A Note from the AJSOCAL Pro Bono Team
As we reflect on the past two quarters, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible dedication, compassion, and commitment shown by our pro bono volunteers, interns, and partners. From spring through summer, our community showed up in full force and the results speak for themselves. From our biggest Game Night yet to a remarkable intern cohort, the energy and impact of this community never ceases to inspire us.
As we surge into fall, the urgency of our work has never felt more real. The communities we serve are navigating an environment unlike anything we have seen before. The upcoming 2026 General Election is one of the most consequential in recent history for AAPI and immigrant communities, and AJSOCAL is mobilizing. Your presence and partnership continue to be the foundation of everything we do. Thank you for standing with us.
Event Recap: Protecting the Vote | Election Law and Legal Observer Training at JANM
On Saturday, October 10th, AJSOCAL hosted our Election Law and Legal Observer Training at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, one of the most meaningful community spaces in Southern California and a fitting home for this kind of civic gathering. 50 attendees joined us in person for a powerful morning of training and community building ahead of the November 3rd General Election.
The morning was structured in two parts. Part I opened with a deep dive into the 2026 election landscape and why it reaches a vote center in Garden Grove. Presenters from AJSOCAL’s Impact Litigation Unit walked through six major shifts in the election system that occurred in just twelve months, covering who can vote and what proof can be required, who controls election administration and how ballots are handled, what protections remain when discrimination occurs, and who is counted and therefore who is represented.
Following a break, Part II shifted to the observer’s role, the law, and the questionnaire. Volunteers learned exactly what a legal observer does at a vote center, how to identify and document potential barriers to voting, how to complete the observation questionnaire, and how to escalate urgent incidents to AJSOCAL’s legal team through the nonpublic observer hotline. Special attention was given to language access protections and how to ensure that limited English proficient AAPI voters receive the support they are legally entitled to.
CA-barred attorneys earned 2 hours of general MCLE credit for attending the live training.
If you were unable to attend, a recording of the training is available and will be distributed to all registered volunteers. It is not too late to get involved. Fill out our general interest form to sign up as a poll monitor and legal observer: Here
Early voting runs October 31 through November 2. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd. Volunteers select their preferred date, time, and cluster of vote centers, and serve a 4-hour shift at their assigned location. Every person we put in the field is one more safeguard for the communities who have worked so hard to make their voices heard.
Inaugural Mark Yoshida Fellow:
We were proud to announce Natasha Amonkar-Zazueta as our first Mark Yoshida Fellow. The fellowship honors the legacy of Mark Yoshida, one of AJSOCAL’s most beloved and dedicated staff attorneys who served this organization for nearly 30 years, helping community members become U.S. citizens. Natasha joined our Citizenship team in September 2026 and has been a great addition to the team!
Recap: 2026 Summer Intern Cohort
This summer we welcomed 20 interns across 10 units spanning both our Los Angeles and Orange County offices, including 7 law students, 10 undergraduates, 2 post-graduates, and 1 graduate student. Starting as early as May, our cohort was embedded in Impact Litigation, Citizenship, OC Immigration and Citizenship, OC Development, SAFE, Policy, Programs, Health Access, Development, and LA Immigration.
Together they logged over 5,000 hours of service across the summer, supporting everything from habeas corpus petitions and citizenship applications to policy research, community outreach, and fundraising. Several interns came to us through prestigious fellowships and law school programs, including a USC Kent Wong Fellow and a State Bar-funded Loyola Law School Law Clerk. One intern worked fully remote from Washington, D.C., supporting AJSOCAL’s federal policy advocacy, and another served on-the-ground in Sacramento supporting state legislative work.
Our Impact Litigation unit had one of its strongest intern cohorts yet, with five law students and one undergraduate logging hundreds of hours each supporting AJSOCAL’s habeas corpus pipeline under the supervision of our legal team.
To every intern who gave their time, energy, and heart to this work this year: thank you. And to the supervisors who mentored and guided them: we could not do this without you.
Recap: AJSOCAL’s 12th Annual PBAC Game Night
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, AJSOCAL brought together 86 friends, advocates, and supporters for the 12th Annual Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC) Game Night at Century Park in Century City. Hosted by our PBAC, the evening was filled with laughter, friendly competition, and a whole lot of community spirit, all in the name of advancing justice for AAPI communities across Southern California.
This year we introduced Networking Bingo, an instant hit that got everyone out of their seats and connecting across firms and organizations. Congratulations to Nalee Xiong for being the first to call Bingo and to Dyanna Castaneda for completing the whole page!
Winners:
- Overall: Team Hooper Lundy, Teal the Show
- Punniest Team Name: Team Akin Gump, Akin Not Stirred
- Most Spirited: Team Littler Mendelson, X-Partayers
Champion Volunteers:
- Gibson Dunn
- SoCalGas CAPE
- Lauren Tran, Administrative Intern
- Catvy Pham, OC Citizenship and Immigration Intern
For full recap and photos, visit: Here
Thank you to our sponsors as well!
Pro Bono Spotlight: Zachary Luu, Legal Advocate
Zachary Luu first came to AJSOCAL as an intern in June 2022 and we are thrilled to share that he has since joined the team full time as a Legal Advocate. A recent graduate of the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) where he double majored in Economics and Spanish and double minored in Business and Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences, Zach also spent nine months studying Mandarin in Taiwan before joining AJSOCAL. He is planning to attend law school in California and is currently interested in tax and estate planning.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Zachary Luu, and I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan where I double majored in Economics and Spanish and double minored in Business and Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. Before coming to AJSOCAL I studied Mandarin in Taiwan for nine months. I am planning on going to law school next year, hopefully somewhere in California. I am done with the cold weather. I am currently interested in tax and estate planning.
What work do you do with AJSOCAL?
So far, I have been tasked with helping with the intake and filing of habeas corpus petitions. I meet with clients and their points of contact to do intake interviews and get all their declarations down. My job here is to put together a cohesive story for the attorneys so that they can get started on drafting the petitions. Once the petitions are written, I am in charge of filing them and making sure that we stay on top of deadlines.
What prompted you to get involved?
I have always known that I want to do something that can profoundly impact people’s lives. I have started small in the past by starting my own nonprofit organization, but I think working with a renowned organization like AJSOCAL allows me to make a bigger impact right now. Doing habeas work is something I had never experienced before, but once I heard about the opportunity I knew I could not pass it up. The work I do here also intersects with my personal interest in going to law school, so that did not hurt either.
What did you enjoy most about your experience?
My favorite part about my internship is definitely interacting with our clients. Just talking to them and hearing their stories about what they have been through and the people they have become in spite of that has been a really meaningful experience. Additionally, almost every time I talk to a client they are continuously thanking us for the work that we are doing. So just knowing that we can make a difference in someone’s life is a really amazing feeling.
What have you learned or how have you been personally affected by your experience?
I think the thing that has shocked me most is how much everyone truly cares about giving back to their communities, even outside of the work we do here. A lot of people say they care about volunteering and giving back, but AJSOCAL actions really do speak louder than words. Just being around so many people that have similar interests and passions for giving back and helping others is a truly amazing environment to be in, and it constantly motivates me to keep helping others.
Do you have an inspirational story you can share?
After we got a client released from detention, he came to visit our LA office. It was my first time seeing a client in person, so I did not know what to expect. But seeing him continuously smile and reiterate how grateful he was for our team was a really heartwarming experience. It really put into perspective just how much of an impact we can make on any one person’s life, and this has really inspired me to continue to work and fight for each of our clients.
What advice would you give others who want to participate in pro bono work?
I would say to be open-minded. I think pro bono work gives you the perfect chance to dabble in new things and, consequently, narrow down what you might want to do in the future. Taking different roles and doing different things will of course be daunting at first, but I think it is a good way to find out what you really enjoy doing.
Coming Up: 43rd Annual Dinner Gala
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel | Downtown Los Angeles
Our 43rd Annual Dinner Gala is just around the corner, and it is going to be a special one. This is our new CEO Dahni Tsuboi’s very first gala, and we could not be more excited to celebrate alongside our community.
This year we are proud to honor:
Cecillia Wang, National Legal Director of the ACLU, receiving the Joseph Ileto Courage Award. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she successfully defended birthright citizenship before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2026 and has spent her career fighting for immigrants’ rights and civil liberties.
The Japanese American National Museum and President and CEO Ann Burroughs, receiving the Legacy in Justice Award. JANM’s work preserving and sharing the Japanese American experience has been crucial in promoting understanding of America’s diversity.
Burroughs has spent more than 25 years advancing racial justice and fostering a culture rooted in dignity and human rights.
Peter and Jihee Huh, receiving the Catalyst for Justice Award. Recognized by the Los Angeles Journal as one of the most influential families in Los Angeles, they have devoted their lives to advancing social justice and protecting civil rights, strengthening civic engagement and improving the lives of underserved communities throughout Southern California.
Morrison Foerster, receiving the Justice in Action Award as Pro Bono Champion law firm. A staunch supporter of AJSOCAL for many decades, Morrison Foerster has contributed hundreds of hours through citizenship workshops, election monitoring, naturalization support, and more.
The evening will also feature a very special performance by Nobuko Miyamoto, American folk singer, activist, and luminary of the Asian American movement. At 86 years old, she continues to create art that bridges cultures and builds community. Her 1973 album A Grain of Sand: Music for the Struggle by Asians in America is recognized as the first album of Asian American music.
We wanted all of our supporters to be able to join us, so this year we are offering individual tickets at $500 for early purchasers. Table sponsorships are also still available.
Coming Up: OC Mega Clinic | Family Preparedness Workshop
Saturday November 14, 2026 | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Fullerton Free North Campus
2904 N. Brea Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92835
Building on the success of our January Emergency Preparedness Clinic, we are hosting a large-scale legal clinic in Orange County this November in partnership with Supervisor Doug Chaffee and the County Orange Social Services Agency (SSA). Clients will receive help with Powers of Attorney, Caretaker Affidavits, and Passport Applications for US citizen children.
We are looking for pro bono attorneys, bilingual interpreters in Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, and Vietnamese, and general event volunteers. Refreshments will be provided. Training will be held virtually one to two weeks before the event.
Sign up to volunteer: Here
Training and Resources: Empowering Communities Through Education
AJSOCAL remains committed to equipping our communities with the knowledge, tools, and support to stay safe, informed, and empowered. We continue to offer our cornerstone trainings:
Bystander Intervention Trainings: In a time when anti-Asian hate remains a persistent reality for our communities, knowing how to safely intervene can make all the difference. Our Bystander Intervention trainings give participants practical, evidence-based tools to de-escalate situations and support those experiencing harassment or discrimination in public spaces. Drawing from real-life scenarios and the nationally recognized 5Ds framework (Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, and Document), these sessions build individual confidence and collective responsibility. We recently renewed our partnership with TAAF (The Asian American Foundation) to expand and update our BI training curriculum, so it reflects the current landscape and remains as relevant and actionable as possible.
How to Respond to Harassment Trainings: Experiencing or witnessing harassment can be isolating, disorienting, and deeply harmful. Our How to Respond to Harassment training creates a safe and supportive space for participants to process those experiences, understand their rights, and build resilience as individuals and as a community. Sessions focus on emotional well-being, identity affirmation, healing through storytelling, and intergenerational connection. We recently renewed our partnership with AAJC (Asian Americans Advancing Justice) to continue delivering these trainings through 2027, ensuring that our communities continue to have access to culturally grounded support in both English and multiple Asian languages.
Know Your Rights Trainings: In the current political climate, knowing your rights is not just empowering, it can be life changing. Our Know Your Rights trainings equip community members with a clear and accessible understanding of their legal rights under current immigration policy, what to do and what not to do during an encounter with law enforcement or immigration officials, and how to stay safe and informed in an increasingly uncertain environment. These trainings are available in multiple languages and are tailored to the specific concerns and circumstances of AAPI and immigrant communities in Southern California.
Interested in hosting a training for your firm or organization? Reach out to Nathan at nvuong@ajsocal.org or visit here.
Call to Action: Make a Difference With Us
Volunteer for Election Day: Sign up as a poll monitor or legal observer. Fill out our interest form: Here
Attend the Gala: Join us October 22nd at the Bonaventure. Individual tickets are available at $500 for early purchasers.
Volunteer at the OC Mega Clinic Sign Up: Here
Partner with Us: Law firms, schools, and community organizations can collaborate on upcoming clinics, training sessions, and advocacy campaigns.
Explore All Opportunities: Here
Support Our Work: Your contributions help fund clinic materials, volunteer coordination, and community outreach. Every gift makes a difference.
Stay Connected: Follow us on social media for impact stories, upcoming opportunities, and program updates.
Questions? Reach out to Nathan Vuong at nvuong@ajsocal.org.
In Gratitude
This fall is packed with opportunity, and we are so glad you are part of it. Whether you showed up at the JANM training on October 10th, are joining us at the Gala on October 22nd, or are volunteering at our OC Mega Clinic on November 14th, your presence and participation make a real and lasting difference for the families we serve. Thank you for being part of the AJSOCAL community.
With gratitude,
The AJSOCAL Pro Bono Team
