2020 API Women’s Leadership Conference Representation Matters: Empowering API Women for Civic Engagement Saturday, August 22, 2020 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM PST LEAD. CHANGE. EMPOWER. National Virtual Event Live Streaming at www.APAPA.org/women2020 Welcome Message Welcome to APAPA’s first API Women’s Leadership Conference - A National Online Virtual Event in Empowering API Women for Civic Engagement, hosted by APAPA and APAPA Tri-Valley Chapter. We hope that you and your families are healthy and safe. Our nation has faced tough challenges this year including a pandemic and systematic inequities shown by the killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans, but despite these challenges, we also saw hope. We saw hope from Americans of all backgrounds, rising together to fight the injustices in our systems. We saw hope in the form of many calling out policies and structures that may no longer serve all Americans, and the most recent sign of hope yet, the selection of Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian/Indian woman nominated as the Vice-Presidential nominee. Harris is a representation that women leaders are part of the crucial element in healing our nation and making positive change. As a result, like the resilience that women leaders have historically shown, APAPA has put together an API Women’s Leadership Conference with a slate of dynamic and powerful leaders to inspire and celebrate women. The API Women’s Leadership Conference commemorates Women’s Equality Day, which celebrates the certification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. With the number of women in government leadership positions growing, both elected and appointed, they are making tremendous contributions in their communities. Therefore, we have assembled a panel of influential API leaders who will discuss their challenges and accomplishments while serving in different public service roles. They will share their vision of where they think opportunities are for API women and their own pathways. During this conference, the first ever APAPA SHEro Award will be presented to a female leader who has been humbly dedicated to her work. It is our great pleasure to honor Regina Yin as the first recipient of this distinguished award. We want to express our deepest gratitude to our sponsors, donors, planning committee members and APAPA Staff in making this event a big success. We look forward to your continual support and hope you enjoy our program. Sincerely, Kenneth Fong C.C. Yin Yen Marshall Chair Founder & Chair Emeritus National Executive Director Marsha Golangco Susanna Wong Ordway Event Co-Chair Event Co-Chair ELENI KOUNALAKIS August 22, 2020 APAPA 4000 Truxel Road, Suite 3 Sacramento, CA 95834 Congratulations to the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association Community Education Foundation on the occasion of this First Annual API Women’s Leadership Conference! It becomes clearer to all of us each and every day that women, particularly women from diverse backgrounds, must step up and play more visible and more empowered leadership roles in every sector of our great American society. And I am proud to say that, as usual, California is leading the way. One need only look to the historic Vice- Presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, or at the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives, or at the impressive list of speakers and panelists that APAPA has invited to this inaugural event to see this is true. We all know that strong women in underrepresented communities have always provided greatly needed leadership, but all too often only from behind the scenes. It is now time for them – for you – to step out from the shadows and out from behind the curtains to take their seats – your seats – at the tables of power. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican, whether you work in government, in a non-profit, in a non-governmental organization, in the private sector for a major corporation or a small family business, I urge you to be heard, to not let others silence you, and to assume your rightful leadership roles because we all know that when women are in charge, good things happen. Women know how to take care of their families, their communities and the environment. We know about fairness, about justice and about compassion. Do not let anyone tell you that we aren’t tough enough, or strong enough, to make the hard decisions that leadership always demands One hundred years ago some women in our country won the right to vote, yet we are still struggling to reach the highest offices in the land and in board rooms in proportion to the role we play in society. Events such as this help remind us that the struggle is not over and that, in fact, it never will be. Nothing comes without hard work, ongoing advocacy, and unceasing dedication to making our communities, our state and our country more just and fair for all. I commend APAPA for envisioning and realizing this conference and am pleased and proud to lend my full support to all of its participants. Sincerely, Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis (RET.) Lieutenant Governor ǡ ͳͳͳͶǡ ǡ ͻͷͺͳͶ∙ ȋͻͳ͸Ȍ ͶͶͷǦͺͻͻͶ Ǥ ǤǤ FIONA MA, CPA TREASURER STATE OF CALIFORNIA August 22, 2020 Dear Friends, As the 34th Treasurer of the State of California, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association Community Education Foundation (APAPA-CEF) on hosting their first annual API Women’s Leadership Conference. I am excited to commemorate Women’s Equality Day alongside women leaders to celebrate our achievements and to continue our advocacy for equal treatment. Women make up a little over 50% of our population in the United States, yet we are still largely underrepresented in public and private sector leadership positions. We have made great progress since the 19th Amendment passed, and women were granted the right to vote, but we still have a long way to go before true equality is met. Thank you to APAPA your leadership and driving impactful changes for the API community throughout the nation. Best wishes to the first of many API Women’s Leadership Conference. In Peace and Friendship, FIONA MA, CPA California State Treasurer BETTY T. YEE California State Controller August 22, 2020 Dear Friends: Welcome to the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association’s inaugural API Women’s Leadership Conference. This month we celebrate 100 years since ratification of the 19th Amendment guaranteeing women’s right to vote. The story of the women’s suffrage movement is an important part of our state’s rich cultural and political history. In the 19 years since APAPA was founded, API representation at all levels of government has grown by leaps and bounds. Your efforts to educate and inspire voters, promote civic engagement, and develop new leaders move us toward a government that truly reflects the diversity of its people. I extend very best wishes for a memorable event and for continued success. Sincerely, Betty T. Yee 300 Capitol Mall, Suite 1850, Sacramento, CA 95814 P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250 (916) 445-2636 Fax: (916) 322-4404 www.sco.ca.gov August 22, 2020 Dear Friends, Welcome to the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA) inaugural API Women’s Leadership Conference. Today, we celebrate and honor all women leaders including long-time philanthropist and entrepreneur Regina Yin who is very deserving of the 2020 SHero Award. Over the past decade or so, more women have emerged as leaders both in the corporate world and in public service. The California State Legislature has 38 women elected to serve with 23 in the State Assembly and 15 in the Senate. Currently, women hold three of the four legislative leadership positions at the State Capitol. In 2015, members of the California Senate Republican Caucus made history when they elected the first female leader, Senator Jean Fuller. Elected in November 2018, I am the third woman to lead the Senate Republican Caucus and the first woman veteran elected to serve in the California Legislature. I am proud to say that the Senate Republican Caucus has worked hard to elect strong women leaders, such as Senator Ling Ling Chang who is the only Asian American woman currently elected in 2018 to serve in the California State Legislature. August is also a special month as our country commemorates the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which granted women the right to vote. It made history one hundred years ago this month when Republican states ratified it. Yet a century later, only 29% of women hold statewide offices. More needs to be done to empower women and elect them to leadership positions. I commend APAPA for your continued efforts in this arena and for also being inclusive to women of all political affiliations. Once again, I am honored to participate in this event as we celebrate strong women leaders and recognize our honoree, Regina Yin! Sincerely, Shannon Grove Senate Republican Leader California 16th Senate District Program Schedule Opening Remarks- Yen Marshall, APAPA National Executive Director Greeting Message - Susanna Wong Ordway, Event Co-Chair Welcome Speaker - Amy Tong, California State Chief Information Officer Keynote Speaker - Betty T. Yee, California State Controller Pathways to Leadership Panel • Sheng Thao, Councilmember, Oakland, California • Priscilla Cheng, Director of External Affairs, Officer of Governor Gavin Newsom • Shery Yang, California State Captiol’s First Hmong Chief of Staff • Lindsey Nitta, Executive Director, California Women Lead Keynote Speaker - Eleni Kounalakis, Lieutenant Governor, California SHEro Award - Regina Yin, National Governoring Board Member, APAPA Political Lessons Learned • Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer • Ling Ling Chang, California State Senate, District 29 • Lily Mei, Mayor, Fremont, California • Stephanie Nguyen, Councilmember, Elk Grove, California Opening Remarks Yen Marshall is the National Executive Director of APAPA responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the organization.