Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership

"[1] In 1989, Lin Liu, Sandra Yamane, Sharon Yanagi, Melinda Yee, Paul Igasaki, Rod Hsiao, and Chantale Wong, founded CAPAL in Washington D.C. in order to address the lack of Asian American Pacific Islander representation in public service.

[2] The Washington Leadership Program is a free panel-based summer series offered by CAPAL each year that is open to anyone who would like to attend in the DC area, particularly interns and young professionals.

[3] Topics range from environmental justice[4] to mental health, and these dialogues create a learning space where interns can interact with the panelists and each during and after the presentations, panel discussions, and Q&A sections with public service leaders.

At the end of each summer, CAP groups present their projects to sponsors, board members, and other invited guests at the intern Closing Ceremony.

[citation needed] Within this program, scholarships are awarded to students completing unpaid internships in public service work in the metropolitan DC area over the summer.