In a 2025 Colorado world, how does the Mongolian community keep their traditions alive? They organize and co-found a school! Though 6,500 miles away, our rocky mountain climate is very similar to the climate in Mongolia, which is why many Mongolians choose to call Colorado home. Founded in August 2006, the Mongolian School of Colorado has two goals in mind: 1) teach Mongolian children their home language 2) teach Mongolian heritage. The only way to develop trust in your community is to spend meaningful time together. This is why students spend every Saturday at the Mongolian School of Colorado from September to May. “When the lights turn on, we only speak Mongolian”, says Tuya Erdene, Executive Director of the Mongolian School of Colorado. Routines like this allow for kids to be in a safe environment to practice speaking their home language, and sit in the discomfort of learning a new skill. Tuya goes on, if kids struggle to understand then they “turn the lights off” and speak English to reset and problem solve! “As citizens of different countries, the young people of Mongolian ancestry can choose what tradition they want to live and work inside. But ultimately they have to be given a choice in the matter” (Our History, Mongolian School of Colorado, 2025). Nurturing healthy children is already hard enough, but to navigate a new country; that’s a tricky challenge. A challenge that Colorado’s Mongolian community solves by ensuring Mongolian children attend Saturday school and practice their heritage. This is best exemplified by Mooji Boldbaatar, a volunteer Program Coordinator for Youth Leadership. Mooji is the daughter of immigrants. As a child, she became her family’s unofficial translator; handling parent-teacher conferences, paperwork, and anything her parents needed. She grew up learning to work hard, support her community, and every Saturday, she attended the Mongolian School of Colorado. There, she and other Mongolian students practiced their language and learned cultural traditions. Mooji carried more responsibilities than most kids. In addition to translating, she often worked shifts as a young adult alongside her parents to help support the household.
The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community is one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States. Yet, meaningful representation in public service, leadership, and policy-making remains a challenge. For nearly 25 years, the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) has been at the forefront of addressing this gap, equipping young leaders with the tools, experiences, and networks needed to make a tangible impact. Founded in 2000, ILF is dedicated to promoting civic engagement, economic effectiveness, and public service within the AANHPI community. By connecting ambitious students with opportunities in government, business, and international affairs, ILF has built a leadership pipeline that fosters both personal and professional growth. The Flagship Program: Civic Fellowship ILF’s Civic Fellowship Program stands as one of the nation’s premier AANHPI leadership initiatives. Each summer, a cohort of undergraduate students participates in an 8-to-10-week paid public service internship at federal agencies, Congressional offices, or leading D.C.-based think tanks. Beyond the internship, Fellows engage in intensive seminars and workshops on leadership, policy-making, and networking, meeting with senior government officials, corporate executives, and inspiring AANHPI role models. This immersive experience provides students with practical knowledge, confidence, and a unique perspective on how governance can serve their communities. Expanding the Leadership Pipeline ILF’s impact extends beyond the Civic Fellowship: Youth Leadership Academy (YLA): Engages high school students in American democracy and entrepreneurial thinking, instilling civic responsibility at an early age. Global Exchange Program: Prepares young leaders for international challenges through cross-cultural dialogue with Pacific Rim countries. Annual Leadership Conference & Awards Gala: Brings together policymakers, business leaders, and students to celebrate achievements and foster networks across sectors. Celebrating ILF Colorado On Sunday, November 16, 2025, ILF Colorado hosted its annual Leadership & Networking Event at the Englewood Civic Center, honoring youth leadership, civic engagement, and the next generation of changemakers. The evening welcomed government leaders, community advocates, business professionals, civic fellows, and youth scholars. Judge Joe Jefferson, representing ILF Colorado Founder and Chair Ms. Shiou Jefferson, opened the event, highlighting the community’s commitment to fostering young leaders. The program featured two high school student emcees, Vivian Yang and Leran Wang, and included inspiring keynote addresses from ILF Co-founders Ms. Chiling Tong and Mr. Joel Szabat. Ms. Tong shared updates on her work as a congressional appointee to Chair the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific History and Culture. Local elected officials and community leaders also offered support and encouragement, underscoring the shared mission of cultivating civic-minded leaders. ILF Colorado recognized the accomplishments of its 2025 High School Youth Awardees—Sarah Hou, Kaden Lou, Marilyn Kerns, Hayden Chen, Hannah Zhang, Brian He, Olivia Fang, Khadija Lahmidi, Bingwen Yuan, Michael Zhang, and Vivian Yang—as well as Shih-Yu (Leo) Ma, a PhD student at the University of Colorado. The evening also featured moving speeches from Youth Leadership Academy Scholar Michael Zhang and ILF Civic Fellow Tangia Zheng, highlighting the transformative power of leadership and civic engagement programs. Building a Future for the AANHPI Community Since its founding, ILF has provided scholarships and leadership training to over 10,000 students nationwide, creating a growing alumni network active across public, private, and non-profit sectors. Through programs like the Civic Fellowship and Youth Leadership Academy, ILF ensures that the AANHPI community continues to have a voice in shaping policies, leading businesses, and contributing to society at large. For more information on the International Leadership Foundation and its programs, visit ILFnational.org .
The Denver restaurant scene has in the past included very few Filipino eateries for diners to seek out. The most reliable source for Filipino cuisine has been the annual Filipino-American Community of Colorado Philippine Festival in Edgewater, where the community center’s Lolas (grandmothers) have been cooking up lumpia, adobo, and other traditional fare. A few restaurants and food trucks have flown the Filipino flag over the years, and even today less than a handful of restaurants serve dishes from the Philippines. Among them is a business that isn’t a sit-down restaurant or even a food truck, but a terrific takeout ghost kitchen with some unique twists on the cuisine. Paborito, which means “favorite,” is run by Jayson Leaño and his wife Geraldine Gan, who opened Paborito - Filipino BBQ last year in a ghost kitchen building on Vallejo then moved to its current location at 707 Federal Boulevard this summer. The couple had previously run the Toast Box sandwich shop, but turned to the food they love – and grew up on – traditional Filipino flavors. Though the kitchen is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Leaño was working on a recent Monday night, prepping rolled Lechon Pork Belly flavored with Filipino stuffing for Thanksgiving orders that will be picked up Thursday morning; after 3 p.m. the couple will close up for the holiday, and enjoy their own Thanksgiving feast. But instead of turkey or lechon, they’ll have a Peruvian chicken they’ll pick up from a neighbor at their last ghost kitchen location. They love to support other startup businesses like theirs, and cite their favorites at their current Federal location.