Washington, DC – Last week, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) held its 42nd International Convention in Las Vegas, NV and re-elected APALA National President Johanna Hester along with United Domestic Workers of America (UDW) Executive Director Doug Moore as International Vice Presidents. Hester remains the only Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) on the executive board and highest ranking AAPI in the union.
 
“Johanna has been such an invaluable leader here at UDW, and I’m so glad that AFSCME recognized that as well. Her untiring spirit, passion, and resolve to fight for workers who have no voice is unmatched,” stated Editha Adams, the statewide president of UDW/AFSCME Local 3930. “She continues to pave the way for more women, immigrants, and people of color to lead the communities we serve, and she is undoubtedly helping to change the face of the labor movement not only here in California but across the nation as well.”
 
“Johanna continues to inspire and challenge me. She is undoubtedly a formidable trailblazer; a role model for women, people of color, and immigrants everywhere; and truly an organizer at heart,” stated APALA Executive Director Gregory A. Cendana. “APALA is so fortunate to have the leadership and friendship of someone like Johanna, and we are excited to see her make strides for the AAPI community and all communities of color moving forward.” 

​“I am honored to be re-elected as an International Vice President for AFSCME. I have been organizing, building and representing workers for nearly three decades, and one thing holds true even today: workers are still missing a voice at work. I will #NeverQuit, as our convention theme describes, fighting to lift up the voices of hardworking people,” declared AFSCME International Vice President and APALA National President Johanna Hester. “I hope my leadership at AFSCME will bring forth more leaders who are women, immigrants and people of color to our collective labor movement. The movement cannot – and will not – move forward without our leaders who reflect the communities we come from.”
 
AFSCME represents a diverse group of 1.6 million working and retired members in many public service industries across the country. AFSCME continues to stand up for the middle class and champions a broad range of issues, including immigration, retirement, workers’ rights, and health care.
 
Hester has become a champion for home care providers and outspoken advocate for the immigrant and civil rights of workers. She also serves as Special Assistant to Executive Director at UDW/AFSCME Local 3930, a union made up of over 94,000 in-home caregivers for seniors and people with disabilities.

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Washington, DC – Today, the California Labor Federation held their Executive Council meeting in Oakland and elected APALA National President Johanna Hester to the Executive Council. She becomes the only Asian American woman to serve on this governing body.

“Johanna’s longtime commitment to workers everywhere will be a great asset to the council,” stated Art Pulaski, California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer. “Her energy and experience will undoubtedly strengthen the commitment of unions to advocate for social, racial and economic justice for all working people.”

The California Labor Federation is dedicated to promoting and defending the interests of working people and their families in California and represents over 2 million union members across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, retail, healthcare and construction.

“Johanna is a formidable trailblazer for AAPI union leaders and for women alike. We’re thrilled to see Johanna stepping into this new role on the Executive Council,” added Josie Camacho, Alameda Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer and APALA national executive board member. “Her leadership will continue to increase the visibility of the role women, immigrants and people of color have long held in labor history.”

“I am honored to serve on the council. I have been organizing, building and representing workers for nearly three decades, and one thing holds true even today: workers are still missing a voice at work. I won’t stop fighting to lift up the voices of hardworking people,” declared newly elected California Labor Federation Executive Council Member and APALA National President Johanna Hester. “I hope my election to the council will bring forth more leaders who are women, immigrants and people of color to our collective labor movement. The movement cannot – and will not – move forward without our leaders who reflect the communities we come from.”
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Hester has become a champion for home care providers and outspoken advocate for the immigrant and civil rights of workers. She currently serves as Special Assistant to Executive Director at the United Domestic Workers (UDW), an International Vice President of AFSCME and the National President of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA). 

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​Washington, DC - This past weekend, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) held their Quadrennial Convention in Detroit, MI, electing the first ever Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) to serve as an international union officer. APALA Founding Member and former National President, Luisa Blue, was elected SEIU Executive Vice President on May 22, 2016.

"The growing diversity of the workforce and union membership will only strengthen in the coming years, and we need to start investing in leaders that reflect our members and the diverse communities we come from. Luisa is an important asset to SEIU especially as we continue to serve one of the largest immigrant populations in the country," said APALA National Executive Board Member, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Secretary-Treasurer, and SEIU API Caucus Chair Maria Castaneda.

Blue joined the union in 1977 when she worked as a registered nurse (RN) at San Francisco General Hospital, and throughout her career has led campaigns that have greatly improved the collective bargaining rights for county registered nurses. She also went to become a founding member of SEIU Nursing Alliance in an effort to unite nurses on a national level and previously served as the Chief Elected Officer of the SEIU Local 521 representing public service workers from the Silicon Valley, down the Monterey-Santa Cruz Coast and into California’s Central Valley.

"Luisa has been championing issues that APALA has focused on such as immigration reform, criminal justice reform and the Fight for $15 and a union. Her historic election as Executive Vice President will only strengthen the connections unions need to bridge their commitment to advocating for the rights of all working people and fighting for social, economic and racial justice," said Kim Geron, APALA National's 2nd Vice President and California Faculty Association Vice President.

"Luisa has dedicated her life to helping workers have a voice at work and build a better future for their families. She has been a trailblazer for the AAPI community and continues that tradition as she becomes the first-ever SEIU Executive Vice President of AAPI decent. We are so energized to have her serve in this role as we continue to partner with APALA and the broader AAPI community to further advance our fight for economic, immigrant, racial and environmental justice for all," said newly re-elected SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. 

"APALA is extremely proud of Luisa for this historic election," said APALA National President Johanna Puno Hester. "Her leadership within APALA has been instrumental in ensuring better working conditions for AAPI families, and I am incredibly excited to continue our work together in this new capacity."

Luisa Blue said, "It is an honor to have been elected as SEIU's first ever AAPI Executive Vice President. I have always believed in the power of unions to represent the needs of working people, and having now been a part of this movement for over four decades, I don't see that ending anytime soon. Everyone deserves a voice at the workplace as well as the right to earn fair, livable wages, and I will not stop until we see to it that that happens."
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Luisa Blue currently serves as a APALA National Executive Board Member and was sworn in today as one of the seven SEIU Executive Vice Presidents for 2016-2020 term. 

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