LOS ANGELES – Underscoring the depth and breadth of support rallying around her bid to represent California State Assembly District 52, lifelong public servant and community organizer Jessica Caloza on Wednesday, September 13 earned a high-powered endorsement from the California Federation of Teachers (CFT).
Representing 147 Local unions chartered by the umbrella organization, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the CFT serves as the voice of more than 120,000 educational employees working at every level of public and private education from Head Start to the University of California. It is also affiliated with the AFL-CIO, which represents more than 12.5 million working people.
In making public their endorsement of Jessica Caloza for Assembly District 52, Jeffery M. Freitas, President of the California Federation of Teachers released the following statement:
“Jessica Caloza understands the critical need to ensure all students receive a world-class education. That’s why the education professionals that make up the California Federation of Teachers are proud to endorse Jessica Caloza for State Assembly. We know that in Sacramento, Jessica will be a fearless leader on behalf of students, teachers, classified employees, and local schools, and we know she will work with us to prioritize investments in public education.”
Caloza, a first generation immigrant and a proud product of the public school system, has amassed a far-reaching coalition of support since entering the AD-52 contest, earning sought-after support from working families organizations and some of California’s most widely respected leaders, including the following:
Organizations
SEIU California State Council
California Federation of Teachers (CFT)
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 33
California Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus
Asian Democrats of Los Angeles County (ADLAC)
California Young Democrats (CYD) Asian Pacific Islander Caucus
Elected leaders
California Attorney General Rob Bonta
California State Treasurer Fiona Ma
State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
State Senator Dave Min
Assembly Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez
Assemblymember Mia Bonta
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Assembly Majority Leader
Assemblymember Mike Fong
Assemblymember Matt Haney, Assistant Majority Whip
Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer
Assemblymember Evan Low, API Legislative Caucus Chair
Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, Assistant Speaker Pro Tem
Assemblymember Liz Ortega
Assemblymember Phil Ting
San Diego Mayor & Assemblymember (ret.) Todd Gloria
San Francisco City Attorney & Assemblymember (ret.) David Chiu
Daly City Mayor Ray Buenaventura
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao
Artesia Mayor (ret.) Victor Manalo
Sierra Madre Mayor (ret.) Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi
Cerritos Mayor (ret.) Mark Pulido
Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga
LA Community College District Trustee Dr. Kelsey Iino
Irvine Vice Mayor Tammy Kim
Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee
Torrance Unified School District Board Member Betty Lieu
Alhambra City Councilmember Jeff Maloney
Daly City Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo
Montebello City Councilmember Salvador Melendez
El Camino Community College District Board of Trustees Vice President Trisha Murakawa
El Cerrito City Councilmember Gabriel Quinto
Mountain View City Councilmember Emily Ramos
Rancho Palos Verdes City Councilmember Paul Seo
Monterey Park City Councilmember Thomas Wong
Cerritos City Councilmember Frank Yokoyama
Compton City Councilmember (ret.) Michelle Chambers
Rosemead Mayor Pro Tem (ret.) John Tang
West Covina City Councilmember (ret.) James Toma
Community and business leaders
Abigail Zelenski, LA Civil Rights Commission Chair and Small Business Owner*
Abraham Lim, Montebello City Commissioner*
Adrienne Hament, St. Ignatius Church Community Advocate*
Alan Kumamoto, Consultant*
Alexander Manglinong, Attorney, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP*
Allen Palos, LAUSD Marketing Representative*
Andrew Murphy, ADLAC President*
Andrea Figueroa, Dental Hygienist*
Anish Mohanty, California Democratic Party Delegate*
Anna Marie Cruz, Non-profit Leader*
Aquilina Soriano Versoza, Executive Director, Pilipino Action Center*
Audrey Soriano, President, Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD)*
Bianca Nepales Gervacio, Former PALAD President*
Chancee Martorell, Executive Director, Thai Community Development Center*
Cindy Lee, ADLAC Secretary*
Dave Zelenski, Small Business Owner*
Denise Ng, Consultant, Asian Food Trade Association*
Dr. Angelica Cortez, Non-profit Leader*
Dr. Gay Yuen, Retired Professor of Education*
Dr. Jason Chiu, CSU Los Angeles, Ethnic Studies Professor*
Dr. Juily Phun, CSU Los Angeles, Ethnic Studies Professor*
Dr. Robyn Rodriguez, President, Filipino American Educators Association of California*
Dr. Victor Manalo, Retired CSU Los Angeles Associate Professor*
Edith Winterhalter, CSU Northridge Associate Vice President for Budget & Strategic Business Operations*
Edgar Garcia, Arts Administrator*
Edwin Martinez, Community Leader*
Edwin Saucedo, Former ADEM and DNC Delegate & Community Leader*
Emma Perez, Healthcare Administrator*
Evelyn Andamo, Community Leader*
Fred Rosenthal, Retired Businessman*
Gail Kennard, Small Business Owner, KDG Architecture & Planning*
Gloria Perlas Pulido, Cerritos Planning Commissioner*
Harini Krishnan, South Asians for America (SAFA) National Organizing Chair*
Henry Ngo, Community Member*
Hoang Nguyen, Non-profit Leader*
Jaime Geaga, LA Central Area Planning Commissioner & PALAD Boardmember*
Janet Nepales, Community Leader*
Jennifer Taylor, Small Business Owner, Ambiculture Advisors*
Jessica Gillette, Attorney*
Joanne Kumamoto, Small Business Owner*
John De La Merced, Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) Past President*
Jonathan Yap, Artist & Entrepreneur*
Jose Chin, Jr., Small Business Owner, Fiesta Fastfood*
Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, Friends of Echo Park Library & PALAD Founding President*
Jun Miranda, Restaurant Owner, Kusina Filipina Los Angeles*
Leo Bato, Realtor & Registered Nurse*
Linda Johnstone Allen, Artist and Community Leader*
Lisa Thong, APIs Mobilize Chair*
Luis Lopez, Non-profit Healthcare Director & Democratic Party Delegate*
Luisa Blue, Retired Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)*
Mae Gates, President, Black Women’s Democratic Club*
Manjusha Kulkarni, Non-profit Leader*
Marc Caratao, Community Leader*
Marcel Broomall, Community Member*
Marily Mondejar, Filipina Women’s Network*
Marisa Pizarro, Small Business Owner & Music Executive*
Marvin Aritrangco, Small Business Owner, Hungry Turtle Cafe*
Mary Grace Barrios, PALAD Vice President of Labor Relations*
Meriden Angeles, Actress and Producer*
Minda Chin, Small Business Owner, Fiesta Fastfood*
Noya Wang, Alhambra Planning Commission President*
Pedro Ramirez, Long Beach Bacolod Association President*
Philip Nulud, Shareholder & Attorney, Buchalter & Former Director, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)*
Priya Mohan, Attorney*
Rosalie Caratao, The Los Angeles Philippine Women’s Club*
Ruben Nepales, Community Leader*
Ruthe Catolico Ashley, Retired Attorney*
Saik-Choon Poh, Civil Engineer*
Sandy Roxas, Small Business Owner & Attorney*
Serapia Kim, ADLAC Board Member*
Simona Grace, Founder, Moms in Office*
Steve Hirai, Asian American Architects & Engineers Association (AAa/e) Boardmember*
Steve Kang, California Democratic Party Delegate*
Theresa de Vera, Disability Rights Advocate*
Vicky Perez, Registered Nurse & Manzanar Committee Board Member*
Zoe Zelenski, LAUSD Student and #KidsforCaloza Chair*
*Titles for identification purposes only.
As a first generation immigrant and a daughter of working class parents, Jessica Caloza has dedicated her life to public service and being a fighter for working families. She has served in various roles at the federal, state, and local levels of government. She was most recently the Deputy Chief of Staff to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Previously, Caloza served as a Los Angeles Public Works Commissioner and made history as the first Filipina woman ever to serve in this role. She led public works projects to improve the quality of life for neighborhoods, strengthen the local economy, and create more good paying middle class jobs across Los Angeles.
Passionate about fully funding and improving public schools, Caloza also worked in President Barack Obama’s Administration as an education policy advisor. Prior to her service in the federal government, she worked as a community organizer on President Obama’s campaign, and before that, Caloza worked for social justice non-profits that provided critical services to immigrants, working families, and youth.
Caloza is a proud product of public schools and was the first in her family to graduate from college from the University of California, San Diego. A longtime grassroots activist and community organizer, Caloza serves on the boards of local nonprofits that deliver services to survivors of human trafficking and provides mental health counseling to youth and their families. She is also active in Democratic politics and serves as the Southern California Chair of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus in the California Democratic Party and is a longtime board member of the Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD).
For more information please visit www.jessicacaloza.com n
