LINDA LELIS-HER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [she/her/hers]

Linda Her is a writer-poet and community organizer, shaped by her lived experiences as a 2nd generation, Hmong American, queer-feminist. Linda was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, and lived in the Bay Area for 4 years during the beginning of her Hmong queer acceptance and journey for self-determination. She has 10 years of experience in activism and organizing at the intersections of gender and racial justice, non-partisan and partisan campaigns, and nonprofit work and funding.

She is the Executive Director of Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP), a grassroots organization focused on civic engagement and organizing, and mostly led by and for young Asian American, refugee and immigrants between 15 – 35 years old. The root of AAOP’s work is to transform a generation of young Asian Minnesotans’ (and their families) political consciousness and engagement through gender justice, civic and community leadership, and self-determination.

ZONG VUE

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR [she/her/hers]

​Zong is a passionate and engaged community member who cares deeply about movement work and the political landscape for all people. She’s a humble yet proud mother of three, ages 4, 16, and 18. A certified yoga instructor, she enjoys practicing yoga, biking, hiking, jogging, weightlifting, and exploring new foods.

Her professional roots have been in St. Paul for the past 20 years, focusing on nonprofit education, youth development, policy, and evaluation. Her heart and mind have been dedicated to investing in young people by leveraging resources and opportunities that empower them to shape a vibrant future and legacy they can truly own.

Zong is passionate about systemic change that benefits all communities, particularly in advancing equitable public education, homeownership, reproductive rights, and civic engagement, among other causes.

XORR XIONG

ORGANIZING & PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR [he/him/his]

Being a 1.5 generation immigrant and a mental health advocate, Vang Xor is at a unique intersection that enables me to bridge both worlds in a way that’s not commonly done before. That’s the vision that he sees himself working for; his dream is to push for an intentional movement of mental health acceptance within his community. Mental wellness check-in should be a regular choice of conversation. He also plans on expanding his work to open up opportunities for voices from other marginalized communities such as the AAPI queer.

TENZIN CHOESANG

STRATEGIC PROGRAM MANAGER [he/him/his]

Tenzin Choesang is a second generation Tibetan-American. He has a deep interest in East Asian politics and history, with a particular interest in the ongoing Sino-Tibet conflict. Tenzin graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a BA in Political Science and History, and received his Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. 

For around 5 years, Tenzin served as the President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Minnesota, one of the largest Tibetan non-governmental organizations in Minnesota, advocating for the rights and freedoms of the Tibetans inside Tibet via political activism, advocacy/lobbying and raising awareness about the situation inside Tibet. During the weekends, he also teaches Tibetan music and dance to students of the Minnesota Tibetan Culture School. 

Outside of work Tenzin enjoys catching up on reading, a hobby he’s unfortunately neglected the past few years, mainly reading history-based/non-fiction books. As he mentioned, he also teaches Tibetan music and dance, so he also enjoys playing traditional Tibetan instruments, such as the Tibetan guitar, or dranyen (dra – sound, nyen – sweet/melodious).

MANISHA RAM

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT [she/her/hers]

Manisha (Misha) Ram. First generation of Cambodian & Guyanese. “Over the past few years I’ve tried to learn more about my identity and learn how to grow the flowers that are my community. I had originally grown up in a very diverse school and going to a PWI for my college years I learned how much I can stand out and what my actions as a POC & Ally can do for others. For so long I’ve made myself a bystander, a background character in my community that I felt myself not knowing anything about the Cambodian and Guyanse community.”

Outside of the AAOP office you’ll find Misha at concerts for various EDM artists, testing out brand new restaurants across the Twin Cities, or she’s also the complete opposite of being extroverted and can be a homebody and will rewatch series like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Stranger Things, Teen Wolf with her dog Caesar.

Favorite genre(s) of music? EDM & 2000’s R&B
Must read/watch? I’ve been rewatching any series by Mike Flanagan, my top 2 shows are “The Haunting of Hill House”&  “The Fall of the House of Usher” 
Favorite form of self-care? Going to concerts, in 2024 I went to 13 concerts or retail therapy

HYEONJU WANG

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER [she/her/hers]

Hyeonju is a human rights practitioner and political scientist who combines her passion for research and advocacy. A first-generation immigrant from South Korea, she speaks openly about navigating her Korean identity while growing up in a small Nebraskan town.

With support from her friends, mentors, and family, Hyeonju has embraced her whole self and is excited to contribute to AAOP’s mission and connect with the wider Minnesota community. Hyeonju is also a certified personal trainer and working out is an important part of her routine. She also finds joy in cooking, dancing, and snuggling with her pupper, Birdie. 

For Fun:

Favorite form of self-care: Working out and always having a supply of ice cream at home. 
What’s been your favorite dish to eat recently: Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins. 
Must read/watch: One of my must reads is the Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. The audio book is also a stellar choice.

NOAH CHAN

FIELD MANAGER [he/him/his]

Noah Chan, a half-white and half-Chinese American, comes from a background in volunteer management within the emergency services field. His last five years were filled with creating volunteer opportunities, training staff on how to engage with volunteers, and providing support for programs serving people experiencing housing insecurity. He loves people, and believes there is good in every human being, and a bridge of commonality. Overall, he enjoys applying his community engagement and people skills to support important, transformative work.

He has also been a musician for over a decade, injecting his values and beliefs into his songs, centering each piece around a lyrical message. Performing as “Kai Lok” (kAy-lock)”, Noah raps and sings about mental illness, has a person experiencing depression himself. He also talks about being emotionally vulnerable, how each person is interconnected, standing up for human rights, and building community through joy and empathy.

Noah’s favorite form of self-care is getting ready in the morning then playing guitar. It’s really crucial that I have my readying routine to feel clean and crisp for the day –I actually feel more sluggish and depressed if I don’t. I usually feel like my time and control is being taken away from me, so having some creative time in the morning gives me a sense of autonomy and color for my day. Showering if necessary, brushing, flossing, mouth washing, deodorant, meds, face washing, clean clothes, breakfast, and coffee. Then I like to play guitar for up to an hour if I can.