EDITOR'S NOTE: Bao Nguyen is at the far left in the photograph that goes with this story.
After a decent finish in California’s primary election on June 7, Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen has picked up steam, gaining a coveted endorsement from Lyo Figueroa, President of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bao Nguyen is at the far left in the photograph that goes with this story.
After a decent finish in California’s primary election on June 7, Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen has picked up steam, gaining a coveted endorsement from Lyo Figueroa, President of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association.
Figueroa joins a long list of other prominent Latinos in law in their support for Mayor Nguyen’s bid for Congress (46th District), including Sergio C. Garcia, California’s first undocumented immigrant lawyer, Eric Dominguez, a leading immigration lawyer and president-elect of the bar association, and past president of the bar association Diana Lopez.
Figueroa offered the following words on Bao:
"Mayor Bao is a true friend to the Latino community. Bao knows our community like nobody else and he’s the only immigrant in this race. He has been on the ground organizing and protesting with us for fairer wages and against deportations. During his time on the school board, he empowered our children by implementing groundbreaking bilingual programs in Spanish and Vietnamese. In Congress, he will be our champion for comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform, without undue obstacles like having to pay a fine."
Nguyen, who was brought to the United States as a baby when his parents escaped Vietnam, had the following response:
"I am humbled and grateful for Lyo’s support. Latinos contribute so much to our country. They are our lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, artists, social workers and public servants. We need policies in Washington that empower Latinos instead of tearing families apart. In Congress, I will fight for immigration policies that ensure families stay together, and give Latinos the tools they need to succeed."
Nguyen also picked up endorsements from former presidents of the bar association Jose Gonzalez and Mayte Santacruz. Gonzalez expressed strong support for Nguyen:
As advocates for the Latino community, we know that just because you have a Hispanic surname doesn’t mean you’re always working in the best interest of the Latino community. We know Bao, who has always stood firm with us on immigration, education, and fairer wages."
Santacruz voiced her support for Bao as well:
"As an immigrant himself, Bao truly understands the many challenges that Hispanic immigrant families have to overcome on a daily basis. He is one of us, and I am proud to endorse him."
After serving as a local community organizer, and then on Garden Grove’s school board, Bao Nguyen was elected mayor of Garden Grove in 2014. Upon his swearing-in, he became the first directly-elected Vietnamese American Democratic mayor in the United States.
