Brian Goldsmith Outlines Priorities for Chinese American Community: Small Business, Education, Safety and Affordability

LAPost/Gardena, CA (September 30, 2026) — By Richard Ren/LAPost

California Senate District 24 candidate Brian Goldsmith met with AAPI community members and members of the media at a luncheon in Gardena at noon on September 30, outlining his campaign priorities and discussing issues of particular concern to Chinese American and Asian American families, including small businesses, education, public safety, health care, elder care, affordability and combating hate.

Goldsmith, a Democrat running for the California State Senate, said that if elected, he would maintain regular communication with AAPI communities throughout the district and seek to hear directly from residents about the issues affecting their daily lives.

According to information provided by the campaign, more than 179,000 AAPI residents live in Senate District 24. Goldsmith has also held community gatherings earlier this year in Torrance and West Los Angeles, where residents raised concerns including sidewalk repairs, public safety and affordability.

The 24th Senate District encompasses communities across the South Bay, Westside and western Los Angeles County, including Rancho Palos Verdes, Torrance, Malibu, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Goldsmith is seeking to succeed current state Sen. Ben Allen, who will leave office at the end of his final term in December 2026.

Small Businesses: Helping Families Build Something of Their Own

Small business was one of the recurring themes in Goldsmith’s discussion with the AAPI community.

Goldsmith said many immigrants came to the United States not simply to find a job, but to build something of their own—something they could eventually pass on to their children and grandchildren. He argued that operating a small business has become increasingly difficult in California and in the district.

His campaign platform calls for making California more business-friendly, supporting small businesses, expanding access to capital and addressing the broader affordability crisis.

Speaking to LAPost, Goldsmith specifically pointed to the role Chinese American businesses play in local communities. He said he wants to be a partner to the Chinese American community, helping business owners gain access to capital while creating opportunities for their families and the next generation.

Education: From Early Childhood Through College

Education was another major issue Goldsmith emphasized, particularly given its importance to many Asian American families.

Goldsmith said he was raised with the values of hard work, a good education, community involvement and preparing the next generation for the future.

He said California needs to focus more closely on actual educational outcomes, particularly in reading and mathematics. He supports expanding after-school programs, summer school and tutoring to provide additional assistance to students who need it.

In an interview with the media, Goldsmith argued that if students are struggling with basic reading skills, schools should provide additional support rather than simply moving students forward without addressing the underlying problem.

He also said education policy should extend beyond traditional K-12 schooling, including childcare and preschool through college and graduate education.

For working families, Goldsmith said, childcare can represent a cost comparable to rent, making it an important component of the state’s affordability challenge.

The “Sandwich Generation”: Childcare and Elder Care

Goldsmith also addressed the growing challenge facing families who are simultaneously caring for young children and aging parents.

He described this as the other side of the childcare challenge—the situation commonly referred to as the “sandwich generation.”

Goldsmith said he and his wife are personally part of that group, caring for their two young children while also helping care for his father-in-law.

He said families should not have to be wealthy to afford childcare, elder care or long-term care. Among the approaches he discussed were more comprehensive childcare programs and refundable tax credits to help families offset long-term and elder-care costs.

Public Safety: Communities Should Feel Safe

Public safety is another central element of Goldsmith’s campaign platform.

He pointed to incidents in recent years involving repeated robberies of small businesses, smash-and-grab crimes, home invasions and vehicle break-ins, saying such incidents affect both business owners and families.

Goldsmith said he supports community-based law enforcement that builds relationships with entrepreneurs, families and young people while maintaining high standards for public safety.

“Everybody, from every zip code, ought to feel safe in our communities,” he said during the luncheon.

For Goldsmith, public safety and small-business development are closely connected. He argued that businesses and families need to feel secure in order for communities to thrive.

Homelessness: Shelter, Services and Accountability

Homelessness was another issue Goldsmith discussed at length.

He said California has invested billions of dollars in addressing homelessness but that results have varied significantly from one region to another. He called for greater evaluation of existing programs and for California to learn from communities that have achieved measurable reductions in unsheltered homelessness.

Goldsmith proposed expanding dignified temporary shelter, including modular units with locking doors and bathrooms and, where possible, accommodations for pets. He said such shelters should be paired with mental-health and substance-use treatment services.

In his view, once adequate shelter and services are available, local governments can more effectively enforce laws governing camping in public spaces.

Combating Hate and Discrimination

Goldsmith also highlighted combating hate and discrimination as a priority for his campaign.

He said anti-Asian hate that emerged prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic has not completely disappeared, while other communities—including Jewish, Black, Latino and LGBTQ communities—also face forms of discrimination.

Goldsmith said government leaders should respond to hate wherever it occurs and should recognize the historical experiences of different communities.

He cited the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II, the Holocaust and the history of racism against Black Americans as examples of experiences that should inform public policy today.

During his interview with LAPost, Goldsmith specifically addressed the Chinese American community.

He said many Chinese Americans came to the United States seeking freedom and opportunity, hoping to build businesses, obtain good jobs and provide their children with better educational opportunities.

“I want to be a great ally and supporter of the Chinese American community,” Goldsmith told LAPost. He said Chinese Americans are an important part of the district’s AAPI community, with many operating small businesses and contributing to local schools and communities.

He said he wants to help ensure Chinese American businesses have access to capital, that their children have access to quality education, that residents feel safe in their neighborhoods and that hate and discrimination are addressed when they occur.

AI and Emerging Technology

Goldsmith also spoke about artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

He said California needs to ensure that disruptive new technologies remain under human control. He cited the development of social media as an example of what policymakers should learn from when considering how to regulate rapidly developing technologies.

His position, he said, is that innovation should be accompanied by policies designed to protect communities from unintended consequences.

Bipartisan Cooperation and Measuring Results

Goldsmith said he hopes to work across party lines if elected to the State Senate.

He said policymakers should be willing to consider good ideas regardless of which party proposes them and should seek areas of agreement even when lawmakers disagree on other issues.

He also called for greater review of state laws and programs to determine whether they are actually producing the results lawmakers intended.

Using homelessness as an example, Goldsmith argued that policies that look effective on paper may produce different results once implemented on the ground. He said California should examine what is working in communities that have reduced homelessness and apply those lessons where appropriate.

A First-Time Candidate With Journalism and Business Experience

Goldsmith is running for elected office for the first time. He is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who has advised candidates, nonprofits and companies. He spent more than a decade as a political columnist and commentator with Yahoo News, The Atlantic, CBS News and CNN and served as a lead political producer with Katie Couric Media. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Stanford Law School and founded two California startups focused on technology and expanding economic access.

Goldsmith said he grew up in Los Angeles’ Westside and was influenced by his family’s immigrant experience and the values of hard work, education, community service and preparing the next generation for a better future.

His campaign identifies affordability, public safety, small business, education, homelessness, health care and support for the next generation among its principal issues.

For Chinese American voters, Goldsmith’s September 30 discussion in Gardena offered an overview of the issues he says would guide his work in Sacramento: how small businesses can survive and grow, how families can manage housing and childcare costs, how aging parents can receive care, how children can receive a quality education, how communities can remain safe, and how Chinese Americans and other AAPI residents can respond to hate and discrimination.

Those issues form a significant part of Goldsmith’s stated platform as he campaigns for California Senate District 24 in the November 2026 election.