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 766 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 777 Celeste Rodriguez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 798 Calderon Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 851 McKinnor Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 858 Lee Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 961 Ávila Farías Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1050 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1064 Bauer-Kahan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1069 Bains Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1078 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1136 Ortega Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1172 Nguyen Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1319 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1324 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1332 Ahrens Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1336 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1362 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1445 Haney Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1466 Hart Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1487 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1527 Soria Concurrence - Urgency Added
AB 1529 Housing and Community De Concurrence in Senate Amendments By HANEY
SB 7 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Ward
SB 22 Laird Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 24 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 27 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Gipson
SB 34 Richardson Senate Third Reading By Solache
SB 37 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Stefani
SB 79 Wiener Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 105 Wiener Senate Third Reading By Gabriel
SB 146 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 151 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 147 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 148 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 153 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 155 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 156 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 157 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 159 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 160 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 161 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 162 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 258 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
SB 293 Pérez Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
SB 364 Strickland Senate Third Reading By Ta
SB 385 Seyarto Third Reading Urgency By Irwin
SB 400 Cortese Third Reading Urgency By Calderon
SB 403 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Zbur
SB 515 Richardson Senate Third Reading By Ransom
SB 596 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Schiavo