PANA Institute for Leadership Development

PANA's Represent to Witness (R2W) project was launched in 2003 to develop young Asian and Pacific Islander (API) and other young leaders of color with the leadership tools, characteristics, and competencies required to represent their experiences, faith, heritage, and communities in witness to God’s demand for love, peace, and justice. R2W specifically seeks to nurture a critical consciousness, values of justice, anti-racism, and class solidarity, and a strong self-representative voice in young leaders. And as these young leaders discern their educational and vocational goals, R2W encourages them towards the development of praxis and service.

August 2009 update: The R2W program is currently in transition. Watch this page for further updates as more information becomes available.

PANA's R2W project has been built on two core programs:

Summer Youth Leadership Institute (ages 16-19)

The R2W Summer Youth Leadership Institute is a 15-day residential summer program for high school youth rooted in API culture and consciousness. Over the past five years, more than 150 young people have participated. They meet youth from other places and other cultures, experience life on a college and seminary campus, visit different communities, try new things, and gain valuable leadership skills. In the process they become more aware of their culture and history, more in tune with their faith and spirituality, more confident and articulate, and more outgoing and involved in their churches and communities.

June 20-July 4, 2009
Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA

Congregational Leaders Internship (ages 19-22)

The R2W Congregational Leaders Internship (CLI) is a leadership development program for college-age young adult leaders from communities of color, working class and middle class, from a variety of faith backgrounds.

Interns participate in three weekend retreats and one week-long intensive throughout the year. During these retreats, interns study social issues, journey into local communities, have dialogue with community organizers, and examine the roots of current issues from political, historical, social, economic, and spiritual lenses.Weekend retreats also provide a chance for interns to get away from their usual daily environment and engage in spiritual reflection, support and mentorship.