On July 13, 2024, Chyanne Chen, a candidate for District 11 City Council in San Francisco, established her campaign headquarters and held a campaign kickoff ceremony. Several dignitaries and community leaders attended to show support, with over a hundred Chinese Americans present to cheer her on.
Chyanne Chen’s campaign manager, Linshao, stated that the primary task of setting up the campaign headquarters is to engage with voters and understand the issues that matter to them. This will enable them to provide assistance to the community once Chyanne Chen is elected. The office will be open on weekdays and one weekend day (either Saturday or Sunday) until the November elections. The office is located at 4657 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94112.
Early in the morning, the campaign office was packed with residents showing their support. Guests in attendance included California State Assemblymember Phil Ting, San Francisco City Councilmember Myrna Melgar, IFPTE Local 21 union president Bianca Polovina representing city government employees, SF Rising Action Fund leader Reina Tello, President of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Yinfang Liu, Executive Director of the San Francisco Chinese Community Center Zhongxian Yang, former city council members Li Lichang and Ma Zhaoming, founder of the New Breath Foundation Xiaofei Zheng, Chairman of the San Francisco Tenants Union Ronghao Liang, District 11 small business owner Wayne Yu, Vice President of the American Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine Traumatology Liang Quanhui, and Filipino community leader Elaine Villasper, among others. Chyanne Chen’s husband, two daughters, mother, and several relatives were present to show their support.
During the campaign kickoff ceremony, Chyanne Chen expressed gratitude to the guests in attendance, especially the many Chinese elder community members and her family members who have supported her decision to run for office. She acknowledged the sacrifices made by many families to reach this point in her candidacy and emphasized her commitment to fighting for the community as a resident of District 11 for over 24 years.
She reiterated her campaign platform, focusing on continuing the efforts of the past 20 years, which include advocating for workers’ rights, promoting language programs, fostering interracial understanding and alliances, ensuring street safety and cleanliness, improving services for seniors, and providing affordable housing in District 11 for working families and seniors to continue living comfortably.
Support from the Chinese Community
Many of the supporters present that day were Chinese residents, with a few sharing their reasons for supporting Chyanne Chen in interviews.
Posum Poon, former Vice President of the SEIU 2015 Long-Term Care Union, recalled first meeting Chyanne Chen 16 years ago and being impressed by her dedication towards community organizing from a young age. Poon praised Chen for her understanding of the district’s needs, particularly for workers, highlighting her immigrant background, multilingual abilities, and years of experience working in the union, which he believed set her apart from other candidates.
Dr. Albert Wang from API Coalition Chain commended Chyanne Chen for her long-standing service to the community, ability to analyze situations, and bridge communication between immigrants and the government due to her familiarity with both Chinese and American cultures. Wang emphasized the importance of having a mediator in today’s politically divided climate and viewed Chen as a candidate who could bring balance and harmony.
Shirley Chang, a former nurse at San Francisco General Hospital, praised Chyanne Chen for her patient approach in listening to the community’s voice, especially emphasizing the representation of hard-working middle-class residents in District 11 who have often been overlooked in political discussions.
Chyanne Chen, originally from Guangdong, China, immigrated to the United States at the age of 15 and has been a resident of San Francisco’s District 11 for over 24 years. She is a mother of two daughters and cares for her parents while balancing her career. With a background in the SEIU 2015 and serving as the chair of the San Francisco chapter of the United Chinese Americans, Chen has been an advocate for community organizing, interracial unity, and immigrant and workers’ rights. She aims to give District 11 the representation it deserves in City Hall.
Chyanne Chen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics Management from UC Davis and a Master’s degree in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell University. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she is dedicated to serving her community and bringing about positive change.