Manjusha P. Kulkarni (Manju) is Executive Director of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), a coalition of over forty community-based organizations that serves and represents the 1.5 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County. Manju also serves as a Lecturer in the Asian American Studies Department of UCLA. In March 2020, Manju co-founded Stop AAPI Hate, the nation’s leading aggregator of COVID-19-related hate incidents against AAPIs.
Manju’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, CBS News, and CNN, as well as several ethnic media outlets. On March 18, 2021, Manju testified before Congress at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties on the issue of anti-Asian hate; she shared Stop AAPI Hate data as well as policy recommendations for addressing the current wave of racism and discrimination faced by AAPIs in the U.S.
Manju received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. In 2014, Manju received the White House Champions of Change award from President Obama for her dedication to improving health care access for Asians American communities.