California Democratic Party Executive Board MeetingAAPI Caucus Meeting: Friday, August 22, 7:30-9pmAANHPI Organizing in the Digital Age
Special guest, Texas State Representative Gene Wu, current Chair of the Texas Democratic House Caucus, will speak on his experience fighting the Republican power grab in Texas.
Friday, May 17, 3-5pm AAPI Caucus Mixer in San Diego’s Convoy District
Join us for food and drink at the Jasmine Seafood Restaurant, 4609 Convoy Street, Suite A 1/2, San Diego.
Recordings now available for our Legislative Update and DNC Candidate Forum
Legislative Update: Our Caucus board members Alfred Twu and Gurpreet Kaur led a program on this year’s legislative and budget process, as well as updates on legislation on issues such as hate crimes, language access, education, employment, appointments, mental health, and housing.
Uriah Kishon Ikaika Napaepae Blackwell (he/him), Community EngagementCoordinator 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.
As we reconvene in person meetings, the API Caucus of the California Democratic Party remains committed to minimizing our environmental impact. For that purpose only a limited number of meeting material copies will be printed at our incoming meeting.
Please see all of the meeting materials including agenda here.
Please find the meeting materials for this meeting below linked in the agenda below.
2023 API Caucus Membership Meeting Saturday, May 27, 2023, 7:45pm-9:30pm Updated Location: Platinum F-J Meeting Room, JW Marriott 900 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles
AGENDA I. Call to Order | Welcome (1 minute) II. Approval of Agenda (1 minute) III. Elected Officer Reports (20 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 i. Recertification Items ii. Caucus Goals iii. 2021-2023 Term in Review iv. Adoption of Bylaws – Mandatory per CDP and Name Change to AAPI Caucus h. Northern California Regional Report – Northern Chair and Northern Regional Team i. Southern California Regional Report – Southern Chair and Southern Regional Team IV. API Caucus Awards Ceremony – Rising Star, Organization Award; Trailblazer to be presented in November 2023 a. Assemblymember Alex Lee – 2023 Rising Star Honoree b. Equality California – 2023 Organizational Excellence Award, Presented to Tony Hoang, Executive Director
V. Invited Speakers a. AG Rob Bonta, AAPILC Chair Evan Low b. Candidates for CDP Officer Elections c. Democratic Senate Candidates i. Rep. Schiff (arriving some time between 8:30-8:45) ii. Rep. Katie Porter (8:45pm) iii. Rep. Barbara Lee – sending surrogate
VI. CDP Caucus Officer Elections a. Candidates i. State Chair: Deepa Sharma ii. State Vice Chair: Hon. Tammy Kim iii. State Communications Secretary: Alfred Twu iv. State Parliamentary Chair: Aref Aziz v. State Legislative Director: Gurpreet Kaur vi. State Treasurer: Marilyn Cachola Lucey vii. State Recording Secretary: Shivam Patel viii. Northern Chair: Hon. Harris Mojadedi ix. Northern Vice Chair & Political Director: Hon. Emily Ramos x. Central Valley Vice Chair & Political Director: Hon. Rachel Hernandez xi. Northern Secretary: Malia (“Lia”) Aiavao xii. Northern Outreach & Local Clubs Chair: Zahra Hajee xiii. Southern Chair: Jessica Caloza xiv. Southern Vice Chair & Political Director: Michael Milan xv. Southern Secretary: Dr. Andrew Murphy xvi. Southern Outreach & Local Clubs Chair: Steve Kang VII. Speakers Addressing API Caucus (Time Permitting – Please Be Courteous; Caucus Meeting Time Ends at 9:30) i. Hon. Tammy Kim ii. Carolyn Fowler iii. Hon. Gabriel Quinto iv. Diana Love v. Andrew Lachman vi. Malcolm Johnson vii. Assemblymember Phil Ting viii. Andrew Lachman, DNC Member ix. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu / Former Chair, CA API Legislative Caucus x. Avinder Chawla xi. Irene Green xii. Hon. DA George Gascon xiii. Hon. Darshana Patel xiv. Jennifer Esteen xv. Jonathan (Tana) S. Lepule xvi. John Yi xvii. Alex Mohajer xviii. Jonathan (Tana) Lepule xix. Sade Elhawary xx. State Senator – AAPILC Vice Chair Dave Min xxi. Hon. Sally J Lieber xxii. Dr. Jirair Ratevosian (Pronounced je-RAHR ra-teh-VOS-yan) xxiii. John Yi xxiv. Assemblymember Eloise Reyes xxv. Maha Rizvi xxvi. Susie Shannon or Betty Toto xxvii. Asm. Pilar Schiavo xxviii. Kipp Mueller xxix. Jennifer Williams xxx. Aditya Pai xxxi. Ysabel Jurado xxxii. Rozzana Verder-Aliga xxxiii. Derek Marshall xxxiv. Alex Mohajer xxxv. Hon. Jed Leano xxxvi. Senator Scott Wiener xxxvii. Dr. Rozzana Verder-Aliga (Vice Mayor of Vallejo) xxxviii. Hon. Lateefah Simon xxxix. Hon. Yvonne Yiu xl. Hon. Dan Kalb xli. Cheyenne Hunt xlii. Jennifer Tran xliii. Fmr. Rep Laura Richardson
Friday, May 26 Convention Welcome Reception – 7pm First Draft Taproom and Kitchen, 1230 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles
Saturday, May 27
CADEM Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month – 1:30pm During General Session in LA Convention Center Hall A
California Young Democrats API Caucus Happy Hour – 5-7pm with Assemblymember Mike Fong HiDef Brewing, 1203 S Olive St, Los Angeles http://tinyurl.com/CYDAPIHAPPYHOUR
API Caucus Meeting – 7:45-9:30pm Platinum F-J Meeting Room, JW Marriott, 900 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles
AAPI Legislative Caucus Hospitality Suite – 10:15pm- Midnight with Assemblymember Evan Low Platinum E Meeting Room, JW Marriott, 900 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles
Share your convention experience! Use hashtag #Organize4CA and #CADEM
All events are open to the public except General Session. Convention credentials or observer pass required for General Session.
2023 API Caucus Membership Meeting Saturday, May 27, 2023, 7:45pm-9:30pm Updated Location: Platinum F-J Meeting Room, JW Marriott 900 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles
– Awards Ceremony – Trailblazer, Rising Star, and Organization Award
– Democratic Senate Candidates
– Invited guest speakers: – AG Rob Bonta – AAPILC Chair Evan Low – California Democratic Party officer candidates – Democratic Candidates for US Senate: Adam Schiff, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee (sending surrogate)
Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus 