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The Common Ground Conference and Bad Ass Asian Awards Dinner bring together diverse voices on divisive issues for thoughtful, stimulating but respectful conversations on the issues of the day. Our goal is to bridge the political divide to unite the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities for a common purpose:

WHEN: Saturday, October 3, 2026

CONFERENCE: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Chinatown/North Beach Community College Annex Building 628 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94111

AWARDS RECEPTION & DINNER: 5 p.m.

WHERE: Far East Restaurant 631 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94108 (A short walk from the Community College Annex)

Sponsorships and donations via your Donor Advised Funds can be made here.

Those who prefer to mail a check can make the checkout to Asian American Media Inc and mail to :

440 North Barranca Avenue #8117

Covina, CA 91723

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

09:00 AM - 04:30 PM

Common Ground Conference produced by AsAmNews

09:00 AM - 09:30 AM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Registration and breakfast

09:30 AM - 10:05 AM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Tango, a fun interactive game developed at Harvard

10:10 AM - 10:40 AM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

State Sen Scott Wiener, Candidate for Congress to replace Nancy Pelosi

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Inside the Rise of MAGA Support Among Asian Americans (panel discussion)

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM (A305-THIRD FLOOR)

Budgeting, credit and investment basics workshop

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Lunch

12:45 PM - 12:55 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Emil Guillermo, Standup comedy appearance

12:55 PM - 02:10 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Birthright Citizenship: The 14th Amendment on Trial (Panel discussion)

12:55 PM - 2:30 PM (A305-THIRD FLOOR)

Community Organizing workshop

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

SF Supervisor Connie Chan, Candidate for Congress to replace Nancy Pelosi

02:45 PM - 03:00 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

Recharge snack break

03:05 PM - 04:20 PM (MAIN AUDITORIUM-LOBBY LEVEL)

U.S.-China Relations, anti-Asian hate & the impact on Asian Americans (panel)

Bad Ass Asian Awards Dinner Schedule (separate ticket required)

HONOREES:

HELEN ZIA, a Chinese American journalist and activist known for her leadership in Asian American and LGBTQ civil rights, especially her pivotal role in mobilizing the community after the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin. She is also an accomplished author and founder of the Vincent Chin Institute

EMIL DE GUZMAN, a Filipino American activist, educator, and author best known for his leadership in the International Hotel (I-Hotel) eviction resistance movement in San Francisco. He is also a co-founder of the Manilatown Heritage Foundation.

BARNALI GHOSH AND ANIRVAN CHATTERJEE co-founded he Radical South Asian Walking Tour in Berkeley in 2012. Ghosh also serves on the BART Board and Chatterjee rounds out this husband and wife team as a community historian and storyteller. They also recently launched a similar tour based out of San Francisco.

ANDREW CHAU, founder of the Boba Guys and Tea People USA. He has been featured as a top emerging business leader on CNN, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Vogue, and NPR.

Mistress of Ceremony: Amanda del Castillo, news anchor at KGO-TV Eyewitness News.

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Separate ticket required)

Wine tasting from S.R. Tonella Cellars of Napa

5:30 PM

Bad Ass Asian Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Helen Zia in conversation with her nephew, Rory Zia, a member of the board of Chinese for Affirmative Action

6:00 PM

Randall Yip, founder & editor of AsAmNews welcome remarks followed by 8 course traditional Chinese banquet and wine from Silver Trident Winery in Yountville

7:00 PM

Award Ceremony

Thank you to our SPONSORS:

Champion Sponsor:

DEBORAH AND DAVID LIU

Guardian Sponsor:

JACK LEE

DAVE & LAUREN LIU

RANDALL & GALE YIP

Non-profit sponsor

JANE CHIN - Friends of Roots

Friends Sponsor:

BRUCE CHIN

CHRISTOPHER CHOW

HENRY DER

PATRICIA FONG

ARLENE KIMATA

GLADYS KWONG

ANNIE LAM

DAVID LOUIE

DON TAMAKI

GERMAINE WONG

JUSTIN ZHU

ANONYMOUS

Common Ground Conference/Awards Dinner

October 3, 2026 in San Francisco