Democratic Party County Central Committee — Democratic PartyCandidate for Member, Assembly District 18

Austin Tam, I have worked at Buena Vista  United Methodist Church as a a Disability Advocate since 2014 and help to envision Asian American Pacific Islander Disability Awareness Project, in order to help make "the Invisible, Visible."  Through the Asian Pacific Islander Disability Awareness, we have held Disability Summits in 2016 and 2017. What inspired me to become a Disability Advocate, was because of my own journey living with a Learning Disability, and how it has helped me to become more empathetic and compassioante towards others. I also serve as Community Developer Organizer alongside being a Disability Advocate, in which I am part of different social justice issues around the community, whether its for Tenants Rights Issues, Immigration, Disability Work, or when it comes to Human Rights Work around the world. I help to do outreach for people to attend different gatherings and to help mobilize people to attend. I also currently serve as On-Call Staff and Volunteer for Helping Hands East Bay, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization led by individuals and family members who have lived experience negotiating the challenges of developmental disabilities. A number of our board and staff members have successfully navigated multiple service systems such as Regional Center, special education, Department of Rehabilitation, specialized health care, and other helpful community resources to enable their loved ones with developmental disabilities to achieve their fullest potential and become contributing members of society. Helping Hands East Bay seeks to empower Asian immigrant families impacted by developmental disabilities to live dignified and satisfied lives by providing information, education, support and services. Our bilingual and bicultural staff and volunteers specialize in serving Asian immigrant families with limited English proficiency. Helping Hands East Bay Vision is for Asian immigrant families with limited English proficiency who are living with developmental disabilities will have easy and equal access to available resources in health/behavioral health care, education, employment, housing, social, recreational, and developmental services, as well as community and faith-based resources to enable them to live hopeful and joyful lives.

I am very progressive, and I will not be beholden to politicians, nor to the establishment. I speak the truth, even when it's not popular, and  to help be a voice for those without a voice, and I advocate on social justice issues, whenever there is injustice taking place. Lastly to help make the "Invisible, Visible."