Governor Gavin Newsom has named Manjusha P. Kulkarni to the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, according to an official announcement on January 16. The position is honorary, carrying no compensation and not requiring Senate confirmation.
Kulkarni, a prominent civil rights advocate, currently serves as Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, a coalition representing over 1.6 million Asian American and Pacific Islander residents in Los Angeles County. She is also a co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, established in 2020, which has grown into the nation’s leading reporting center for anti-AAPI discrimination and incidents.
Her advocacy has garnered national and international attention. Together with co-founders Cynthia Choi and Russell Jeung, Kulkarni has been recognized on the TIME100 Most Influential People in the World and Bloomberg 50 lists. Her work has been featured in leading outlets including The New York Times, NPR, and CNN, as well as regional and ethnic media, reflecting her broad influence on policy and civil rights issues.
Kulkarni has provided briefings and policy guidance to major institutions such as the Aspen Institute, the World Bank, and the United Nations. In January 2024, she delivered a TEDx talk at the University of California, Berkeley, highlighting civil rights and the empowerment of marginalized communities.
Beyond her organizational leadership, Kulkarni contributes to several boards and advisory roles. She serves on the Board of Directors of LA Voice, participates in the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, and is a member of the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board. Her earlier career included roles as Executive Director of the South Asian Network and Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program. Notably, she played a key role in a landmark pro bono legal case representing Japanese Latin Americans who were forcibly interned during World War II, which culminated in reparations and a formal apology from President Bill Clinton.
Kulkarni earned her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. Her appointment to the California AAPI Commission reinforces her lifelong commitment to civil rights, community advocacy, and public service.
