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TALK SUPES: Click below for one of the interviews with San Francisco's three Asian American Supervisors.
Mabel Teng	Michael Yaki	Leland Yee

Leland Yee

District 4 incumbent (Sunset and Parkside)

Interview by Tom Lee

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Leland Yee

AsianWeek: What is the most pressing issue your district is facing right now?

Yee: It’s probably the needs of our children and families. With the growing population and more people moving into the neighborhood, there’s always a growing need for enhancement of services for our children and family. That’s why I increased library services, health services, and educational services for children in the Sunset.

AW: What other ways are you proposing to address these issues?

Yee: We are helping many non-profit organizations to work hard to address the needs of those individuals [who need help]. I think in the course of our work, we have helped to empower the neighborhoods, and be responsive to the needs of the community.

AW: What issues are most affecting Asian Americans in San Francisco?

Yee: I think the needs of Chinese Americans are not that different from the needs of the general public. I think children and family services, public safety, ensuring our quality of life, are all important issues. One of the most important concerns is whether or not Chinese Americans have access to these services. Often times we find that service programs whether culturally or linguistically are insensitive to Chinese Americans. The services are available but they can’t access them. What I have tried to do is ensure that there is a diversity of language capabilities within all departments and service programs so they can address the needs of those in the Chinese American community.

AW: What do you think of district elections?

Yee: I think district elections offers us an opportunity to be held a lot more accountable to the people that we are supposed to serve. To that extent it provides us with a tremendous opportunity to get up close to the people who elect us to office. We cannot lose sight that the Chinese American community is not just in one part of the neighborhood but the that Chinese American communities are in every neighborhood in San Francisco. As a Chinese American leader I not only fight for the interests of Chinese in the Sunset but for all Chinese Americans in the city.

AW: What about Asians of other ethnic descent besides Chinese? Are you including them as well when you say ‘Chinese Americans’?

Yee: Yeah, yeah I think so.

AW: Going back to the topic of district elections, how has your campaign strategy changed with the new district election process?

Yee: It hasn’t really changed at all. I’ve always ran a grassroots campaign. We have spent an extraordinary amount of time to pull together an extensive network of supporters. Most of the money we have raised came from individuals who are mom and pop store owners who have supported me in the past.

AW: How much money have you accumulated from these supporters?

Yee: We have raised over $100,000 although we have a spending cap of $75,000.

AW: Tom Hsieh, Jr., another Chinese American, whose family is very prominent in the city, is running against you. How will you distinguish yourself from him?

Yee: I’d rather not answer that question. I think Tom Hsieh, Jr. is a fine young man, a little inexperienced. But he can do whatever he wants to do and I will focus on my campaign and my constituents instead of worrying about what my opponents are going to do or not going to do.

AW: Will your Asian American voters more likely to vote by issue or based on a candidate’s ethnicity?

Yee: My general sense of the Chinese American voter is that people take advantage of them. They simply assume that because you look Chinese that you must vote Chinese. I think Chinese American voters look at the issues. They are smart voters and should not be taken lightly.

AW: Will that knowledge affect your campaign strategy?

Yee: I don’t think there necessarily needs to be a different strategy but there needs to be outreach to them in a different way that is sensitive to their culture and language.

AW: Is there an advantage being an Asian American candidate in San Francisco?

Yee: I think there are advantages and disadvantages. You develop a false sense of security thinking that there are so many Chinese and Asians in the city, presuming you can get their support. It’s not that easy. Any and every vote that I get, I earned. I earned them because of my experience, because of the work I’ve done to represent the Chinese American community. I think once you advocate for Chinese American community the best you can, they will reward your help with their vote.

AW: Do you have a role model?

Yee: Probably if I had to count on anybody, it would be my father. He came here when he was very young and had to struggle because he didn’t know a word of English. He provided for a family of four children and gave my mother a means to take care of a family. Against all that adversity, that racism and discrimination he had to endure, he was able to do quite well for his family. The sacrifices that he made for his children are something I’ve been trying to emulate not only for the benefit of my family, but for San Francisco in general.

AW: What has been one of your biggest challenge you have overcome?

Yee: I think it’s helping the Chinese American community understand the power they have with their vote. Often times they are left out of the political process. Some people don’t know how to communicate with the Chinese American community and as a result the Chinese American community has to totally disfranchise from any electoral involvement over the years. It has been extremely difficult to reach the Chinese American community in terms of voter participation or whatnot. Right now, no one is really interested in getting the them involved in the electoral process. Getting the Chinese American community involved is one of my major challenges.