Mission

The Building Community Leaders (BCL) Program encourages, prepares and supports members of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community to advance their leadership in civic involvement and public service.

Why

San Francisco’s API population is 37%, yet we do not often see the same level of API representation filling leadership roles. Without a strong presence in elected office, appointed seats, public agency leadership, community-based activism, we are left to rely on others to speak for our communities and needs.

37%

SF API population

Leadership begins locally

BCL is a community-driven effort incubated in San Francisco, CA to provide leadership support and training to API leaders. We go beyond political ideology to lift up seasoned and emerging leaders to further their capacity for political leadership and civic engagement.

We aim to elevate API voices in the public sphere with a genuine connection and concern for their community. And just like the API community is not monolithic, we recognize that not all viewpoints will be the same, and not all journeys into leadership roles need to follow the same path.

BCL is an intergenerational initiative focused on growing a robust pipeline of local API leadership. We are community leaders, former electeds, and organizers coming together to create a structure of support that will continue the rich legacy of Asian American and Pacific Islander political leadership and activism here in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Advisory Group

The API Building Community Leaders Program is a fiscally sponsored project of Asian Americans for Civil Rights & Equality. The BCL Advisory Group is a volunteer committee composed of:

(Affiliations are for identification purposes only)

Crystal Chan

Former San Francisco Youth Commissioner and District 7 Youth Council member

Frances Hsieh

Legislative aide, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and labor union leader

Tammy Hung

Community organizer

Emily Lee

Former Executive Director of SF Rising

Allan Low

Partner, Perkins Coie

Norman Yee

Former San Francisco Board of Supervisors President and SFUSD Board of Education President, former Executive Director of Wu Yee Children’s Services

Without a strong presence in public office, we are left to rely on others to speak for our communities.