Program

• Special DJ Performance: DJ Lady T
• Program Opening & Recognition of Elected Officials & Candidates
• Special Welcome: Deepa Sharma, CA Democratic Party AAPI Caucus Chair
• Special Welcome: Mark Ramos, LA County Democratic Party Chair
• President's Welcome: Dr. Andrew Murphy
• Recognition of Event Sponsors
• Community Partner of the Year Award Acceptance Speech: Harini Krishnan & South Asians for America
• Democratic Activist of the Year Award Acceptance Speech: Steve Kang
• Special Musical Performance: Janani K. Jha
• Local Elected Official of the Year Award Acceptance Speech: Hon. Henry Lo
• State Elected Official of the Year Award Special Presentation: Hon. Alton Wang
• State Elected Official of the Year Award Acceptance Speech: Hon. Fiona Ma
• Mike Eng Excellence in Public Service Award Special Presentation: Hon. Mike Eng
• Mike Eng Excellence in Public Service Award Acceptance Speech: Hon. Betty Yee
• Judy Chu Legacy Award Special Presentation: Hon. Judy Chu
• Judy Chu Legacy Award Acceptance Speech: Hon. Warren Furutani

Awardees

Community Partner of the Year Awards: Harini Krishnan &
​South Asians for America

Harini Krishnan’s long career as a political and community organizer includes serving as the Lead California Volunteer Organizer for the 2019 Harris for President campaign, a member of the National Finance Committee for the Harris and Biden Presidential campaigns, National Grassroots Organizing Lead and California State Director for South Asians for Biden, co-Founder of South Asians for America and South Asians for Harris, California Democratic Party Finance Committee Vice Chair and Assembly District Delegate, San Mateo County Democratic Party Central Committee, Fund Her Board Member, and Biden Delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Recently, Harini became the first Asian American woman in 12 years elected as a California Democratic National Committee Representative.

Following the successful South Asians for Biden organizing efforts in the 2020 election, South Asians for America, or SAFA, was launched in 2021 as a permanent vehicle to build South Asian political power and engagement nationwide. SAFA is a national, grassroots organization dedicated to the education, advocacy, engagement, and mobilization of the South Asian community in the U.S. at the local, state, and federal levels. Several of SAFA’s national Board members serve on our ADLAC Advisory Board, and we are deeply proud that SAFA Action Fund California serves as one of our official organizational partners.
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Democratic Activist of the Year Award: Steve Kang

Steve Kang serves as the Director of External Affairs for the Koreatown Youth and Community Center, as a Los Angeles City Planning Commissioner, and was formerly Executive Director of the Korean American Coalition and a KBS America News Anchor. He’s a graduate of Columbia University with a Master’s from the London School of Economics.

​Steve is a long-time California Democratic Party Assembly District Delegate and Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee Member. Steve is a former LA City Council Community Liaison and Assembly District Director for Democratic representatives. He shepherded the Korean American Democratic Committee through the pandemic as President, and still serves as KADC Board Chairperson. He advises our efforts as an ADLAC Advisory Board member.

Local Elected Official of the Year Award: Hon. Henry Lo

Beginning his career as a staff member for a State Senator, then Assemblymember Mike Eng, and then Assemblymember Ed Chau, Henry Lo was first elected to the Garvey School District Board in 2003, where he served for over 17 years. He co-founded the Garvey Education Foundation, and currently serves in the State Assembly’s Democratic Office of Communications and Outreach. 
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​First elected to the Monterey Park City Council in 2020 as the first openly gay Councilmember in the city’s history, Henry was Mayor in January 2023 during the tragic mass shooting at the Star Ballroom. Not only did Henry lead Monterey Park through that horrific tragedy, but he received recognition as a national leader on gun violence prevention, leadership that continues during his present City Council service.

State Elected Official of the Year Award: Hon. Fiona Ma

A former San Francisco Board Supervisor, Fiona Ma protected women suffering domestic abuse and fought human trafficking. As an Assemblymember, she protected consumers and working families as Assembly Majority Whip and Speaker pro Tempore. As an elected member and former Chairperson of the California Board of Equalization, she protected taxpayers, and is the first woman of color and first Certified Public Accountant to ever serve as State Treasurer.

Fiona Ma’s career of service includes fighting for everyday Californians. She is a leader who provided vital assistance to our small businesses and expanded healthcare access during the pandemic, and is a current candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

​Mike Eng Excellence in Public Service Award: Hon. Betty Yee

Betty Yee is the current California Democratic Party Vice Chair, former California State Controller and elected Board of Equalization member, and former Budget Director to Governor Gray Davis. She is a Board member for national environmental nonprofit Ceres and the College Futures Foundation, and a former community organizer and public health worker who secured critical state funding to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Her service to the California Democratic Party at all levels sets an example for young activists across the state.

As State Controller, her focus on fiscal responsibility, protecting California’s pension funds, delivering important assistance to foster youth through the state Foster Youth Tax Credit, and protecting our state’s ports and workers during the pandemic are just a few examples of her tremendous example of public service. She is a current candidate for Governor.

​Judy Chu Legacy Award:
​Hon. Warren Furutani

From his early work as an activist in the Asian American Movement, to his advocacy for ethnic studies programs, including Asian American studies, and his creation of the Manzanar Committee that secured the designation of former Japanese internment camp Manzanar as a national historical site, Warren Furutani began his career as an activist, which appropriately is the title of his memoir.

Warren's activism did not stop with community organizing. He was elected in 1987 as the first ever Asian Pacific American to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Trustees. Later, he was elected to serve on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees. 

In 2008, Warren was elected to the California State Assembly, where he served as the Chair of the Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security Committee as well as Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American Legislative Caucus. He authored an Assembly bill to grant honorary college degrees to Japanese Americans whose education was disrupted due to their wrongful incarceration during World War II and he established the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties for the State of California. Warren’s legacy continues on through the lessons, mentorship, and guidance he has imparted on today’s activists.