Every May, Asian Heritage Month in Canada and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States celebrate the rich contributions, diverse cultures, and resilience of Asian communities across North America.
This is a time to honour the achievements of Asian Canadians and Americans while acknowledging the unique challenges many face — from navigating cultural expectations to breaking barriers in underrepresented industries. It’s also an opportunity to foster understanding, challenge stereotypes, and build more inclusive workplaces and communities.
Bringing keynote speakers to your Asian Heritage Month events creates powerful moments of connection and learning. Authentic voices sharing their lived experiences — whether about leadership, representation, cultural identity, or overcoming adversity — inspire teams, spark meaningful conversations, and demonstrate your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Below are six inspiring speakers to consider for your Asian Heritage Month event. Contact us to book your May event today.
Featured Speakers for Asian Heritage Month
From political leadership and financial expertise to comedy and media representation, these speakers bring diverse perspectives and compelling stories that will elevate your Asian Heritage Month programming.
Jagmeet Singh
Servant Leadership: Building Teams That Outperform
Born to Punjabi immigrant parents, Jagmeet Singh learned early on the values of hard work, fairness, and collective responsibility. This foundation shaped his career, serving six years as an Ontario MPP and almost eight years leading Canada’s National Democratic Party.
Rooted in the Sikh principle that true leaders serve others, Jagmeet shares the servant leadership principles that helped him bridge divides and drive transformative change amid deepening polarization.
Melissa Leong
Building Wealth, Breaking Barriers
Finance expert and author Melissa Leong equips audiences with clear strategies to build wealth, reduce financial stress, and make confident money decisions — no matter where they’re starting from.
Blending humour, behavioural science, and heartfelt stories from her own Chinese heritage — including her family’s 70-year Winnipeg restaurant and her grandfather’s role in building Chinatown — Melissa shows how small, consistent choices can transform their financial well-being.
Andrew Phung
The Power of Belonging: How Inclusion Fuels Success
The award-winning star of Kim’s Convenience and Run the Burbs, one of the questions Andrew Phung gets asked the most is how an Asian kid from Alberta found national success.
Of course, Andrew has years of honing his comedic chops, but he credits one of his first jobs for giving him the foundation needed to pursue his goals confidently. Andrew is a self-proclaimed product of inclusion. His honest and comedic look at the path to success shows how DEI initiatives help all to thrive
Sangita Patel
Fireside Chat with Television Personality Sangita Patel
The former co-host of ET Canada, Sangita Patel has dedicated her career to breaking barriers in the media industry. She was the first South Asian Canadian Ambassador for CoverGirl — a self-described “pinch me” moment as someone who rarely saw themselves represented in popular media growing up.
Sangita is proud to represent her roots and strives to become an inspiration for those who follow. Whether hosting or speaking, Sangita infuses every event with passion and professionalism.
Riaz Meghji
Every Conversation Counts: How to Build Extraordinary Relationships
A human connection expert, Riaz Meghji’s deeply impactful presentations reveal how authentic human connection can transcend cultural boundaries and transform organizations.
Drawing from his South Asian heritage and extensive media experience, Riaz shares powerful insights about bridging cultural divides and outlines strategies for building genuine cross-cultural connections to break down communication barriers, build deeper relationships, and create inclusive environments.
Julie Kim
Asian Heritage Month: Breaking Barriers and Embracing Identity
Julie Kim’s story is one of breaking boundaries. The first Asian female stand-up comedian in the country, she shares with humour how she navigated barriers and challenges from the outside world and within.
As a second-generation Korean Canadian, Julie speaks to the clash between individual dreams and cultural expectations and how to re-frame limitations into superpowers, while also highlighting her first-hand experiences about the impact of increased representation and diversity in the media.
Celebrate Asian Heritage Month
Whether you are looking for someone to keynote your event, lead a workshop, or participate in a panel, we have speakers ready to deliver impactful presentations that align with your Asian Heritage Month programming.
Contact us today to learn more and secure your speaker.
