Director

Billy Taing

Formerly incarcerated in the California state prison system for more than two decades, Billy Taing serves as Co-director of API RISE. The journey to this role required him to navigate early childhood as a refugee from Cambodia at the age of three when his mother and older brother fled the Khmer Rouge because of their Chinese lineage. Then, like so many immigrant youths, he joined a gang where he thought he found belonging and acceptance. A terrible decision led to a life sentence in prison, an order for deportation, and separation from his family until the age of 43. As his life purpose came into focus, his spiritual training deepened, and his desire to serve grew - Billy successfully petitioned and received a full and unconditional pardon, a set aside of the deportation order, and an acceptance into a union-wage apprenticeship program to be an electrician. For many reasons, he chose to leave the union apprenticeship to serve his brothers and sisters in the API community, as Co-Director of API RISE. Billy is also the co-founder of the Black and API Solidarity group