Candidate for
Board of Supervisors; San Francisco County; District 1

Longtime leadership and community service For over 30 years, Alicia has been a community and political activist and an advocate for the neighborhoods of San Francisco. She is a mother and educator and a homeowner in the Richmond district. Alicia grew up in Hong Kong and later Hawaii. She studied English Literature at the University of Hawaii and went on to study Chinese poetry at Stanford University. Alicia later earned a Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is a teacher at San Francisco City College.

Fighting for the neighborhoods At a time when many families are moving out of the city to surrounding suburbs, Alicia is committed to raising her family in San Francisco and to keeping families in San Francisco. She believes that it is critical to maintain the city's infrastructure and that in order to keep families in the city, we need safe streets, clean parks, libraries and after-school youth programs. Alicia helped design her neighborhood playground as a member of the Argonne Playground Advisory Committee; she has served on advisory committees to the school district; and on the boards of the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center and the Ft. Mason Center Foundation.

Fighting for her community Alicia has long been an advocate for San Francisco's diverse communities. She first joined the Chinese American Voter Education Committee (CAVEC) and the Chinese American Democratic Club (CADC) thirty years ago to work for voter empowerment in the Asian community and to elect Asian Americans to elective office not only in SF. but throughout the state and nation. She has chaired CAVEC and been a leader in CADC. During this time, Alicia built coalitions with progressives and minority communities throughout the city.

Fighting for the Democratic Party A fiercely loyal Democrat, Alicia has a long history of service to the Democratic Party at the local, state and national level. She has broken many glass ceilings as a party activist: the first Asian Pacific American elected to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and served 2 terms as Vice Chair; the first Chinese American woman ever elected to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), in 1992; the first Asian Pacific American woman to be elected as a Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party, in1997; the only elected Chinese American Super delegate in the country, since 1992.

Under her leadership, California has elected more Asians to statewide as well as state level positions than ever in the history of the state. During her tenure as Vice Chair, the California Democratic Party is the most successful state party in the nation. Alicia travels the state tirelessly to speak to Democratic activists from Plumas to San Diego and is well loved by grass roots Democratic activists throughout California who see her as a voice for grass roots activism in the party.

Fighting for New Immigrants From her years of service to the Richmond and San Francisco's diverse immigrant community, Alicia has learned that it doesn't matter whether you are from Seoul or Moscow or Guangdong or Taipei, you still go through the same hardships learning English and adjusting to American culture; and you want the same American dream: to own a home, give your children a good education, live in a safe neighborhood with good parks and libraries; and to get a good job. She has educated thousands of E.S.L. students in her thirty years as a college teacher and helped hundreds become American citizens.

Fighting for jobs and small business Alicia understands that keeping jobs and small business in San Francisco is crucial to keeping families in the city. She served on the boards of the Chinatown Cooks School and S.F. Renaissance and supports job training and entrepreneurship programs. As a partner in a North Beach restaurant years ago, she learned first hand how hard small businesses struggle every day to survive, and how difficult it is to start a small business in San Francisco. As a member of the SFIA (S.F. International Airport)community advisory committee, Alicia was a strong voice for including local and small businesses as vendors at the airport.

Fighting for working people Alicia has been a dedicated rank and file member of her teacher's union, AFT 2121(American Federation of Teachers), since its creation. She is a delegate to the SF Labor Council, the California Federation of Teachers, and has been a delegate to the national AFT. Alicia was endorsed by the Labor Caucus of the California Democratic Party when she ran for reelection as Vice Chair and is endorsed by the United Steel Workers. Alicia was the first political director for AFT 2121, and has served on its bargaining team and Executive Board.

An effective leader and change agent Alicia has always been a leader. At City College, she was a founding member of her union as well as a leader in the Academic Senate, and has presided over the Centers Faculty Senate. She was also one of the founders of Asian Coalition, and worked closely with other faculty organizations to fight for affirmative action for teachers. She filed a lawsuit against City College to fight for affirmative action in faculty tenure, and has been an advocate for the college building closer ties to the San Francisco communities it serves. She has been a longtime advocate for building a Richmond campus for City College to serve the needs of our district. She was one of the leaders in the fight for the establishment of the Chinatown campus.

Fighting for our youth As a mother and teacher, Alicia understands the importance of youth sports programs, after school programs, open space, good libraries; and safe buses and streets for our youth. She was the treasurer for Proposition J, the Children's Amendment, because she understands the importance of funding children's and youth programs in the city. She has also been a board member of Coleman Advocates for Youth and worked for the Mayor's Criminal Justice Council researching youth gangs in Chinatown. As a board member of the Harvard Club of S.F., she helps reach out to middle school students to encourage them to go to college.

Fighting for Women's Rights A lifelong feminist, Alicia was one of the earliest bilingual family planning counselors in San Francisco when she worked with Ching Nin Clinic in Chinatown and Buena Vista Women's Services. She has served on the board of S.F. N.W.P.C. As First Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party, she was the highest ranking woman in CDP. As Supervisor, Alicia will combine her lifelong passion for community empowerment, her professional qualifications, political skills, and unique understanding of the Richmond to bring effective change to City Hall.