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 489 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 509 Flora Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 542 Celeste Rodriguez Concurrence in Senate Amendments By LOWENTHAL
AB 519 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 592 Gabriel Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 645 Carrillo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 769 Wilson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
With recommendation: That Senate amendments be concurred in
AB 759 Valencia Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 774 Bauer-Kahan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 806 Connolly Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 830 Rogers Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 848 Soria Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 893 Fong Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 931 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 987 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1002 Gabriel Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1021 Wicks Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1061 Quirk-Silva Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1067 Quirk-Silva Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1076 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1314 Ahrens Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1344 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1374 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1415 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 236 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Elhawary
SB 3 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 5 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Wilson
SB 20 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Celeste Rodriguez
SB 21 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Mark González
SB 39 Weber Pierson Third Reading Urgency By Irwin
SB 50 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 54 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Schiavo
SB 68 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Elhawary
SB 78 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Lackey
SB 82 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Connolly
SB 86 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Wilson
SB 233 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Alanis
SB 241 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Fong
SB 253 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Kalra
SB 261 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Kalra
SB 262 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Ahrens
SB 275 Smallwood-Cuevas Senate Third Reading By Ortega
SB 278 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Mark González
SB 279 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Soria
SB 291 Grayson Senate Third Reading By Carrillo
SB 306 Becker Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
SB 312 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Bennett
SB 317 Hurtado Senate Third Reading By Michelle Rodriguez
SB 340 Laird Senate Third Reading By Ávila Farías