Tonight feels meaningful. This is the first time CADC, the Ed Lee Democratic Club, and the Rose Pak Club are coming together for a joint holiday gathering. Leading up to this event, I had a lot of people come up to me and ask, "so what's the deal with this party?" my response has been the same to all of them: it never hurts to break bread and that we share far more that unites us than what divides us. 

We know our community is not a monolith. We don’t always agree—and sometimes our disagreements have been incredibly strong. But that diversity of thought reflects the richness and robustness of our community. We are not static nor complacent. We are constantly striving for better. It is that very determination that brings us together.

We all want to improve the lives of our community. We just might take different paths and hold different views on how best to get there. Although it may be hard for us to always see eye to eye, at the heart of it, we are fighting for the same people and the same future. Everyone in this room understands that meaningful change doesn’t happen on its own.

It requires participation. It requires showing up, staying engaged, and making sure that the many voices in our community are heard by those in power.

Our culture teaches us that progress comes from hard work and persistence. And we are willing to do that work. Because we know that our community requires more from the city. Our monolingual seniors, SRO families, working class immigrants, and multi-generational households all deserve to have the same access to resources as every San Franciscian. This is what our community demands and deserves. 

I also want to take a moment to thank Josephine Zhao for bringing us together and making this event happen. We have often stood on different sides, but her ability to organize, her tenacity, and her perseverance are qualities that have earned her so much respect in my book.

Those qualities have strengthened our community, even when we don’t always agree.

So in closing, if we could all raise a glass for a toast—to celebrate all of us, and to the enduring legacy of our community here in San Francisco.

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About Rose Pak Asian American Club: In honor of its namesake, 
the Rose Pak Asian American Club works to unapologetically
elevate the voices of Asian American residents in San Francisco.
Through a commitment to public service, the organization
engages residents to be more informed, involved,
and active in the political process and to provide
a space to discuss issues that impact the Asian American community.  rosepakdemclub.org