Candidate Endorsement Questionnaire_2014
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Thank you for your interest in being considered for endorsement by the Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County. Please answer each question in 250 words or less. Be honest and direct. Brief answers are satisfactory.
Please note: Your questionnaire will be posted on our website for Caucus members to review. This questionnaire must be returned in word format so that your personal information can be concealed prior to posting.
Candidate/Campaign Information Candidate Name: Teresa Cox
City, State, Zip: Fremont, CA 94539
Office Sought: State Assembly
District: 25
Are you the incumbent?
Yes No X – Open Seat
Campaign Website: www.ElectTeresaCox.com
Campaign Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 510-516-2899
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Are you a registered Democrat? Yes_X__ No___ (The APA Democratic Caucus can only endorse registered Democrats)
Are you an APA Caucus member? Yes___ No_X__ Why are you seeking the Caucus’s endorsement? I believe that the Asian Pacific American Democratic Club of Alameda County endorsement would
speak to the volumes of Asian Pacific American men and women in AD 25 that I support
Democratic values for all people in the state of California.
Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County
www.apacaucus.org
2014 Endorsement Questionnaire
Candidate Endorsement Questionnaire_2014
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List any endorsements you have received. (Please attach list) See attached list. If we endorse you, will you use our name in your campaign materials? Yes_X__ No___
CANDIDATE QUESTIONS
Please limit each response to no more than a total of 250 words.
1. What differentiates you from your opponents for the elected office you seek?
The only female in this race
Most diversified support from labor, educators, appointees, doctors, lawyers, and elected officials
from around the state to help me pass legislation
Most diversified work experiences – Executive at Fortune 500 companies, Ohlone College Trustee,
Stanford Hospital, White House, Clinton and Obama Administrations to be the best
Assemblymember in AD 25.
Worked in both Alameda and Santa Clara Counties and understand each area’s challenges and
uniqueness to be the best candidate for AD 25.
1st African American female to graduate with a nuclear engineering degree in the United States. African-Americans are an underrepresented community since there are no African Americans serving in California State Assembly representing Northern California.
2. What percentage of the district you [or intend to] represent are of Asian or Pacific heritage? 25%
3. Please identify the three largest API ethnicities in your district. Indo Americans, Filipino Americas, Chinese Americans, Vietnamese Americans.
4. Please identify the most at-risk API community in your district and describe why. I believe that all API community is at risk with the discrimination and immigration practices and the State Senator Leland Yee issue.
5. List the three top concerns of members of the APIs in your district. Immigration, Jobs, education
6. Based on your observations, how active are members of the API communities in local civic activities? (in your district/city)
Rarely Somewhat Very active
Comments
Cultural events X Support numerous Asian activities. I am a
Lifetime Member AAPA Health/services fairs
X
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Current affair educational events
X
Political events X
7. What would it take to increase API community participation in these activities? List three strategies
you have taken (or intend to take) to increase participation.
a. Already Lead a group of business and education leaders for a trade mission to China to
increase more business growth and further educational opportunities.
Remove business barriers to increase more job opportunities. Appointed by the first Chinese
American former US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as Trade Advisor to work with Small
Minority businesses and work with Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation.
b. Form a diversity council to fight against discrimination, for immigration rights, education, and provide
equal access and opportunities. c. Promote more health and wellness initiatives to increase API participation and take advantage of the
Covered California.
8. How can the Caucus help you better understand and represent API constituents? List three strategies.
1) Collaborate with me to do more cross cultural events to increase access to health and wellness
initiatives in the community.
2) Collaborate with me to help remove the trade barriers in international business and increase trade
and job growth and creation.
3) Fight for more API constituents to go to local colleges and university, like Ohlone College by
creating more scholarship opportunities
4) Collaborate to do more trade missions to Asia Pacific to increase more partnerships in science and
technology, business, and job creation initiatives.
9. How do you see yourself utilizing the resources of the Caucus? I would utilize the resources of the
Caucus to increase awareness of the API community, partner and support Caucus on community
initiatives. I would be greatly appreciated to have the support towards my candidacy and sponsor a
fundraiser to get the message out and reach the constituents and send volunteers to walk precincts
and phone bank.
Deadline for responses: 5 p.m. Monday, March 31, 2014 Please e-mail your completed questionnaire to
Candidate Endorsement Questionnaire_2014
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Thank you for taking the time to seek our endorsement.
ORGANIZATIONS
Teamsters International
Santa Clara County Democratic Club
California Legislative Black Caucus
National Women’s Political Caucus
Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA)
Milpitas Firefighter Union IAFF Local 1699 Association
Professional Athletes Business Group
Silicon Valley African American Democratic Coalition
STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS
Delaine Eastin, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Emeritus and
State of California Assembly Chair, Education Committee
Lawson Stuart, Chair, California Democratic Party Veterans Caucus
Reid Milburn, California Democratic Party Veterans Caucus & Vice-Chair, Organizational
Development Committee
Kate McKay, California Democratic Party Veterans Caucus, Chair, Organizational Development
Committee
Darren Parker, Chair, California Democratic Party African American Caucus
Carol Fowler, California Democratic Caucus for Women
Tony Perez, Former Chair, California Chicano Latino Caucus
Anne Warren, Senior Assembly Member, California Senior Legislature
Diane Watson, U.S. Congresswoman Emeritus
Sandre Swanson, Assembly Member Emeritus and Deputy Mayor Oakland
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Curren Price, Los Angeles City Council and California State Senator Emeritus
Holly Mitchell, California State Senator and Chair, California Legislative Black Caucus
Cheryl Brown, California State Assembly Member
Isadore Hall, III, California State Assembly Member
Reginald Brown Sawyer, California State Assembly Member
Chris Holden, California State Assembly Member
Shirley Weber, California State Assembly Member
Steven Branford, California State Assembly Member
Robert Means, California Democratic State Central Committee and Sunnyhills Neighborhood
Association, Milpitas, President
Cassandra Langer, California Democratic State Central Committee and Berryessa North San Jose
Democratic Club
LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
Malia Cohen, San Francisco County Board of Supervisors
Pete McHugh, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor, Emeritus
Leslie Katz, San Francisco County Board of Supervisors Emeritus
Orlando Walker, President, Santa Clara County Correctional Peace Officer Association (Union)
Emeritus
Doris Ward, Board President, Emeritus San Francisco County Board of Supervisors; Emeritus San Francisco County Assessor-Recorder
Donald White, Alameda County Treasurer
Lisa Gillmor, Santa Clara City Council Member
Debi Davis, Santa Clara City Council Member
Patricia Mahan, Esq., Santa Clara City Council Member
Mark Green, Bay Area Government Association President and Mayor, Union City Emeritus
Debbie Indihar Giordano, Milpitas City Council Member
Maria “Sucy” Collazo, Newark City Council Member
Ray Buenventura, Mayor, Daly City
Claire Mack, Mayor, San Mateo Emeritus
Myrtle Walker, East Palo Alto Mayor Emeritus and Executive Director, Drew Health Foundation
Michael Guingona, Daly City Council Member
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Jan Perry, Los Angeles City Council Member
Jordan Eldrige, Rancho Rinconada Recreation & Park District Board of Directors
Aldyth Parle, Santa Clara County Central Democratic Committee
Leah Pimentel, Vice-Chair, San Francisco Democratic Party
Swanee Edwards, Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee
Sousan Manteghi - Safakish, Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee and Bay Area
Iranian American Democratic Club
Kathy Neal, Alameda County Central Democratic Committee
Jim Cooper, Sheriff’s Captain and Former Elk Grove Mayor
Allan Thiessen, Santa Clara County Central Democratic Committee
Cynthia Ford, Santa Clara County Central Democratic Committee
Mike Bucci, President, Tri-Cities Democratic Forum
Maria Alegria, Contra Costa County Democratic Party
Cassandra Langer, Santa Clara County Central Democratic Committee
Rob Means, Santa Clara County Central Democratic Committee
EDUCATION
Sheila Jordan, Alameda County Superintendent of Schools
Fred Sims, Alameda County Board of Education
Aisha Knowles, Alameda County Board of Education
Meredith Brown, Peralta Community College Trustee
Linda Handy, Peralta Community College, Trustee
Bill Riley, Peralta Community College, Trustee
Ann Crosbie, Fremont Unified School Board Member
Jackie Adams, Berryessa School Board Member
Mary Noel, Oak Grove School District, Board Member
Kathryn Ramirez, President, Salinas Union High School District
Roseanne Torres, Oakland Unified School Board Member and Attorney
Gloria Villasana Fuerniss, Ohlone College Board of Trustees Emeritus
Kevin Bristow, Ohlone Community College Board of Trustees
William McGee, President, Hayward School Board
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Sarabjit K. Cheema, New Haven Unified School Board
Sheila Sims, Hayward School Board Member
Kiran Gulati, University of California Santa Cruz Professor
Roberta McClinton, Berryessa Educator
Merylee Shelton, San Jose City College
Ken Waters, College Dean
Brianna Eakin, San Jose State University
Esther Fowlks, College Student Leader
Sonam Babu, College Student Government Leader
Melinda Burns, San Jose State University
Amal Mol, San Jose State University
Georgette Gale , San Jose State University
Michael Casas, Student Government President, San Jose City College
LeaAnn Lucas, Ph.D., College Professor
Darwin Henderson, College Professor
Billie Frierson, California Library Caucus
Brenda Johnson, Peralta Community College
Martha Hanks, Educator
Narda Mamou, Educator
Susan Marsland, Educator
Sonya Neely-Johnson, Peralta Community College
Sonja Martin Poole, University of San Francisco Professor
Susan Gonsalves Marsland, M.P.A., Educator
Shirley Porter, Educator
Shirley Lee, West Valley College Student
Frankie Gillette, Educator
Alan Kirshner, College Professor
Sharon Taylor, Educator
Marilyn Williams, Educator
Rita Holliday, Educator
Harold Jones, Educator
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Lela Jones, Educator
Patricia Hewlin, Ph.D., Educator
Beverly James, Educator
Dr. Mark Alexander, Educator
Tobe Okyiala, San Jose State University
Raji Bassi, San Jose State University
Duy Nguyen, San Jose State University
Adil Charki, San Jose State University
Ceryll Duller, San Jose State University
Tam Pham, San Jose State University
Shaivali Pareuh, San Jose State University
Gwen Stewart, Ph.D., Educator
Malaika Young, Educator
Celestine (Tina) Williams, A Reasonable Woman
Chiara Perry, Educator
Terry Cato, Author & Writer
Rita Scott, Educator
Bill Scott, Educator & IBM executive
Cheryl Washington, Educator
Tonya Trim, Educator
APPOINTED OFFICIALS
Venus D. Johnson, Esq., California Commission on Access to Justice
L. Karen Monroe, Associate Superintendent, Alameda County Education
Harvey Dosanjh, Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging
Rini Johar, Sunnyvale Leadership Commission and ACLU San Mateo
Gurdev S. Sandhu, Milpitas Planning Commission
Arun Boel, Dublin Planning Commission
Sarah Richardson, Alameda County Central Democratic Committee
Dexter Vizinau, Richmond Economic Development Commission
Mark Tiernan, Milpitas Planning Commission and Milpitas Rotary Club
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Tyra Fennel, San Francisco Arts Commission
Bridgette Hendricks, Tri-City Democratic Forum
Susan Johnson, Tri-Cities Democratic Forum
Alice Bulos, Chairwoman Emeritus, Filipino American Democratic Caucus
Michael Gumban Pangilinan, Chairman, Filipino American Democratic Caucus
Frank Carbajal, Founder, Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit
Gurdev S. Sandhu, Milpitas Planning Commission
MEDICAL/DENTAL
Frank Staggers , Sr. M.D., Past President, California Medical Association, National Medical
Association, National President Emeritus
Frank Staggers, Jr., M.D., Golden State Medical Association and Sinkler Miller Medical
Association
James Hinsdale, M.D., Past President, California Medical Association
Randall Pham, M.D. State Co-Chair, Multi-Ethnic Committee, California Medical Association
Annu Navani, M.D., State Co-Chair, Multi-Ethnic Committee, California Medical Association
Michael LeNoir, M.D., President, National Medical Association
Vanila Mathur Singh, M.D., Professor, School of Medicine
Lyden Gayden, Former Contra Costa County Regional Health Foundation Executive
Michael Ricupito, D.D.S., M.S., California Dental Association and American Orthodontist
Association
H. Geoffrey Watson, James A. Watson Wellness Center
Ramona Tascoe, M.D., President, California National Summit on Africa
Ralph Peterson, M.D. Opma Medical Associates
Rene Peterson, Weight Loss Management
Gwendolyn Rowe Sykes, Bay Area Health Consortium
Miteshkumar Patel, M.D. and Pharmacist
Timothy Scott, M.D.
Phillip Saddler, D.D.S., Saddler Family Dentistry
Jon Floyd, M.D.
Eddie Carbin, D.D.S.
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Terri Dunn, M.D.
Patrick Dawkins, M.D.
Brenda Peoples Thomas, D.D.S.
Charanjit Uppal, D.D.S
Wayne Halstrom, O.D.
Stacy Hunt, M.D.
Gagan Kohli, D.D.S.
Tama Mumah, D.V.M., M.S.
Harold Orr, M.D.
Ernest Bonner, M.D.
Angela Duerod, M.D.
Cindy Carbin, M.D.
Kim Benton-Lucas, D.D.S.
Dorothy Buckner, M.D.
REALTORS
Brad Hatton, Century 21 M&M Associates
Alan Bishop, Century 21 Mission Bishop Real Estate and Realtor-Emeritus
Melrose Forde, Bay East Association of Realtors, Past President and Realty Experts
Georgia Richardson, Richardson Real Estate Services, Inc. President & CEO
Patricia Bui Hinds, President, Oakland Real Estate Association
Chuck Edell, Bay East Association of Realtors, Past President and Realty Experts
Tish Shaikh, Ventura Barnett Properties
Lisa Gillmor, Gillmor & Associates
ENVIRONMENT
Pavan Balaramon, Founder, GreenKidsNow
Shanti Balaraman, Vice-President, GreenKidsNow
Kelle Lynch McMahon, CEO, The Green Science Academy
LAWYERS
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John Burris, Esq.
Cheryl Amana-Burris, Esq.
Demetrius Shelton, Esq., National Bar Association President Emeritus
Joan Cartwright Neblett, Esq.
Verleana Green, Esq.
Robert Harris, Esq.
Meredith Brown, Esq.
Guy Bryant, Esq.
Valerie D. Lewis, Esq.
Ayanna Jenkins-Toney, Esq.
Candice Pettey, Esq.
Andre Jackson, Esq.
John T. Duncan, Esq.
Denise Harrison-Estes, Esq.
Tanya Willacy, Esq.
Jorja Jackson, Esq.
Rosario Billingsley, Esq.
Andrew Bllingsley, Esq.
WOMEN’S LEADERS
Lillian Litzsey, President, Black Women Organized for Political Action
Parmeet Randhawa, President, Indus Valley Professional & Cultural Organization
Angelica Ramos, President, Silicon Valley Chapter, National Women’s Political Caucus
Annie Flores, President, Alameda North, National Women’s Political Caucus
Sharon Ball, State Board Member, National Women’s Political Caucus
Lidia Blair, President, Santa Clara’s Women with a Purpose and Pizza Party Owner
Regina Guillory, SF Civic Center Chapter Blacks in Government, President
Joan Simmons, President, San Francisco Democratic Women’s Forum
Karen Carney-Filmore, San Francisco Theological Seminary
Jean Ficklin, Founder, Martin Luther King Day and African American Cultural & Historical
Society, Tri-City Area
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Lynette Ward, Vice-President, Young Democrats
Maxine Hickman, President, National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Leona Bridges, Commissioner, San Francisco Metro Transportation Authority
Suzanne Doty, Santa Clara County Women Leader
Chandra Brooks, Santa Clara County Women Leader
Robin Burdick, Santa Clara Women Leader
First Lady Florence Jones, Newark Church
Ingrid Merriwether, CEO & President, Merriwether & Williams
Sabuhi Siddique, Santa Clara County Women Leader
Yvette Turner Stephens, Bay Area Women Leader
Loraine Binion, Bay Area Women Leader
Janet Evans, Bay Area Women Leader
Joyce Dixon, Bay Area Women Leader
Pamela Lowe, Bay Area Women Leader
Shonda Scott, Bay Area Women Leader
Barbara Trotter, International Women Leader
Lorraine Dabney, International Women Leader
Robin Thomas, Bay Area Women Leader
Cris Williams, Bay Area Women Leader
Jennifer Flowers, Bay Area Women Leader
Jacqueline Welch, Bay Area Women Leader
Doris Rutland, Bay Area Women Leader
Jessica Rutland, Bay Area Women Leader
Vicki Stephens, State Farm Insurance and Bay Area Women Leader
C. Yvette Abateola, Bay Area Women Leader
Joy Bryant, Bay Area Women Leader
Janet Jackson, Bay Area Women Leader
Debbie Lewis, Bay Area Women Leader
Lavinia Bornor, Bay Area Women Leader
Anjuelle Weeks-Floyd, Bay Area Women Leader
Tamara Scott, Bay Area Women Leader
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Radonna Foley Scott, Bay Area Women Leader
Nicole Wilkins, Bay Area Women Leader
Theresa Ellis, Bay Area Women Leader
Margaret Zimmerman, Bay Area Women Leader
Mary Kate Crawford, Tri City Democrat Forum
Holly Johnson Friar, Bay Area Women Leader
Annette Davis, Bay Area Women Leader
Angela Warren, Bay Area Women Leader
Claudette Lindsay, Bay Area Women Leader
Jeanette Crawford-McCuller, Bay Area Women Leader
Paula Warren, Bay Area Women Leader
Debra Campbell, Bay Area Women Leader
Lavinia Bornor, Bay Area Women Leader
Barbara Hopper, Bay Area Women Leader
Cheryl Washington, Bay Area Women Leader
Rhonda Camale, Bay Area Women Leader
Marita Bolden, Bay Area Women Leader
SPORTS LEADERS
Jonathon Staggers, NFL
Mark Washington, NFL
Elston Ridgle, NFL
Eric Wright, NFL
Anthony Simmons, NFL
David Lewis, Baseball Player and Fremont Coach
Larry Bates, NFL
Reggie Green, NBA
Tim Lavender, NFL
Dan Puder, National MMA Champion and Anti-Bullying Activist
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BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS
Bishop Bob Jackson, Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ and Founder, Oakland Black
Chamber of Commerce
Hellen Sims, NAACP Executive Board (San Jose/Silicon Valley)
J. Alfred Smith, Jr, Allen Temple Baptist Church
Condeloria Rosa Cruz, Owner, Rosita's De Basilio Deli & Market in Alviso
Dennis Rojas, Latino Connection
Gene Daniels, State Farm Insurance and Chairman, Newark Chamber of Commerce
Harbir Bhatia, TiECon
Shon Bonford, Firefighter
Rodger Allen, Hayward Fire Chief Emeritus
Pastor Horacio Jones, Newark Church
Larry Sneed, Sneed Insurance
Jose Duenas, Alameda County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Joe Partida, Alameda County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Barbara Crenshaw
Todd Duncan
Nina Love
Alex Posey
Carla Thomas, Journalist
Alan Dones, Business Leader