Fighting racial discrimination

An immigrant from China who has faced and broken racial barriers throughout his life, Leland Yee is the first Asian American to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore of the California Assembly, and the first Chinese-American elected to the Assembly from the City and County of San Francisco.

If elected to the State Senate, Leland Yee will be the first Chinese American State Senator in the 155-year history of California. He is one of the State Assembly’s strongest advocates in the battle against discrimination and to ensure equal rights for all Californians.

  • Apology to deported Mexican Americans.
    Helped pass resolution that issues an apology to Mexican Americans who were illegally and forcibly deported from the United States to Mexico since 1929

  • Racially-based predatory loans.
    Fought predatory lending practices that target racial minorities for high-cost, sub-prime predatory loans

  • Fair Housing.
    Supported fair housing practices by enabling property owners to remove discriminatory covenants that ban ownership by race or ethnicity from property deeds

  • Hate Crimes.
    Voted to extend the statute of limitations on hate crimes

  • Discrimination in Businesses.
    Strengthened the Unruh Civil Rights Act which outlaws discrimination in business establishments on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability or medical condition

  • Adult Day Care Discrimination.
    Helped pass law prohibiting an adult day health care center from discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disabilities