Let’s Meet Nicole!
When Nicole Dailo moved to Minnesota in 2018, she knew she wanted to find a vibrant, thriving, and diverse community to belong to, similar to the one she grew up with in Los Angeles. It didn’t take long for Nicole to get connected to the Coalition of Asian American Leaders, where she was able to quickly offer her expertise as an employment attorney. After learning more about CAAL through friends, professional contacts, and her work with the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Nicole officially joined CAAL’s board in 2022 and became board chair at the beginning of 2023.
Q: Why did you move to Minnesota?
I met my husband when we were undergraduate students at the University of Southern California. He grew up in Minnesota and decided to come back here for law school, so we were long distance for three years. I stayed in Los Angeles and began my legal career, and he attended law school in Minneapolis. Whenever I visited my husband in Minnesota, I always enjoyed spending time outdoors, experiencing the changing seasons, and meeting Minnesota’s welcoming, down-to- earth people. As we thought about how we wanted our life to look in terms of housing, education, raising children, and job opportunities, it became clear that Minnesota checked every box on our list. So ultimately, we decided to settle down here.
Q: What made you want to join CAAL?
I couldn’t say no to an opportunity to connect with and learn from other Asian American leaders in Minnesota. Coming from Southern California where the Asian community is large, well organized, and influential, I wanted to be part of the effort to give the Asian Minnesotan community that same power and reach. I also wanted to develop as a leader by forging meaningful relationships with other local Asian American leaders and exchanging ideas about how we can use our voices and positions to create lasting impact. I also believe in CAAL’s mission and the impactful work CAAL is doing for the Asian Minnesotan community. CAAL gives our community a voice in all the arenas that matter: in government, in schools, in the justice system, and in our neighborhoods. CAAL’s work shows that it truly cares about uplifting Asian Minnesotans and cultivating the current and next generation of leaders.
Q: What’s your hope for CAAL as board chair?
I hope that CAAL continues to grow and to effect positive, impactful change for Asian Minnesotans. I hope our influence becomes more significant and our voice gets louder–in government, the justice system, and our local communities. Especially after all of the anti-Asian hate incidents that happened here and nationally. I hope we can continue to build on the collaboration that came out of that and devise proactive ways to make our communities safer and more powerful.
Q: What does CAAL’s mission of achieving “a just and joyful future where all Minnesotans can thrive” mean to you?
Building a movement takes such a long time. With that understanding, I believe that ultimately, achieving CAAL’s mission means that no community in Minnesota will be underrepresented or silenced anymore. Everyone’s voice will matter and have power, regardless of background. We will all live in communities that value our diversity, preserve our humanity, grant us dignity, and promote our safety. All systemic barriers to justice, happiness, and success will be eliminated. I know all of this is going to take a long time to accomplish. But it’s immensely important that we continue to pursue this goal, and I’m honored to be part of an organization that’s working so hard to achieve it.