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
6,548 events, each with its sourceAB 373 Blanca Rubio Assembly Third Reading
AB 483 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 238 Harabedian Third Reading Urgency
AB 234 Calderon Third Reading Urgency
SCR 1 McGuire Senate Third Reading By Pacheco
ACR 42 Pacheco Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 708 Valencia Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 565 Dixon Consent Calendar Second Day
SB 26 Umberg Third Reading Urgency By Kalra
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 226 Calderon Third Reading Urgency
AB 597 Harabedian Third Reading Urgency
AB 604 Berman Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 462 Lowenthal Third Reading Urgency
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
AB 94 Bennett Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
AB 293 Bennett Assembly Third Reading
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
AB 493 Harabedian Third Reading Urgency
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
AB 1297 Stefani Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 498 Michelle Rodriguez Consent Calendar Second Day
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 1170 Dixon Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 253 Ward Third Reading Urgency
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 311 McKinnor Third Reading Urgency
AB 540 Connolly Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 251 Kalra Assembly Third Reading
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 301 Schiavo Third Reading Urgency
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
AB 1030 Papan Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 312 Alanis Assembly Third Reading
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Health]
AB 417 Carrillo Assembly Third Reading
AB 59 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 306 Schultz Third Reading Urgency
AB 299 Gabriel Third Reading Urgency
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
AB 437 Lackey Assembly Third Reading
AB 581 Bennett Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 53 Bonta Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 310 Alanis Assembly Third Reading
ACR 39 Ramos Consent Calendar Second Day