Senator Thomas J. Umberg announced that he is honoring Ly Nguyen of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) – Orange County, as Woman of the Year for the 34th Senate District.
“In appreciation for her committed local activism and continued advocacy for the community of Garden Grove and surrounding areas, I am excited to be able to honor Ly Nguyen as our Woman of the Year for 2020,” said Senator Umberg. “I am proud to recognize Ly for her ongoing commitment, inspiring work for her community, and the amazing determination she brings to fight for worker’s rights and social justice.”
Ly joined Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) in 2002. She helps organize Asian Members to build the Orange County Chapter so that the members always have their voices heard. Ly supports the Social Justice Movement as an immigrant, and civil rights. She is proud to serve Vietnamese Members of the United Domestic Workers of America (UDW). Ly Nguyen, along with other providers in APALA, take care of their clients and work more hours than they get paid.
Members believe in the union and continue commitment to the UDW.
Senator Umberg, along with the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, sponsors the annual “Woman of the Year” celebration. The event typically includes a special ceremony on the Senate Floor in which most of the Senators honor a woman who has significantly contributed to their district. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was held online in a virtual format.
In addition to Nguyen, Umberg also honored Los Alamitos teenager Jessica Ridgeway.
Ridgeway is the founder of African Sisterhood, a non-profit organization established as a result of her trip to Africa in 2016.
With a mission “to empower girls and women in Kenya by helping them with basic needs starting with providing them feminine hygiene products,” as of today, she has helped more than 1,000 Kenyan girls to stay in school. On January 26 of this year, Jessica organized her first “sew-in” workshop, and hopes to assemble and personally deliver 300 “girl kits” to young women in Africa this year
“Jessica makes a difference in the lives of women across the world. Embracing another culture, she has empowered girls and women in Kenya by helping them with the basic needs for a better standard of living,” said Umberg.
“In doing so, she has shown the power of compassion, and the power of the connections we can all make across the globe and at home,” said Senator Thomas Umberg. “Jessica has organized a remarkable charity, and in doing so, inspired by example the actions one person can make from their home here in California,” he said.
Umberg represents the 34th Senate District which includes Los Alamitos.
Courtesy photo