Being an elected official or getting civically involved is possible for all ages. Listen to fellow Commissioners share about their experiences running for local government and their experiences working in public service. Come ready with your questions!
Danielle Kim
Danielle Kim is a proud second-generation Korean American, intersectional feminist, and community activist. She is the Director of Communications at Scholars Strategy Network, where she helps researchers across the country improve policy and strengthen democracy. She serves as the team’s lead media strategist, bridging connections across SSN’s departments and overseeing trainings for scholars on writing Op-Eds, participating in media interviews, and talking to reporters.
Danielle earned a Master’s degree in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Psychology from Smith College. Committed to expanding access to power and opportunity, Danielle proudly serves on the Board of Directors for New Leaders Council Boston, and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women.
Vanna Howard
Vanna Howard is a Democrat candidate for Massachusetts State Representative in the 17th Middlesex District, encompassing Lowell and Chelmsford. Howard has been an aide for Massachusetts Congresswoman Niki Tsongas since 2008, specializing in immigration, US and foreign visas, US passports, and inter-country adoption issues. Additionally, she engages in community outreach activities with the Southeast Asian community, immigrant rights organizations, and local service agencies throughout the Greater Lowell area and the entire Third Congressional District.
Some of her immigration-related issues are particularly relevant to Vanna, as she draws upon her own life experience as a Cambodian refugee who fled her homeland as a child to escape the Khmer Rouge. Because of her own experience, Vanna is able to treat each constituent with a high degree of empathy and respect, even while juggling an enormous caseload.
Samuel Hyun
Aside from his recent appointment to the Asian-American Commission as a Commissioner, Sam had worked for Massachusetts House Speaker, Robert DeLeo for the previous four years. Currently, he is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Brandeis University’s Heller School, while serving as the Chair of Social Justice for the MPPSA. Sam also serves as the Executive Director for the Korean-American Citizens League.
Sam is passionate about social justice and enjoys spending time mentoring the next generation. His goal is to create opportunities and ensure that society is a just and equitable world for all. That with love, empathy and compassion, in collaboration with uplifting people, we can and will work in harmony in order to build the society we’ve always dreamt of into our reality.
Meenakshi Bharath
Meena Bharath currently serves as the Vice-Chair on the Hopkinton School Committee. Serving on the School Committee has allowed Meena to explore education through a unique perspective. he currently serves as a Board Member at The Education Cooperative (TEC), plays a liaison role to the Planning Board in Hopkinton, and is a voting member on the Marathon Fund Committee. She actively advocates for the educational welfare of all students as well as supports diversity and inclusion initiatives.
She loves to spend time to connect with people, and takes pride in her leadership skills, integrity, hard work, quick-learning, collaborative and can-do attitude. She is grateful for her family, diverse background, life experiences and support of her friends and community which have made her life very rich and fulfilling.