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
6,384 events, each with its sourceAB 1392 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1418 Schiavo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1441 Soria Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1454 RIVAS Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1479 Tangipa Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 48 Gonzalez Senate Third Reading By FONG
SB 67 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Ta
SB 158 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 237 Grayson Senate Third Reading By WILSON
SB 254 Becker Third Reading Urgency By Petrie-Norris
SB 274 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 295 Hurtado Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 352 Reyes Senate Third Reading By BRYAN
SB 414 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 429 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Alvarez
SB 495 Allen Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
SB 547 Pérez Senate Third Reading By Calderon
SB 616 Rubio Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
SB 646 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Papan
SB 707 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Blanca Rubio
SB 727 McGuire Senate Third Reading By Rogers
SB 733 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 839 Laird Senate Third Reading By Connolly
SB 840 Limón Third Reading Urgency By IRWIN
SB 851 Cervantes Senate Second Reading By Pellerin
SB 861 Business, Professions and Senate Third Reading By FLORA
ACR 107 Bauer-Kahan Consent Calendar Second Day
AB 7 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 56 Bauer-Kahan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 91 Harabedian Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 144 BUDGET Concurrence in Senate Amendments By GABRIEL
AB 149 BUDGET Concurrence in Senate Amendments By GABRIEL
AB 154 BUDGET Concurrence in Senate Amendments By GABRIEL
AB 245 Gipson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 253 Ward Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 265 Caloza Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 290 Bauer-Kahan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 301 Schiavo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 325 Aguiar-Curry Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 357 Alvarez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 394 Wilson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 400 Pacheco Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 445 Aguiar-Curry Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 451 Petrie-Norris Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 460 Chen Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 462 Lowenthal Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 468 Gabriel Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 476 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 478 Zbur Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 531 Rogers Concurrence in Senate Amendments