2023 AAPI Heritage Month

Dear Friend,

Each May, we recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month to celebrate our state and nation’s incredible AAPI cultures. As entrepreneurs, public servants, first responders, Olympic athletes, and more, AAPIs have made a profound impact on California’s history and culture. It is my honor to represent the many vibrant communities of Asian American and Pacific Islanders who call Orange County home.

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, I recognized 10 outstanding AAPI community members for their leadership and service to Orange County. These honorees are amazing members of our community and incredibly accomplished in their respective fields, from law to medicine to education. Their achievements are a reminder of the invaluable contributions that AAPIs have made to our society, as well as an inspiration to AAPIs of this generation and the next. These leaders represent the best of Orange County and I am proud to be working alongside them to push our county and state forward.

At a time of rising anti-Asian hate, it is more important than ever for us to stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and affirm that our society’s diversity is the source of its strength.

Here in California’s capital, as the only Korean-American in the Legislature, I am working to do exactly that as a member of the AAPI Legislative Caucus, which has fought for the historic investment in the multi-year AAPI equity budget and funded more than 80 AAPI community-based organizations across the state.

According to national reports by Stop AAPI Hate, two in three hate incidents involved harassment, the bulk of those incidents occurring on public transit. To that end, I introduced Senate Bill (SB) 434 in partnership with Stop AAPI Hate to give us the ridership data necessary to address the issue of street harassment on California’s 10 largest transit agencies.

Please stay up to date on how I am representing you and the 37th Senate District by following @SenDaveMin on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

I am so honored to represent you and our community in the California State Senate. Thank you for this privilege.

In Gratitude,

Dave Min

State Senator, District 37
 

Pictured from left to right: Professor Joseph Jonghyun Jeon, Dr. Edward Kim, Shani Moslehi, Jay Ungos, Senator Dave Min, Lucy Sun, Rose W. Tsai, Dr. Gurpreet Ahuja, and Commissioner Naz Hamid.
 

The 2023 AAPI Heritage Month honorees for the 37th Senate District are:

• Dr. Gurpreet S. Ahuja – Division Chief & Medical Director, Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Children’s Hospital of Orange County
• Beth Fujishige – Founder at Rotary Club of Orange County LA
• Naz Hamid - Chair of the Community Services Commission at City of Irvine
• Joseph Jonghyun Jeon – Director at Center for Critical Korean Studies, University of California, Irvine
• Dr. Edward S. Kim – Physician-in-Chief at City of Hope Orange County
• Grace Leung – City Manager at City of Newport Beach
• Shani Moslehi – Founder & Executive Director at Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce
• Lucy Sun – President & Chair, Board of Trustees at Orange County Museum of Art
• Rose W. Tsai – Principal Attorney at Law Offices of Rose W. Tsai & Associates
• Jay Ungos – President & Founder at Small Business Diversity Network

Pictured: Lucy Sun of the Orange County Museum of Art and Senator Dave Min at the Senator’s second annual AAPI Empowerment Summit held at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center.

Big news! Last week, five of my bills just passed a major hurdle, moving out of Senate Committee on Appropriations and on to the Senate Floor. Read more about those bills below.

• SB 241 - Mandates safety and anti-theft training for all federally licensed gun dealers in California. If passed, this training would be the first of its kind in the United States.
   
• SB 434 - Requires the ten largest public transit agencies to collect quantitative and qualitative data on ridership safety. The data would then be used to develop statewide efforts to address street harassment and help the state make major progress in creating safer standards for all passengers.
   
• SB 475 – Authorizes the City of Laguna Woods and the Orange County Fire Authority to utilize a portion of the City Centre Park land for the construction of a new fire station. 
   
• SB 704 - Removes new or expanded oil and gas facilities, including new or expanded oil and gas development and new or expanded refineries or petrochemical facilities, from the industrial override provisions of the Coastal Act. New or expanded oil and gas facilities would have to comply with the policies of the Coastal Act in order to be permitted, in line with virtually all other coastal development. It also seeks to promote offshore wind development by requiring the Coastal Commission to seek the advice of scientific experts and encouraging port development that contributes to offshore wind energy deployment.
   
• SB 872 - Sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers, this bill would capture true class size data to help schools reduce student-teacher ratios statewide.

Do you know a change-maker in your neighborhood?

Recognize your favorite Business, Non-Profit, or Local Leader through the Senate District 37 Community Impact Awards!

We need your help finding individuals, businesses, and non-profits that stand out in your community. Every month, we will be going out into the district to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that help shape Orange County. Senator Min’s Community Impact Awards recognize those who go above and beyond to hearten our neighborhoods whether it be through entrepreneurial spirit, advocacy, or serving our most vulnerable communities. Click here to submit your nominations.

Named Legislator of the Year by ASCE of Orange County!

I was so honored to be named Legislator of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers of Orange County! Now more than ever, we need to prioritize long-term investments and accelerate infrastructure projects that define the future of engineering and improve the quality of life for all Americans.

2023 Love Costa Mesa Day

Another fantastic Love Costa Mesa Day! I was proud to sponsor this community-led day of action that annually brings together hundreds of local volunteers to support over 100 local project. When we volunteer, we do so much more than build a bench or lend a helping hand–we build stronger, more connected neighborhoods for generations to come.
 

Celebrating Student Volunteers

Last weekend, I attended the 2023 Awards Ceremony and Leadership Gala for the Pacific American Volunteer Association (PAVA World). For over two decades, PAVA World has been spearheading student volunteer efforts across Southern California and making a difference in our communities. Learn how to get involved at pavaworld.org.

Welcoming Memorial Care to University Park in Irvine!

This newest Irvine location of Memorial Care means Orange County families will have greater access to outstanding healthcare right here in their backyard. This new primary and maternity care facility adds to the robust network of Memorial Care sites in the area, and ensures that patients will have timely access to diagnosis and treatments. I am excited about what this means for healthcare in the region.

Standing with Local Teamsters

Our Teamsters not only keep public transit moving, but they also ensure that essential ASDA services are safe and reliable for everyone. I was proud to stand with Local 952 on strike this last month. Thanks to successful negotiations, these vital Orange County workers are now back serving the community.

CalMatters: Dissecting Silicon Valley Bank Failure

OC Register: Sacramento Snapshot - Class Size Data

World Journal: Senator Min Praises AAPI Leaders for Contributions to OC