Assemblymember Alex Lee Recognizes 2026 Unsung Heroes

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

Kate Amon is a Past President of the Crippsmas Club, which promotes community service and engagement during the holiday season. Kate also serves on Fremont For Everyone’s leadership team, where she advocates for inclusive, affordable housing, and ensures Fremont is welcoming of new neighbors.

Luisa Camacho 

Luisa Camacho is a T-K teacher in the Berryessa Union School District. She has been a teacher for more than 20 years, helping our community’s youngest students learn important values and behaviors to build a strong academic foundation that will help them achieve future success.

Anwita Gandesiri

Anwita Gandesiri advocates for policies that improve public health and support cancer patients and families. She has engaged in statewide and national youth advocacy initiatives and started a podcast to share people’s stories. Anwita has also hosted multiple events at Washington High School to raise cancer awareness amongst her peers. 

Alicia Gonzales-Candelaria 

Alicia Gonzales-Candelaria is a leader of American Legion Post 837. She works tirelessly to connect veterans in our community with resources, create a supportive space, and ensure their access to essential veteran services and benefits. 

Martha Guzman

Martha Guzman is an indispensable staff member at the Newark Library. Through her inclusive leadership, dedication to bringing forward cultural programs, and support of educational initiatives, she has made the library a ‘home away from home’ for many Latino families. Martha’s work has empowered residents to become more engaged citizens. 

Nitul Haria

Nitul Haria is an essential volunteer at the Jain Center of Northern California. For the Center’s 25th anniversary in 2025, he took a leadership role in coordinating the Ghee Boli efforts. Nitul also serves as a lead for Friday Bhavnas and fosters spiritual growth by inviting respected Jain scholars from India to deepen our community’s understanding of the Jain philosophy. 

Joanne Hoemberg

Joanne Hoemberg has been instrumental in organizing peaceful protests in Fremont, working in collaboration with Indivisible, Mobilize.us, No Kings, and other advocacy organizations. Her leadership has helped elevate the voices of South Alameda County residents and fostered greater political participation within our community. 

Jainu Jogani 

Jainu Jogani supports families affected by rare diseases. He helps caregivers navigate the medical and research systems by guiding them through ways to find treatments, clinical trials, and care. Through these efforts, Jainu has strengthened the rare disease community's capacity to pursue medical therapies, access resources, and support one another. 

Prashanth Joshi

Prashanth Joshi has been a core volunteer for Community Seva for more than a decade. Every Sunday, he personally distributes hot breakfast to individuals in need. Prashanth and his family also prepare and serve meals at the Fremont Abode Shelter, ensuring residents receive nutritious food and compassionate human connection.

Ana Naranjo

Ana Naranjo is an active volunteer with LoretoQD’s Brigade and CityTeam where she has assisted in distributing food, clothing, and household products. Ana also works to ensure every student has the support they need to succeed through her roles as a District English Learner Advisory Committee member, a PTA member, and a participant of the Dichos and United Parents teams. 

Subhash Patel

Subhash Patel is the President of the Gujarati Cultural Association (GCA) and has served as a Trustee for more than 30 years. GCA organizes cultural and entertainment programs for the Gujarati and Indian community. Under his leadership, GCA has grown from about 200 family members to 2,000, and hosts annual events for the Gujarati community. 

Pratibha Raheja

Pratibha Raheja is a Science Prep teacher at Gomes Elementary School in Fremont. Over her 15 years of teaching, she has taught thousands of students, helping them find their 

passion for science through interactive experiments. Pratibha also gives students learning opportunities through activities such as the Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, and Science Fair.

Nandini Ray

Nandini Ray is the Senior Manager of Outreach, Prevention, and Policy Advocacy at Maitri, which supports survivors of domestic violence. In 2012, Nandini started an Arts and Poetry Fest that inspires participants’ artistic vision of a society that is free from violence and based on love, peace, and compassion. 

Anthony Sanchez

Anthony Sanchez established a rehabilitation home, offering free support to those seeking to change their lives and live free from drugs and alcohol. Hundreds of individuals have transformed their lives through this program, becoming drug- and alcohol-free, securing employment, and restoring relationships with their families. 

Richard Sekar and Sandhya Sekar

Richard Sekar and Sandhya Sekar have led several significant community projects. Their efforts include organizing seed ball scatterings, distributing back-to-school kits, and overseeing the Mobile Care Package operations of St. Vincent de Paul. Their work has improved access to food and strengthened climate change prevention efforts. 

Anuradha Suresh

Anuradha Suresh is the Founder and Director of Shruthi Swara Laya, a fine arts institution dedicated to Indian classical music and dance. She has mentored hundreds of students since 1998, inspiring generations of scholars, and helping people of all ages appreciate South Indian music and culture. 

Barry Taimani

Barry Taimani is the Founder and President of the Melino Foundation, which provides meals, essential supplies, and direct support to unhoused individuals with dignity and compassion. Barry’s work has increased  awareness of housing insecurity, and encouraged broader community involvement. 

Sheela Vijay

Sheela Vijay has contributed over 4,000 hours of volunteer work at Washington Health over the past seven years. She volunteers in the Special Care Nursery and the No One Dies Alone program and has been a trainer in the Nurse Unit Assist program. For the past three years, she has served as the President of the Washington Hospital Service League. 

Yoo-Yoo Yeh

Yoo-Yoo Yeh is a key organizer and leader of Urban Forest Friends, which works to grow  tree canopy in Newark, Fremont, and Union City. Yoo-Yoo has organized tree planting events, recruited volunteers, and ensured that newly planted trees are cared for and maintained. Under Yoo-Yoo’s leadership, Urban Forest Friends has planted close to 1,000 trees. 

Ann Zeise

Ann Zeise is the Founder of GoMilpitas.com, which is a centralized hub for news, resources, and civic updates. Her work has strengthened, informed, and engaged the Milpitas community since 1997. Ann is also an active member of the Milpitas Historical Society, the Milpitas Camera Club, and the Community Emergency Response Team. 

Narika 

Narika provides culturally responsive, survivor-centered support to individuals affected by domestic violence, including those from immigrant and South Asian communities. Through its confidential helpline, emergency and transitional housing, and counseling, Narika supports and empowers survivors through their journey of healing.