AAAFund Endorses Helen Gym for Mayor of Philadelphia
Helen Gym Announces Endorsements from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, AAAFund, and AAPI Victory Fund
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ally@aaafund.org
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Today, Democratic Mayoral candidate Helen Gym announced that she earned the endorsement of Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston, collecting a high profile boost from one of the country’s boldest voices for racial, economic, and climate justice. Gym also announced support from the Asian American Action Fund (AAAFund) and the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Victory Fund.
“Helen has proven her commitment to working families time and again. As a mom, she knows exactly what is at stake for our children. And she’s spent over 30 years fighting for families across Philadelphia to have the safe neighborhoods and quality public schools they deserve,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
Wu continued: “From her roots as a community organizer, to her national leadership as a powerhouse trailblazer on the Philadelphia City Council, Helen has prioritized a people-first agenda that has kept residents housed, created better working conditions, improved safety, and fundamentally changed her city’s politics for the better. Helen exemplifies how local governments can take action to improve the lives of our residents and communities, and I couldn’t be more excited to support her campaign.”
“I am so grateful to have the support of one of this country’s fiercest champions for a fair and just economy, affordable housing, fully-funded public schools, and a municipal Green New Deal” said Helen Gym. “Mayor Wu ran a campaign that was grounded in meeting the basic needs of Boston families — safety at home, dignity at work, reliable public transportation, clean air, and affordable housing. Now, her administration is creating a roadmap for how cities can fix the broken systems that have kept residents down and build a safe, livable, and healthy future for everyone.”
Gym also noted the significance of Mayor Wu being Boston’s first Asian American Mayor, leading the way for other AAPI women across the country seeking elected office.
“Through her bold leadership and her fierce commitment to Boston’s diverse communities, Michelle has shattered the box that AAPI women are too often put into and encouraged AAPI girls with big dreams to see themselves in politics,” said Gym. “As a daughter of immigrants myself, I know just how important that representation is.”
The AAAFund and AAPI Victory Fund, groups that bolster visionary AAPI candidates across the country, also expressed strong support for Helen’s candidacy.
“The Asian American Action Fund has been proud to stand with Helen Gym since she made history as the first Asian American woman to be elected to Philadelphia’s City Council, and we are thrilled to endorse her for Mayor of Philadelphia,” said Ally Mark, Executive Director of the AAAFund. “In a city which has become increasingly diverse, Helen Gym has been and continues to be a well-known progressive voice who has championed the fight to expand access to affordable housing and quality public schools. A trailblazer and a tireless advocate for working families and Philadelphia’s AAPI community, she will put Philadelphia at the forefront of innovation while also prioritizing the city’s hard-working people. We are proud to endorse her campaign.”
“Groups like the AAPI Victory Fund and AAAFund are critical to combating the rise in Anti-Asian violence that the country has seen over the past few years, and to empowering AAPI voters and candidates at all levels,” said Helen Gym. “I’m incredibly proud to have their support.”
The AAPI Victory Fund is a group that engages and empowers AAPI progressive voters to be the margin of victory at all levels of the ballot. Their efforts include building sustained power behind a common agenda, serving as an unprecedented vehicle for influence in elections, sharing knowledge of the AAPI community, and mobilizing AAPI voters.
The Asian American Action Fund (AAAFund) is the oldest political action committee dedicated to supporting Democratic candidates who will represent Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. For over 20 years, AAAFund has endorsed and advocated for more than 200 Democratic AAPIs and Democratic candidates serving AAPI communities for office at every level of government.
This announcement follows other high-profile endorsements earned by Gym, including Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers, UNITE HERE Philadelphia, AFSCME DC 47, Working Families Party, AFT Pennsylvania, Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance, Sunrise Movement, Our Revolution, Teamsters BMWED, Reclaim Philadelphia, One Pennsylvania, Make the Road Action, 18th Ward Democrats, First Ward Democrats, Second Ward Democrats, Ward 39A Democrats, Riverward Area Democrats, Amistad Movement Power, Philly Neighborhood Networks, the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Free the Ballot, and Straight Ahead.
Unless clearly identified as statements of the AAA-Fund, the views, opinions, analyses, and assumptions expressed in each blog or clearinghouse post are those of the author or contributor alone, and not those of the AAA-Fund.
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