CAPA21 (capa21.com), an Asian Pacific American political action committee, named Tamlyn Tomita, Maeley Tom, and Ginger Lew as new co-chairs, joining co-founder Dale Minami as leaders of the PAC.

CAPA21 was co-founded by Minami and Glen S. Fukushima in 2013 and has roots in the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, founded in 1988 as one of country’s first Asian Pacific American PACs. CAPA21 invests in progressive candidates, AAPI field operations, and projects to improve AAPI participation in the political process.

Since 2013, CAPA21 has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates and committees that support Asian Pacific Americans and our priorities.

Maeley Tom holds the unique distinction of breaking the glass ceiling twice in both houses in the California State Legislature and earned the nickname as the “political godmother” of the Asian Pacific Islander community because of her dynamic leadership. Now retired, Maeley recently wrote a book, “I’m Not Who You Think I Am: An Asian American Woman’s Political Journey,” to share the positive sides of her struggles in climbing the political ladder, self-knowledge and sacrifices, as well as share heartfelt advice to the next generation of policymakers.

Ginger Lew is CEO of Three Oaks Investments LLC, served as Senior Counselor to the White House National Economic Council until October 2011. She provided economic policy advice on a broad range of matters, including innovation, commercialisation, small business, capital access and formation of entrepreneurship policies. She also co-chaired the White House Interagency Group on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She was also appointed by Secretary Hillary Clinton to serve on the Board of Governors of the East West Centre.

Tamlyn Tomita is an actor an activist, now as well-known for her advocacy of Asian American issues as she is for starring in “The Karate Kid Part II,” “The Good Doctor,” and “Star Trek: Picard.” In 2020, Tamlyn served as one of California’s 55 representatives to the electoral college who cast votes for Joe Biden for President and Kamala Harris for Vice President. California’s electors gave Biden/Harris the electoral college votes they needed to pass the 270-vote threshold. Congresswoman Judy Chu selected Tamlyn for the honor to represent California’s 27th Congressional District on recommendations by Maeley Tom and Dale Minami.

Dear Friends of CAPA21:

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you personally for your support of CAPA21—moral, intellectual, and financial—and for your faith in our ability to make a difference. Thanks to your warm support, we were able to contribute to the fabulous success of winning back control of the White House and Senate and keeping our majority in the House of Representatives.

When Dale and I established CAPA21 in 2013, Barack Obama had just been re-elected president, and we were feeling optimistic about the overall direction of our country. We felt, however, that we needed to make special efforts to identify, nurture, and support progressive AAPI candidates running for political office, hence, CAPA21. But the election of 2016 was a shocking regression that gave us the worst president in our lifetime and a Republican majority in the Senate and House that enabled Donald Trump to encourage and energize the worst elements of our country: bigots, racists, fascists, homophobes, and xenophobes.

With your support, we were able to help end “our long national nightmare” on January 20, 2021. Although Joe Biden won the electoral college by a comfortable margin (306 vs. 232) and won the popular vote by over 7 million (81,283,485, or 51.4%, vs. 74,223,744, or 46.9%), we face the uncomfortable truth that over 74 million Americans voted to give Trump a second term. What this means is that we must remain eternally vigilant and continue our efforts to support progressive candidates who can ensure that we protect, preserve, and expand our freedom, our liberty, and our democracy. I look forward to working with all of you on our quest to ensure that AAPIs fully participate to make our beloved America a “more perfect union.”

In solidarity,

Glen S. Fukushima
Co-Founder and Chairman
CAPA21

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Dear Supporters of CAPA21, Friends and Colleagues:

I just wanted to say “Thank You” to all the folks who supported our efforts to save our country, through your donations, encouraging folks to donate, organizing, voter engagement and protection, sharing our posts, writing letters, and making phone calls, and just voting. From those who gave $100,000 to those who contributed $5 or more, from Hawai’i to Maine, we appreciated the donations, but just as important, we valued your emotional support and inspiration for all of us at CAPA21 to keep on and do more. This was a slog, a trek, a marathon, and undamped fight for the soul of a country we love. You kept us going.

And what inspired me was the fierce determination to combat voter suppressions, lies, manipulation, degradations of the Rule of Law, intimidating voters, violence against People of Color who came out and mailed votes during the time of CV19. Seeing the lines to vote in the heat, rain, and inclement conditions reminded me of the unshakeable resolve and courage of the African Americans who endured immeasurable hardship so they could exercise a fundamental right denied them for decades, just like their sit-ins at lunch counters just to get a bite to eat. We stand in their worn and tired shoes and we are the heirs to their legacy.

I have been active in electoral politics since 1987 when we formed CAPA (Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans), which evolved into CAPA21. I have never been so moved by our friends (and strangers) who donated, nor prouder of our American voters who walked this perilous path with us to help restore the United States I respect.

So, thank you all. My appreciation is bottomless.

Dale Minami
Co-Founder and President
CAPA21