AAJA Chicago hosts numerous programs to support students and early-career journalists as they enter the field, and continues to add initiatives as it builds community in Chicago and the surrounding Midwest. It has sponsored internships at multiple leading Chicago newsrooms, including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Block Club Chicago, and ABC-7, helping to launch the careers of AAPI journalists. It hosts a resume and cover letter review program, a mentorship program to connect young members with professionals in Chicago, and events to build connections between its members and other local journalists. The Chicago chapter was the driving force behind the now-annual Chicago Journalism Unity Picnic, which has been going for four years strong, cohosted with groups including Chicago's NABJ, NAHJ, and NLGJA chapters, and is proud to be a space for AAPI journalists in much of the Midwest, with AAJA members from surrounding states finding community through the chapter's programs.