I was born, raised and educated in New York City.  I am the son of working-class parents who sacrificed much to make sure their children succeeded in life. They taught me the value of hard work and the importance of civic responsibility, advocating for young people and giving one’s elders the respect and regard they deserve.

            No stranger to public service, I have served on the Monterey Park Community Participation Commission and I presently serve on the Traffic Commission.  I am a trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member who is ready to provide emergency services to the people of Monterey Park in case of an earthquake or other cataclysmic event.  When I was younger, I lived in the US Virgin Islands and was a three times elected Senator, serving from 1985-91. In my capacity as a Senator, I created and oversaw multi-million-dollar departmental budgets, chaired the Senate Public Works Committee and the Education Committee where he crafted important education policy legislation.

            My life experiences have reinforced my belief that our elected representatives are, first and foremost, public servants. This is not a phrase I use lightly. To me, TRULY serving the public means having a passion for public service, being accessible, transparent, accountable and adhering to the highest ethical standards. That is why I will be a 24/7 elected representative of all the people of District 3 and plan to establish office hours at City Hall so that I can make accessibility a reality for all of my constituents.

            A retired educator, I am committed to quality education and equal opportunity for all young people regardless of race, ethnicity, family history, national origin, age, economic status or gender. My background has given him a deep appreciation for the importance of protecting the rights of working people so that they and their families can have the opportunities needed to enjoy a better quality of life.

            Those who know me describe me as a results-oriented kind of guy. I thrive on tackling challenging problems, developing workable solutions and getting satisfying outcomes. I have a very diverse employment background and am fortunate to have had multiple successful careers. I am an accomplished pianist, musician and recorded composer and have been as a teacher, school principal, college advisor, fund developer, journalist, business person and elected representative.  My wife, Wenling “Wendy” Yang, and I have proudly called Monterey Park our home for more than a decade. Having visited over 45 countries and lived in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, I value the blessings my family enjoy as residents of Monterey Park and I am committed to protecting those blessings for all who call this city their home.

            I am a life-long Democratic in the tradition of Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.  I believe government has a vitally important role to play in securing social justice for all people in our nation, in our states and in our local communities. I highly value the diversity of our nation and believe its greatness, like the great City of Monterey Park, is built on that diversity. My parents were first generation Americans and I want the United States to always be a welcoming place for immigrants. Growing up in New York City, I know well the Emma Lazarus poem etched into the base of the Statue of Liberty.  It is close to my heart.  It reads, in part:

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

            I am unwaveringly committed to equality before the law and equal opportunity for all people. I fully support all efforts to promote and achieve gender equality.  I believe in the right of all working people to organize to improve their working conditions and the quality of their lives and the lives of their families. As one who knows well the damage that discrimination can do to the minds, hearts and lives of people, my opposition to discrimination of any kind…racial, ethnic, sexual, etc., is complete and total.  

            Although we have our differences, as citizens and residents of America and of Monterey Park there is so much we have in common. It is the responsibility of elected leaders to work continuously to bring us together, to see our commonalities and to protect the glue that binds our people into on nation.  As the representative of District 3 on the Monterey Park City Council, I will, every day, demonstrate my respect for my constituents and serve them with the same fervor and passion I would the members of my own family….because when all is said in done, if you live in the United States, you are a member of the American family; and if you live in Monterey Park, you are a member of the family of residents that make up one of our nation’s best cities.