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 516 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 571 Quirk-Silva Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 574 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 583 Pellerin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 652 Alvarez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 696 Ransom Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1008 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1150 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1154 Carrillo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1523 Judiciary Concurrence in Senate Amendments By KALRA
SB 31 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Alvarez
SB 62 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 40 Wiener Senate Third Reading By Bains
SB 92 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Ward
SB 221 Ochoa Bogh Senate Third Reading
SB 230 Laird Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 358 Becker Senate Third Reading By Ward
SB 362 Grayson Senate Third Reading By Blanca Rubio
SB 439 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Flora
SB 489 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Alvarez
SB 499 Stern Senate Third Reading By Ransom
SB 513 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Kalra
SB 551 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 639 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Gallagher
SB 653 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Pellerin
SB 782 Pérez Third Reading Urgency By Harabedian
SB 808 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Wicks
SB 862 Health Senate Third Reading By BONTA
ACR 21 Flora Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SJR 4 Laird Senate Third Reading By Fong
AB 49 MURATSUCHI Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 977 Ramos Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1510 Public Employment and Re Concurrence in Senate Amendments By McKINNOR
SB 81 Arreguín Third Reading Urgency By Ortega
SB 98 Pérez Third Reading Urgency By Muratsuchi
SB 255 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Lackey
SB 443 Rubio Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
SB 466 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Soria
SB 617 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Ortega
SB 624 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 853 Labor, Public Employment Senate Third Reading By McKINNOR
HR 52 Harabedian Consent Calendar Second Day
HR 64 Hoover Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
HR 66 Aguiar-Curry Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 28 Grove Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 80 Niello Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 61 Archuleta Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SJR 9 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Mark González