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Happy New Year – Time to Renew Your Membership!

With the start of a new year, it’s time to renew your Caucus membership. This can be done online at https://onlinecampaigntools.com/WebForms/ViewForm?key=v3OgtUdQThjhzNZ%2FYfwUPw%3D%3D#%5Bpage=1%5D
If you would like to request fee waiver for economic hardship, please contact us at cademparty.apicaucus@gmail.com.
Join our board for an online open house! Use this link to join on 1/28/2024: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88124710639?pwd=RjZRUUpLUjdzVk9hNlordEorVDYwZz09 Meeting ID: 881 2471 0639 Passcode: 057199
Speakers can sign up using this form: https://forms.gle/QXMdV6C4cTJCh9916
Run or Apply to be a Delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago
California Democrats will send 496 delegates and 35 Alternates to the Democratic National Convention in 2024. All pledged delegates are allocated to the presidential candidates according to the results of the March 5, 2024 Primary. At-Large and PLEO Delegates are chosen by the Presidential Campaigns, keeping in mind our affirmative action goals, and confirmed by the Statewide Delegation at the May 18, 2024 meeting.
Learn more at https://cadem.org/democratic-national-convention/
Tentative CA Dem Calendar for 2024
January 16, 2024 – National Convention District-Level Delegate Application Open
Jan 18, 2024 – Democratic National Committee (DNC) Member Application Open
February 12, 2024 – National Convention At-Large & PLEO Delegate Application Open
March 21, 2024 – National Convention District-Level Delegate Application Close 
April 17, 2024 – Democratic National Committee (DNC) Member Application Close
April 18, 2024 – Notice DNC Member Election
April 21, 2024 – National Convention District-Level Delegate Caucus Elections 
April 24, 2024 – National Convention At-Large & PLEO Delegate Application Close
May 4, 2024 – Virtual 2025 Post Primary Endorsing Caucuses
May 17-19, 2024 – E Board (Southern CA Location TBD)
May 18, 2024 – Election of California Democratic National Committee Members 
May 18, 2024 – Statewide Delegation Meeting (At-Large and PLEO Delegates Selected) – Location TBD
Early August – E Board Date TBD (Virtual on Whova)
Mon, August 19, 2024 – Thu, Aug 22, 2024 – 2024 Democratic National Convention Chicago IL.
August 23, 2024 – DNC Committee Members Four-year term begins
December 5-8, 2024 – E Board (Northern CA Location TBD)
Alfred Twu convention

California Democratic Party AAPI Caucus Endorsing Convention Meeting Agenda

Meeting Room: A05-A06
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
1401 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Saturday, November 18 | 7:00pm-8:45pm

I. Call to Order | Welcome (1 minute)
II. Approval of Agenda (1 minute)

III. Elected And Appointed Officer Reports (15 minutes)
a. State Chair Report
b. State Vice Chair 
c. State Communications Secretary
d. State Recording Secretary
e. State Treasurer 
f. State Legislative Director 
g. State Parliamentary Chair
h. Northern California Regional Report – Northern Chair and Northern Regional Team
i. Southern California Regional Report – Southern Chair and Southern Regional Team
j. Professional Development Chair

IV. Candidates for U.S. Senate (10 minutes)
V. Bylaw Update (3 minutes) View amendment here.
VI. Panel Discussion: Fighting Misinformation in Our AAPI Communities (45 minutes)

  • Moderator: AAPI Caucus Parliamentary Chair Aref Aziz

Panelists: 

  • Asm. Evan Low (AD-26), AAPILC Chair
  • Larry Huynh, President, American Association of Political Consultants; Partner, Trilogy Interactive
  • Shery Yang, California Democratic Party Communications Director 

VII. Speakers Addressing AAPI Caucus (Time Permitting – Please Be Courteous; Caucus Meeting Time Ends at 8:45; Advance Sign Up Required Here: https://forms.gle/xPvjr1c9zZaWQRvW6)

VIII. Adjournment

Alfred Twu convention, News

AAPI Caucus Convention Meeting: Saturday, November 18, 7-8:45pm at the Sacramento Convention Center

Fall Endorsing Convention, November 17-19 in Sacramento

AAPI Caucus Meeting on Saturday 11/18, 7-8:45pm

The Fall Endorsing Convention is coming up! Registration and hotel reservations are available at www.cdpconvention.org .

AAPI Caucus Meeting

Saturday Nov 18, 2023 ⋅ 7pm – 8:45pm

SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, 1401 K St, Sacramento, CA 95814

Candidates, ballot measure campaigns, and others that want to speak at our meeting may sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPpG4d9TQ0ZY8Y1r57Nex-sNUFYhDTQFPHmVelMJTjyfg2Uw/viewform

We will be having a final vote on the Bylaws Amendments, which can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q8vx0lCeLep9qeYlzERHIx0j_UKQQvRW/view

CADEM Pre-Endorsements

Results from the Pre-Endorsement Conferences are at https://cadem.org/endorsements/

CADEM Party Platform

Every two years, the California Democratic Party updates and adopts our Party’s Platform– representing 10 million Democrat’s values, collective vision, and aspirations.

Beginning in June, the CDP Platform Committee conducted testimony hearings and received over 160 pieces of testimony and language entries. By the end of August, the Committee had collected over a dozen pieces of amendments for the first draft of the Platform.

This November, the Committee plans to meet to adopt their Draft Report in preparation for the 2023 November State Endorsing Convention. Join us for this critical virtual meeting on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 10am. You can register for the meeting at cadem.org/Nov4.

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October 15, 2023 Newsletter

CADEM Pre-Endorsement Voting
Ballots have been sent on Saturday, October 14 to delegates and Democratic club voting representatives for Pre-Endorsements.
If you did not get an email but were expecting one, there could be two reasons: There are no pre-endorsements in your area, because incumbents are running and were not pulled from the consent agenda. See here for a list of Assembly, State Senate, and Congressional elections that pre-endorsements are being done for. https://cadem.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-Pre-Endorsing-Conference-Assignments.pdf The email did not go through. Check your junk mail folder. If you still can’t find it, contact endorsements@cadem.org or call (916) 442-5707 M-F between 9am-6pm(PST).
Fall Endorsing Convention, November 17-19 in Sacramento
Save the Date: The Fall Endorsing Convention is coming up! Registration and hotel reservations are available at www.cdpconvention.org . We will have a Caucus Meeting during the convention, date and time TBD. Candidates, ballot measure campaigns, and others that want to speak at our meeting may sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPpG4d9TQ0ZY8Y1r57Nex-sNUFYhDTQFPHmVelMJTjyfg2Uw/viewform
Meet our San Diego Vice Chair, Indroneal Bannerjee
Dr. Indroneal (Indro) Banerjee (He/Him) is the current President of the Asian American Pacific Islander club of San Diego (San Diego County Democratic Party-Club of the Year 2022), a position he has held since 2020. He is also the Treasurer of the Clairemont Democratic club, and an Associate Member of the San Diego County Democratic Party’s Central Committee. Indro has also served as a California Democratic Party Assembly District Delegate since 2020. It is his belief that the AAPI Communities can be a force for positive change in the party and state.
Indro is a trained Molecular Biologist, and for ~15 years worked as a bench scientist as several research centers (e.g., the NASA Ames Research Facility, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, and UCSD School of Medicine). During this time, he earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (University of South Carolina), Postdoctoral Fellowship, funding from NIH, AHA and Industry sources as well as published 27 peer-reviewed papers and over 30+ presentations. After leaving academics he has spent the last 8 years in life-sciences industry focusing in Medical Affairs. He also holds a BA in English, and a BS in Molecular Biology from San Jose State. Indro currently lives in San Diego his wife Fiona..
AC Transit Redistricting
The next round of draft maps will be available on Tuesday, Oct 17, with another community workshop scheduled that evening and a board vote on Wednesday, Oct 25. actransit.org/redistricting
AAPI Events Calendar San Mateo County Asian American Pacific Islander Alliance Diwali Celebration Foster City Community Center, 1000 E Hillsdale Blvd on Friday, November 3 at 6:00pm. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/smcdiwali
Alfred Twu convention, News

Fall Endorsing Convention, November 17-19 in Sacramento

Save the Date: The Fall Endorsing Convention is coming up! Registration and hotel reservations will open on September 12. We will have a Caucus Meeting during the convention, date and time TBD.
Thank you for attending our meeting in Visalia! Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Central Valley Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander panel discussion this weekend at the Visalia California Democratic Party conference! Special thanks to our panelists Uriah Kishon Ikaika Napaepae Blackwell, Leng Power, Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains, and Lilian Thaoxaochay, as well as our moderator and Central Valley Vice Chair, Riverbank Vice Mayor Rachel Hernandez.
AC Transit Redistricting The Alameda and Contra Costa Transit District is currently switching to fully districted elections. Maps and Comments on Communities of Interest can be submitted online or at public workshops. Please visit https://www.actransit.org/redistricting for details.
Upcoming AAPI Events
AAPI Leadership Summit by Asm. Evan Low and the AAPI Legislative Caucus September 7 and 8, 2023, Sacramento, CA https://aapileadershipsummit.org/home
Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County Inaugural Awards Gala Originally scheduled for Aug 20, this event was rescheduled due to the tropical storm. The new date is Friday, September 15th from 7-9PM at the San Gabriel Grapevine Arbor. Tickets and sponsorships are available at bit.ly/ADLACAwards and follow us on Instagram @asiandemsla for more updates!
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August 2023 AAPI Caucus Meeting & Central Valley Panel

Saturday, August 19, 5:45-7:30pm
Visalia Convention Center, 2nd Floor, Sequoia Room
Open to the Public

Moderator: Rachel Hernandez, (she/her), Vice Chair CV AAPI Caucus and Vice Mayor, Riverbank

Panelists

Uriah Kishon Ikaika Napaepae Blackwell (he/him), Community Engagement Coordinator CVPIA

Uriah is 25 years old and identifies as Kanaka Maoli and Black. As the eldest of 9 siblings, qualities of being of service come natural to him. He began his organizing journey while attending UCLA from 2016 – 2020 with UCLA’s Pacific Islands’ Student Association (PISA) mobilizing around issues such as low Pacific Islander retention rates on and off campus, as well as the Mauna Kea Movement and much more. Uriah’s work with UCLA led to more opportunities with other organizations such as EPIC, APIFM and SOCAL PICRT, to name a few. He envisions our community as one who thrives here in the states, while also being connected to roots back home on our islands. Through CVPIA, he is able to work towards making that vision a reality everyday! 

Leng Power (she/her), Community Builder

Leng Power is a first generation Cambodian American who grew up in the Central Valley Modesto Community where she is committed to causes related to poverty alleviation, strengthening the leadership fabric of the Valley, and building resilience among marginalized groups. Leng has served professionally as part of the Stanislaus County Behavioral Health department, Homeless and Housing Systems and currently serves as a Community Services Manager for an East Bay municipality. Leng is the past chair of the Salida Municipal Advisory Council, a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum Great Valley Chapter and a 2020 Emerge CA alumni.

Dr. Jasmeet Bains (she/her), Assemblymember District 35

Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains was elected to the California State Assembly  in November of 2022 to represent the 35th Assembly District. Assemblymember Bains worked as a family doctor providing primary healthcare to families throughout the Valley. Dr. Bains also serves as a volunteer with Global Family – an organization dedicated to combating ​human trafficking and child abuse, on the San Joaquin Valley Air District’s Environmental Justice Advisory group – working to improve our Valley’s air and water quality, and on the Taft College Foundation – fighting to expand access to higher education.

The daughter of immigrant parents from India, Dr. Bains grew up in the Central Valley. After graduating from medical school, Jasmeet returned home and completed her residency at Clinica Sierra Vista in Kern County, choosing to work in underserved healthcare settings to increase access to healthcare. 

Lilian Thaoxaochay (she/her), Small Farms Community Educator

Lilian Thaoxaochay is a first-generation Hmong American born and raised in Fresno, 

CA. Her family has farmed Asian specialty and vegetable crops in the Central Valley for three decades now. She completed her MA in Cultural Anthropology at UC Santa Cruz and has a BA in Medical Anthropology and Asian American Studies from Stanford University. Her previous work and research interests revolved around community racial/ethnic health disparities and policy, cultural competency in medical education, and Southeast Asian oral histories as political protest. 

Lilian is currently a Small Farms Community Educator with the UCANR Cooperative Extension Office in Fresno County for the Small Farms and Specialty Crops Program where she provides technical assistance to Southeast Asian and other small scale and minority farmers for disaster relief; translation and education around soil health and water efficiency practices; and connects growers to resources on a variety of agricultural regulatory concerns.  

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Notice of Upcoming Vote on Caucus Bylaws Amendments

The California Democratic Party Rules Committee has asked us to make the following amendments to our bylaws to meet the current Party policy on standard Caucus bylaws. This will be voted on at our meeting on either August 18 or August 19 during the Visalia E-Board conference.

Remove Article IV.C.5 Standard Biennial Dues: $40.00

Remove Article VI.F.4 A “Vacancy” shall refer to a Board officer who resigns from their position, or misses three meetings in a calendar year without having first contacted the Caucus Chair in advance of a meeting to request an absence, and is unresponsive to communications pertaining to Board business, as determined by the Caucus Chair. 

Remove Article VI.I “A “Vacancy” shall refer to the circumstance where the Caucus Chair resigns from the position.”

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July 2023 Newsletter

Meet Our New Caucus Board Members
Get to know our newest board members! 
Gurpreet Kaur, Legislative Director Gurpreet Kaur has more than seven years of experience in the California State Government including in and around the Legislature. She has worked as Legislative, Policy and Regulatory Analyst and is proficient in legislative research and analysis as well as the Rulemaking process.
Gurpreet is well-versed in initiating legislative proposals and resolutions as well as working with authors/legislators and stakeholders in ensuring that interests are advocated and protected.
Marilyn Cachola Lucey, Treasurer Marilyn is Deputy District Director for an Assemblymember and has been active in community organizing and legislative advocacy with organizations such as ACLU and ACCE, using her training as an OFA Fellow. She strives to ground her professional and community work explicitly in anti-racism, anti-ableism, and cultural humility.
As a current board member for her region’s PFLAG affiliate, she leads their legislative advocacy efforts to protect and extend LGBTQ+ rights. In 2020, she worked for the Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign in California, and co-directed the East Bay Victory 2020 for Biden-Harris virtual field operations. She volunteers with Bay Area Action Coalition to train and support field teams, and execute field strategy for Democratic state and federal candidates. She is an appointed commissioner to Contra Costa’s Commission on the Status of Women and Girls First 5 Children and Families Commission. She is serving her second term as Assembly District 16’s elected delegate to the California Democratic Party executive board. 
She lives in the San Francisco East Bay with her neurodiverse family. Her lived experience as an immigrant continues to motivate her to advocate for the protection of human rights and to organize communities to elect leaders who champion justice for the global majority.
Malia (“Lia”) Aiavao, Northern Secretary Lia Aiavao firmly believes in the power of representation and has spent her political career working to uplift the voices of historically overlooked communities. She knows that by amplifying voices, perspectives, and experiences, meaningful change can be achieved.  As a biracial woman of Samoan descent, Lia has seen firsthand how Polynesian and Pacific Islander communities have been left behind and forgotten. She knows that engagement in the political process, community organizing, and support for Polynesian and Pacific Islander candidates are vital steps toward ensuring that specific needs are met — and she’s committed to bringing people together to make that happen.
In 2018, Lia served as Field Director for Catherine Stefani’s successful campaign for San Francisco Supervisor, managing all aspects of the voter contact, volunteer management and outreach programs. She then went on to work as a Northwest Finance Associate with Kamala Harris for the People where she coordinated with top-raising National Finance Committee members and helped organize high-dollar and grassroots fundraising events. Lia is now an award-winning Deputy Media Director with an Oakland-based political consulting firm working with progressive candidates who are fighting for marginalized people and our future leaders of tomorrow.
Dr. Andrew Murphy, Southern Secretary Dr. Andrew Murphy (he/they) is an experienced leader in education, government, and policy. His previous roles include serving as a public school teacher, community organizer, union leader, nonprofit Executive Director, and Policy Deputy for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, where he was the primary author of the “Everyone Counts” resolution, a civil rights achievement that instituted data disaggregation policies for all students and employees of color in the nation’s second-largest school district.
Andrew is an elected California Democratic Party Assembly District Delegate and currently serves as President of the Asian Democrats of LA County and as a Board member of the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley and the Korean American Democratic Committee. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Louisville, a Master of Education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, a Master of Korean Studies from Seoul National University as a Korean Government Scholar, and a Doctorate in Education from Loyola Marymount University.
For the rest of the board, bios for our entire board are available at https://aapicaucus.com/about-us/executive-board/
California Democratic Party Executive Board Meeting in Visalia Friday, August 18 to Sunday, August 20
The AAPI Caucus will be meeting in person as part of the conference. We’re planning a special event for you to meet and hear from AAPI leaders in the Central Valley.
Online registration for the Summer Executive Board Meeting closes on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 5:00 pm. The party encourages everyone to register online for easier credential pickup on-site. Non-EBoard Members or non-standing Committee Members wishing to be credentialed to attend the Executive Board General Sessions can request an EBoard Observer Pass.
Caucus meetings, Standing Committee meetings, training, and organizing actions during the Executive Board meeting are open to all Democrats.
Registration, Tentative Agenda, and more: https://cadem.org/executive-board/
The California Democratic Party is updating the party platform Give input now!
Suggestions and comments on the party platform can be provided in three ways:

Online Testimony Form
2024 Testimony Submission Form on the Platform Committee Website The deadline for submitting testimony online is Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Online Testimony Hearings
Sunday, August 6, 2023, @ 11:00 AM Planks Accepting Testimony: Education, Children, Culture and the Arts, Women Register Here: https://cadem-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lfuqsqzkiGdHew6nUNNNZadfH2t5Jzdzw#/registration

Wednesday, August 9, 2023, @ 6:30 PM Planks Accepting Testimony: Energy and Environment, Sustainable Communities, Rural Register Here: https://cadem-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvf-uspjktGdFcmif-RZ17ivSr3dyuAnRz#/registration

In Person at the Executive Board Platform Committee Meeting
Date: Friday, August 18, 2023 at the E-Board Meeting in Visalia Planks Accepting Testimony: Veterans and Military Families, Seniors, Health Care, Immigration, Preamble
Notice of Upcoming Vote on Caucus Bylaws Amendments
The California Democratic Party Rules Committee has asked us to make the following amendments to our bylaws to meet the current Party policy on standard Caucus bylaws. This will be voted on at our meeting on either August 18 or August 19 during the Visalia E-Board conference. Details of the changes will be sent in a future newsletter before the meeting.
Upcoming AAPI Events
Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) Summer Soiree Friday, August 18, 2023, 6-10pm, San Gabriel, CA https://www.causeusa.org/2023-summer-soiree
Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County’s Inaugural Awards Gala Sunday, August 20th, 2023, 4-6pm, San Gabriel Grapevine Arbor (324 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776) http://bit.ly/ADLACAwards
AAPI Leadership Summit by Asm. Evan Low and the AAPI Legislative Caucus September 7 and 8, 2023, Sacramento, CA https://aapileadershipsummit.org/home
Alfred Twu Uncategorized

Grieving the loss of Affirmative Action – a space to discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling and the rollback of progress

Today the Supreme Court struck down race conscious (Affirmative Action) policies in college admissions.

Our Caucus has led on Affirmative Action in the past and led programs and outreach efforts, including in 2020 to support Prop 16 (which if it had passed, would have repealed the Prop 209 ban on affirmative action).

To provide a space for our community to gather to grieve this loss and discuss the implications and rollback of progress, along with the California Young Democrats API Caucus, we will be hosting a virtual program tomorrow night, Friday June 30th from 5:30-6:30pm.

We will be inviting community members and speakers to discuss this topic as well as organizing work to combat this significant curtailment of progress.

Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/aapicaucus630