Our Story

The dream for AANN began in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. We noticed that despite how much support the Asian American community rallied toward relief efforts, very few mainstream media sources reported on them. Not only that, many of the Asian news sources that were reporting, were isolated from each other due to physical and language barriers, unable to share important news across state lines and reach a wider audience. The Asian American News Network (AANN) offers a fast and accessible stream of information for the Asian American community in the United States. AANN amplifies the diverse voices within Asian communities in order to raise awareness for pressing issues and events that would not otherwise be covered. We want to elevate a platform to promote mutual understanding across cultural borders, regardless of race, language, or the color of our skin. After all, we are all Americans. It is for this reason that our mission is to bring new perspectives to the Asian American community by listening to diverse voices, big and small.

Meet the Team

Hey there! My name is Katie Zhao, and I'm a social media director at AANN. I'm a senior at Raleigh Charter High School. My aim as a social media director is to able to tell the stories behind accomplished Asian American people, shining light on these underrepresented groups in the media through leadership. In my free time, I love to write stories and draw. I also play softball! My favorite artists are Taylor Swift, Hozier, and Lana Del Rey, and my favorite TV show is probably Gravity Falls. Here's a quote from the show: "You can't force someone to love you, all you can do is strive to be something worthy of loving."

Katie ZhaoSocial Media Director

Peggy is a junior at Green Hope High School and serves as a team lead at AANN. She is responsible for leading video and multimedia projects and managing social media publications alongside Katie. She has a passion for storytelling and hopes to share the rich diversity of Asian American cultures through her work. In her free time, she enjoys watching documentaries and finding inspiration for AANN's future initiatives.

Peggy ChenSocial Media Director/Video Producer

Yvonne is a junior at Cary Academy and serves as the social media marketer at Asian American News Network. At AANN, she is responsible for researching pressing issues and communicating to the community through social media. As an immigrant who immigrated to the United States, she experienced a time period where she felt lost due to knowing no English at all. Through AANN, she hopes to advocate for the Asian American community and stand up for this community, addressing unfair issues and making everyone more aware of this group. Outside of AANN, she likes to play basketball and listen to music, specifically pop and R&B. Like her theatre teacher always says, "Dream. Believe. Do!"

Yvonne MaSocial Media Marketer

Hi! I'm Leo, a junior at CCS and part of the social media team at AANN. I joined AANN because I want to strengthen the Asian American community and inspire others to do the same. For fun, I like to solve puzzles and do math. I also like to read sometimes. Occasionally, I also like to listen to music (jazz/classical). My favorite TV show is SpongeBob.

Leo TanSocial Media Team Member

I'm Michael and I'm in 10th grade. I'm a social media team lead and I go to East Chapel Hill High School. I lead my team and we post when it is our turn to do so. I like the work that we do at AANN and I also like spreading news about what's happening with Asian Americans. Outside of AANN I am a runner, I run cross country, winter track and spring track. In my free time I like to play video games and go rock climbing.

Michael StehlinSocial Media Team Member