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
6,427 events, each with its sourceSB 1418 Cervantes Third Reading Urgency By Jackson
SB 1364 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Krell
SB 1349 Gonzalez Senate Third Reading By Connolly
SB 1328 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Solache
SB 1191 Ochoa Bogh Third Reading Urgency By Hadwick
SB 1186 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Patterson
SB 1166 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Lee
SB 1150 Jones Senate Third Reading By Patel
SB 1117 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 1093 Allen Senate Third Reading By Irwin
SB 1073 Smallwood-Cuevas Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 1064 Dahle Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
SB 1059 Archuleta Senate Third Reading By Pacheco
SB 1049 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Arambula
SB 1029 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By Davies
SB 949 Becker Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 946 Seyarto Senate Third Reading By JOHNSON
SB 874 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Addis
SB 661 Hurtado Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
SB 594 Padilla Senate Third Reading By Wallis
SB 239 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Pacheco
SB 226 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Aguiar-Curry
AB 871 Stefani Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1201 Jackson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1359 Ahrens Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1579 Valencia Concurrence - Urgency Added
AB 1684 Ward Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1711 Connolly Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1722 Hadwick Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1784 Pellerin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1786 Harabedian Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1809 Fong Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1837 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1860 McKinnor Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1864 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1894 Blanca Rubio Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1999 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2116 Schiavo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2143 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2186 McKinnor Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2233 Ta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2249 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2255 Pellerin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2380 Papan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2418 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2576 Harabedian Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2634 Zbur Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2660 Alvarez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2766 Ahrens Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2780 Public Employment and Re Concurrence in Senate Amendments By McKINNOR