Programs

Community Leadership Program

Since 2001, organizing the annual Chicago Asian Pacific American Community Leadership Program (CLP) has been LCAPA's primary focus.

Purpose

The Community Leadership Program is a 5-month annual institute designed to help participants learn about and enhance the work they do in the Chicago Asian Pacific American (APA) community. CLP is operated by the Leadership Center for Asian Pacific Americans (LCAPA), a volunteer board of Asian Pacific American professionals from various backgrounds.

Participants Explore

• Chicago's different Asian Pacific ethnic communities and current issues affecting them
   

• Group leadership skills in decision making, process, and conflict management
   

• Networking with fellow program participants and alumni, organizers, and community leaders

Timeline

The program includes 35 hours of class time:

• Late January: Orientation session & retreat
   

• February - May: Regular sessions are held the first Thursday and third Saturday of every month. They include leadership skills training, panel discussions/ workshops on current APA issues, and group project work.
   

• Late May: Graduation ceremony and final group project presentations

Participant Selection Criteria

CLP is a time intensive program and is designed to meet its purpose through eight meetings. In addition, participants are expected to meet with fellow group members and other community members outside of these eight sessions to complete the group project.

Participants must be

• Committed and motivated to serve the Chicago-area Asian Pacific American community
   

• Able and willing to commit the time and energy to complete the program
   

• 18 years of age or older

Expectations of Participants

Participants must

• Make every effort to be on time and attend all sessions.
   

• Not miss more than TWO sessions in order to receive a certificate of completion.
   

• Prepare for each session by completing reading assignments.
   

• Work on a group project during and in between sessions. Be prepared to meet with group members outside of the monthly sessions. As the program progresses, participants will likely need to increase their level of participation in order to complete the group project (i.e. April and May).

Tuition

• Applicants who are selected and enroll are required to submit a non-refundable fee.
   

• Tuition covers the costs of meals, snacks, and program materials.
   

• A fee payment plan may be arranged or partial financial assistance may be available.
   

• Community-based organizations are encouraged to sponsor CLP applicants as a professional development opportunity.

Past CLP Group Projects

• Asian American Arts and Activism
• Sexual Assault Prevention
• Hepatitis in the Asian American Community
• Asian American Political Empowerment
• Philanthropy in the Asian American Community
• Oral Histories of Chicago's Asian Americans
• Gentrification in Uptown
• The Student Adjustment Act and Asian Americans
• Asian American Mental Health Issues

In 2007 one group worked with the South Asian Progressive Action Collective to organize Voices of Resistance, its annual performing arts showcase. The group members created this film to highlight the process and what they learned along the way (you may have to click the "play" arrow twice):

To Apply

The application for the 2009 Community Leadership Program will be available in October 2008. Please check back then.

 

Other Programs

LCAPA occasionally organizes and hosts other programs throughout the year. Check this page often for information on how you can participate!