Los Angeles, Calif- Approximately 300 professionals turned up at the 4th Annual APEX Community Leaders Reception Thursday.

"I'm happy to see all of you here in spite of the Lakers' game," chuckled CA Assemblyman Mike Eng who spoke to an enthusiastic crowd.

Keynote Speaker, Stewart Kwoh, Founder and Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), also echoed the need to create a new common ground for activism. Calling the young audience of mostly 18-35 year-old, the Lost Generation, he urged them to find a personal connection of how we link to each other and expanding that to achieve our greatest potential.

Kwoh will be touring the country later this year promoting 2 new books; Untold Civil rights Stories and Uncommon Common Ground.

Drawing on her own personal journey in making connections, Faaputu Vaafuti was elated to be at the reception. "I appreciate being here," said Vaafuti, a sophomore at Cal State University Long Beach and founding member of PELE the sorority of Oceania. This is the first time Pele has sponsored an event and we're very happy to be a part of this experience."

Charlie Woo, President and CEO of Megatoys, also shed light on the rise in activism. Woo called on the need to develop viable candidates for local office and the need to engage other communities of color. Addressing the need to stock board rooms, Woo emphasized the need for Asian Americans to leverage relationships with corporate America.

Among other panelists speaking on the issue of community engagement were Ling-Ling Chang, Councilwoman, City of Diamond Bar. Thomas Saenz, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and Karen Wang, Vice President of Programs, APALC.

"We are a growing community... the overarching commonality between Latinos and Asian Americans is that there is a tremendous fear in the demographic change," said Saenz. Having struggled for inclusion, the new majority will not do what the other majority has done.

Panelist, Karen Wang is passionate about her work. She was recently honored by Union Bank and KCET as a Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Local Hero. "A vision of justice should not be narrow." said Wang.

Speaking on her work in marriage equality, Wang a straight, Asian American woman explained the need to see injustice for what it is and having a broad and inclusive vision. Making the parallel of what is happening in Arizona today, Wang said of SB1070, "This is the new Chinese Exclusion Act." The Act excluded Chinese "skilled and unskilled laborers and Chinese employed in mining" from entering the the U.S for ten years under penalty of imprisonment and deportation. It also required the Chinese to carry proof of citizenship and subjective racial profiling.

Ling Ling Chang, is the first Asian American elected official in the City of Diamond Bar. "People are surprised when they hear me speak...You have perfect English" said Chang of her constituents. She emphasized the difficulty of breaking stereotypes but focused her response on persistence in breaking double if not triple glass ceilings for women of color.

A nominal Pacific Islander presence was visible in the audience, notably 6.

For more information on getting involved with APEX, visit their website at www.apex.org