Sylvia Leong was elected as the CSBA Director-at-Large, API in 2022 and advocates for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) student needs statewide. She is serving her third term on the Cupertino Union School District board and serves as CSBA liaison to the Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association (APISBMA), highlighting AAPI student and staff issues. Leong is also a founding member of the Santa Clara County School Boards Association Unhoused Students Advocacy Committee.
Leong has been working with students for over 20 years and is passionate about holistic education that balances academics with social-emotional health to best equip students for future success. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, CSBA spoke with Leong about her educational background, why she ran for Director-at-Large and the importance of culturally responsive education.
How have your educational experiences — from UC Berkeley to teaching in China and working in college admissions — shaped your perspective on public education, especially for AAPI students?
My perspective has been shaped by all of those things, but the biggest takeaway for me is the importance of holistic education. When I was growing up as the child of immigrant parents, and I think this is true of a lot of immigrant families, education was seen as the key to stability, success and security. When I was a kid, that meant just focusing on academics in the classroom. But what we see now is that academics are not enough to be successful. It’s not just about textbook learning, it’s about understanding how that learning applies in the world in which you live, in your community, and understanding your place in the world — being that global citizen, that creative innovator, that collaborative communicator. All those skills are even more important nowadays. And those are the kinds of things that college admissions officers are looking for — not just that ability for rote memorization; they’re looking for that intellectual curiosity.
What were some key challenges or supports you personally encountered as an AAPI student, and how do they influence your work on school boards today?
Growing up in Southern California, I was a quiet Asian American girl in a classroom where no one looked like me. And while I had good friends and an enjoyable childhood, I was always aware that I was different — that my family was different — in what I brought for lunch, in my parents speaking a different language than the other parents, in how we spent our money. While I didn’t understand it at the time, I subconsciously became ashamed of my ethnic identity. I learned, too early, that invisibility could sometimes feel safer than being seen.
But now, as a school board member, I have the privilege and responsibility to help shape the very spaces where children learn who they are and whether they matter. I know how powerful it is for a child to walk into a classroom and feel they belong. That who they are isn’t something to hide, but something to celebrate. That’s why it’s so important to me that we are culturally responsive as a district and work to build our students up. In my district, Cupertino Union School District, we’ve made it our priority to “Create a Sense of Belonging.” That’s not just a slogan — it’s a strategic district initiative. It’s a lifeline. It’s what allows a student to step into their own story with pride instead of shame. It touches everything from what meals we serve in the cafeteria to what books we put in the library.
Our work as board members may seem removed from the daily classroom moments, but everything we do — every policy we pass, every resource we allocate, every decision we make — has the power to either build belonging or break it.
What are some unique challenges AAPI students in California face today that may be overlooked in broader educational conversations?
That’s a really important question, as California has the highest population of AANHPI [Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander] students in the United States at 12.5 percent, and yet, AANHPI students can still feel isolated by microaggressions and discrimination. These experiences affect their sense of belonging, self-esteem and academic engagement.
The AANHPI umbrella encompasses so many different ethnic groups, each with their own histories, challenges, socio-economic statuses, and levels of English proficiencies. But because the data is not disaggregated, it hides significant disparities in educational outcomes among the different AAPI subgroups. This can lead to a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to support those who need it most.
Generational characteristics also differ but are not often recognizable. You may not realize the AAPI student in your classroom is a child of refugees, or an undocumented student, or a third- or fourth-generation American, each with their own complicated background and story.
Unfortunately, Asian Americans are often used as a wedge between white students and Black and Hispanic students — whether in the case of university admissions, or the idea of working hard and being successful — but the truth is that all students benefit when learning is differentiated and personalized.
Many people see AAPI students as uniformly high-achieving due to the “model minority” myth. How does this stereotype impact their mental health and educational support?
The “model minority” myth is a harmful stereotype that Asian Americans are inherently successful, overachieving and law-abiding, and that they have overcome discrimination to achieve their success. The reason it’s harmful is it downplays a lot of the realities of racism and systemic inequities that exist. Unfortunately, because it sounds like a positive thing, a lot of AAPI families, especially newer immigrant families, don’t understand its harm, and may even consider it a compliment. This can place a lot of undue pressure on AAPI students to excel academically, which can lead to more mental health challenges. There is increased stress, anxiety and depression due to the fear of failure and the burden of unrealistic expectations.
Data also suggests that AAPI students experience a higher prevalence of mental health issues compared to other racial/ethnic groups, particularly in areas like depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, AAPI students are also less likely to seek help for these issues due to stigma and cultural barriers, which just compounds the issues.
Why did you run for Director-at-Large, API and what have you been focusing on in the position so far and what defines success for you in the position?
I ran for Director-at-Large because I wanted to increase engagement between CSBA and AAPI school board members. While there’s almost 5,000 school board members in California, less than 5 percent are AAPI. AAPI school board members bear unique responsibilities and challenges in trying to represent their community, and it can feel isolating and lonely if they are the only one on their board.
I’ve been working in collaboration with the other Directors-at-Large (Hispanic, African American, American Indian) to organize virtual meet-ups to give trustees a chance to build relationships. We’ve also been working on some joint programs to educate trustees on issues that disproportionately impact students in these specific ethnic groups. I also work closely with the APISBMA to provide training and development for AAPI trustees on issues relevant in their communities.
For me, success will include more AAPI trustees getting into leadership roles, like joining Delegate Assembly and CSBA committees. Success will also look like a stronger network of AAPI trustees who can connect with each other on issues as they come up.
Given your deep roots in local parent leadership and student engagement, what strategies have you found most effective in building trust and participation among AAPI families?
I can’t understate the power of presence. Being present on campus, attending school events, student performances, PTA meetings — showing up means a great deal to parents, but especially newer immigrant AAPI families who may not be as familiar with the American education system. Many AAPI families come from countries of origin where there is historically less trust in the government and institutions. In a lot of these countries, parent participation and volunteering isn’t as common a practice as in the American public school system. So, putting a human face on the system, being accessible to answer questions, to have conversations with parents really helps to build bridges and normalizes the institution.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
