Kelly Wong, mightve made history in San Francisco, first non-citizen Appointed to San Francisco Elections Commission

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Breaking Barriers: Noncitizen Kelly Wong Appointed to San Francisco Elections Commission​

Kelly Wong, a Chinese immigrant and advocate for immigrant rights, is named the first noncitizen to San Francisco's Elections Commission. Her focus is to improve engagement among immigrant and non-English speaking communities, promoting inclusive governance and empowerment.​

Hadeel Hashem18 Feb 2024 13:46 EST

Breaking Barriers: Noncitizen Kelly Wong Appointed to San Francisco Elections Commission

In a groundbreaking move that challenges traditional norms and opens a new chapter in the evolution of democratic participation, San Francisco has named Kelly Wong, a Chinese immigrant and advocate for immigrant rights, as the first noncitizen to the city's Elections Commission. Arriving in the United States in 2019, Wong's journey from Hong Kong to a pivotal role in one of America's most vibrant cities is a testament to the shifting dynamics of civic engagement and the increasing recognition of noncitizens' contributions to the community.

Breaking Barriers: A Noncitizen's Rise to the Elections Commission​

Wong's appointment is not merely a personal achievement but a milestone for San Francisco, a city known for its progressive stances and diverse population. The decision to allow a noncitizen to play a significant role in overseeing election policies reflects a broader move towards inclusivity and diversity in governance. This was made possible by a 2020 voter-approved measure that eliminated the citizenship requirement for serving on city boards and commissions, signaling a shift in how representation and participation are viewed in the city's political landscape.

Despite not having the legal right to vote, Wong's role on the Elections Commission will be crucial in shaping policies that affect the city's electoral processes. Her primary aim is to enhance engagement among the city's immigrant and non-English speaking communities, a demographic that faces unique challenges in civic participation. By ensuring that voter materials are translated effectively and accessibly, Wong is poised to make a significant impact on how these communities interact with the democratic process.

Empowering Communities: The Heart of Wong's Mission​

Before her historic appointment, Kelly Wong was deeply involved in advocacy work through her position at Chinese for Affirmative Action, focusing on the needs and rights of low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) immigrants in San Francisco. Her research on racial microaggressions faced by Chinese immigrant women during the Covid pandemic has also been published, highlighting her commitment to addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by immigrants.

Wong's dedication to her community and her understanding of the barriers to participation that non-English speaking and immigrant populations face are at the core of her mission on the Elections Commission. By emphasizing the importance of clear, accessible voter information and advocating for policies that consider the needs of these communities, Wong is not only working to ensure that they are represented but also that they feel a sense of belonging and empowerment within the democratic framework.

 

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Not many sites covering this… ummmm wonder if this some fake news type shit

 

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San Francisco Appoints First Non-Citizen To Election Commission​

Authored by Melanie Sun via The Epoch Times,

San Francisco’s Elections Commission has, for what is believed to be a first time in history, appointed a non-U.S. citizen, who isn’t legally allowed to vote, to serve as an official.



The officer, Kelly Wong, was sworn in on Wednesday, according to local news outlet KQED. It reported that Ms. Wong, an immigrant rights advocate, is a native of Hong Kong who arrived in the United States in 2019 for graduate studies.

She was sworn in by Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin during a ceremony at San Francisco City Hall after winning unanimous support from the board.

“This appointment is a milestone for all immigrant and marginalized communities throughout SF,” Ms. Wong said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday. “Representation matters: thousands of immigrants living in the city hold stakes in politics and there’s no better way to have us be represented than to serve in leadership positions.”
“I am deeply committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of immigration status, has a seat at the table in shaping the future of our city.”

The appointment of a non-citizen to city boards, commissions, and advisory bodies was made possible in a 2020 vote, which saw voters pass the proposal by lawmakers to remove the standing requirement that candidates seeking office hold U.S. citizenship.

Mr. Peskin at the ceremony on Wednesday applauded Ms. Wong’s activism, saying, “I’m very impressed by her commitment to enfranchising people who rarely vote, to educating people about the voting process, and to bring in noncitizens and get them the tools they need as they become citizens,” he told KQED.

The former resident of Hong Kong, which now belongs to China and recently saw mass pro-democracy protests over the people’s lack of true electoral representation, said she hopes to improve immigrant and non-English voter engagement in her new home city of San Francisco, which has a ranked-choice voting system. She also told KQED that one of her priorities would be to put resources into better translations of voter materials.

“I’ve seen how language and cultural barriers prevent immigrants with limited English proficiency from fully exercising their right to vote,” Ms. Wong said.

Ms. Wong will now join six other members of the civilian-led commission, whose job it is to oversee policy and operations for the city’s Department of Elections.

As all member roles are unpaid, Ms. Wong said she would also continue her work for progressive advocacy group Chinese for Affirmative Action—a non-government organization founded in 1969 that isfocused on protecting the “civil and political rights of Chinese Americans and to advance multiracial democracy in the United States,” the group says on its website.

She has worked for the group since 2022.

Chinese for Affirmative Action in 2016 supported other progressive advocacy efforts to further liberalize voting access,lobbying the government to change the law to allow non-citizens to vote on school board elections if their child attends a school in the district. Their efforts succeeded after challenges in the state’s courts.

Ms. Wong thanked City of San Francisco’s Immigrant Rights Commissioner Sarah Souza—who arrived in the United States as an illegal immigrant child and was the first of her kind in California appointed to the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee—for her successful campaign in 2020 to change the law and allow non-citizens to serve on local commissions and advisory boards.

“Without Sarah’s advocacy and perseverance, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to represent immigrant voices and contribute to shaping the future of our communities,” Ms. Wong said in her post.
“To all immigrants in SF: I hope my appointment to the Elections Commission serves as a beacon of hope, showing that change is possible and your voices matter in policymaking. If I can do it, you can too.”

Vincent Pan, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, also congratulated Ms. Wong.

He told KQED, “I’m hoping there will be a day where it won’t be as newsworthy that you have someone who’s an immigrant and a noncitizen involved in helping make the city run better, especially in a city where such a large percentage of the community is immigrants.”

 

[doe moe]

I'm calling this early, San Francisco is the next Vancouver.

 

[dbluesun]

MAGA is gonna shit golden bricks over this

wait Frump did that last night

 

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I'm calling this early, San Francisco is the next Vancouver.

Moe explain, if you don’t mind

 

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MAGA is gonna shit golden bricks over this

wait Frump did that last night

He threw a pissy fit last night?

 

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MAGA is gonna shit golden bricks over this

wait Frump did that last night

He threw a pissy fit last night?

 

[dbluesun]

He threw a pissy fit last night?

and shit out those Temu shoes too

 

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and shit out those Temu shoes too

I’m have to look in that thread, I just saw it

 

[durham]

This is fucking ridiculous.

 

[doe moe]

Moe explain, if you don’t mind

Asian take over. It was Asians that took over Vancouver and drove up the cost of living.

It's my guess San Fransisco will go the same route once Asians get a monopoly.

 

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Asian take over. It was Asians that took over Vancouver and drove up the cost of living.

It's my guess San Fransisco will go the same route once Asians get a monopoly.

Ok that’s what I figured you meant but didn’t want to assume anything differently

 

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[Lexx Diamond]

That shit is ridiculous. Ain't no way in hell a non citizen should ever be on any Elections Commission.

 

[easy_b]

That shit is ridiculous. Ain't no way in hell a non citizen should ever be on any Elections Commission.

I agree with you, but you see what she is and you know of San Francisco so I am not surprised. Mexicans and Cubans do the same thing.