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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF KENT DOUGLAS WONG
WHEREAS, Kent Douglas Wong was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Delbert Wong, the first Chinese American judge in the United States, and Dolores Wong, a psychiatric social worker and community leader who helped establish the Chinatown Public Library; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong grew up in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, graduated from Marshall High School, and went on to attend the University of California, Berkeley, and the People's College of Law, where his passion for social justice and advocacy for workers' rights began to take shape; and
WHEREAS, while attending the University of California, Berkeley, Mr. Wong met his future wife, Jai Lee, who shared his love for politics, travel, and community building. They married and together raised two sons, Ryan (engaged to Larissa Pham) and Robin; and
WHEREAS, early in his professional career, Mr. Wong served as a staff attorney for the Service Employees International Union, where he advocated for the fair treatment of workers and equitable labor practices; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong was the founding president of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the founding president of the United Association for Labor Education, and a vice president of the California Federation of Teachers, through which he built coalitions to advance labor rights and education across communities; and
WHEREAS, as Director of the UCLA Labor Center for more than 30 years, Mr. Wong transformed the Center into a national and international leader in labor research, education, and advocacy, fostering a generation of organizers, educators, and policymakers dedicated to equity and justice; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, the University of California established labor centers at all nine campuses, expanding labor education throughout the state. Mr. Wong also led efforts to create similar centers at three universities i...
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