Events

American Courage Awards

The American Courage Awards is the signature annual event of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. Please see the information below to learn more about this special event and to view past celebrations.  

Visit this page for future updates on the American Courage Awards celebration, October 2, 2025. 

Donate¹ to support us in honoring the resilience of our community and sign up² for our email communications to receive updates on registration and event speakers.  

View a list of our past awardees here³. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC is privileged to honor individuals and organizations in the Asian American community that have demonstrated exceptional courage and commitment to civil and human rights. Join us in nominating an outstanding individual or organization to be recognized at our annual signature event, the American Courage Awards. We know there is a diverse group of deserving nominees across the country. Please take a moment to nominate these individuals and organizations who have made remarkable contributions to the Asian American community. All nominations are due by Monday, March 31, 2025. Submit your nominations here⁴!

The description of the award categories are below:   

• The American Courage Award goes to an individual, company, or organization that has shown extraordinary courage or commitment to the cause of civil rights. This may include a community leader who has taken an important stand, an activist who overcame extraordinary challenges, an artist with a unique vision, or a journalist breaking an important story. 
• The Changemaker Award honors an individual, company, or organization who is a catalyst for change. This may include an entrepreneur, student, or activist whose leadership has inspired action that has led to change on a local or national level that benefits Asian American communities. 
• The Bridge Builder Award recognizes an individual or corporation that has developed an innovative approach to successful community empowerment and strives to overcome obstacles for the Asian American community, as well as other minority communities. This may include programs for citizenship, voter participation, community education, or other community programs. 
• The Norman Y. Mineta Spirit Award recognizes a youth advocate whose community-centered leadership has exemplified dedication, compassion, and resilience benefitting Asian Americans on a local or national level. The award was established in honor of the trailblazing legacy of former Secretary of Transportation, Norman Y. Mineta.  

Please contact events@advancingjustice-aajc.org⁵ with any questions.  
 

Bystander Intervention Virtual Trainings

Anti-Asian and Asian American and xenophobic harassment are on the rise across the U.S. Unfortunately, anti-Asian and Asian American racism and xenophobia is not a new phenomenon. It has been part of our histories for a long time, and we have seen it manifested against different communities in many ways over the years. As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, we have seen more harassment, discrimination, and even violence directed at our communities.

One way we can take action to protect our communities is to learn ways to intervene effectively as a bystander without compromising safety. Since April 2020, Advancing Justice | AAJC has partnered with R⁶ight To Be (formerly Hollaback!)⁷ to provide free trainings to equip people with techniques on how to safely intervene when they see or experience anti-Asian harassment. Check out our Trainings to Address Anti-Asian/Asian American Harassment page⁸ to view the most up-to-date list of free public trainings in our three-part series.
 

Citizenship Workshops in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia

Get free legal help with your citizenship applications at our citizenship workshops. Find more information about the next workshop⁹.

Past Events

• 88rising - ASIA RISING FOREVER Livestream Festival¹⁰