid-California FANHS chapters of Stockton, Central Valley, California Central Coast, Fresno, and Delano. They currently live on occupied, unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land (San Francisco), where they are conducting research for an upcoming book project.

Dr. Bernard James Remollino (He/They/Siya) is an Associate Professor of U.S. and Asian American & Pacific American History at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. Their doctoral work focused on the history of Filipinx American popular c... Show more

Julie Ham is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Brock University.

Julie Ham is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Brock University. Show more

Barbara Salani

Barbara Salani, a graduate of the Juan Manuel Olivares Conservatory in Caracas, furthered her studies in Italy and the US, earning a Bachelor of Music from the Philadelphia University of the Arts and a Master's in Piano Performance from Florida Atlantic University, where she's now a Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Studies LLC in Musicology and Italian Studies. She serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at FAU in Boca Raton. Her research bridges musicology, philology, and digital innovation, focusing on 19th-century Italian opera. Notably, she is leading the revival of Pietro Carlo Guglielmi’s forgotten 1812 opera semiseria, Amalia e Carlo, set to debut on September 12, 2025, in Massa at the Teatro Guglielmi (named after the composer), and later at Florida Atlantic University’s Performing Arts Theatre, aiming to connect historical art forms with modern audiences through digital technologies. Barbara’s innovative teaching projects, such as the “Music Module” at FAU and the composition “Dante’s Anthem,” sponsored by the Consulate General of Italy in Miami, showcase her commitment to interdisciplinary education and the promotion of Italian language and culture. An accomplished pianist and educator, Barbara has performed internationally as a soloist and in piano duos. She has published in three languages and received various awards, including recognition for her book "Music for Life: The Salani Brothers." Barbara is passionate about innovative teaching and interdisciplinary research in music and Italian studies.

Barbara Salani Barbara Salani, a graduate of the Juan Manuel Olivares Conservatory in Caracas, furthered her studies in Italy and the US, earning a Bachelor of Music from the Philadelphia University of the Arts and a Master's in Piano Performance ... Show more

Gracie Brendah Nanyunja
(Born November 10, 1989)

Gracie Brendah Nanyunja is a distinguished LGBTQ disability rights activist, writer, and intersectional feminist from Uganda. As the founder and Advocacy Officer of the Diverse Empowerment Foundation (DEF), she is dedicated to advancing the rights and well-being of LGBTQ individuals with disabilities. Her tireless advocacy work was recognized in 2023 when she was awarded the prestigious Hivos/Winq Diversity International Activist Award.

Early Life and Education
Born at Lubaga Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, Gracie was raised in Luzira, a suburb on the outskirts of the city, within a large family and a strict Catholic upbringing. From an early age, she faced significant challenges due to her disability. Growing up in a society that often viewed disability as something needing correction, Gracie’s childhood was shaped by efforts to find solutions to her condition, including visits to witch doctor shrines, Born-again churches, and hospitals. Despite these hardships, she developed a strong sense of determination and resilience, gaining the respect of those around her.

Gracie pursued higher education at Kyambogo University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Guidance and Counseling. Her academic background, combined with her personal experiences, prepared her to tackle the social challenges faced by marginalized communities.

Career and Advocacy
In 2018, Gracie founded the Foundation for the Differently Abled (FDA), aimed at supporting people with disabilities, particularly in overcoming employment barriers. However, she soon realized that the organization lacked space for her lesbian identity, making her feel like a "unicorn" within her own creation. This experience underscored the limitations of single-issue advocacy in addressing the complex intersections of identity, prompting Gracie to seek a more inclusive approach.

In 2020, a pivotal moment in her personal life occurred when she came out to her friends and family after falling in love with her partner. This decision marked a turning point, leading Gracie to co-found the Diverse Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to address the unique challenges faced by the "double minority" community—LGBTQ individuals with disabilities. Through DEF, Gracie has created a safe and inclusive space where members can access socio-economic skills, build their confidence, and advocate for their rights and inclusion within society and the broader LGBTQ movement.

As an intersectional feminist, Gracie emphasizes the importance of considering multiple aspects of identity, such as sexual orientation, disability, and gender, in the fight for equality and human rights. Her work with DEF is a testament to her commitment to a more inclusive and equitable society.

Writing and Intersectional Approach
Beyond her activism, Gracie is a passionate writer, known by her pen name Lunah Steph. Through her writing, she amplifies the voices and experiences of LGBTQ individuals with disabilities, contributing to a deeper understanding of their intersecting identities. Her literary work further complements her advocacy efforts, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach to human rights.

Gracie’s approach is deeply rooted in intersectional feminism, recognizing that individuals often face multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination. By addressing the intricate interplay between sexuality, gender identity, and disability, she strives for a comprehensive understanding of social justice and human dignity.

Vision and Legacy
Gracie Brendah Nanyunja’s journey from a childhood marked by adversity to becoming a respected and influential advocate demonstrates her unwavering resilience and dedication. Through her leadership at DEF, she continues to inspire many, working tirelessly for a Uganda where equality, inclusion, and justice prevail for all. Her determination is encapsulated in her guiding philosophy: "When I want to achieve something, I don't rest until I've succeeded."

Gracie Brendah Nanyunja (Born November 10, 1989) Gracie Brendah Nanyunja is a distinguished LGBTQ disability rights activist, writer, and intersectional feminist from Uganda. As the founder and Advocacy Officer of the Diverse Empowerment Foundati... Show more