NEW API elected officials in CA!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2005


SPECIAL ELECTIONS ELECT
NEW ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS TO OFFICE


Pasadena, CA – In the aftermath of the November 8 Statewide Special Elections, cities, schools and special districts elect six new Asian Pacific American elected officials to office throughout California. Culled from unofficial election results, most of the new APA officials are based in southern California; whereas, more incumbents are winning races from northern California. Over 50 candidates of predominantly Asian, Pacific Islander and South Asian descent ran for office this election cycle throughout the state.

New APA elected officials include Jeff Siccama, City Council Member, City of Montebello; Ray Gen, Governing Board Member for El Camino Community College District; Al Muratsuchi, Governing Board Member for Torrance Unified School District; Dana Tom, Board Member for Palo Alto Unified School District; Andrew Wong, Governing Board Member for Pomona Unified School District; and Ling-Ling Chang, Member, Board of Directors for Walnut Valley Water District.

Those reclaiming their seats are Wen Chang, City Council Member, City of Diamond Bar; Ken Ibarra, Council Member for City of San Bruno; Yoriko Kishimoto, Council Member for City of Palo Alto; Patrick S. Kwok, Council Member for City of Cupertino; Karyl Matsumoto, Council Member for City of South San Francisco; Michiko A. Oyama-Canada, City Council Member for City of Hawaiian Gardens; Phil Ting, Assessor-Recorder for City of San Francisco; Edwin “Ed” Chau, Governing Board Member for Montebello Unified School District; and Joseph Chang, Governing Board Member, Hacienda-La Puente Unified School District; Olympia Chen, Governing Board Member for ABC Unified School District; Judy Chen Haggerty, Governing Board Member for Mount San Antonio Community College District; Pearl Cheng, Board Member for Cupertino Union School District; Paul Fong, Board Member for Foothill-De Anza Community College District; Ben Liao, Board Member for Cupertino Union School District; and Mark E. Pulido, Governing Board Member for ABC Unified School District.

Dana Tom, when elections results are confirmed, will be the first Chinese American and Asian Pacific American school board member in Palo Alto Unified School District’s over 100-year history.

Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non-partisan community-based organization with a mission to politically empower the Asian Pacific Islander American community through voter registration and education, community outreach and leadership development.


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Kathy Ng Hassan
Director of Administration
Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment
260 South Los Robles Avenue, Suite 118
Pasadena, CA 91101
Tel: 626-356-9838 Fax: 626-356-9878
www.causeusa.org