The Dallas Asian American Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in April 2022 to research, preserve, and amplify the legacy of Asian Americans in the Dallas, Texas area.
Meet the Team
![20240202-dscf6059 copy 20240202-dscf6059 copy](https://dallasasianhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/20240202-dscf6059-copy-square-4b2e068505cd6e4362b2b4020735d25d-jo3ncgia6wv8.jpg)
Stephanie Drenka
Co-founder & Executive Director
Stephanie Drenka (she/her) is a Korean American adoptee writer/photographer. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from DePaul University, with minors in Asian American Studies and Women’s Studies.
Stephanie previously served as Communications Director for Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation and is the Founding Editor of VISIBLE Magazine.
Stephanie’s photography and writing have been featured in Washington Post, HuffPost, Newsweek, and more. She was a 2019-2021 Public Voices Fellow and is now a facilitator/coach with The OpEd Project.
![Untitled-design Untitled-design](https://dallasasianhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Untitled-design-square-61d692117e8041b91acf42ae5361e629-ifpjnh75wszo.png)
Denise Johnson
Co-founder & Program Director
Denise Johnson (she/her) was born and raised in the Philippines and immigrated to Texas at 17. She is a Jill of all trades— studied Secondary Education for Mathematics at UNT, spent several years in marketing, and enjoys being creative behind the camera.
She is currently a digital media designer for a performing arts marketing company, creating websites, commercials, ads, and handles social media for venues and tours.
Denise also serves on a DEI committee for a local non-profit organization, The Firehouse Theatre.
![Tran-Calhoun_-Headshot2020 Tran-Calhoun_-Headshot2020](https://dallasasianhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Tran-Calhoun_-Headshot2020-1-square-18f9fc8f5fd39073beceed2cdc7c5f8e-y16ojvgxu9s3.jpeg)
Amy Tran-Calhoun
Director of Community Engagement
![20240324-DSCF8987 20240324-DSCF8987](https://dallasasianhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/20240324-DSCF8987-square-0ffe4e0f492b261220b6898b05a4f50b-ocv42de15gh3.jpg)
Jo Lew
Youth Engagement Specialist
Jo (they/them) is an incoming Human Rights Studies M.A. candidate at Columbia University and a queer, API, Texan activist. As a Southern Methodist University (SMU) graduate with degrees in human rights, political science, and public policy, Jo has dedicated their life to advocacy work and activism.
Jo served in multiple leadership positions at SMU and created the “Queer Qollective”, a collection of projects aimed at increasing the well-being of LGBTQIA+ students, including housing, recordkeeping, and infrastructure policy while developing organizations for SMU's BIPOC and first-generation college students.
Today, Jo serves as the Director of Outreach and Coalitions for OutVote, an organization dedicated to building a nationwide network to help register and mobilize LGBTQIA+ voters. With a strong background in intersectional community building and activism, Jo is inspired to build bridges across communities and create a stronger, unified platform that advocates for all marginalized peoples.