ALIST_Anniversary2017_Final (2)

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SPOTLIGHT
SPOTLIGHT
Elizabeth Yang, NAAAP National President
In addition to being NAAAP National President, Elizabeth Yang, a certified mediator, runs her own law practice with multiple locations
in California. We spoke with Yang about her work and inspirations.
ALIST Magazine: How do you see your
role in changing the world?
Elizabeth Yang: I see my role as setting
an example for the Asian American
community, to inspire future leaders to
step up and take action. I want to show the
world that anything is possible, that there is
no ceiling (glass or bamboo), that as long as
you believe in yourself and believe that the
sky is the limit, then it really is.
AM: What is your passion?
EY: I love giving back and supporting the
community. Volunteer work is a huge
passion of mine, and I will never stop
supporting nonprofit organizations. I always
tell people: "The getting is in the giving." In
addition to NAAAP, I serve the Southern
RAYMOND IP
California Chinese Lawyers Association
(SCCLA), the Asian Youth Center (AYC),
the Mt. SAC Foundation, City Club's
Board of Governors and the Pasadena
Tournament of Roses.
AM: What are some things that you can't
leave the house without?
EY: The two things I can't leave the house
without include my phone and my At-A-
Glance weekly planner. Yes, I'm old school,
and even though I share a Google calendar
with my work staff, I still like writing my todo
items down and checking them off each
day as I complete them.
AM: Name three people you admire and
why.
EY: Condoleezza Rice, Judy Chu and
Lady Gaga. Not only is Condoleezza
Rice female and 9% Asian, but she is
ambitious, determined and perseveres. She
stands for what she believes in, advocates
for female empowerment and gives back
to the community through nonprofit
organizations. Judy Chu is similar and has
risen from city-level leadership all the way
to the U.S. Congress. She is an inspiration
for Asian American women everywhere,
and I admire her consistency, her strength
and her voice. Last but not least, I admire
Lady Gaga for showing the community that
each of us is unique, we have nothing to be
ashamed of because we are all flawed in our
own perfect way and we can be whoever we
want to be in life.
AM: Who has been the biggest influence
on your life? What lessons did that person
teach you?
EY: My mother has been the biggest
influence in my life. As a single mom and a
traditional tiger mom, she not only instilled
discipline in me but she also taught me how
to utilize love, patience and communication
in my everyday life. If I would do something
wrong as a child, she would spend hours
talking to me late into the night until
I understand her thought process and
reasoning rather than utilizing anger to yell
at me. She taught me what it meant to be
hard-working, organized and devoted.
AM: What traditions have been passed
down in your family?
EY: The tightness and closeness of family
has definitely been passed down over the
generations. My grandmother was a firm
believer in this and brought the entire family
together every Thanksgiving, Christmas,
New Year, birthdays, etc. Even to this day,
we have 20-30 people gather together for
the holidays to celebrate together and we
make sure our travel plans don't conflict
with the holidays.
AM: How has diversity changed in the last
ten years?
EY: Diversity has changed for the better in
the last 10 years, but we still have a lot of
room for improvement. Asia has replaced
Latin America (including Mexico) as the
biggest source of new immigrants to the
U.S.; women's role in the labor force and
leadership positions has grown drastically;
and the U.S. Census Bureau projects that
non-Hispanic whites will in the near future
no longer be the majority of the population.
The U.S. is indeed a melting pot and
continues to be more culturally diverse with
every passing day.
AM: What are you reading lately?
EY: Some of the books I've been reading
lately include: "High-Hanging Fruit" by
Mark Rampolla, "Are You Getting It?" by
John Hanley, "The Cheat Code" by Brian
Wong and "Relentless" by Tim S. Grover.
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