In the early 2000s, my parents immigrated to the United States for a better life. Throughout my childhood, I experienced all forms of casual racism. I, like many other Asian Americans, was called ‘Ling Ling’ and asked if I ‘ate dogs.’ I accepted this as part of normality, never realizing that it was unacceptable. Up until the shooting behind my house, this was everyday life.
When I was in eighth grade, there was a shooting directly behind my house. One teenager was murdered and two others were severely injured. Our generation lives in a time when mass shootings are the norm. We've been training for a school shooting since the day we began elementary school.
I, along with most high schoolers, am not old enough to vote. But I have realized that there are other ways to advocate for change. We cannot sit still and wait. I started getting involved in politics after attending the Women's March in 2018. I also got involved with the California Young Democrats and was soon elected onto my local executive board, representing my county at the 2019 CADEM convention. Once I entered high school, I joined the California High School Democrats and founded a chapter. I became Vice Chair and was later elected Chair of HSDA’s national Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus. There, I grew our caucus from thirty to over four hundred members, implementing election and advocacy initiatives.
I was elected Vice Chair of CAHSD last May. I committed to amplifying the voices of our members and strengthening our organization. My leadership has brought successes such as greater connection with our state party, extensive voter outreach initiatives, and the largest membership in our history. Most importantly, I have built resources and communication for the real leaders of CAHSD, chapter leaders.
Despite this progress, there is still much to get done. I want to create a reliable support system for our members, commit to diverse and anti-racist practices, increase membership involvement, and expand CAHSD’s reach.
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I am the right person to do so. My relationships with chapter leaders and members will be crucial in improving our organization’s real strength. I have worked on the local level as a chapter leader and with the California Young Democrats, state level as the CAHSD Vice Chair, and on the national level as the Chair of a large caucus. My extensive experience and institutional memory are unmatched. I have seen our issues firsthand, and I know what we need to do. As Chair, I will drive our organization forward. We must serve our members better. I will represent and fight for our members and progressive values, making sure high schoolers’ voices are heard at local, state, and national levels.
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to create real progress within our organization. I look forward to meeting you, hearing from you about ways that we can build our voices, and securing your vote.