Racial Justice for AAPIs: Appoint an Asian American for CA Attorney General #API4AG

Racial Justice for AAPIs: Appoint an Asian American for CA Attorney General #API4AG

Started
January 17, 2021
Signatures: 2,030Next Goal: 2,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by League of CA Cities API Caucus

Governor Newsom will be appointing a new attorney general in a couple of weeks. Several Asian American Pacific Islanders are qualified to serve. 

We applaud Governor Newsom’s recent appointments of the first Latino U.S. Senator and first African American Secretary of State. His next appointment should rightfully be an AAPI.

Please sign and share this petition to urge Gov. Newsom to appoint an AAPI as California's next attorney general.

                            The State of AAPI Leadership 

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have long been passed over for top roles no matter how qualified we are. Pacific Islanders are also severely underrepresented in elected and appointed positions in California and nationally.

While President-elect Biden’s appointed Cabinet may be historic in diversity, it is incomplete. We are deeply disappointed that this will be the FIRST time in 20 years where qualified AAPIs are excluded from Cabinet secretary positions regardless of party affiliation. 

This sets a dangerous precedent that diversity does not include AAPIs. True diversity and inclusion start at the very top and require government leaders that reflect the population they serve. 

Read here and here for our Congressional leaders’ responses.

                            *******Take action now******* 

We call on Governor Newsom to make history by breaking the glass ceilings for AAPIs - an important step toward addressing a historic underrepresentation of AAPIs in leadership roles in this state. 

We know that while AAPIs were dominating the legal profession, they are the least represented of all ethnic groups in top legal leadership roles. Click here to view the breakdown.

In a year where diversity, equity, and inclusion are focal, we must tackle this racial inequality. We strongly urge Governor Newsom to appoint an AAPI leader as the next California Attorney General. 

Signed,

League of California Cities Asian Pacific Islander Caucus - Sheng Thao, President; Council Member of Oakland
AAPI Victory Fund - Shekar Narasimham, Co-Founder & Board Chair 
AAPI Dem Club of San Diego - Executive Board
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA - Victoria ‘Nikki’ Dominguez, Policy Director
Asian Americans in Action - Susan Lew, Chair
Asian Food Trade Association - Denise Ng, Consultant
Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association - Cynthia Chang, President
Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)
 - Christine Chen, Executive Director
Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council - Manjusha P. Kulkarni, Executive Director
Asian Americans Rising - Katie Nguyen Kalvoda, Founder
Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County - Serena Chen, President
Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association - C.C. Yin, Founder
Asian Pacific Islander Trustee and Administrator Caucus (APITA) Community College League of California - Deborah J. Ikeda
Asians in LA - Nancy Yoon, Founder
Bay Area Asian American General Counsel Network - Thomas Chow, Co-Chair
California Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Cal-APABA)
California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus
California Young Democrats API Caucus
- Faith Lee, Chair & Jocelyn Yow, Vice Chair
CAPA21 - Dale Minami, President
Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) - Stephen Gong, Executive Director
Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) - Nancy Yap, Executive Director
City of Artesia - Ali Sajjad Taj, Mayor
Council of Korean Americans - Abraham Kim, Executive Director
Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) - Tavae Samuelu, Executive Director
Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC) - Jennifer L. Sta.Ana, President-Elect
Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) - Nancy Xiong, Co-Director
Joint CA API Legislative Caucus Institute - Maeley Tom, Founding President
Monte Jade West Science & Technology Association - David Jeng, Secretary General, Chairman Emeritus
OCA-East Bay Chapter - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Jessica Li, President
OCA-Greater Los Angeles Chapter - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Albert Lu, President
OCA-Sacramento Chapter - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Jinky Dolar, President
OCA-San Francisco Chapter - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Dennis Yee, Co-President
OCA-San Mateo Chapter, - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Jennifer Kaminsky, President
OCA-Silicon Valley Chapter - Asian Pacific American Advocates - Gilbert Wong, President
Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) - Kerry Doi, Founder & CEO
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club - Andrae Wara-Macapinlac, VP of Political Affairs
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) - Sally Ching, California Policy Manager
Spin - Benjamin Fong, Director
Wintec Industries, Inc - David Jeng, Board Member, EVP & GM

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Signatures: 2,030Next Goal: 2,500
Support now
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