Career educator Gay Q. Yuen, Ph.D. has been appointed to the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission by Hilda L. Solis, county supervisor for the First District.
She is the second Asian American currently serving on the 15-member body. The first is Michael Gi-Hao Cheung.
Executive Director Robin S. Toma has served in that position since 2000. The appointment was confirmed on June 8 by the Board of Supervisors.
“A county as culturally diverse as Los Angeles deserves representation of individuals who understand the core issues impacting our communities today,” shared Solis. “Dr. Gay Yuen’s appointment comes at a critical time for our AAPI communities as we work to dismantle racism and address rising anti-AAPI hate crimes. I am confident that Dr. Yuen, who is a widely respected leader, will push the envelope further and help us develop new methods to address these challenges.”
Yuen is professor emeritus in the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles, and chair of the Chinese American Museum. She has been recognized for her service, volunteerism, and leadership by U.S. Rep. Judy Chu and received the Women’s History Month Leadership Award from Assemblymember Ed Chau.
The commission is dedicated to promoting better human relations by working to transform prejudice into acceptance, inequity into justice, and hostility into peace. Yuen’s appointment comes at a time when hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have dramatically increased, not only in L.A. County but across the country.
“I am humbled by this opportunity to serve L.A. County, especially at a time when the work of the commission has become more critical than ever. I look forward to joining with my fellow commissioners in the important work that lies ahead,” Yuen remarked.