Cynthia Choi

Cynthia Choi

Cynthia Choi Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action based in San Francisco, California.

STOP AAPI Hate Reporting Center

San Francisco State University, the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council in Los Angeles and Chinese for Affirmative Action have launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting website to track reports of discrimination, including "micro-aggressions".

Proposition N

Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) May 23, 2018

For immediate release, please see our press release on San Francisco Board of Supervisors passing Non-Citizen Vote implementation. Thank you to all of our community allies ( Carecen SF African Advocacy Network) for providing their support and Supervisors Norman Yee Sandra Lee Fewer, Hillary Ronen for sponsoring the ordinance!

“The implementation of Prop N will enable working immigrant families to address K-12 education equity issues through the power of the ballot,” said Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of CAA. “For more than a decade immigrant families and parents leaders have fought hard to make Proposition N a reality, and the Department of Elections is now clearly tasked and given direction on how to implement Prop N despite the challenges of the current political climate.”

End National Security Scapegoating

In early October 2017, Chinese for Affirmative Action joined Chinese Progressive Association, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus and notable community leaders Henry Der, Ling-chi Wang, and Helen Zia to form the End National Security Scapegoating (ENSS) coalition. The coalition was established in response to pervasive efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice that target and prosecute Chinese American individuals for espionage related crimes.

One such Chinese American is Professor Xiaoxing Xi, who, in 2015, was falsely charged and prosecuted by the FBI for allegedly sharing technology to a Chinese-based company. He faced charges carrying a maximum penalty of 80 years in prison and a $1 million fine. After causing significant hardship and distress to Professor Xi and his family, the FBI eventually dropped the case without explanation or an apology.

Members of the ENSS coalition and supporters at San Francisco State University. From left to right: Cynthia Choi, CAA Co-Executive Director; CA Assemblymember Phil Ting; Prof. Xiaoxing Xi; Grace Yoo, Chair of the Asian American Studies Dept.; Dr. Russell Jeung, SFSU Professor; Pam Tau Lee, Chinese Progressive Association Board Chair.

Today, Professor Xi is seeking justice and accountability for his wrongful prosecution and to help end national security scapegoating and racial profiling in general. In efforts to raise awareness and to mobilize the community, the ENSS coalition invited Professor Xi to participate in a speaking tour at San Francisco State University, University of California-Berkeley, and Stanford University. Along with other experts, Professor Xi spoke powerfully about the dangers of racial bias in government surveillance programs based on his own experience.

Regrettably, this form of discrimination is part of our U.S. history. From the Chinese Exclusion Act to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, Asian Americans have been labeled and profiled as perpetual foreigners and threats to national security. The Muslim Ban, police violence against African Americans, and attacks against immigrants today must be understood in this same vein.

CAA, with our ENSS coalition partners, will continue to oppose efforts to racially profile Asians Americans under the false pretext of national security, to advocate for greater government accountability, and to build alliances across affected communities.

Chinese for Affirmative Action

Cynthia Choi is listed as "staff" of the Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) as of June 27, 2017.

With Bo Cheng, Annette Wong, M. Min-Chong Lin, Sammie Ablaza Wills, Vincent Pan, Lily Wong, Linda Liu, Monna Wong, Susan Hsieh and Cynthia Choi.

"Education for Liberation"

Cynthia Choi was an invitee on Facebook for an "Education for Liberation" event hosted by LeftRoots and the Center for Political Education held on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 7 PM - 9 PM PST at the The Greenlining Institute, 360 14th St, Oakland, California 94612

Education for Liberation: The Role of Political Education in the PAIGC's Struggle for Independence and the Lessons for Today.

Center for Political Education and LeftRoots are proud to host a conversation with thinker and activist Sonia Vaz Borges. Sónia, who is of Cape Verdean descent, is a leading scholar on the education programs at the core of Amilcar Cabral's national liberation struggle in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau during the 1960s and 70s. Sónia will help us develop a useful understanding of what militant education is, how it worked in the international struggle against colonialism in Africa, and its lessons for movement building today.

Steve Williams of LeftRoots and Rachel Herzing of the Center for Political Education will join Sónia to highlight some of the challenges and opportunities for theory, strategy, and unity facing our movements in the Bay Area and beyond.

New Party builder

New Party News Fall 1994 listed over 100 New Party activists-"some of the community leaders, organizers, retirees,, scholars, artists, parents, students, doctors, writers and other activists who are building the NP" the list included Cindy Choi, Asia-Pacific Islanders for Reproductive Health.