Tri Ta Race for Westminster Mayor

UPDATE: Tri Ta won the mayoral election of Westminster on Tuesday. He just immigrated to the USA at age of 19 and has made great strive in the political process by becoming the … Continue reading →

Asian Republican Irvine Mayor-Elect Steven Choi

Steven Choi was elected Mayor of Irvine in November 2012. He was elected to the Irvine City Council for the first time in 2004 and was re-elected to a second term in 2008. Previously, he served 6 years as an elected Trustee of the Irvine Unified School District.

Steven is a passionate and experienced educator. After earning his bachelor's degree from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, he immigrated to the United States as a Peace Corps language instructor for the State Department in August, 1968. He then continued his post-graduate studies, earning his master's degree in Library Science from Louisiana State University, and his Ph.D. in Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Since then, he resumed his teaching career, primarily in higher education at several universities and colleges including USC, UCI, California State University, Los Angeles, Henderson State University in Arkansas, Saddleback College, and most recently, Coastline Community College.

In many ways, Steven's vision for the City is to maintain and improve the quality of life for its citizens by assuring responsible growth, effectively managing traffic, keeping Irvine as one of America's safest cities, and providing quality education for our children, while ensuring the City's fiscal stability and growth.

Irvine's cultural and ethnic diversity and harmony serves as a very important role on Steven's agenda. Enthusiastic about expanding Irvine's cultural diversity, he has organized and participated in many largescale city events such as the Irvine Global Village Festival and Korean American Day Festival. He also values Irvine's wonderful assets comprising of its aesthetic beauty, high standard of living, and high intellectual standards. Most importantly, he is strongly aware of the importance of listening to the voices of Irvine residents. He sends out highlights of the City's news via his eNewsletter on a steady basis, encouraging residents to get involved by asking for their opinions on particular issues and proposals discussed at the City Council Meetings.

Hoping to provide a sufficient educational and desirable experience for Irvine residents, he is exceptionally committed to supporting programs for children and senior citizens. Steven has contributed to Irvine's education as the founder and director of highly academically successful Dr. Choi's Academy. The Academy focuses on providing tutoring and academic enrichment programs for students. Along side Steven, his wife, Janie, has also been serving Irvine children over 21 years with Kumon Math and Reading academic program.

In addition to his City Council appointments, Steven is a member of the Concordia University President's Advisory Council and Irvine Library Advisory committee. Steven is also Irvine's key representative of the Orange County Public Library Advisory Board, the Orange County Vector Control Board, and the Santa Ana River Flood Protection Agency Commission.

Since 1993, Steven has lived in Irvine with his wife, Janie, and their two children, Daniel and Michelle, who attended Eastshore Elementary, Lakeside Middle School, Rancho Middle School, and University High School. Daniel received his BS from Stanford University and his MD from UCSD. He is now working as a resident physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Michelle received her BA from UCSD and now attends the University of Michigan Law School.

 

stevenchoi.org

Little Saigon gets its first (Republican) Vietnamese American mayor

In the weeks leading to his historic win, Tri Ta roamed Westminster City Hall, often hearing: "Hello, Mr. Future Mayor. This way, Mr. Mayor."

The six-year councilman would greet fellow workers with a salute or a handshake but didn't respond to the titles.

"I'm grateful to have the trust of so many people," he said during a gathering to help residents prepare for natural disasters. "I like having the chance to meet new faces."

After Tuesday's election, he'll have plenty of opportunity as the first Vietnamese American mayor in a city that gave birth to Little Saigon -- the largest Vietnamese district outside the country itself.
Ta, currently the city's mayor pro tem, won more than 42% of the vote in the five-candidate race.
On Wednesday, he continued making the rounds, visiting radio stations for interviews. He and his wife, Que Anh Doan, a pharmacist, are authors of three books of poetry. They live with their two daughters in the Mission del Amo mobile home park near Little Saigon.

In previous years, two other Vietnamese American candidates - Chuyen Nguyen and Andy Quach - mounted mayoral campaigns. But both failed.

Now Ta, 39, can claim victory. As he drove from one appointment to another after the election, buzzed on just a couple of hours of sleep, he reflected: "I'm so happy. The phone has not stopped ringing" with more than 100 callers, in addition to Facebook messages.

Ta, recruited for the job by current Mayor Margie Rice, said he's been learning the ropes by attending meetings in her place. He expects the next month to fill up with the details of transition, before taking the oath of office Dec. 12.

"She has guided me," he said of Rice, "and I want to continue her good work. I am thankful for the city staff, for my community members and for support across this whole city. I truly thank everyone."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/westminsters-first-vietnamese-american-mayor-.html