San Francisco has welcomed Kelly Wong, a noncitizen immigrant from Hong Kong, into its Elections Commission – despite her own inability to vote legally in the United States. Wong is now the first noncitizen to serve on the commission, following the city’s decision in 2020 to eliminate the citizenship requirement for city boards, commissions, and advisory bodies.

The ceremony, held at San Francisco City Hall, was presided over by Board of Supervisors president Aaron Peskin, who praised Wong’s dedication to immigrant rights and voter engagement.

Wong said: “There are always voices inside my head. Like, ‘You can’t do it. You’re not competent. You’re an immigrant. This is not your country.’ That’s not true. If I can do it, you can do it.”

“I’ve seen how language and cultural barriers prevent immigrants with limited English proficiency from fully exercising their right to vote,” Wong remarked.

Drawing from her personal experiences, Wong shared her struggles with navigating unfamiliar voting systems as a foreigner. “Even though I’m fluent in English, I still encounter challenges in navigating a new system, let alone participating in political conversation and activities,” she said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)