Stanton, Calif. – On the heels of nationally-recognized successes in Orange County’s Democratic and labor movements, Ada Briceño, Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County, launched a campaign for Democratic National Committee Member this week, including a new website, AdaForDNC.com.
Briceño, a powerhouse in the labor movement and a staunch advocate for women’s rights, launched her campaign with heavy-hitting endorsements from leaders spanning the Democratic Party, civil rights and labor.
“Democrats win when everyone has a seat at the table,” said Briceño. “I’m proud to represent courageous women and men who stand up daily to the most powerful corporations in the world — and win. Whether it’s in Orange County or across the nation, we must protect our victories, and we must challenge ourselves to do more.”
Briceño would be just the third Orange County Democrat to serve as member in the DNC’s history, significantly expanding Orange County’s national leadership in Democratic politics.
Endorsements include (titles for identification purposes):
- California State Treasurer Fiona Ma
- California Secretary of State Alex Padilla
- DNC Vice Chair and AFL-CIO Treasurer Maria Elena Durazo
- Civil Rights leader Dolores Huerta
- The Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt Founder Cleve Jones
- California State Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher
- Congressmember Gil Cisneros, CA-39
- Congressmember Harley Rouda, CA-48
- Congressmember Mike Levin, CA-49
- California Democratic Party Chicano Latino Caucus Chair Carlos Alcala
- California Democratic Party Legislation Committee Co-Chair Amy Wiwuga Kazanegras
- California Democratic Party Organizational Development Co-Chair Michael Evans
- California Democratic Party Organizational Development Co-Chair Tonia Uranga
- California Democratic Party Affirmative Action Lead Co-Chair Denise Penn
- California Democratic Party Region 15 Director Primitivo Castro
- California Democratic Party Region 17 Director Florice Hoffman
- California Democratic Party Rules Committee Member Anita Narayana
- California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee Member Susie Shannon
- California Democratic Party Resolutions Committee Member Humberto Gomez
- California Democratic Party Voter Services Committee Member Lee Fink
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member John Vassiliades
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Theodore Perle
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Jose Moreno
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Emma Jenson
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Allyson Vincent
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Stevevonna Evans
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Michele Newman
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member Tracie Stafford
- California Democratic Party Executive Board Member and West Los Angeles Democratic Chair Cara Robin
- Mayor of Long Beach Robert Garcia
- Butte County Democratic Party Chair Lupita Arim-Law
- Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Mark Gonzalez
- Democratic Party of Orange County North Vice Chair Jeff LeTourneau
- Democratic Party of Orange County Western Vice Chair Victor Valladares
- Democratic Party of Orange County Secretary Luis Alemán
- Orange County Federation of Labor President Gloria Alvarado
- Los Angeles Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera
- National Union of Healthcare Workers
- UNITE HERE Local 11
The California Democratic Party elects ten men and ten women to serve as California’s Democratic National Committee Members every four years. The California Democratic Party will conduct elections for DNC members at CDP Executive Board meetings in March, 2020.
Ada Briceño immigrated to the United States at age 6, when her family fled civil war in Nicaragua. She settled in Orange County, California when she was 14. At age 26, she became the first Latina President of UNITE-HERE Local 681 Orange County.
Today Ada serves as Co-President of UNITE-HERE Local 11, representing over 32,000 hotel workers in Los Angeles County, Orange County and Arizona. She is also a Vice President of UNITE-HERE International Union, representing over 270,000 workers.
UNITE-HERE Local 11 won historic living wage initiatives for thousands of workers in California, and is leading the fight to end sexual harassment in the hotel industry, while lifting wages and pension benefits for low wage workers. UNITE-HERE members are also registering thousands of voters and knocking on thousands of doors in Arizona, often in desert heat, to help flip the state and save our democracy.
Ada is Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County, and is the first immigrant in its history to hold that role. Orange County made national headlines under her leadership a few months ago, when the county’s voter registration flipped blue for the first time in decades.
In the California Democratic Party, Ada serves as Lead Co-Chair of the Finance Committee and a former Lead Co-Chair of the Committee on Standing Committees. She has served as Assembly Delegate for the 65th District.
In addition to her political and union work, Ada has led many civil rights, immigrant rights, women’s rights, and environmental efforts.