APYLP 2010

So a few months ago I applied for the APYLP (Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project). APYLP selected 50 seniors and juniors from high schools throughout California selected to participate in a unique leadership conference that will educate and nurture a new generation of aspiring political and community leaders and advocates from our Asian Pacific Islander American communities. Students will hear from dynamic speakers, actively participate in a Mock Legislature at the State Capitol and engage in conference workshops.

I was selected for the conference and I was very excited. Chris Ratana and I were the only 2 people chosen from Reseda High. We left on the plane leaving out of Burbank Airport. When we first arrived in Sacramento, it was awkward at first with everyone, but we quickly became close and comfortable. We had great advisers, they were fun and helpful and made things run very smoothly. The trip would have been great with just the people we met, but all of the workshops, activities, and the capitol building was what made it really special.

We played games that somehow connected to life lessons, and had workshops with leaders in the Asian Pacific Community. We were allowed to have a scavenger hunt in the capitol building, which btw our group won! We were allowed in the Assembly room, and we had discussions and debates in the Committee rooms, as well as on the actual Senate floor.

I met so many amazing people and had a once in a lifetime experience. I am so happy that I was able to participate in the 20th anniversary of this conference and I hope that I will be able to help the program somehow in the future.

WARNING!! Before I tell this story...I am not being racist in anyway, its just the story. lol

Ok so my room was upstairs and the balcony was facing the street. The hotel only had 2 floors. There were 3 APYLP boys' rooms in a row (2 guys per room), my room being one of them. So it was the last night we were there. Its about 1am and I just went to go lay down in bed, then I start hearing these loud sounds coming from outside. My roommate and I looked out the window and a bus had dropped off about 50-60 black people in front of this club across the street. Then more black people came out of the club and the 2 groups started fighting and eventually turned into like a street brawl. So all of us went out on the balcony to watch(6 asian kids lol). 4 police cars came and everyone dispersed in all directions and each car gave chase in each direction of the intersection. Then about 10 minutes later a firetruck and an ambulance came and parked down the street where one of the cop cars was. As we tried to extend and look at what was going on down the street, another bus came and dropped of my black people on the other side of the club. 2 black girls were arguing, coming off of the bus, and proceeded to yell at each other while walking down the street. I went inside to check my netbook to see if there was any news on what was happening, when my roommate ran back into the room and closed the balcony door, and I heard the doors of the other rooms as well. I asked what happened and he didn't know, so we waited a minute and went back outside. The guy in the next room then told me that a guy was out waving around a gun. We continued watching, and the 2 girls were still yelling and screaming. Then they got into a fist fight (punching, kicking, grabbing/ripping clothes and hair, etc). They didnt just fight on the street....they fought in the middle of the 4-way intersection! Other people from the bus were trying to pull them away from each other, but then everyone started fighting again. 2 more police cars came and officers sprayed tear gas on them, and that was the end of it. Everything calmed down at 3am. The weirdest part of the whole thing was that while all this was going on, traffic was still flowing as normal. Like cars just drove around the fighting and cop cars. They didn't even stop for the firetruck or the ambulance.