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
6,957 events, each with its sourceAB 1410 Garcia Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1411 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1414 Ransom Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1423 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1455 Bryan Concurrence - Urgency Added
AB 1501 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1502 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1503 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1504 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1511 Elections Concurrence in Senate Amendments By PELLERIN
AB 1513 Elections Concurrence in Senate Amendments By PELLERIN
AB 1514 L. & E. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By ORTEGA
AB 1520 W., P. & W. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By PAPAN
AB 1521 Judiciary Concurrence in Senate Amendments By KALRA
AB 1525 JUD. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By KALRA
AB 1531 Emergency Management Concurrence in Senate Amendments By RANSOM
AB 1532 Communications and Conve Concurrence - Urgency Added By BOERNER
SB 47 Umberg Third Reading Urgency By Kalra
SB 83 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Petrie-Norris
SB 243 Padilla Senate Third Reading By Kalra
SB 292 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
SB 302 Padilla Senate Third Reading By Petrie-Norris
SB 313 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 361 Becker Senate Third Reading By Wicks
SB 376 Valladares Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 418 Menjivar Third Reading Urgency By Bonta
SB 450 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 472 Stern Senate Third Reading By Lowenthal
SB 500 Stern Senate Third Reading By Petrie-Norris
SB 509 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Bains
SB 578 Smallwood-Cuevas Senate Third Reading By Kalra
SB 630 Allen Senate Third Reading By Pellerin
SB 683 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 709 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 766 Allen Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 771 Stern Senate Third Reading By Bauer-Kahan
SB 777 Richardson Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 820 Stern Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 825 Limón Senate Third Reading By Schiavo
Be adopted. To Consent Calendar
AB 5 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 15 Gipson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 55 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 57 McKinnor Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 60 Papan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 62 McKinnor Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 255 Haney Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 316 Krell Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 320 Bennett Concurrence in Senate Amendments