# East Coast Asian American Student Union

The East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes awareness of Asian and Pacific Islander social issues. Run by volunteers, ECAASU's advocacy work focuses on outreach to AAPI student organizations across the United States and by educating individuals through various programs throughout the year. ECAASU hosts an annual conference, currently known as the largest and oldest conference in the country for Asian American students. The organization's membership is primarily composed of universities from the Eastern United States, while its annual conferences draw students and activists from throughout the United States. ECAASU was originally established in 1978 as the East Coast Asian Student Union (ECASU) before changing its name at a 2005 conference. It currently attracts over 1,500 students to its annual conference. The largest ECAASU conference was held at the University of Pennsylvania (March 4–6, 2010) and was attended by almost 1,700 students. Likewise, the 2013 ECAASU conference held at Columbia University drew in over 1,500 students from over 200 different colleges.

## History
### Early movements

In the 1960s, influenced by the civil rights movement and broader social changes in the United States, Asian American students organized protests across California, particularly in San Francisco, and in other parts of the country. These protests called for universities to improve access to higher education for these students, who turned to rallies, sit-ins, and campus takeovers to compel their universities to greater diversity and inclusion. These efforts coincided with Asian Americans entering universities and colleges in significant numbers. Ethnic studies and other supportive programs were established to include Asian Americans.
During the 1970s, Asian American organizations were established to deal with their specific needs and concerns. The first Asian American student organization was the Yale University Asian American Students Association (Yale AASA), which was established in 1969. They persuaded Yale to recruit more Asian American students, organized campaigns to repeal Title II of the 1950 McCarran Act, and developed the first Asian American Studies course on the East Coast during the Spring semester of 1970.
They also organized the first East Coast Asian American student conference, "Asians in America," which took place at Yale in April 1970. Over 300 students from over 40 different colleges attended. Members of Yale AASA, led by editor Lowell Chun-Hoon and publisher Don Nakanishi, of Yale's Class of 1971, founded Amerasia Journal, the first academic journal for the field of Asian American Studies.

### Impact of the Bakke decision

In 1978, the Supreme Court upheld Allan Bakke's claim that he had not been admitted to UC Davis medical school due to "reverse discrimination". To many, this decision represented an attack on the civil right gains made in the 1960s. It also sparked a struggle led by students against this decision, which was considered a state-wide challenge that required a new level of organization. The students were originally from other countries emerging as newly independent nations. Rallying against the Bakke decision, Asian American students recognized the need for a network capable of providing a broader perspective, mutual support, and the capacity for collective action. This led to the founding of the West Coast Asian Pacific Student Union (APSU), the Midwest Asian Pacific American Student Organization network, and ECASU, with regions in the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

### East Coast Asian Student Union

The 1980s was generally considered a period of conservatism, with the Right on the move in attacking not only affirmative action, but also questioning reproductive rights, language rights, freedom of speech, social services, the environment, and "back to basics" in education. It is sometimes considered the "me" generation bombarded with "careerism" without a sense of social responsibility. Asian Americans were touted as the "successful," model minority in Newsweek and Time in the midst of a declining economy and global U.S. influence.
The 1990s also saw a variety of changes, ranging from the sudden surges in Asian American populations in colleges nationwide, to the scapegoating of Asians in the Clinton campaign scandal and the Lawrence Labs debacle. Even more recently, the Wen Ho Lee incident has shown that Asian Americans are not safe from racial profiling and stereotyping.

### 2007: ECAASU National Board revival

Following the Yale ECAASU Conference, the National Board experienced a period of revival, growing from 2 to 12 people and occupying 10 board positions. In addition, ECAASU began to apply for non-profit status and created new boards, including the Board of Directors (aka Directorate) and the ECAASU Representatives Council (which included about 60 people from 40 schools in 2008). The National Board has also taken steps to create ECAASU events outside of the yearly conference, including regional fall mixers. Lastly, the National Board has revived the ECAASU journal, formerly known as Asian American Spirit, now titled Envision. ECAASU started the Affiliate Schools Project, an online database of profiles of ECAASU member schools.

## Past conferences
### Intercollegiate Liaison Committee (ICLC)

* 1977, Yale University.

### East Coast Asian Student Union (ECASU)

* 1978, Princeton University; Asian Student Unity.
* 1979, University of Massachusetts Amherst; Learning From the Past to Build Up to the Future.
* 1980, Harvard University; Asian Students Organizing for the 80's.
* 1981, Mount Holyoke College; Asian Women, Myth and Reality.
* 1982, Harvard University; Rising to the Challenge.
* 1983, Columbia University; Asian Students in Action.
* 1984, Brown University; Asian Americans and the American Dream.
* 1985, Smith College; Visions of Asians in America: Aspiration & Responsibilities.
* 1986, Princeton University; Asian Students: New Directions...Beyond the Model Minority.
* 1987, Boston University; Education in Action.
* 1988, Cornell University; Momentum for Change: 10 Years of ECASU.
* 1989, Hunter College; Asian Empowerment through Unity: A Challenging Future.
* 1990, Five College Consortium: UMASS Amherst, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and Amherst College; The 1990 Census and Beyond: A Map for Asian American Impact in the United States.
* 1991, Binghamton University; Speak Up, Speak Out: End of Marginalization.
* 1992, Harvard University; Changing Faces of Asian American Community.
* 1993, University of Pennsylvania; Lights, Camera, Action.
* 1994, Yale University; APAs in the Arts and Media.
* 1995, Duke University; Exposing the Plight of Asian Pacific Americans in our Nation's Inner Cities.
* 1996, University of Maryland, College Park; Building Bridges to our Future.
* 1997, University at Albany, SUNY; Where Do Asian Americans Fit in the Black and White Paradigm.
* 1998, Cornell University; Leading the Way to the 21st Century.
* 1999, Brown University; Coming Together: A Pan-Asian Pacific American Movement into the Next Millennium.
* 2000, Yale University; Stepping Forward: identity, unity, action.
* 2001, Columbia University; Evolution!
* 2002, Duke University; Strangers in America.
* 2003, Georgetown University; New Horizons.

### East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU)

* 2004, University of Virginia; Awakening.
* 2005, University of Pennsylvania; Impact: Our Own Making.
* 2006, George Washington University; Foundations: Deep Roots, Lasting Growth.
* 2007, Yale University; Breaking Through.
* 2008, Cornell University; Push Forward.
* 2009, Rutgers University; Distinct Worlds, One Vision.
* 2010, University of Pennsylvania; Behind These Eyes: Impression. Introspection. Innovation. Archived 2010-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
* 2011, University of Massachusetts - Amherst; B.R.E.A.K: Bridge, Revitalize, Equality, Action, Knowledge.
* 2012, Duke University; Rediscovery. Renaissance. Revolution.
* 2013, Columbia University; Within. Across. Beyond.
* 2014, Washington, DC Coalition between Georgetown University, George Washington University, American University and University of Maryland - College Park; Mission IGNITION: Champion Your Cause.
* 2015, Harvard University; New Asian American.
* 2016, Rutgers University; Beyond Our Boundaries.
* 2017, North Carolina Triangle with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and North Carolina State University; Atmosphere.
* 2018, Cornell University; Continuum: Power Through Perspective.
* 2019, Florida; Introspection.
* 2020, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh; Building Bridges.
* 2023, University of Virginia; Reconnection and Reflection.