Asian Pacific Islander Capitol Association

Join us on Friday, November 13, for our sponsored session on How to Get on Corporate Boards. ONLY 3.7% OF CORPORATE BOARD SEATS ARE HELD BY APIs. By the end ...of 2021, publicly held corporations headquartered in California will be required to have at least one member of their board of directors who identifies with an underrepresented community. How do we ensure that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are positioned for corporate board appointments and what does that process look like? Register today to learn more! https://live.remo.co/e/apis-mobilize-corporate-boa/register FEATURED SPEAKERS Moderator: Larry Chung, Board Member, APIs Mobilize; Director of Global External Affairs & Government Relations, The Walt Disney Company Panelists: Mona Pasquil Rogers, Head of California Public Policy, Facebook; Board Member, California American Water John Chiang, California State Treasurer (former); Board Member, Apollo Medical Holdings; Zeuss Technologies, Calyx Peak Nanxi Liu, CEO, Enplug; Board Member, Carparts.com

Thank you to Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry & Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi for sharing the importance of bond financing in our legislative process, and a sincere thank you to our panel of experts including: Tim Schaefer, Deputy Chief Consultant of Public Finance, California State Treasurer Fiona Ma's Office Sarah Smith, Consultant, Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee Jimmy MacDonald, Principal Consultant, Assembly Local Government Committee... Jennifer Galehouse, Deputy Chief Consultant, Assembly Appropriations Committee For additional background materials, provided by Tim Schaefer, please contact APICA Communications Director, Samantha Samuelsen at [email protected].

APICA Congratulates our President, Jessica Duong, on her new role as a Consultant for Assembly Budget Committee working on labor, consumer affairs, cannabis, and employee compensation issues. We are so proud of you, Jessica! Thank you for being our fearless leader.

Thank you to all who virtually attended our 8th Annual Sushi Showdown: Champions Edition! We were able to raise significant funds that will assist us in offering our summer internship program, professional development events, and future webinars. Special thanks to our Master of Ceremonies Assemblymember David Chiu, the 2020 recipient of our API Spirit Award, Assemblymember Kansen Chu and Private Chef AJ Dipoetra "Dipa" for the live sushi-making demonstration. We are especial...ly grateful for the generosity of our Sushi Showdown sponsors. It is only with their financial support that APICA can continue to grow and thrive. Sponsors Republic Services The Coca-Cola Company California and Nevada Credit Union Leagues Ticket-Level Sponsors Priority Strategies California Nurses Association Californians Allied for Patient Protection California Cattlemans Association We look forward to seeing you in 2021 for our 9th Annual Sushi Showdown!

With nearly 6 million Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (API) living in California, the API community must exercise its political strength and community voice to advance a unified agenda that uplifts our communities. The API Policy Summit will convene statewide leaders representing various sectors for a conference to envision what the future looks like for API communities in the next decade, build a bench of strong leaders, and learn strategies to make the deepest impact.... The API Policy Summit marks a significant opportunity for California API community members and organizations to empower themselves and their community at the California State Capitol. Register here [https://apipolicysummit2020.wordpress.com] today!

Deadline to apply for the CA Latino Capitol Association Foundation's Annual [Virtual] Internship Program is TODAY!

APICA Legislative Academy Student Spotlight: Jzan Villanos University/Major: Recent graduate of University of California, Riverside, B.A in Political Science with an emphasis in International Affairs and a Minor in Public Policy. Issue Areas of Interest: Income Inequality, Environment, Immigration and Foreign Policy, Community Development, inclusivity for minorities within the social justice system, and expanding Asian Pacific Islander representation in politics.... How has your identity shaped your career aspirations? Growing up as a first-generation Filipino-American I embraced my heritage as it introduced me to traditional values of hard-work and friendliness towards others. Values that taught me how to be empathic and caring for others. Values that I also saw my own parents embrace when they were adapting to a new country and social environment here in the United States from the Philippines. I saw their hard-work in their jobs to push toward social upward mobility while utilizing the opportunities given to them. This led me toward my passion for helping others, especially in low-income communities, and a way to do that is to be active in politics. I remember my father bringing me to the polling place every election day since we received citizenship, reminding me how important it was to participate in politics. As a first-generation immigrant, I realize the hardships many have to face when starting a new life in a new country with new opportunities. Being Filipino-American, I learned the importance of political activism and its significance to immigrants, as it is a pathway to open new doors, secure opportunity, and achieve inclusivity. With the knowledge I have gained from studying and working in politics, I wish to give back to the community that helped my family, continue the betterment of our environment, and help those in need. I also aim to expand and increase Asian Pacific Islander representation within the political sphere. Favorite restaurant in your hometown: Lima Limon is an amazing Peruvian restaurant in Santa Clarita. They have the best ceviche.

Congratulations to Jeff Bongga, APICA Fellows & Interns Outreach Coordinator, on his new role as a Staff Services Analyst in the Fiscal Forecasting and Policy Branch of the California Department of Social Services. We are so proud of you Jeffrey, keep shining!

APICA Legislative Academy Student Spotlight: Tran To University, Major: Currently pursuing a BA in Political Science & a BA in Environmental Sciences & Policy, from the University of California, Irvine. Issue Areas of Interest: Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Justice, Human Rights, Immigration, Sustainable Development, Poverty and Inequality... How has your identity shaped your career aspirations? As a daughter to Vietnamese immigrants, I have grown up wanting to give back to my community. I began my first step on this journey through healthcare. I volunteered both within my local community and native Vietnamese homeland to give free healthcare to those who needed it most. This has given me the opportunity to understand the inequities that people of my identity have faced, whether it be through immigration or climate injustices. As I came to college and was exposed to different career avenues, the realization began to dawn on me that it is truly through policy that real, positive change can happen. I can make a real impact through this approach. Thus, my journey and interests in the intersection between human rights, environment, law, and policy began. Favorite restaurant in your hometown? Bluegold in Huntington Beach, CA

APICA Legislative Academy Student Spotlight: Joy Balinbin University, Major: BA in Sociology from Saint Mary’s College of California, currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA) at McGeorge School of Law. Issue Areas of Interest: Education, Environment and Water, Health, Housing, and Labor, with an equity focus in all policy areas. ... How has your identity shaped your career aspirations? My identity has instilled me with a strong sense of responsibility to my surrounding community. Being raised by a single mother in the context of a multigenerational household gave me an extended network of support and a better understanding of generational strengths and differences. Growing up, my family emphasized the importance of using my education and skills to help build a better community. My academic background in sociology furthered my understanding of the many interlocking issues facing BIPOC people today and helped me conceptualize my lived experience as a Filipina-American. This background combined with my work experience has inspired me to pursue a career centered around public service and policy. Favorite restaurant in your hometown? Tin Roof in Kahului