“Adulting” isn’t only about managing responsibilities. It can also be about navigating identity, expectations, and relationships in a world that often overlooks cultural nuance. For Asian and AAPI young professionals, the path to adulthood can feel especially complex.

This workshop offers a supportive space to:

• Reflect on transitions like starting a career, moving out, or managing adult relationships

• Unpack the push and pull between self-defined paths and intergenerational values

• Share strategies for navigating microaggressions, stereotype pressure, and isolation at work

• Build peer support that makes adulting feel less lonely

• Clarify what adulthood means to you, not just what’s expected of you

Research has long recognized that the late teens to late twenties is a unique and often under-supported life stage. Jeffrey Arnett’s (2007) theory of emerging adulthood describes this time as one of instability, identity exploration, and self-reflection. Many young people are no longer adolescents but do not yet feel fully adult. They are still shaping their values, goals, and sense of belonging.

For Asian and AAPI individuals, this process often includes additional layers. Huang (2021) found that second-generation Asian American professionals frequently experience workplace microaggressions, feel pressure to minimize their racial identity, and face disconnects between academic achievement and professional inclusion. These challenges can make adulting feel more fragmented and less supported.

This workshop creates space to explore adulting through honest conversation, shared stories, and cultural context. Together, we’ll reflect, connect, and build language for navigating this complex phase of life with more clarity and self-understanding.