Serving communities in Alameda County and Santa Clara County.
Assemblymember Alex Lee honored community leaders at his Unsung Heroes event for their commitment to serving their communities. The annual ceremony recognizes leaders who have demonstrated their dedication to making the district a better place. This year, the Assemblymember celebrated the contributions of 22 honorees.
Below is a list of the honorees:
Kate Amon
Assemblymember Alex Lee celebrated Black History Month by recognizing the contributions of community leaders in Santa Clara and Alameda counties. The event was co-hosted by San Jose-Evergreen Community College District Board Trustee Tony Alexander and Fremont Councilmember Desrie Campbell.
Honorees:
Marion “Cookie” Cozine
In celebration of Latino Heritage Month, Assemblymember Alex Lee honored 5 Latino community leaders with the event’s co-host Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Márquez. Together, they recognized the honorees for their vast contributions to our local communities.
Lourdes Calande
In celebration of Pride Month, Assemblymember Alex Lee honored LGBTQ+ leaders in Assembly District 24 with his co-host Union Sanitary District Board Director Marty Kludjian. Together, they recognized 6 individuals and an organization for their advocacy for the district’s LGBTQ+ communities.
Honorees:
Malaya Arevalo
Assemblymember Alex Lee celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by honoring 6 community leaders and an organization in Assembly District 24. The celebration was co-hosted by Milpitas Unified School District Board Member Robert Jung, and recognized the contributions of AAPI community members in the district. Assembly District 24 is the most Asian majority district in California, where AAPI community members account for roughly 60% of the population.
Honorees:
Assemblymember Alex Lee hosted his 2025 Youth Art Contest themed Riding Future Transit. Students residing in the district participated in the contest, and the winners recently had the opportunity to visit the California State Capitol.
Below are the winners’ artwork:
Amanda Chen, 9th grade, Mission San José High School
Assemblymember Alex Lee honored the 2025 Unsung Heroes of Assemblymember District 24. The annual event recognizes community leaders whose dedication to making the district a better place may have gone unnoticed. This year, the Assemblymember celebrated the contributions of 27 honorees.
Norma Amaro was nominated by Jinky Peralta
Assemblymember Alex Lee recognizes Janice Gebhardt as Assembly District 24’s Woman of the Year. Janice was an embryologist at the Stanford In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Lab for 27 years before retiring in 2015. Today, she is an active volunteer in supporting our most vulnerable community members and bringing aid to those in need.
In celebration of Pride Month, Assemblymember Alex Lee honored 6 leaders and organizations for their advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. The honorees were recognized on June 2 at the Assembly District 24 Pride Month Celebration at SoFA Market, which was co-hosted by Ohlone Community College District Board Trustee Lance Kwan.
Jenna Daugherty
