AJSOCAL proudly celebrated AANHPI Heritage Month on Monday, May 4, 2026, honoring four AANHPI Capitol members whose work is advancing critical protections for vulnerable immigrant and underserved communities across California. The event brought together elected officials, community partners, and advocates to recognize leaders fighting for immigrant dignity and security.
HONORING THE 2026 CHAMPIONS
- Assemblymember Alex Lee received the Champion for Change Award in recognition of his steadfast commitment to advancing the rights and dignity of AANHPI and LGBTQ+ communities. As the youngest Asian American legislator ever elected and the first openly bisexual state legislator in California history, Lee has authored landmark legislation advancing worker protections and immigrant safeguards.
- Zena Hallak, Communications Director for Assemblymember Ash Kalra, received the Change Catalyst Award for her seven years of work advancing equity-focused policy, including efforts to improve law enforcement vetting, strengthen worker protections, and expand language access for tenants facing eviction.
- Sophia Kwong Kim, Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Mike Fong, was honored with the Trailblazer for Equity Award in recognition of her longstanding commitment to advancing equity through 27 years of public service.
- Vincent Huynh, who serves as Lead Policy Advisor to Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez, was honored with the Rising Star Award in recognition of his growing leadership and his contributions to impactful legislation such as SB 1075 (Bradford, 2024) limiting overdraft fees.
WHY WE MUST MEET THIS MOMENT
Our 2026 Rise and Resist campaign emerges at a critical juncture for immigrant communities. As immigration enforcement intensifies and predatory data collection practices threaten family safety and stability, AJSOCAL and our legislative partners have authored transformative bills to protect vulnerable populations.
- AB 322 (Ward) protects Californians from having their movements tracked and sold, particularly at sensitive locations like domestic violence shelters, protests, and legal service centers, by restricting businesses from collecting, selling, and sharing precise location of Californians.
- AB 1542 (Ward) bans businesses from selling and sharing our sensitive personal information, including immigration status, health data, social security number, sexual orientation, genetic data and more.
- AB 2332 (Gonzalez) establishes a Dual Language Immersion Coordinator at the California Department of Education to support and expand multilingual education programs statewide.
- SB 1243 (Durazo) protects tenants impacted by immigration enforcement by creating an affirmative defense in the eviction process, safeguarding families from housing loss during financial hardship.
In attendance were Assemblymembers Mike Fong, Mark Gonzalez, Darshana Patel, Ash Kalra, and Alex Lee.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Lucid Winery. As a community, we rise and resist together.
For all event photos, click here.
