For Immediate Release: 
Date: February 14, 2025 

NAPABA Welcomes OKAABA as NAPABA’s Newest Affiliate  

WASHINGTON - The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Board of Governors has approved and welcomed the Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association (OKAABA) as an affiliate of NAPABA. Founded in 2024, OKAABA is a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the interests of Asian American attorneys and legal professionals in Oklahoma.  
  
“We are delighted to welcome the Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association to the NAPABA community,” said Priya Purandare, Executive Director of NAPABA. “This addition to NAPABA underscores our unwavering commitment to empowering and advocating for the diverse communities within the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations across the nation. OKAABA’s dedication to the legal profession, community service, and advocacy strengthens our shared mission to uplift the AANHPI community, and we look forward to building a meaningful and impactful partnership together.”  
  
“The Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association is thrilled to link arms with the NAPABA as we foster a sense of community, empowerment, and purpose,” said Jacqueline (Jacki) Phelps, OKAABA’s president. “OKAABA’s central purpose is rooted in the notion that there is unity in diversity, and, indeed, it is our diversity that gives us strength. As we all are currently navigating difficult and uncertain times, partnering with NAPABA amplifies that purpose as we work together to empower our communities both within the legal profession and without.”   
 
The Oklahoma Asian American Bar Association joins a community of approximately 90 local, state, regional, and national bar associations in the United States and Canada that are affiliates and national associates of NAPABA. The affiliates hold certain voting rights under the NAPABA Bylaws, and individual members of the affiliates are entitled to complimentary NAPABA membership and the benefits that accompany it. For more information about how to become a NAPABA affiliate, please visit our webpage and learn more here about the benefits of becoming a NAPABA member.   

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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.