Andy Wong

Andy Wong is the Managing Director of Advocacy at Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), a co-founding partner of Stop AAPI Hate, the national coalition working to address anti-AAPI racism–-where he works to drive high-impact campaigns to achieve racial justice and to build an AAPI movement in cross-racial solidarity for social change. Amidst the alarming rise of anti-AAPI hate and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic, Andy headed Stop AAPI Hate’s partnership with the California AAPI Legislative Caucus to advocate for the successful passage of the API Equity Budget—a historic $166.5 million measure designed to address and combat this problem.

Before joining CAA, Andy served as the Director of External Relations at The Education Trust–West (ETW) where he worked to advance education equity for low-income students of color in California. At ETW, Andy led the coalition building and legislative advocacy to place repeal of an affirmative action ban on the statewide ballot by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the California legislature and subsequently served as the Campaign Manager for Yes on Prop 16 to restore affirmative action in state hiring, contracting, and education. He also worked closely with colleagues and partners to oppose changing eligibility requirements for admissions to the California State University (CSU) system, defeat a bill that would have allowed local school districts to replace high school assessment exams with the SAT or ACT, and pass legislation that required all graduating high school seniors to complete a financial aid application.

Prior to ETW, Andy served as the Engagement Director at Giffords–-the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. At Giffords, Andy led strategic initiatives and collaborations with partner organizations and launched several national and statewide coalitions of grasstop leaders to champion gun safety.

In addition, Andy directed organizing, advocacy, and fundraising efforts for pro-LGBTQ initiatives, and was an early strategist for marriage equality in California. Andy has also worked on a number of electoral campaigns, including managing congressional races in the Sierra Nevada and Silicon Valley and serving on President Obama’s re-election campaign.

A native of southern California, Andy is the son of working-class, Chinese immigrants, and is the first member of his family to graduate from college. Andy holds degrees from Swarthmore College and Princeton University.