AJSOCAL and CAUSE Launch Statewide Initiative to Build Pipeline of AANHPI Leaders for Public Appointments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For media inquiries contact: 

AJSOCAL  | (213) 977-7500 | communications@ajsocal.org

CAUSE | (213) 269-4639 | appointments@causeusa.org

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  — Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) and the Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) announced the launch of the AANHPI Community Appointees Initiative, a joint effort to strengthen Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander representation on government boards, commissions, task forces, and advisory bodies across California.

As California prepares for a new gubernatorial administration, the Initiative will identify and elevate qualified AANHPI leaders, build a statewide roster of prospective appointees, advocate for greater representation, and prepare leaders to serve in public decision-making roles.

Although AANHPI communities are among the fastest-growing populations in California, they remain underrepresented in many of the public bodies where decisions affecting their communities are made. That underrepresentation is compounded by the extraordinary diversity within AANHPI communities, which is too often overlooked. Ensuring representation across ethnicities, languages, geographies, generations, and lived experiences is critical to ensuring that AANHPI communities are not treated as a monolith. 

The Initiative builds on decades of advocacy, community organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development by AJSOCAL and CAUSE.

“CAUSE has long believed that civic leadership takes many forms,” said Nancy Yap, Executive Director of CAUSE. “Public appointments are important leadership roles that bring our communities’ voices to the table. Through this Initiative, we are creating stronger pathways for AANHPI leaders to serve and shape California’s future.”

“At a time when our communities are facing real threats to their visibility, safety, opportunity, and sense of belonging, AANHPI voices need to be present wherever decisions are being made. Building a strong pipeline of AANHPI leaders ready to serve is an important part of protecting our communities and strengthening their voice in California’s future,” said Dahni Tsuboi, CEO of AJSOCAL.

PROCESS & TIMELINE

Candidates will be identified through self-nominations and community nominations, followed by outreach, vetting, education, and relationship-building to prepare prospective appointees for public service opportunities. Nominations are accepted on a rolling basis. Candidates submitted by September 9, 2026, will be considered for the inaugural statewide roster, which is expected to launch on October 5, 2026. Additional nominations will continue to be accepted and reviewed for future appointment opportunities.

TIMELINE AT A GLANCE

• Nominations: August 14 – September 9 

• Contact & Outreach: August 17 – September 18 

• Vetting: August 17 – September 18 

• Education & Relationship Development: August 17 – Ongoing 

• Confirmation: September 25 

• Launch of Inaugural Roster: October 5

To submit a nomination, visit bit.ly/AANHPIappointmentsCA.

Established and emerging leaders across California are encouraged to nominate themselves, and community members and organizations are invited to nominate qualified leaders from their networks. Prior appointment experience is not required. For questions, contact appointments@causeusa.org.

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ABOUT AJSOCAL:

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest civil rights and legal services organization that advocates for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved communities. Through direct legal services, advocacy, education, and coalition-building, AJSOCAL aims to create a more just and inclusive society. Offices are located in downtown Los Angeles and Orange County, with a presence in Sacramento. Learn more at: www.ajsocal.org.

ABOUT CAUSE:

The Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1993 to advance the civic and political empowerment of Asian Pacific American communities. Through leadership development, voter education, and policy advocacy, CAUSE builds a more inclusive and representative democracy. Learn more at www.causeusa.org.

AANHPI Organizations Convene Historic California Gubernatorial Forum, Elevating Community Voices Ahead of Election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2026

CONTACT:

Vanessa Kang | media@nakatomipr.com | (808) 398-6914

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Californians Engaged Gubernatorial Candidates, Citing AANHPI Priorities for California's Future

Pictured from left to right: Nancy Yap, CAUSE Executive Director; candidate Xavier Becerra; candidate Tom Steyer; candidate Tony Thurmond; candidate Antonio Villaraigosa; candidate Betty Yee; and Esther Lim, KADC President.

Photo by Eric Moon

LOS ANGELES – A coalition of 40 leading Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) organizations from across Los Angeles county, led by the Korean American Democratic Committee (KADC) and Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE), convened a historic California gubernatorial candidate forum on Saturday, April 18, in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, bringing together community members, leaders, and candidates for a critical conversation on the future of the state and how they will support AANHPI priorities as Governor.

As the only gubernatorial forum in Los Angeles County hosted by and for AANHPI communities, the event created a powerful and unique opportunity for gubernatorial candidates to engage directly with one of California’s fastest-growing and most influential constituencies.

Gubernatorial candidates who participated included Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, Antonio Villaraigosa and Betty Yee, addressing issues central to AANHPI communities. Candidates discussed affordability and the economy, immigration, and the environment.

“AANHPI Californians are voters, workers, business owners, and leaders. We belong and we matter. The individual we elect as California’s governor must make sure we have a seat at the table that we deserve and have earned,” said Esther Lim, President of Korean American Democratic Committee. “Genuine engagement, through meaningful inclusion and representation, helps repair institutional distrust and strengthens civic participation.”   

With more than 7.3 million AANHPI residents in California—representing over 15% of the state’s population—the forum highlighted the AANHPI community’s growing civic power and the importance of direct engagement in shaping California’s future.

“AANHPI voices must be heard and reflected in the decisions that impact our lives,” said Nancy Yap, Executive Director of Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE). “If we want to advance equity and representation for AANHPI communities, this is what outreach, community organizing and engagement looks like.”

A recording of the participating candidates’ responses will be released with translations in multiple AANHPI languages by May 4, 2026, on CAUSE’s website, expanding language access to voter education resources for diverse AANHPI communities.

As the gubernatorial race continues, forum organizers urge AANHPI communities to stay engaged, get informed, and make a plan to have their voices count at the ballot box for the June 2, 2026 gubernatorial election. County elections officials will begin mailing each registered voter a vote‐by‐mail ballot on May 4, 2026.

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Economic and Demographic Power 

Over 7.3 million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders reside in California, representing more than 15% of the state's population and one of its fastest growing communities over the past decade. AANHPI-owned businesses account for nearly 25% of the state's businesses, generating over $200 billion in economic activity. The AANHPI community holds a collective $2 trillion in consumer purchasing power and comprises nearly 20% of California's electorate.

Co-Hosting Organizations (40)

Korean American Democratic Committee (KADC); Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE); Through Peace; World Mission University; AAPI Equity Alliance;  UCLA Asian American Studies Center’s Asian American Pacific Islander Policy Initiative; Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts Political Science and International Relations; Pilipino Workers Center (PWC); Asian Dems of Los Angeles; 'Ahahui Kīwila Hawaiʻi o San Diego; Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL); Asian American Media Alliance (AAMA); Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (APABA); Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF); Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement; Cal State Los Angeles College of Ethnic Studies; Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Chinese American Museum; Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM); Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC); Faith And Community Empowerment (FACE); Hawaii's Daughters Guild of California; Khmer Girls in Action (KGA); Korean American Federation of Los Angeles (KAFLA); Leadership and Education through Gaagana Fa’asamoa (Le GaFa); Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC); Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC); Nikkei Progressives; OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates of Greater Los Angeles; Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA); Pacific Islander Collective San Diego (PICSD); Pacific Islander Health Partnership (PIHP); Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD); PIVOT: The Progressive Vietnamese American Organization; Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA); South Asian Network (SAN); Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); Southern California Pacific Islander Community Response Team (SoCal PICRT); Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC); United Cambodian Community (UCC) and others.