Greetings APAP readers! Hopefully by now most of you are familiar with our newest feature, Pol-Files. For those of you who are new to our site, they are quick questionnaires from some of our favorite AAPIs making a difference through their progressive endeavors. We hope to not only inspire our readers by showing them different paths towards political involvement, but also to give thanks to these amazing individuals initiating change within their communities. Our past Pol-Files have been on Jennifer Javier , Laura Shin and Vin Gopal. Any questions can be directed to apapeditor@apaforprogress.com. What is your name? Kristina Logsdon What is your current position? As WA State Racial Justice Campaign and Training Coordinator with Progressive Majority, I recruit and train progressive candidates of color for local and state office. What are some interesting jobs you have had in the past? I’ve held some random jobs, many of which contribute to my work today. Selling books door to door seventy hours a week for Southwestern one summer definitely prepared me for doorbelling and long hours on the campaign trail. A summer internship at the Library of Congress cataloguing the LOOK magazine collection gave me a taste of Washington DC. Screenprinting greeting cards by hand – well that made me realize I needed to find fulfilling work. What is your educational background? I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in painting and a certification to teach art to K-12 students. What skills do you think are necessary for your job? Understanding how to build trust and reach out to communities of color is a must. As far as I know, I’m the only person who specifically recruits and trains progressive people of color to run for office so being independent and a self starter is necessary. Perseverance, a passion for social justice, and authenticity all certainly come in handy as well.

Hey Folks, here is the 3rd installation of APAP's newest feature, Pol-Files.  Pol-Files are quick questionnaires from grassroot activists, campaign workers, and other progressive individuals working towards AAPI empowerment .  Through these weekly posts, APAP hopes to demystify the political process for its readers by allowing them to connect with real individuals making a difference.  This week we have Vin Gopal!  To check out our last 2 click on: Jennifer Javier and Laura Shin. Remember to let us know what you think of our newest feature. What is your name? Vin Gopal What is your current position? Fundraising and Development Consultant with Direct Development, LLC What are some interesting jobs you have had in the past? I was the Deputy Campaign Manager & Senior Aide for Congressman Dennis Kucinich's congressional and presidential campaigns. I had the opportunity to attend and coordinate the logistics for all the 2008 presidential debates, organized over 40 fundraisers with the opportunity to travel around the country. I've also worked in the Washington D.C. press office of Sen. Ted Kennedy – a great experience to work on Capitol Hill. I've enjoyed working as a campaign manager, finance director and press secretary on numerous campaigns in New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Nevada, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. What is your educational background? B.A. In Political Science from Penn State University

Greetings Readers, Here is the second installation of APAP's newest weekly feature, Pol-Files. To view last week's pol-file on Jennifer Javier and to understand a little more about why we have created this feature, click here What is your name? Laura Shin What is your current position? Grants Director for Homeland Security and Public Safety at the Office of Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa What are some interesting jobs you have had in the past? Middle School Teacher and Personal Trainer What is your educational background? I have a B.A. in English Literature and teaching credential from UC San Diego and a J.D. from Southwestern Law School. I am also a student of life. What skills do you think are necessary for your job? Ultimately, you need the ability to create strong relationships with your grantors by proving to be a good steward of funds. In addition, it would help if you had a fabulous memory, were detail-oriented, organized, and a problem solver.

Hello Folks! APA for Progress is launching a new feature on our site! Hoping to demystify the political process for members of our community, as well as to give kudos to amazing individuals, we have come up with Pol-Files. In these weekly posts we will be highlighting AAPI individuals working behind the scenes of politics as well as others that are making progressive efforts within their fields. To start us off, we have one of our favorites. What is your name? Jennifer Javier What is your current position? I am a caseworker in Congressman Henry Waxman's district office. I help people who are having difficulties with federal agencies (ie. immigration, Social Security, IRS, Medicare). It's social work on the federal level where I advocate for constituents to address their needs or concerns. What are some interesting jobs you have had in the past? To be honest, the most interesting job I’ve had is my current one. Because I deal with people and their livelihood, it can be unpredictable just as life is. I could receive a call from a homeless veteran in need of help with the VA or from Stone Temple Pilots in need of a visa for their sound engineer. You never know who may call.