Board and Commission Application
Board or Commission you wish to serve on:
Human Relations Commission
(Planning Commission applicants: Please attach supplemental questionnaire) Submit application to:
Office of the City Clerk
3300 Capitol Avenue, Building A
P.O. Box 5006
Fremont, CA 94537-5006
Personal Information:
Mr. ❑
Mrs. ❑
Ms. ❑
Name: Koruga, Annie K.
Last First MI
Home Address:
Street City State Zip
Home Telephone: Work Telephone: _______________________ E-mail: Fax:___________________________
Resident of the City of Fremont:14 years
Demographic Information:
Ethnicity:
□ American Indian or Alaskan Native □ Chinese
□ Black or African American □ White
□ Afghan □ Vietnamese
□ Mexican □ Filipino
□ Indian □ Pakistani
□ Other Asian origin: ________________ (write-in optional) □ Other African origin: _______________ (write-in optional) □ Other Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin:__________ (write-in optional) -1-
Gender:
□Male
□Prefer toself-identify(non-binary)
□Female
□Prefernottosay
Language(s) Spoken: English
BackgroundInformation:
Whydoyouwishtoserveasamember of thisBoardor Commission:
SincemovingtoFremontsome14yearsago,I havebeencivicallyinvolvedinourvibrantcommunity, servingandadvocatinginmanyways.I wishtoleveragethisbroadknowledgetocontinuetoserveourcitybybeingavoicefortheLGBTQ+community, andavoiceforyoungerresidents,ensuringadiversearrayofperspectivesarerepresentedontheCityofFremontHumanRelationsCommission.
I havebeendeeplyinvolvedinbothgovernanceandadvocacywork,andunderstandthesometimesdifficultandcomplexprocessofrealizingthevaluesweallholdsodear, whileworkingthroughtherealitiesofoftencomplexandslowmovinggovernanceprocedures.OnthegovernancesideI havepreviouslyservedonbothFremontUnifiedSchoolDistrictandCityofFremontcommissions.I amaproudformermemberoftheYouthAdvisoryCommission.IroutinelyattendCityCouncilMeetingsandhaveattendedtheSFPrideParadewiththeFremontContingentorganizedbytheHRC.Additionally, I amaSeniorSenatorofSocialSciencesatOhloneCollege,andsitontheCurriculumCommitteeandFacultySenate.DuringmytimeinthesepositionsatOhloneCollege,I haveworkedtoensureequitablepracticesincurriculumadoptionprocedures,adequatedatacollectionfortheStudentEquityPlan,andthatthestudentcafeteriaacceptsCalFresh.
Ontheotherhand,I understandthatpassionateadvocatesmustsometimesurgegovernancestructurestotakeamorejustapproach,moreexpediently. Tothatend,I haveservedinmanycapacitiesasanadvocate.I sitontheSteeringCommitteeofFremontForEveryone,ahousingadvocacyorganizationinourcommunitywhichhasrecentlyengagedonFremont’sDraftHousingElement,respectfullysuggestingtweaksandadditionstothatdocument.I alsoamamemberoftheAlamedaCountyCoalitionforFairRedistricting,anorganizationwhichseekstoendgerrymandering,UrbanForestFriends,alocalurbanforestryorganization,andserveasthesecretaryofNilesDiscoveryChurch’sMinistryofSocialConcerns. -2-
WhatwouldyoubringbywayofperspectiveorexperiencetothisBoardorCommission:
I havealwaysbeenproudthatFremontworkstobeaninclusive,progressivecity, whichseekstounderstand,notmerelyinspiteofourdifferences,butoftentimesbecauseofthem.Ourfundamentaldifferencesmakeusstrongerasacommunity. AdiverseHumanRelationsCommissionisessentialtorealizingthesegoals,however, andtothatendI wouldbeabletobringlesbianrepresentationtotheHumanRelationsCommission,andwouldbeavoiceforyoungerresidents.
Asacivically-engagedindividual,I havearobustunderstandingofpolicymatters,andhaveengagedwithcomplexpolicyinavarietyofways.AsaproudmemberoftheOhloneCollegeSpeechandDebateTeam,I hadthehonorofrepresentingmyCollegeatthe2022NationalChampionships,andwillbedoingthesamein2023.I havereceivedavarietyofawardsinCollegiateSpeechandDebatewhereI specializeinlimitedpreparationandplatformspeaking,bothofwhichrequirearobustunderstandingandabilitytocoherentlycommunicateaboutcomplicatedcurrenteventsandpolicies.I alsohavethehonorofcontributingtoProjectCensored2023,anannualbookwhichseekstoidentifyandexploretwenty-fiveimportantnewseventswhichdidnotgarnerduecoverage.Fiveentriesarewrittenbyme,includingwhatweredeemedthefirstandsecondmostimportantevents,concerningglobalfossilfuelsubsidiesandwagetheftrespectively.
Employment/Volunteer Information:
Pleaselistanyqualificationsyoufeel wouldprovidepositiveinputtotheworkofthecommission.
Organization: Fremont CreatesDates: Feb2023- Present
Location: Fremont Position(s): PublicityLead
Responsibilities/accomplishments:InFebruary2023IjoinedFremontCreatestocoordinatemanyofthefestivitiesfortheinaugural coordinatedApril asArts,Culture,andCreativityMonthcelebrations.IhavesincecreatedgraphicsforFremontCreatessocial media,runtheorganization’sInstagrampageandco-administertheFacebookPage.Ialsohavecoordinatedwithandbeeninterviewedbylocal reporters,andhavedraftedarticlestoinformthecommunityaboutApril asArts,Culture,andCreativityMonth.
Organization: UrbanForest FriendsDates: Dec2022- Present Location: Tri-CitiesPosition(s): MemberResponsibilities/accomplishments:Ihaveattendedtreeplantings,suggestedmutuallybeneficialwaystointerfacewithcitystaff,coordinatedwithothercommunitymembers,andadvocatedforarobustUrbanForestryManagementPlan.
Organization: AlamedaCountyCoalitionfor Fair RedistrictingDates: 2021- Present -3-
Location: AlamedaCountyPosition(s): Member
Responsibilities/accomplishments:AsamemberoftheAlamedaCountyCoalitonforFairRedistricting,IhaveengagedineffortstoeducatecommunitiesabouteffectiveparticipatiomintheredistrictingprocessfortheBoardofSupervisors,andthisincreasedcommunityengagement.Ihavealsocollaboratedtobuildrelationshipsbetweenover60civicandcommunityorganizationstocollectivelyadvocateforfairredistrictingpractices,andhaveengagedwithstatelegislatorsaboutlegislationmandatingindependentredistricting.
Organization: Fremont for EveryoneDates: 2019- Present
Location: FremontPosition(s): SteeringCommitteeMember, PolicyCommitteeCo-ChairFormer TablingTeamLead Responsibilities/accomplishments:Asthetablingteamlead,IorganizedtablingeffortsinsupportoftheHousingNavagationCenteratcommunityevents.AsaSteeringCommitteeMemberIhavebuiltcoalitionswithotherlocal housingadvocacyorganizations,andampartofateamwhichroutinelyengageswithlocal housingpolicyincludingsupportingcouncil andstaffwhenadvocatingforhosuingrelatedgrants,includingforProjectHomekeyfunds.AsaPolicyCommitteeCo-ChairIhaveanalyzedandadvocatedfordatadrivenpolicysuchastheCityofFremont’sSafeParkingStrategyandhaverespectfullyandconstructivelyengagedwithstaffandCityCouncil oncomplexhosuingpoliciessuchasthedrafthousingelement.
Organization: Project CensoredDates: December 2021- Present Location: National OrganizationPosition(s): Researcher / Writer Responsibilities/accomplishments:Iresearchedandwrote11articlesforthe2022-2023cycle,fiveofwhichwereselectedforpublicationinthebookProjectCensored2023.Iamcurrentlyresearchingandwritingarticlesforthe2023-2024cycle.IalsoattendedtheCritical MediaLiteracyConferenceoftheAmericaswithProjectCensored.
Organization: OhloneCollege: SpeechandDebateTeamDates: August 2021- Present Location: FremontPosition(s): TeamMember
Responsibilities/accomplishments:AsaSpeechandDebateTeammember,Ihavereceivednumerousawardsincluding5thplaceinextemporaneousspeakingatthe2022NorthernCaliforniaRegional Championshipsand5thplaceinimpromptuspeakingatthe2023NorthernCaliforniaRegional Championships.In2022IrepresentedOhloneCollegeattheNationalChampionshipsandwill dosoagainin2023.
Organization: AssociatedStudentsof OhloneCollegeDates: August 2021 Location: FremontPosition(s): Senior Senator of Social Sciences, Past PoliciesandResolutionsBranchChair, CurriculumCommitteeMember, FacultySenateMember Responsibilities/accomplishments:Ihavecarriedlegislationon,andchampionednumerousreforms,surroundingLGBTQ+inclusion,facilitiesimprovementsespeciallyconcerningcompost -4-
binsandbikelockers,anemergencyfundforstudents,adequatedatacollectionintheinstitutional studentequityplan,andintentional equityincurriculumapproval.
Organization: IndivisibleEast BayDates: Feb2023- Present Location: AlamedaCountyPosition(s): DemocracyTeamProject Lead Responsibilities/accomplishments:IhaverecentlysteppedupontotheleadershipteamofIndivisibleEastBay’sDemocracyTeamandamcoordinatinglegislativevisitsforourprioritycampaignswhichincludesupportingvotingrightslegislation.
Organization: NilesDiscoveryChurch: GreenTeamDates: June2021- Present Location: FremontPosition(s): Member
Responsibilities/accomplishments:AsamemberoftheGreenTeamIhaveadvocatedforenvironmental justiceissuesbothwithinNilesDiscoveryChurchandoutsideofit.Forexample,wehavesourcedrecyclablecommunioncupsandalsometwithourCongressionalRepresentativestocommunicateoursupportforafullyfundedjust,greentransition.
Organization: NilesDiscoveryChurch: Ministryof Social ConcernsDates: June2021-Present Location: FremontPosition(s): Secretary
Responsibilities/accomplishments:AstheSecretaryoftheMinistryofSocial Concerns,Irecordtheminutesofeachmeeting.Additionally,IparticipateinanongoingcanandbottledrivetofundNilesDiscoveryChurch’ssupportofchildrenindevelopingnations,andamcollaborativelyleadingonourinstitutionseffortstosupportindigenousissues.
Organization: YouthAdvisoryCommissionDates: March2019- December 2020 Location: FremontPosition(s): Member
Responsibilities/accomplishments:AsacommissionerIcontributedtoorganizingandleadingmultipleeventssuchasanOpenMicPoetrySlam,andHighSchool Conferencefortheyouthofourcity.Ialsoworkedcollaborativelywithyouthadvocatesfromneighboringjurisdictions.
Special awardsor recognitionsyouhavereceived:
2021 Love Hero Award, accepted jointly on behalf of Fremont for Everyone as a SteeringCommitteeMember 5thplaceinextemporaneousspeakingatthe2022NorthernCaliforniaRegional SpeechandDebateChampionships -5-
5thplaceinimpromptuspeakingatthe2023NorthernCaliforniaRegional SpeechandDebateChampionships EducationInformation:
OhloneCollege AssociatesDegree Political Science May2023EducationalInstitution Degree/Diploma Field Year Civicserviceisaprivilegeandresponsibilityof interested, qualified, sincerecitizens. Thevalueandimportanceof wideparticipationof alargenumber of citizenscannot bemeasured. Yourinterest inservingonaboardor commissionof theCityof Fremont isgreatlyappreciated.
General Information: Your applicationisapublicdocument andwill bekeptonfileforoneyear.Ifyouwouldlikeadditional information,pleasecall theCityClerk’sOffice,at(510) 2844060.
Pleasesignanddateyour applicationandsubmit totheOfficeof theCityClerk.
Thankyou.
AnnieKoruga March28,2023__________________________________________ _____________________________Signature Date -6-