Jay Chen

Jay F. Chen
陳介飛
Member of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board of Education
Assumed office
2007
Personal details
Born (1978-02-23) February 23, 1978
Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Karen Chang (m. 2012)
Relations Shaw Yi Chen
Parents Kelvin K. Chen
Nain L. Chen
Residence Hacienda Heights, California
Alma mater Harvard University
Glen A. Wilson High School
Occupation Small business owner, School board member
Website www.chenforcongress.com
Military service
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Navy
Years of service 2010-present
Rank Lieutenant (junior grade)
Unit Reserves

Jay F. Chen (Chinese: 陳介飛; pinyin: Chén Jièfēi; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tân Kài-poe, born 23 February 1978) is a Taiwanese-American Democratic politician, known as a trustee for Mt. San Antonio College, former member and president of the Board of Education of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in Southern California,[1] and as a candidate for election in 2012 in California's 39th Congressional District.[2] He is a Marshall Memorial Fellow.[3]

Early life and education

Jay Chen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Kelvin and Nain Chen who were Taiwanese immigrants to the United States. Chen spent half of his formative years in Ohio, Indiana, Oregon and Singapore.[4]

In 1988, when Chen was 10, the family relocated to Hacienda Heights, California, where he attended Glen A. Wilson High School and received an NROTC scholarship to attend Harvard University.[5] While at Harvard he was active with Harvard Model Congress, The Harvard Crimson, and wrote for two editions of Let's Go budget travel guides, covering the countries of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, Bolivia and Chile. He also interned at the US Embassy in Costa Rica and the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights.

Career

After graduating, he was recruited by Bain and Company, a consulting firm, to advise Fortune 500 companies, and worked for Technoserve in Honduras before moving on to start a small business in realty. He also currently serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is a Lieutenant attached to Defense Intelligence Agency HQ, and was previously assigned to Command Naval Forces Korea.[5]

Politics

Chen is a self-described progressive.[6] In 2007, Chen ran successfully for the Hacienda-La Puente School Board, and received the top vote over 16-year Republican incumbent Norman Hsu. He was twice designated president of the board, and was re-elected in 2011 with the highest margin of vote, in a controversial recall election.[6][7] In 2011 he joined the board of directors of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, founded by former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta.[8] In 2012 Chen was elected president of the Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association[9] and in 2013 he was re-elected president of the board of education by his peers.

In 2010, the Hacienda La Puente School Board voted 4 to 1 to adopt a new Chinese language and culture class at Cedarlane Middle School in Hacienda Heights. The program, called Confucius Classroom and sponsored by the Chinese government's Chinese Language Council International, came at no cost to the district. The decision sparked some debate within the community, particularly among local members of the Tea Party, who believed the language program would teach communism. Chen came out as a vocal supporter of the program, calling its detractors "misinformed."[10] The controversy was covered by Aasif Mandvi on an episode of The Daily Show. Chen was featured prominently in the segment, titled "Socialism Studies."[11]

In February 2012, Chen announced his candidacy for the United States Congress in February 2012 for the newly redrawn 39th District, which includes the cities of Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, Hacienda Heights, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Walnut, and Yorba Linda.[12] The district is largely Republican, but contains one of California's highest proportion of independent voters; more than 23% of voters in the district are independent.[13] 39% are Republicans and 32% are Democrat.[14] The district is also one of the most diverse in California, with 29% Asian, 33% Hispanic, and 34% White.

During the campaign Jay Chen became the target of several racist attacks.[15][16][17] In October 2012, the campaign of incumbent Ed Royce accused the Chen campaign for violating Federal Election Commission rules that violate super PACs from coordinating with individual campaigns.[18][19] During the campaign, a super PAC called America Shining, funded by Chen's brother Shaw Chen, had launched attack ads at Royce.[19] The FEC dismissed the allegations and closed the case.[20] As of October 17, the Royce campaign had raised $2,558,642 in campaign donations, as compared to $773,493 for the Chen campaign.[21][22] While Jay Chen carried Los Angeles County, Royce won Orange County and the election.[23]

In 2013 board president Jay Chen led a push for greater transparency and accountability in Hacienda La Puente Unified when it was discovered that Chinese exchange students recruited by current and former school board members were being mistreated.[24] The allegations led to an internal report that revealed conflicts of interest and abuse of authority by board members.[25] Chen has advocated making the report public and transparent.[26] As a result, the Los Angeles County District Attorney opened an investigation on two board members[27] and one board member has been formally censured by the board.[28]

In 2014 in a bid to make the district more transparent about its budget, Jay Chen encouraged Hacienda La Puente Unified to adopt the OpenGov[29] platform, which would place all district finances online in a searchable format. Hacienda La Puente Unified is the first school district in California to adopt the OpenGov platform. Chen also successfully guided the district to adopt the most comprehensive energy efficiency measures in district history.[30][31]

In 2015 Jay Chen declined to run for a third term on Hacienda La Puente Unified's Board of Education, and instead ran for Mount San Antonio Community College Trustee seat 5. He raised a record amount for the campaign, and received over 47% of the vote in a four person race, in the process unseating 20-year Republican incumbent Fred Chyr. Jay became the first challenger in 16 years to defeat a Mt. San Antonio Community College incumbent.

Personal life

Jay Chen wed Karen Chang (張凱菱), a Taiwanese American, in Guatemala on January 14, 2012.[32] The wedding was officiated by John Chiang, a California politician.[32]

Chen is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish and speaks conversational Taiwanese Hokkien.[33][34]

Chen's parents Kelvin K. and Nain L. Chen also live in Hacienda Heights.[35] His elder brother Shaw Yi Chen (b. 1977) is an investment banker in Hong Kong.[35]

References

  1. ↑ "Board of Education". Hacienda La Puente Unified School District. 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "November 6, 2012 Voter Guide: Official Endorsements" (PDF). Los Angeles County Democratic Party. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20140408/two-hacienda-la-puente-district-graduates-win-marshall-memorial-fellowships
  4. ↑ "Jay Chen (D)". Election 2012. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Full Biography for Jay F. Chen". Smart Voter. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 Hernandez, Daniel (24 September 2012). "Dem. Jay Chen speaks at OLLI politics event". The Daily Titan. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  7. ↑ County of Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk School Board Election Results
  8. ↑ http://apaics.org/about/board-of-directors/
  9. ↑ http://www.apisbma.org/board.shtml
  10. ↑ Ni, Ching-Ching (4 April 2010). "Chinese government's funding of Southland school's language program fuels controversy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  11. ↑ The Daily Show, 'Socialism Studies'
  12. ↑ Scauzillo, Steve (2 February 2012). "Hacienda school board member Chen aims to unseat Rep. Royce in Congress". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  13. ↑ Scauzillo, Steve (16 October 2012). "Royce and Chen battle in Republican-dominated 39th Congressional District". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Sprague, Mike (27 October 2012). "Whittier's congressional representation to shrink to one". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  15. ↑ http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-10-25/news/jay-chen-ed-royce-congress-representative/
  16. ↑ http://www.8asians.com/2012/10/11/racist-yard-sign-attacking-jay-chen-for-congress-vote-for-the-american/
  17. ↑ http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2012/10/anthony_kassas_jay_chen_congre.php
  18. ↑ Scauzillo, Steve (22 October 2012). "Royce supporter asks for an investigation into Super PAC supported by Jay Chen's brother". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  19. 1 2 Scauzillo, Steve (16 October 2012). "Ad that calls Rep. Ed Royce a monster paid for by challenger Jay Chen's brother". The Daily Bulletin. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  20. ↑ http://eqs.fec.gov/eqsdocsMUR/13044350524.pdf
  21. ↑ "Candidate (H2CA39136) Summary Reports - 2011-2012 Cycle". Federal Election Commission. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  22. ↑ "Candidate (H6CA39020) Summary Reports - 2011-2012 Cycle". Federal Election Commission. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  23. ↑ Nicholas Ruiz; Jonathan Winslow (7 November 2012). "Royce wins race for 39th district". The Daily Titan. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  24. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/25/local/la-me-ff-hacienda-chinese-students-20130926
  25. ↑ http://www.sgvtribune.com/social-affairs/20130912/report-outlines-problems-with-foreign-student-recruitment-at-hacienda-la-puente-schools
  26. ↑ http://boarddocs.enet.hlpusd.k12.ca.us/Board.nsf/files/9EKR366BF94D/$file/December%2012%2C%202013%20UNADOPTED%20MIN%20OF%20ORG-REG%20MTG.pdf
  27. ↑ http://www.sgvtribune.com/social-affairs/20130925/district-attorney-investigating-two-hacienda-la-puente-board-members
  28. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/29/local/la-me-ff-hacienda-censure-20130930
  29. ↑ https://hlpusd.opengov.com/transparency#annual/breakdown=A051DFF6C63E49FF96FF78425C3ACE45&accountType=expenses&graph=stacked&month=4&selection=DA1495221177FED09B1E673847B854C7
  30. ↑ http://www.sgvtribune.com/20130111/hacienda-la-puente-school-board-cant-agree-on-new-bond-proposals-campus-upgrades-postponed
  31. ↑ http://boarddocs.enet.hlpusd.k12.ca.us/Board.nsf/files/9JQQET68FC3D/$file/April%2024%2C%202014%20UNADOPTED%20MIN%20OF%20REG%20MTG.pdf
  32. 1 2 王善言 (8 February 2012). 陳介飛完成終身大事. 世界新聞 (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  33. ↑ 陳介飛 (21 May 2012). "陳介飛 打破華裔政治瓶頸". 世界新聞. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  34. ↑ 陳盈霖 (21 May 2012). 羅依斯、陳介飛現場拉票. 世界新聞 (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  35. 1 2 Scauzillo, Steve (16 October 2012). "Ad that calls Rep. Ed Royce a monster paid for by challenger Jay Chen's brother". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
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