I am endorsing Hoan Huynh for Congress in the Illinois ninth district

Photo: x.com/hoandhuynh.

This endorsement is personal and not in my capacity as an officer of any civic organizations, publisher and writer of any publications, director of a social service provider, elder of a Church.

As the incoming president of one of the Rotary Clubs in our district and as an elder of the Presbyterian Church (USA), I’ve come to value a form of leadership that’s often missing in the halls of power.

Servant leadership.

The kind that listens before speaking, that uplifts before climbing, that builds coalitions rather than ego.

In Washington, D.C., and in boardrooms across the nation, too much leadership today is driven by fiat, arrogance, and self-preservation.

But Hoan Huynh is cut from a different cloth. His is a leadership forged in community, in sacrifice, in the belief that public service is not about advancing oneself but about advancing others.

That’s why I proudly endorse Hoan Huynh for the Ninth Congressional District of Illinois.

Hoan’s commitment to servant leadership reflects not only his values but the culture and heritage he comes from—one where family and community take precedence over personal gain.

It’s a worldview I recognize deeply. As a Hawaii-born Filipino American with indigenous roots, I was raised with similar values. I was taught that leadership means service and that power, if held, must be shared.

Hoan leads with this spirit. And in this moment, we need more of it.

As a former LGBTQ news reporter in Chicago, I’ve covered the hard-fought battles that secured protections in employment, housing, healthcare—and, eventually, marriage—for LGBTQ people like me.

But we are now watching those gains being clawed back, piece by piece.

It matters that Hoan has stood with us, not just with words, but with actions. He has shown up, spoken out, and made it clear that he will not let our rights be stripped away by extremists who want to roll the clock back.

As someone who has worked in senior social services for twenty years, and as an Alzheimer’s and dementia educator, I know the kind of energy and knowledge it takes to meet the needs of an aging America.

Too many elected officials talk about seniors but never talk to them. Hoan has maintained real connections with elders through retirement communities, nursing homes, senior centers, and most importantly, within his own extended family.

He doesn’t view seniors as a talking point. He views them as people—people with dignity, wisdom, and needs that deserve advocacy.

I trust Hoan to steward policies that support older adults and those suffering from dementia. And where he still has more to learn, he’s ready and eager to learn from those of us who’ve been doing this work for decades.

Representation matters.

Assomeone who sees the world from a Pacific Rim perspective, where the cultural, political, and economic tides of the 21st century are shifting, I am proud that Hoan will bring that lens to Congress.

As threats escalate in Asia and the global economy increasingly pivots toward countries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, we need voices in Congress who understand this region not just from a policy standpoint but from lived experience.

Hoan gets it. Because he’s lived it.

My own life is an intersection of many worlds—LGBTQ, Asian Pacific Islander, Indigenous, faith leader, public servant. That intersection gives me a unique lens through which I see the world.

And through that lens, I see clearly that we need Hoan Huynh in Congress.

Not because he’s perfect. But because he’s principled.

Not because he seeks power. But because he seeks justice.

Not because he represents one group. But because he represents the very best in all of us.

Let’s send a servant leader to Washington.

Let’s elect Hoan Huynh.