Before voters elected Jessica Caloza to the Assembly, her Los Angeles work included public projects, contract administration and efforts to expand language access to city services. As a public works commissioner, she oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Contract Administration and led work that included the Sixth Street Bridge and the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway. Her route there passed through campaign organizing, the U.S. Department of Education and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. She later served at the California Department of Justice. Elected in November 2024, Caloza became the first Filipina elected to the California State Legislature.
ROOTS
Caloza was born in Quezon City, Philippines, and immigrated to the United States as a child. She comes from a working-class background and became the first person in her family to graduate from college in the United States.
At the University of California, San Diego, she earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and ethnic studies. The documented details of her early life include her childhood immigration to the United States, her working-class background and her status as the first person in her family to graduate from college in the United States.
Her first political work was far from Los Angeles City Hall. Caloza worked as a community organizer in Virginia for President Barack Obama’s campaign. She then went to Washington, D.C., where she served as a policy advisor in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
After serving at the federal level, Caloza worked for Mayor Eric Garcetti in the Office of Immigrant Affairs. In 2019, Garcetti appointed her to the Los Angeles Board of Public Works. Her work on the commission included engineering, contract administration, infrastructure and neighborhood beautification initiatives.
Caloza oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and Bureau of Contract Administration. She led infrastructure projects and neighborhood beautification initiatives, including the Sixth Street Bridge and the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway. She also led initiatives supporting small businesses and policies that expanded language access to make city services more accessible.
Her next post was in state government. Caloza joined the California Department of Justice and served as deputy chief of staff to Attorney General Rob Bonta. By the time she sought elected office, her experience included federal education policy, immigrant affairs, municipal engineering and contract administration, small-business initiatives, language access and work at the state Justice Department.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Caloza announced her campaign for the 52nd Assembly District in July 2023. She ran to replace incumbent Wendy Carrillo, who ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council.
The March 2024 primary had ten candidates. Caloza and Franky Carrillo advanced to the general election. In November, Caloza received 108,882 votes, or 66.92%. Carrillo received 53,820 votes, or 33.08%.
The election moved Caloza from appointed and staff positions into the Assembly. It also produced a statewide first. Her victory made her the first Filipina elected to California’s Legislature, adding that distinction to a career that included government roles at the federal, city and state levels.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Caloza entered the Assembly after holding policy and administrative positions. Her pre-Assembly record included immigrant affairs and access to city services. She worked in the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and later led policies on the Board of Public Works that expanded language access to make city services more accessible.
Her work also included initiatives supporting small businesses, public infrastructure projects and neighborhood beautification. As a public works commissioner, she oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Contract Administration before moving to a deputy chief of staff position at the California Department of Justice.
The documented sequence is community organizing followed by policy and administrative posts, including work in immigrant affairs and on language access and public services. Her Assembly tenure began in 2024 after she won the November election.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 52 · 2024–present
Before voters elected Jessica Caloza to the Assembly, her Los Angeles work included public projects, contract administration and efforts to expand language access to city services. As a public works commissioner, she oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Contract Administration and led work that included the Sixth Street Bridge and the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway. Her route there passed through campaign organizing, the U.S. Department of Education and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. She later served at the California Department of Justice. Elected in November 2024, Caloza became the first Filipina elected to the California State Legislature.
ROOTS
Caloza was born in Quezon City, Philippines, and immigrated to the United States as a child. She comes from a working-class background and became the first person in her family to graduate from college in the United States.
At the University of California, San Diego, she earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and ethnic studies. The documented details of her early life include her childhood immigration to the United States, her working-class background and her status as the first person in her family to graduate from college in the United States.
Her first political work was far from Los Angeles City Hall. Caloza worked as a community organizer in Virginia for President Barack Obama’s campaign. She then went to Washington, D.C., where she served as a policy advisor in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
After serving at the federal level, Caloza worked for Mayor Eric Garcetti in the Office of Immigrant Affairs. In 2019, Garcetti appointed her to the Los Angeles Board of Public Works. Her work on the commission included engineering, contract administration, infrastructure and neighborhood beautification initiatives.
Caloza oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and Bureau of Contract Administration. She led infrastructure projects and neighborhood beautification initiatives, including the Sixth Street Bridge and the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway. She also led initiatives supporting small businesses and policies that expanded language access to make city services more accessible.
Her next post was in state government. Caloza joined the California Department of Justice and served as deputy chief of staff to Attorney General Rob Bonta. By the time she sought elected office, her experience included federal education policy, immigrant affairs, municipal engineering and contract administration, small-business initiatives, language access and work at the state Justice Department.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Caloza announced her campaign for the 52nd Assembly District in July 2023. She ran to replace incumbent Wendy Carrillo, who ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council.
The March 2024 primary had ten candidates. Caloza and Franky Carrillo advanced to the general election. In November, Caloza received 108,882 votes, or 66.92%. Carrillo received 53,820 votes, or 33.08%.
The election moved Caloza from appointed and staff positions into the Assembly. It also produced a statewide first. Her victory made her the first Filipina elected to California’s Legislature, adding that distinction to a career that included government roles at the federal, city and state levels.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
Caloza entered the Assembly after holding policy and administrative positions. Her pre-Assembly record included immigrant affairs and access to city services. She worked in the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and later led policies on the Board of Public Works that expanded language access to make city services more accessible.
Her work also included initiatives supporting small businesses, public infrastructure projects and neighborhood beautification. As a public works commissioner, she oversaw the Bureau of Engineering and the Bureau of Contract Administration before moving to a deputy chief of staff position at the California Department of Justice.
The documented sequence is community organizing followed by policy and administrative posts, including work in immigrant affairs and on language access and public services. Her Assembly tenure began in 2024 after she won the November election.
The record
6,493 events, each with its sourceAB 1112 Wallis Assembly Third Reading
AB 1199 Patterson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1056 Bennett Assembly Third Reading
AB 49 Muratsuchi Third Reading Urgency
AB 1207 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 968 Boerner Assembly Third Reading
AB 1387 Quirk-Silva Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 648 Zbur Assembly Third Reading
AB 317 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 1390 Solache Assembly Third Reading
AB 1021 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 408 Berman Assembly Third Reading
AB 527 Papan Assembly Third Reading
AB 686 Berman Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1410 Garcia Assembly Third Reading
AB 1272 Dixon Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1318 Bonta Third Reading Urgency
AB 1338 Solache Assembly Third Reading
AB 1470 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 665 Chen Assembly Third Reading
AB 940 Wicks Assembly Third Reading
AB 682 Ortega Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
AB 784 Hoover Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
Do pass as amended
AB 447 Mark González Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session