Asian American teens spent Sept. 19 asking mentors and community leaders candid questions about identity, mental health and career paths at the second annual Roots & Wings Youth Symposium, which drew more than 450 registrations to the College of San Mateo Theatre.

The free, daylong gathering brought together 178 youth participants ages 14 to 21, 228 parents and guardians, and 48 educators for workshops, mentorship and panel discussions. The 1990 Institute, a nonprofit with a 35-year history focused on the advancement of Asian Americans, organized the event for the second consecutive year.

Speakers shared personal stories of uncertainty, rejection and cultural pressure alongside their professional accomplishments, according to the 1990 Institute. The lineup included Yul Kwon, a vice president and general manager at Google who became the first Asian American winner of CBS's "Survivor: Cook Islands" in 2006; Dion Lim, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and author; and Deb Liu, co-founder of Ember AI and former CEO of Ancestry. Other panelists included Evan Low, president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund; Dave Lu, founder of Hyphen Capital; and Dr. Rona Hu, founder of CHIPAO and medical director of the acute psychiatric inpatient unit at Stanford Hospital.

The symposium ran from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured three separate tracks. Youth sessions focused on agency, resilience and purpose. The parent and guardian track addressed mental health and bridging generational divides. Educators explored Asian American history curriculum and classroom strategies.

"The impact of Roots & Wings was visible in the way students leaned into difficult conversations, asked thoughtful questions, and connected their own experiences to the paths shared by our speakers," said Lisa Hsu, 1990 Institute Program Committee co-chair and 2026 symposium co-chair. "Our goal was for every young person to leave feeling seen, supported, and more confident that their identity can be a source of strength, and that the AAPI community is invested in helping them shape what comes next," Hsu said.

The 2026 registration total of more than 450 represents growth from the inaugural symposium on Sept. 6, 2025, which drew more than 250 attendees at the same venue. The 2025 figure reflects attendance while the 2026 figure reflects registrations, so the numbers are not directly comparable. This year's theme was "Empowerment Through Community Collaboration," building on last year's focus on "Inspiration and Aspiration."

Dr. Gwenn Lei, executive director of curriculum and instruction at the San Mateo County Office of Education, was among the speakers. Attendees received complimentary lunch from Panda Express and Saigon Sandwiches, plus free boba and raffle prizes. The first 60 youth who registered were eligible to receive two tickets to the San Francisco Giants vs. Minnesota Twins game on Monday, Sept. 21, at Oracle Park, according to the 1990 Institute's press release.

Sandra Pan, the symposium's other co-chair, and Hsu organized the event with a goal of equipping young people with tools for a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. The 1990 Institute has not announced a date for a 2027 symposium.