According to APIA Vote and TargetSmart, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have had the largest increase in voter registration of any racial group in the country from January to June, compared to the same time back in 2020. This statistic alone is enough to expect AANHPI voters to have an impact on this year's election—whether local, statewide or federal. 

Join us for a conversation to understand the issues that are important to AANHPI voters as they cast their votes, some for the very first time, in this election.

About the Speakers

Juslyn Manalo is the mayor of Daly City. Manalo made history as the first Filipina/Asian American woman elected to the Daly City Council in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020 with an unprecedented 43.7 percent of the votes—a Daly City record during the tumultuous times of the pandemic, and campaigning while pregnant with her second child. Manalo is currently the senior community engagement specialist-impact, policy, and communication with the San Francisco Office of Economic Workforce Development. Manalo's service journey began as a Community Service Worker advocating for Filipino World War II Veterans. She then spearheaded the Bill Sorro Housing Program, helping low- to moderate-income families find stability and security in housing. Transitioning to the private sector, Manalo continued her mission as a community engagement manager for a real estate developer. Manalo's impact extends to the crucial domain of water supply and conservation as a board member of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency. She chairs the Fil-Am Caucus of the California Democratic Party, is president of the Filipino-American Democratic Club of San Mateo County and the board of Senior Disability Action.

Karthick Ramakrishnan has served in leadership roles that span academia, government, public policy, and philanthropy. He is founder and director of AAPI Data, a nationally recognized publisher of demographic data and policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and a researcher at UC Berkeley. He is also strategy lead for the Americas at School of International Futures, and senior advisor at States for the Future. Ramakrishnan previously served as executive director of California 100, a transformative statewide initiative focused on California’s next century, and as president of the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni. He served for 4 years as associate dean of UC Riverside’s School of Public Policy and for 19 years as a professor. He also serves on the Boards of The California Endowment, the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee (NAC), and the Asian American Alumni Association of Princeton

Nancy Tung was elected as chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party in April 2024. She previously served as an elected member of the party's local leadership for four years. She deeply understands the impact the Democratic Party has on local elections and is guiding a new caucus of moderate Democrats in the Party. Tung's core issues are public safety, improving public schools, increasing the housing stock, and supporting small businesses. Outside of politics, Tung is a career prosecutor, having served at the state and local level for 24 years.

Michelle Zhang is a passionate advocate for civic engagement, LGBTQ+ rights, and community bridge-building. Born in Sichuan, China, she holds an advanced law degree from Sichuan University and practiced law for a decade. In 2013, she co-founded Juheng Law Firm (now SGLA Law Firm), recognized by ALB in 2023 as one of China’s fastest-growing law firms. Selected for the U.S. State Department's prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program in 2015, Michelle has worked to advance LGBTQ+ visibility in China and the United States, contributing content to Global Pride 2020. Less than three years after relocating to the Bay Area, she founded the Society of Heart's Delight in 2020, aimed at connecting Chinese immigrants with diverse communities through civic engagement and cultural collaboration; she currently serves as its CEO. In 2022, Zhang was selected by the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute for its leadership training program. She also works closely with the City of San Jose and cultural organizations to promote inclusivity and unity across communities.