The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (APABA Silicon Valley) extends its heartfelt congratulations to Assemblymember Rob Bonta on his appointment as Attorney General for the State of California. It is impossible to ignore the historical significance of this outcome, as Assemblymember Bonta will be the first Filipino-American to serve in this role, and only the second Asian American Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) to hold this position. APABA Silicon Valley is hopeful that Assemblymember Bonta will continue his strong record of fighting hate crimes and advocating for social justice.

APABA Silicon Valley (“APABA”) condemns not only the horrific mass shooting yesterday that targeted AAPI businesses and left numerous AAPI women murdered, but also the skewed and racist media coverage (or lack thereof) of this and the rise in anti-AAPI hate violence. Nonprofit organization Stop AAPI Hate reports that there were almost 4,000 anti-AAPI hate incidents from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021 nationwide. And since many hate crimes go unreported, the actual number of attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is surely higher. Over 700 of such attacks have occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2021 alone, many against elderly simply walking down the street in broad daylight.

APABA Silicon Valley (“APABA”) condemns the insurrection that resulted in yesterday’s desecration of our U.S. Capitol and threat to our nation’s democracy itself. APABA supports peaceful protest and lawful exercise of First Amendment rights, but what happened yesterday was not that. Media images of what transpired around and within the breached walls of the federal building show nothing less than an attempted coup by domestic terrorists replacing American flags at the Capitol with others, and brandishing symbols of hate and racism as a sword, while wielding their privilege as a shield. APABA calls on all elected federal officials to not only denounce the violence that transpired, but also to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution, to proceed with the peaceful and orderly transition of power, and to hold the perpetrators of yesterday’s destructive events accountable for their despicable actions.

The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (APABA Silicon Valley) extends its heartful congratulations to President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their election victory.

The November 3 General Election is right around the corner. Please refer to NAPABA’s Voter Protection resource to find information on how to vote, learn what AAPI candidates are running for office (at the local, state and federal level), and details on how to become a poll worker to ensure the integrity of the election process.

As a regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), APABA Silicon Valley is proud to be a part of the 2020 NAPABA elections process, and we encourage our membership to participate in the upcoming elections. If you previously registered as a NAPABA member (either using the APABA Silicon Valley affiliate code or by becoming a direct member of NAPABA), you are eligible to vote in this year’s election.

It’s with a heavy heart that I must announce the cancellation of APABA Silicon Valley's 35th Annual Gala, originally scheduled for October 9, 2020 at Levi's Stadium. Like many of you, I look forward to APABA's Gala each year as an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new friends and business connections, honor deserving scholarship and diversity award recipients, and just have an all-out great time. But the safety of our community is paramount above all else, and there is simply no way to host a live event of this scale in a safe and responsible manner. While I'm sure this will come as a tremendous disappointment to many, we are grateful for your understanding and are actively planning our 36th Annual Gala in Fall 2021, at a date to be announced.