Emerge California Alums Look to Make History as “Firsts” to Hold Their Seats

  • Nov 2, 2022
  • Melanie V. Ramil, Executive Director of Emerge California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2022

CONTACT: Melanie V. Ramil
contact@emergeca.org

Emerge California Alums Look to Make History as “Firsts” to Hold Their Seats

Oakland, CA — Alums of Emerge California, the state’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, are poised to make history as trailblazers this November. Many will become the firsts of their backgrounds and identities to serve in their positions. Emerge California has trailblazing alums on the ballot from school board to the state legislature, including Malia Cohen, who would serve as California’s first Black State Controller. 

More than 75 percent of Emerge California’s 107 alum candidates are part of the New American Majority – Black, Brown and Indigenous women, women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and young and unmarried women – the fastest growing demographic in the country. When elected, they will change the face of power and bring their unique life experiences, passion and resolve to reimagine, rebuild and fight for a just and equitable world.

“New American Majority women are underrepresented in office, but this group of trailblazers is looking to change that,” said Melanie V. Ramil, Executive Director of Emerge California. “Emerge California alums know what it takes to break glass ceilings and bring new voices into the halls of power. They also understand the impact that their unique backgrounds and experiences have on how politics are played and policies are shaped. These women will help guide the way for communities traditionally excluded from power, both on the campaign trail and in elected office. We look forward to seeing them shatter ceilings in November and provide new representation in office.”

Emerge California’s 2022 trailblazers represent the unique communities that make up California. These alums include:

  • Eleni Kounalakis for Lieutenant Governor (re-election) — First woman elected to the seat
  • California State Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen for State Controller — First Black person elected to the seat
  • Hayward City Councilmember Aisha Wahab for State Senate, District 10 — First Afghan American woman elected to the state legislature after becoming the first Afghan American woman elected to any public office in the U.S. in 2018
  • San Juan Unified School District Board Member Paula Villescaz for State Senate, District 6 — Youngest elected to the seat
  • Lori Wilson for State Assembly, District 11 (re-election) — First parent of a transgender child elected to the state legislature
  • Mia Bonta for State Assembly, District 18 (re-election) — First Afro Latina elected to the state legislature
  • Mia Livas Porter for State Assembly, District 52 — First Filipina elected to the state legislature
  • Sara Aminzadeh for State Assembly, District 12 — First multiracial woman elected to the seat
  • Cherelle Jackson for City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 6 — First Black woman elected to the seat
  • San Carlos Mayor Laura Parmer-Lohan for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 3 — First out lesbian elected to the Board
  • Vallecitos Water District Director Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson for San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 5 — First woman and Democrat elected to the seat
  • Allyssa Victory for Mayor, City of Oakland — First Black woman elected to the seat
  • Alma Hernandez for Mayor, Suisun City — First Latina elected to the seat
  • Branda Lin for Mayor, City of Irvine — First Korean American elected to the seat
  • Erica A. Stewart for Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo (re-election) — First Black person elected to the seat
  • Farrah Khan for Mayor, City of Irvine (re-election) — First woman of color and first Muslim elected to the seat
  • Fredrisha Dixon for Mayor, City of Inglewood — First woman and first Black woman elected to the seat
  • Helen Tran for Mayor, City of San Bernardino — First Asian American elected in San Bernardino
  • Jenny Wong for Berkeley City Auditor (re-election) — First Asian American elected to the seat
  • Raina Carrillo for Mayor, City of Inglewood — First woman and first Mexican American with Louisiana Creole heritage elected to the seat
  • San Ramon City Councilmember Sabina Zafar for Mayor, City of San Ramon — First woman directly elected to the seat and first Asian American elected to the seat
  • Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid for Mayor, City of Oakland — First Black woman elected to the seat
  • Holly L. Hancock for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge — First public defender elected in Los Angeles County
  • Arlis Reynolds for Costa Mesa City Council, District 5 (re-election) — First woman elected to District 5 and one of the first Latinas on the Council
  • Carolyn Wysinger for El Cerrito City Council — First out LGBTQ+ Black woman elected to the seat
  • Cassandra James for Vallejo City Council, District 2 — First Black woman elected to the Council in 17 years
  • Celina Reynes for San Leandro City Council, District 1 — First out LGBTQ+ woman elected to the seat and sole millennial on the Council
  • Denise Davis for Redlands City Council, District 1 (re-election) — First out LGBTQ+ person elected in Redlands
  • Doriss Panduro for Fairfield City Council, District 5 (re-election) — First Latina elected to the seat 
  • Ellen Kamei for Mountain View City Council (re-election) — First woman to give birth while serving on the Council
  • Dr. Eve Castellanos for Sanger City Council, District 2 — First woman of color elected to the seat
  • Jocelyn Yow for Eastvale City Council, District 4 (re-election) — First Malaysian-American elected to public office in the U.S. and former youngest woman of color Mayor in California
  • Katy Young Yaroslavsky for Los Angeles City Council, District 5 — First woman elected to the seat in nearly 60 years
  • Lisa Diaz Nash for San Mateo City Council, District 1 — First woman elected to this seat (first district election)
  • Luz Reyes-Martín for Goleta City Council, District 1 — First Latina elected to the Council and youngest person to serve
  • Marisol Rubio for San Ramon City Council, District 4 — First Latine and second woman of color elected to this seat
  • Monica Wilson for Antioch City Council, District 4 (re-election) — First Black woman elected to the Council
  • N’dea Johnson for Fairfield City Council, District 1 — First Black woman elected to the seat and youngest Black woman elected to public office in the U.S.
  • Nicole Gardner for Novato City Council, District 4 — First woman of color elected to the seat
  • Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Porsche Middleton for Citrus Heights City Council, District 5 (re-election) — First Black woman elected to the Council
  • Dr. Priya Bhat-Patel for Carlsbad City Council, District 3 (re-election) — First Asian American woman and youngest person elected to the seat and first Indian American woman elected to a city council in San Diego County
  • Rashi Kesarwani for Berkeley City Council, District 1 — First Asian American woman elected to the Council in over 40 years
  • Tamala Takahashi for Burbank City Council — First Generation X and first non-binary person elected to the seat
  • April Northrup for Belmont-Redwood Shores School District Board — Only Board member who has been a full-time teacher
  • Christine Hernandez for Huntington Beach Union High School District Board of Trustees — First Latina and first person of color elected to the Board
  • Destiny Briscoe for Pittsburg Unified School District Board of Trustees — Only mother on the Board
  • Kyra Mungia for Oakland Unified School District Board of Education, District 6 — Youngest on the Board
  • Michelle Chang for Orinda Union School District Board of Trustees, District 4 — First Asian American elected to the seat
  • Nelly Nieblas for Montebello Unified School District Board of Education — First Person with a Disability on the Board
  • Nicole Chiu-Wang for Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education — First Asian American woman elected to the Board in over 10 years
  • Raeena Lari for Santa Clara County Board of Education, Trustee Area 7 — First South Asian American elected to the seat and first Muslim elected to the Board
  • Reichi Lee for Berkeley Unified School District Board of Trustees — First Asian American woman elected to the seat
  • Sarah Butler for Contra Costa County Board of Education, Trustee Area 2 (re-election) — First environmental advocate elected to the seat
  • Thida Cornes for Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Governing Board — First disabled Asian American woman immigrant elected to the seat
  • Andrea Beth Damsky for Helix Water District Board of Directors, Division 2 — First out LGBTQ+ person elected to the Board
  • Barisha Spriggs for Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District Board of Directors, Ward 4 — First Black woman and first woman of color elected to the seat
  • Cristine Soto DeBerry for Southern Marin Fire Protection District Board of Directors (re-election) — First woman of color elected to the seat
  • Rae Vander Werf for American River Flood Control District Board of Trustees (re-election) — First openly transgender person elected in Sacramento county
  • Vanessa Danielle Marrero, MSW for Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board — Only Indigenous Taíno Latina elected to the Board

Emerge California has a proven track record of getting Democratic women elected. Since the organization launched in 2002, the program has trained over 800 women to run for office. 186 alums currently serve in elected office, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis; State Board of Equalization Chair Malia Cohen; State Assemblymembers Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, Mia Bonta, and Lori Wilson; San Francisco Mayor London Breed; Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf; and San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliot.

For more information, please visit ca.emergeamerica.org.

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