The Los Angeles Post

Asian American Elected Officials, Organizations, and Leaders Among More than 250 Endorsements for ACA 5

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OAKLAND, Calif. (May 4, 2020) — The Opportunity for All Coalition (opportunity4all.org) today announced a diverse list of more than 250 endorsements for ACA 5, including more than 50 endorsements from Asian American Pacific Islander elected officials, organizations and leaders. ACA 5, introduced by Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber of San Diego, would give voters the opportunity to remove the ban on affirmative action and equal opportunity programs in California by repealing Proposition 209.

Endorsements of ACA 5 include: San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee, San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer, San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar, San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safaí, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Chinese American Progressive Action, and Chinese for Affirmative Action.

Other high-profile endorsements include: the ACLU of California, AFSCME Local 3299, The Bar Association of San Francisco, California Federation of Teachers, California National Organization for Women, and the University of California Student Association, California State Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, and Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs.

More than 2,700 Californians signed a petition supporting ACA 5, and more than 100 organizations and individuals submitted letters of support.

The Opportunity for All Coalition, a statewide coalition supporting ACA 5, is led by co-chairs Vincent Pan, Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, and Eva Paterson, President of the Equal Justice Society.

“For over fifty years, CAA has used affirmative action as a critical policy tool to advance fairness and equality for Chinese Americans in the United States.” said Pan. “When we repeal Proposition 209 and reinstate affirmative action, all communities including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders will have a better shot at achieving our dreams and leading our state forward.”

On March 25, the Opportunity for All Coalition issued a statement strongly condemning racist attacks and discrimination against Chinese Americans and Asian Americans. “We specifically denounce the alarming rise of racism against Chinese Americans and Asian Americans resulting from national leaders and conservative figures using ‘Chinese virus’ to refer to the coronavirus,” said Pan and Paterson in the statement.

A complete list of endorsements can be found at https://opportunity4all.org/endorsements/.

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PARTIAL LIST OF AAPI ENDORSEMENTS OF ACA 5

  • AAPI Women Lead

  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus

  • Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles

  • AYPAL: Building API Community Power

  • Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies

  • Chinese American Progressive Action

  • Chinese for Affirmative Action

  • CSUN AAS Department

  • Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC)

  • Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP)

  • Khmer Girls in Action

  • Korean Resource Center

  • Little Manila Rising

  • Reappropriate

  • Ujima Child and Family Services

  • Aarti Kohli

  • Alice Li

  • Angelica Jongco

  • Betina Hsieh

  • Betty Hung

  • Bill Hing

  • Catherine Shieh

  • Connie Wun – AAPI Women Lead

  • Dale Minami – Minami Tamaki LLP

  • Dawn Lee Tu

  • Janelle Wong – Chinese American Progressive Action

  • Jasleen Kohli

  • Jeff Chang – Author

  • K. Wayne Yang

  • Mai Nguyen Do

  • Meher Dhaliwal – Equal Justice Society

  • Min Zhou

  • Minju Cho

  • Mona Tawatao – Equal Justice Society

  • Nicole Gon Ochi

  • Parshan Khosravi – University of California Student Association

  • Phil Hwang

  • Rhummanee Hang – AYAPAL: Building API Community Partner

  • Russell Jeung

  • Stephanie Ong – The Education Trust – West

  • Sumun L. Pendakur – USC Race and Equity Center

  • Susette Min – University of California, Davis

  • Vincent Pan – Chinese for Affirmative Action

  • Zafar Alikhan – Civic Design Group