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Evan Low

Date: June 30, 2022
 Interviewer: Ellina Yin and Yvonne Kwan
 Interviewee: Evan Low (1983 - )

Evan Low is a product of the CA Community Colleges and California State University System, where he took classes in Asian American Studies and leadership. Evan broke barriers in 2006 as the first Asian American, openly gay, and one of the youngest people ever elected to City Council. His trailblazing continued in 2009, becoming the youngest Asian American Mayor in the nation. In 2014, Evan's dedication to improving lives and delivering results led him to the California Assembly. As past Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus, Evan led the charge on marriage equality and protecting civil rights here and across the country. Through his leadership of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, Evan has been a powerful bulwark against the rapid rise in Asian hate fueled by the xenophobia and nativism of the Trump presidency.

Transcript of Evan Low

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Narrative & Identity Timeframe 0:00 >> 04:15

Evan Low. Date of birth is 06/05/1983, San Jose, California. Father is Arthur Low. Place of birth: Sacramento, California.

(Interviewer) And then his education and occupation?

UC Berkeley. And his occupation is optometrist. Mother is Stella Dee, and her place of birth is San Francisco, California.

(Interviewer) So Bay Area [Bay Area proud ] born and bread. Their education and occupation?

Occupation is retired now. Previously was working for the County of Santa Clara and education was a liberal arts.

…So I consider myself a fourth generation Californian speaking more Spanish to Chinese, being born and raised here in San Jose and oftentimes seen as a perpetual foreigner, not quite native to our own land. Similarly, though, when I had served previously as mayor of Campbell in the City Council, I was three generations more native to the community here in Santa Clara Valley and yet seen as a recent immigrant, whereas the first-generation Italian American was seen as that of patriotic and American during the time of the challenge with respect to our patriotism. And unfortunately, that's the stark reality that we're dealt with each and every day. But why? I am equally passionate about immigration reform and addressing these issues, about creating policies that are inclusive, especially when the narrative really is predominantly dominated by that of the Latino community. The fact of the matter is that our own Asian Pacific Islander experience is very important to have dialog around.

And why I say that is, as a fourth generation Californian, I am actually part of the family history here is that of a paper son, while my last legal name is Low, the actual real name is Wong. And if we think about the history of the experience of Asian Pacific Islanders, it was that of yes, my grandfather, who came through Angel Island and then eventually immigrated and made home in Sacramento, California, in which he worked two jobs, one at a place called Continental Can, and then part time at the well-known restaurant Frank Fats in Sacramento and downtown. So the experiences that is important for people to know is while I am a fourth generation Californian, if we remember our American history of Paper Sons, it's important to realize that the experiences that we have dealt with for Asian Pacific Islanders is very important. For those who may have recently immigrated to this country from the Asia Pacific Rim to and understanding that experience not necessarily fresh off the boat but fresh off the plane and the experiences of paper should be a reality that individuals should also recognize.

(Interviewer) What do you think is history that we should cover in public schools from K through 18?

With respect to the Asian American identity in the lens? Yes. Everything. So in California, part of the challenge that I know I had growing being born and raised here in San Jose is I did not know about my own identity and experience. In fact, graduating from Los Amigos Bret Hart and Leland High School from San Jose Unified School District, then transferring to De Anza Community College and then graduating from San Jose State. It wasn't until Asian American studies at De Anza College that had a sense of my own identity, and yet I would be able to say confidently now that my own educational experience and school district did me a significant disservice in which Leland High School had consisted of the largest student population consists of Asian Pacific Islanders, and yet we had no recognition of our own identity of American and California history. Pause for a second. If you talked about the experience of the African American experience or that of those of the Latino and Hispanic communities, women's suffrage, we had a general sense of knowledge of that. But when you talk about our own identity, we had no clue. And that leads to the challenge in which so many may be complacent and not knowing about the history that is part of the fabric of our American identity.

Narrative & Identity Timeframe 04:15 >> 06:48

Defining characteristics in San Jose and almost in Valley was pretty much suburbia. And growing up, I just remember so much of the upbringing in the culture was as a young child, as a teen was similar experiences of Asian Pacific Islanders. We play tennis and badminton and cross-country and play video games, and many of my friends would go to Chinese school or do another extracurricular activity playing piano. I just play video games. Back in the day, we did not have the internet, which sounds strange, but it was just coming online during my younger days. So much of it was just through television. Drawn to the afternoon cartoons.

When I got back home from school and things like Full House and there was a local publication called Asian Week that some of our local OGs still who are around still do other columns. Geri Wong is still very active in publications in this regard. And she was a co-founder of the Chinese Historical Cultural Project at History San Jose, in which my father was also part of and past president, which got me also involved, recognizing the history of the five Chinatowns that were burned in here in San Jose. Part of the upbringing experience was really the focus to assimilate; the unfortunate reality that my family face was that of the discrimination that they were subjected to, that my grandfather served in World War Two as a veteran. That's how he was a cook and that's how he learned English. That continued on with my father, who also was a service member in the Reserve.

But when we talk about the experiences, so much of the focus was on assimilation because we wanted to be American, and we did not want to face that type of discrimination. So while I mentioned earlier that many of my friends took Chinese school growing up, my parents said, we want you to speak English and speak English only because we do not want you to be subjected to the same type of hate that we were subjected to.

Fast forward, we realized that that was a significant disservice and handicapped me to which we realized the multiculturalism that we enjoy here in the state of California, in the United States, and also given the Internet and technology where our global society in which I know those are skill sets that I would certainly have appreciated as we speak today.

Narrative & Identity Timeframe 06:48 >> 11:50

Growing up wasn't until community college. It wasn't until college that I had a sense of identity. In fact, I think the terminology would be appropriately used as that of what we refer to as a banana yellow on the outside, but white on the inside. And again, recognizing now today that much of that was because of the environment that I was growing up in, which is that of survival mode to to assimilate and to be just like everyone else. And that we did not want to be different no matter how hard we tried. We did not want to be different. But it wasn't until I took the very first class at a community college, Asian American studies ICS 22 by then Michael Chang, the founder of APALI first Asian-American mayor of Cupertino, who really sparked that notion of identity and what it meant. And to calibrate and completely reframe how I thought of my own identity, which leaves me strangely left to where we are today.

I was a little bit of a lost soul at the time as a in high school until graduating. I did. I felt my own unique experience was such that Leland High School was very competitive. So many would go to Ivy Leagues and elsewhere. I went to community college and so recognizing again, another key component of stigma with respect to Asian American experience and identity of the stigma are towards going to community colleges somehow was deemed as a failure. And growing up 18 years of age, that's all you lived for. And that was that experience at the pinnacle of my life in which I was seen as a failure.

So it was a bit challenging for me at the time in terms of trying to find my place. But it wasn't until I took that class and Asian American studies that I began to find my voice. And it was during that time in which I learned about Asian American studies, completely shocked and flabbergasted by the first classes that we took and understanding what's going on. But during this time, there were two major events impacting the Asian Pacific Islander community that really galvanized me into a different direction in terms of embodying this this notion of uplifting our community. One was that of the Asian American experience and Abercrombie and Fitch. Abercrombie Fitch at the time had very racist t-shirts, and we did a closed case study around this in which a number of students on our own went to go protest at some of the stores and put slips in and got kicked out of the Westfield malls. And we were really galvanized by that experience. And we would do that same thing at another mall, which is very anti-Asian, not very Asian culture, because we always were well-behaved and didn't get like to get in trouble. The second major event was that of Wen Ho Lee. During the time Wen Ho Lee was an American scientist who was accused of being a spy for China and in fact went through a number of different courts and trials in which the judge, the American judge at the federal level ultimately apologized to Wen Ho, Dr. Wen Ho Lee, and said the American government got it wrong and was discriminating based on his affinity and identity as being a Chinese American.

And that's the experience, unfortunately, that we're dealing with here today. And that's why those two experiences trying to prove our own identity, our loyalty, our patriotism, who we are standing up for discrimination and this notion of what beauty would look like towards the fashion industry, those things helped to shape and push us in a different direction.

(Interviewer) After De Anza, where did you go?

San Jose State. I majored in political science. There, I was also engaged in active on campus because during this time I really wanted to get a bachelor's degree in Asian American studies at San Jose State. During that time, students were eligible to get a bachelor's in African American studies. You were eligible to get a masters in Mexican American studies, but you could not get a major nor masters in Asian American studies. And yet the student population, again, largest consistent of population in population, was close to 40%, largest demographic. And yet we could not even get our own degree in which other communities, rightfully so, could get their own degree. So that left me this notion about how do we make systemic change within San Jose State, continue on the passions that I wish to pursue. I think key philosophies were such that to not be invisible, I felt invisible. And I felt that our American culture and California history was undervalued and not really recognized. And what did we need to do collectively to help elevate the sense of urgency and to ensure that our own communities and our population were valued and educated. So those are some of the key philosophies, frankly, that I still hold today, which is how do we make sure that we uplift our community in a wide variety of different ways and every segment of our population.

Timeframe 11:50 >> 14:18

My professor at the time, Dr. Michael Chang, who was the first Asian American mayor of Cupertino. He pulled me aside and said that I want to show you these letters that I would be receiving that he received during this period of time. And this was back in 2000 and close to 2002. But he would show me letters that were sent to him as mayor of Cupertino, and it was these derogatory letters written to him saying that Chinese, Chinese should go back to their own country. Businesses here in Cupertino should be in English only. And that really angered me. And he suggested and said, well, if you'd like to get involved, you should run for your City Council in the city of Campbell. And I had no clue what that what is that? What is a city council? That's not something that you grew up your parents saying you want to run for what?

We were going to train you and get a degree to become a politician. That's not something in our norm. You become doctor, lawyer, engineer, accountant, pharmacist, very safe professions. But it was that exposure and experience with Dr. Chang at De Anza community college, also my professor at the time, his name is Terry Christensen. He was a professor and a mentor for many in this region of Santa Clara Valley, including myself. He was a mentor for myself. He was a mentor for Supervisor Cindy Chavez. Jim Beall, former senator and former supervisor is a wide variety of different people that he's mentored in period of time. But it was that seminar class of political science in which you did an evaluation on what are the different dynamics within the city structure, power structure of the city of Campbell as my senior seminar upon graduation of bachelor's degree and that those two mentors in academia helped get me into this realm that I am today.

Well, it was an honor to be able to work for Paul Fong. Our families are all intertwined in various ways, and it was a very important experience. The San Jose Mercury News at the time dubbed him the godfather of the Asian American community here in Silicon Valley. And so I take that obligation very seriously to help further the agenda that he focused on and including that of his landmark resolution in the state of California at the time, which officially had the state of California apologize for the discrimination towards Chinese living in California with respect to the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Systems & Power Timeframe 14:18 >> 18:42

How did my work with Paul Fong help complement my work at the city level?

(Interviewer) The experience of being a staffer and then coming into office.

It was good. It's it's to staff, the elected official, to know the behind the scenes, then to recognize what it's like to be in front and be the face, knowing that you have to support both sides and the work that is involved and the preparation that is required. And then being principally the face of it is important to help complement the entirety of what is important.What are some important skill sets to become a public official? But part of it, frankly, was, you know, Asian Americans and cultural the cultural upbringing was such that you don't shout, you speak softly, you don't ruffle feathers. But that is also required in democracy. And so it was a good learning experience to be able to help. Best equipped me for the challenges as a public official.

Some of the memorable experiences as mayor? Some memorable experiences, personal experiences were such that when I ran for office, I would knock on doors and ask individuals for votes, but I would get responses to such responses as who do you root for in the Olympics, the United States or Japan? And as I said, I'm a fourth-generation Californian speaking more Spanish than I do Chinese. But we are seen as perpetual foreigners realizing that no matter what I would say or do, I appear a certain way. But I also gave me the commitment to represent and reflect a community accordingly. But I would similarly get the same type of experiences that my mentor Michael Chang, would get about the letters of hate. I'm saying to go back to your own country.

I would knock on a door and ask someone for the vote and they said, Oh, you speak English so good and say, Oh, you mean I speak English well? The type of experiences at the time this was back in 2003 and 2006. So much has changed since then, but I remember those very clearly. And then another very meaningful experience for me was also part of my identity during the summer back in 2007, I received a letter from the Red Cross when I served as mayor for the City of Campbell at the time, and the letter from the Red Cross was called the Summer Blood Challenge, and it was a challenge to various cities in Santa Clara County to host blood drives at City Hall property. But the problem with this was that I was mayor for the city of Campbell. There was a lifetime ban on me donating blood. There's a lifetime ban on at that time, lifetime ban on gay men donating blood. And of course, we have a nondiscriminatory policy on city hall property. So it would be inconsistent with the city policy to host an organization that discriminates based on sexual orientation. But at the same time, understanding that this is an FDA policy, a Federal Drug Administration policy, not the actual Red Cross. And the Red Cross is simply trying to get support of blood donations to save lives. So I was left in a conundrum.

Do I adhere to this nondiscrimination policy and say no while also facing their own type of gut punch in which I could host a blood drive in city Hall, but I can't donate blood? It's like not attending your own party that you're hosting. And so ultimately, I hosted the blood drive, but also attempted to donate blood in order to show and highlight the discriminatory policy in place and and to urge the FDA to rescind that ban.

And so it received a fair amount of attention, given that there was this conundrum. And again, and it was a it was in a different time and a different era. And during that era, the community was did not have the same type of rights. Marriage equality was not the law of the land. Individuals cannot serve in the armed forces. Cannot be part of Boy Scouts. You could not donate blood hospitals, visitation rights, adoption rights, none of those were guaranteed rights. And so during that time, that was one of those issues that percolated to a wide viewpoint in which it was not something that you necessarily prepare for, but it is a lived experience that you just hope to demonstrate with significant authenticity.

Joy & Cultural Resistence Timeframe 18:42 >> 20:30

I hope to continue this legacy of those who have come before me and I take it very seriously and even just get a bit emotional when I think about the tremendous honor that I the tremendous honor that I have and the obligation that I similarly have. I had the privilege of visiting late Norman Mineta in Maryland late last year. And I remember just being in a awe of civil rights icon, not just for our region, being the first Asian American mayor of San Jose, a congressmember, cabinet secretary, hit secretary in two administrations for two different presidents, bipartisan, and then also Mike Honda. Also, those individuals lived during this internment. And when I think about the experience of what I oftentimes would ask myself growing up is when I think about my education in high school and if someone were to ask me, can you name a Black hero? Can you name a Latino hero? Can you name a Jewish hero? Can you name a female hero or a leader? And if you ask me, at 18 years old, can you name an Asian American hero? I would have probably paused for a significant period of time not knowing. Fast forward to today. We have a wide variety of people within a wide variety of different industries and segments to be able to highlight as heroes of ours. But with respect to social justice and the iconic contributions of Norman Mineta, Mike Honda and Paul Fong, I realized that we have a role to play of this generation, continuing the legacy and also paying it forward and looking behind us and taking others and bringing them into the fold as well.

Transformation & Change Timeframe 20:30 >> 28:08

What is the difference between local and state?

(Interviewer) Difference in serving in both those roles for you?

The difference? Well, there's a there's a number of differences functionally. Local level is just simply an area of jurisdiction. So San Jose, laws only impact the city of San Jose with their ordinances. The state of California is very different and the laws that we passed impact the close to 35 million people in this in the entire state of California. If California was its own country, we'd be the fourth largest economy in the world. So this is significant, to say the least. We are acting as an economy of significant strength in the world. And so it also requires us to think about the various industries that are involved. So the work that we do have significant impact on millions of lives in different places of the 58 counties in the in the state, whereas the local level just impacts that one area of jurisdiction.

The when we when I referenced earlier, when I referenced earlier, my heroes, Norm Mineta and Mike Honda, part of the part of the the the important respect that I have for them is such that they serve it at a time in which we talk about discrimination. And it is fraught with all types of discrimination during that time. And there is no recourse for them to say, I'm outraged.

Let me go to my friend to elevate this conversation. We have that today, today where there are many mechanisms for the accountability to combat hate, whereas in the generations that was a lived experience that was very normal to them. And so when they serve when Norman Mineta served in Congress, when Mike Honda serving in Congress, or when Mike served in the California state legislature, they were the first and they were the only there were only one or two of them who served in those respective houses together. That was not enough to create what we call a caucus. A caucus essentially is a formed organization of the membership make up of members who identify with a specific group. So if you said a women's caucus, it would be the women legislators. If you said the Latino caucus, it's the Latino legislators and we're talking about is that of the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, the legislators who represent and identify as Asian Pacific Islander in the state of California, there are 120 legislators. So of our caucus currently, as we sit here today, we have approximately 11 members of the legislative Caucus, and I currently serve as chair leader of this caucus. And part of the role that is required is that advancing the policy issues and the agenda, the legislative priorities for the Asian Pacific Islander community in the state of California.

(Interviewer) Is there are a number of specific number requirement to make a caucus?

Usually more than three or four. But during the time when Mike Honda and Norm Mineta were around, I think they were the the just that select handful of just a handful of them at that time.

(Interviewer) And so you're also a member of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus. And so what are some of the things that you're working on or struggling with now.

With both caucuses? What are the legislative priorities on both caucuses? Is that a question for the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, I always said to myself, and this was before that with respect to Asian hate, we would go march. We as in the community for the month of March, Women's History Month, we do the Women's March and you see a wide variety of women and allies marching for women's rights, suffrage, reproductive freedom. We saw the March for our Lives, for firearms, students and firearms. We see the Pride march for the LGBTQ+ community. You see Black Lives Matter marching for rights for for Black Americans. You see the march against the Muslim ban at airports and also you'd see, right, for immigration reform with the Latino and Hispanic communities as well.

And I always said to myself, what would the Asian Pacific Islander what issue galvanizes our community enough for Asian Pacific Islanders to go march on the streets for solely? I couldn't have that answer. I didn't have an answer. And I was grappling with that question just in generalities until Asian hate started occurring just during the pandemic. Around that time, and which you saw in many places throughout the country. Asia Pacific Islanders now marching on the streets, galvanized for an unfortunate reactionary issue, which is to stop the xenophobia and hate. And so in response to stopping Asian hate, the the platform, an agenda for us as legislators is to advance policies that support the Asia Pacific community, which have include in the state of California requiring Asian Pacific Islanders on corporate boards. For those companies incorporated in California, we require 20% of them being required on corporate boards in California, 20%.

Of course, being minority identify as minority minority is also defined as Asian Pacific Islander. We recognize Lunar New Year as a holiday. I authored legislation to make Lunar New Year an official state holiday in the state of California. No other state in the nation has recognized our day as an official state holiday. We also provided close to $165 million from the state budget to provide resources directly go to ethnic media grants, as well as community-based organizations doing work in the space to uplift the community. We are also engaging with Hollywood in entertainment studios on what we call the Hollywood tax credits in California. We provide tax credits, incentives for studios who film in California to be able to compete for other studios, not filming in other states because they are recipient of public taxpayer subsidies. We have also said we want to ensure Asian Pacific Islanders are on film and studios above the line invisible places in Hollywood entertainment.

And that's why you're seeing a wide variety of Asian Pacific Islanders in this space. So there's much more to be done and we will continue to engage on a wide variety of different sectors to ensure that Asia Pacific Islanders are seen and heard, while also advancing thoughtful legislation and keeping our community safe. We cannot go to simply overcorrection and incarceration back to the past. We're tough on tough on crime laws did not work and we have overcrowding of our prison population. But also we have to have sensible laws that have the right type of punishment to prevent individuals from harming our communities with respect to bias motivation. And that's also a bill that I have that I'm working currently with our district attorney here in Santa Clara County, Jeff Rosen, to be able to focus on bias, motivation.

In other words, some perpetrators currently under the law to be prosecuted as a hate crime, they need to say a slur or say something directly towards a particular community. But some individuals are only targeting Indian women with saris on and perhaps go into households only with all of the shoes outside of the homes. There is a bias motivation and that needs to be incorporated with respect to hate. So again, these are all policies that we are advancing to protect and respond to our community, and that's the agenda that we have with respect to the Asian Bystander Caucus.

Transformation & Change Timeframe 28:08 >> 30:00

(Interviewer) And the LGBTQ Caucus?

Where do we begin, it is saddening that in the country we currently see close to 375 pieces of anti-trans anti LGBT legislation talking about banning books. By the way, what also bans books with respect to cultural identity of the Asian Pacific Islander community. So, number one, the intersectionality is very clear with respect to when we talk about the LGBTQ+ community, you cannot take away the conversation from the Asian Pacific Islander community because of the intersectionality. So again, the agenda is such that we must provide a safe haven for those individuals wishing to seek gender affirming care, wishing to seek public accommodations, wishing, wishing to be educated, wishing to not be slaughtered in places of education because of firearms. These are all things that we are doing to counter the hateful rhetoric and the attacks and victimizing the most vulnerable in our communities of those who are transgender and LGBTQ+. Plus, they need our support. They need our help, and we will provide the blueprint for other states to help focus on the notion of inclusion versus exclusion. The unfortunate reality is that the conservatives in power in many other states are targeting the most vulnerable in our communities and weaponizing this as a top issue, when in fact, when they talk about protecting our children, the number one cause of death is that of firearms, not drag shows. So when we think about spitting specifics, it's important that we acknowledge the facts. And I know that facts are stubborn, but we must ensure that California leads with diversity and inclusion and the most pure sense and basic representation in respect of humanity.

Transformation & Change Timeframe 30:00 >> 33:35

I am very passionate about civics, actually. So I authored a bill and a constitutional amendment that would lower the voting age to 17 and half and fortunately failed and the ballot two years ago. But that was to help ensure that high school students right before they graduate and go on a state of transition, whether it's a college or work, whatever the life may take them, that they would be shown a ballot. Here's how to vote. This ballot would affect you. And imagine all of the candidates for public office who would come to high school campuses to seek out the youth vote because they're eligible. Voting for the elected officials and candidates do not go to high school campuses because they are not eligible voting for. But imagine if you shifted the power towards young people and young people are going to hold public officials accountable to the issues that are most pertinent to them that will impact them like environmental change and like keeping our community safe on firearms, basic human rights of access to affordable housing.

All of these issues disproportionately impact the younger generation. And so when we talk about civics, it's very saddening because I'm trying all that I can with respect to lowering the voting age, changing the system to lower their own age. I have a proposal every single year to make Election Day a holiday to give everyday Californians election Day as a holiday. But that dies because of the inherent costs. And so we must think about taking it upon ourselves to be educated in our community and also to demystify and hopeful that perhaps social media can change this and make government cool. Because I know democracy is messy and we don't have time for that. We only have time for the short soundbites, the five-minute clips. But the fact of the matter is someone has to pay attention and someone has to do it then. And so we are advocating our responsibility of being engaged. So what I am hopeful, though, is that we can change the makeup of who's in public office so that that 19 year old or 18 year old Evan Low, when thinking about who's an Asian American hero, you can think, well, actually, I know that mayor, I know that assembly member or I know that lawmaker who changed that law and that person is fierce.

They are fighting for keeping my classroom safe from firearms. I want to see more women. I want to see specifically more Asian Pacific Islander women. And by the way, when we're talking about Asian Pacific Islanders, we need to desegregate this data to ensure that we are uplifting those most vulnerable within our community Hmong, Thai, Lao, all the different communities that make up the beauty and the tapestry of our community. I have a bill that will require the 58 counties of Santa Clara to provide translation and language access for communities and languages of voters that have at least 100 voters within a county. And you should see this demographic breakdown of the incredible languages that we have. And it's not just Chinese, Korean. It's it's all kinds of different languages that is important to be able to demonstrate that how do we increase access to participation and democracy as well, too? I should really get that to you because it's really exciting when I look at the breakdown and say, Wow, under this law, here's all of the languages that would be required and the list was just so beautiful. I said I had no idea of the South Asians were living in these communities and especially the central Central Valley, the Hmong communities, significant and large and so that's why I'm hopeful that we can have a diverse set of elected representatives so that when you see, Oh, Sheng Thao Hmong mayor of Oakland, well I too can serve in government.

Systems & Power Timeframe 33:35 >> 35:32

Being born and raised here in Silicon Valley, we can best utilize technologies to make government more efficient. It is oftentimes a criticism that government is slow, but government is slow for a number of reasons, which includes the necessary checks and balances. Private sector. You do what is necessary to answer to the shareholders, whereas in government you're looking out for everyone, whether or not you have the ability to pay or not for those who are within your borders or not, that is a public good. So the public good also requires additional checks and balances that the private sector does not. So we cannot succumb to the argument and the comparison of private and public sectors and that public sector should be more efficient like the private sector. Having said that, especially with that of AI and the utilization of technologies, of course things can be done more efficiently, but how do we make sure that is done in an effective and equitable way?

So the question is essentially when you pass a bill, how do you make sure that it's appropriately implemented? And then how do you show that appropriate accountability checks and measures to making sure to gauge the effectiveness, to gauge the effectiveness of it too. That is actually this that is part of the job that is required, which is that of the oversight of the legislative branch in which we will oftentimes pass a piece of legislation. I would submit that a number of legislators would say, Oh, our job is done. We got the job done, pass the bill. But the real work is on the implementation and working with the agencies and the bureaucracy to actually implement it accordingly. And then, by the way, making sure that you're checking up over a period of time to say, did this have the intended effect upon the legislative intent? And so that is actually a function of the state legislature and the oversight capacity of these informational hearings when we're acknowledging and expressing interest in these while also looking at audits and audit reports on the effectiveness of the suit. But I know that some of these pieces of legislation were just passed just but a few years ago. California is large, so these things sometimes take time.

Narrative & Identity Timeframe 35:32 >> 40:29

Representation matters not just for empty tokenism. They're just checking off the box. And it's a cool thing to see, but rather the lived experiences. It's not by coincidence that by having an Asian Pacific Islander who has a sense of identity and an obligation to the community that I would then champion Lunar New Year as an official state holiday, that I would champion $165 million of taxpayer dollars from the California budget in combating Asian hate. No other state in the nation achieve anywhere near that amount of public resources in response to Asian hate coming up with the Chinese Exclusion Act apology. I mean, these are all the experiences that we are dealt with and that's why that matters. The lived experiences and having that policymaker provide that credibility and that history to the work that we do, that's very important.

The broader identity of being AAPI is complicated. That is the truth. The my opinion is such that Asian persona is a very aspirational tone, and I share that because of the fact that I served in the capacity as chair and recognizing that there are unique differences, very distinct within many different communities. But we come together with the attempt in finding the opportunities to coalesce around some galvanizing issues that uplifts all of our communities. And we can get by while also recognizing that there are some other unique differences. And that takes time. That is the Democratic process. This is years, decades, generations of history put to where we are today. But the notion of attempting to in an American society and in a democracy, helping to ensure that we are fundamentally advancing and approaching this with a values-based lens, the value-based lens is important.

So when we think about the wider commitment to a global ecosystem, these are things that are very important. One example which could be seen as some of those challenging issues is that of, let's say, legislation that I also supported, which was the state of California banning shark fin soup. That is a cultural norm. But we understand also that we have a commitment to the world, to the globe, and that when we think about the ecosystem, that that is very important to address. And when we think about it from the equity lens. And we were tackling the issue of affirmative action, that the issue of affirmative action for the Chinese community, these are generalizations, affirmative action for the Chinese community, Japanese, Korean and me, very different than the view of affirmative action towards those who might be Hmong, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai. And when we disaggregate that data, we see that some within our Pacific Islander community excel all within places of higher education, and yet you see others not doing so well. And how do you ensure that we disaggregate this data to ensure that the policies and the budgeting is focused on uplifting the communities accordingly?

I actually gave a speech on the floor of the legislature addressing the issue of affirmative action when we voted for it in the state of California and about the significant tension that existed between the various communities, but that we are multicultural and that it's important that we are all swimming in the same direction. And if we looked at the lens of addressing the question at hand on the issue of equity, if we don't know our American Asian American experience in California about Paper Sons, about the Alien Land Law, about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, about interracial marriage being illegal, these all help to paint a picture of similar experiences that other communities face of being 3/5 of a person or not having the right to vote.

And when we share in those unique lived experiences, we'll have a greater solidarity when we are still trying to achieve a values-based approach for equity. The unfortunate reality is that there are many who may not know about these similar struggles, that the history of our own community and their because of the lack of acknowledgment, their experiences are very different than that of some of the other communities. When we talk about the African American and Black experiences living here in the United States and the struggles and the challenges, if you don't know about our own history, then you can say, well, that's very different. We didn't go through that, so why would you? And that's why when we talk about the Muslim ban and the Chinese Exclusion Act, the uncanny parallels, then you can see, oh, actually we're closer in alignment than you may think. But if you have a complete lack of knowledge of our own experiences, then it it's very difficult to relate and it's now us versus them.

Transformation & Change Timeframe 40:29 >> 45:01

We, as a community should realize the importance of civic engagement. You can be a doctor, you can be a lawyer and an engineer. But what is your role as an active citizen? How do you define active citizenry? Some would interpret it as I pay my taxes. That's sufficient. Some may say I vote, and I pay my taxes that are sufficient. That is hardly the case. And if we continue with the status quo, then we shouldn't be surprised to see what we get. And when we are seeing the increase of Asian hate and discrimination towards our community, and yet we aren't doing anything in our daily lives to change that effectuate change, then we wouldn't be surprised by the results that we get.

And increasingly there is a greater sense of urgency to get in the arena with respect to our community being more vocal, being more visible with this notion of American exceptionalism and the global economic war between China and the United States. What happens when China becomes number one in GDP in the notion of American exceptionalism, then becomes number two, this notion of tik-tok and this China balloon. This is only going to further the divide between that of Asian Pacific Islanders, whether or not they are Chinese American or not, there is no distinction. And that is the stark reality that we are dealing with. In fact, the Republican Party is deliberately using these tropes to further divide our country at our expense. And if we don't realize that we must get involved, it's to our peril.

High schoolers can get involved by inviting elected officials to have a town hall to learn and to hear about what their government officials are doing for them. They can do projects related to an issue area, a policy project proposal on what the County of Santa Clara, the city of San Jose, the state of California, should be doing with respect to an issue that they care about. And in other words, we do not have the luxury as Asian Pacific Islanders to just think of it as solely each based on race issues. We sat on the sidelines with respect to the to the argument on firearms. That's not our issue. In fact, now it is absolutely our issue. The attack towards individuals being attacked on the streets, those when you see the anti-Semitism that occurred. Well, that's not our issue. The Muslim ban. That's not our issue. These are things we'll full circle back with. Remember our history, you know, for to come full circle.

How should the students approach this? I think this is an ongoing not a one off, just a a an experience, because my professor, my instructor told me to do it. And once I'm done with class, I don't need to do it anymore. This should be an ongoing experience of how do I establish a long term relationship with my government. I am a citizen and I pay my taxes and the government should be working for me. But if we don't know the basic fundamentals and I would suggest the vast majority of people do not know the basic fundamentals of my experiences, that is a problem. So it's going back to basics and understanding. So just so I know I very much would welcome a further dialog conversation how we can structurally wed our collective offices together and the work that we do together, saying maybe we do a bus tour and a bus visit to to Sacramento.

Here's how public policy really works. Here's what really happens to demystify government in that space, or even having us come come on campus and talk about these experiences and hopefully turn on a light bulb for that other person like me in which I was lost and I did not want to do politics. I'm an introvert, but I was turned on by someone who changed my mind. And you never know whose lives we can touch in those ways. Activism, as in my definition of activism, is within the construct of citizenry, active citizenry, which helps includes what is my role in a wider society. I'm going to live my day to day lives, but what am I doing in my daily lives to help give back to society and to be interconnected? How am I invested in a collective success? So the individualism is what I'm doing for myself, but rather activism is what am I doing to help effectuate change in a positive way to uplift the community of us as a society? That is how I would define activism.

Timeframe 45:01 >> end

(Interviewer) So can you share a little bit about how you're able to balance your personal life and your public service?

I don't. There is no balance. There's only work. We are hard workers, are we not, as Asian Pacific Islanders? The fact of the matter is, joking aside, when you are passionate about your job, that's not a job. And you can continue to talk about the things that you care about. And so I take this very seriously. And this is my home, this is my identity, and this is something that I cannot believe that I would actually get paid to do the things that I'm passionate about, which is to add voice and to be an active citizen and to demonstrate the activism that is involved and required in our community.

My significant other grounds me. My significant other is as a pharmacist in oncology at Stanford and of course he's dealing with individuals who are in in deep need and in a certain time in their life; you wouldn't see a pharmacist in oncology with respect to cancer if there's a problem. And so many times I would come home and be riled up and stressed and quickly remembering that I should ask him how his days. And so I ask him how his day. And one time he said, I lost a patient and I quickly checked myself. I said, well, the things that I'm dealing with is in comparison to understand accordingly. And so that also provides perspective.

(Interviewer) Throughout for any guilty pleasure is just, you know, in fun things you like to do hobbies.

EDM and ticktock, just like drive.

(Interviewer) So throughout your career, would you say that your family's been supportive of your endeavors?

Not initially. I don't think any loving parent would want to subject their child. Protective parents would want to subject their child, much less Asian American parents would want to see their child on the front page of a paper with criticism. The social media, and especially where we are right now in this day and age and rhetoric towards the divisiveness in our society. But they also see that it's a calling and that this is a labor of love. And so they see that I'm happy and I'm passionate and they support and they just want me to be happy.

(Interviewer) Is your family still in Campbell?

My father is in Sunnyvale. My mother is in Almaden Valley.

My identity as an Asian Pacific Islander, of course, has inhibited my ability study after study. These are these are nothing new is where they're not being the the notion of executive presence, the bamboo ceiling. I mean you name any of the things that all of us face. That is an unfortunate reality. At the same time, I also recognize that I also have unique privilege that exists, too. And that's why I especially in the month of March for Women's History Month, we must help uplift the voices of AAPI women, the challenges that they also face. And so recognizing that we need to be advocates for others is very important for us to do. But of course, that's why the solidarity about understanding some of the unique challenges that we all face helps to create character adversity builds character, and it's very important to best understand, but then figure out how to channel that and calibrate in an effective and pivot in a positive fashion versus saying, I am the victim, and the world hates me and I'm a perpetual foreigner. Rather okay, let's just make sure that we recognize and then try to pivot and figure out how to utilize that as an asset.