Form Name: Boards and Commissions Application
Unique ID: 1392629640
Applicant Information
Name Adithya Vishwanath
Are you a Sunnyvale resident? Yes
How long have you lived in
Sunnyvale?
13 years
Description Area Residence Notice:Unless otherwise noted, your principal place of residence must be in Sunnyvale. You must live in Sunnyvale at the time of appointment and at all times during service on a board or commission.
Current Main Residence
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Email
Phone
Are you currently a registered
voter in Sunnyvale?
No
Have you ever served on a City of
Sunnyvale board or commission?
No
Have you attended a meeting of
the City Council, or a board or
commission?
No
Have you attended meetings of
the board(s) or commission(s) for
which you are applying?
No
Board or Commission Selection
First Choice Human Relations Commission
Applicant Qualifications
Adithya Vishwanath
Date Received:
Voter registration verified:
On:
By:
10/21/25
N/A
MH
I
What motivated you to apply for
this board or commission?
I was motivated to apply for this commision because I am passionate in making sure that youth voices are heard, especially in policy regarding human relations. Policy decisions-especially those regarding safety and equity directly shape our lives, be it students or parents. Furthermore, as a first generation immigrant, I represent a minority that's rights are being infringed on and suffer discrimination. Due to this, I have a strong commitment to advocating for inclusion, fairness, and empathy in my community and I hope that this commission would help.
What skills or attributes can you
bring to this board or
commission?
Some skills and attributes that I can bring to this commission include public speaking, active listening, strong communication, multilingual connections, and ability to hear and represent different voices in a community. I have done speech and debate for over six years, so I am confident in my abilities to articulate points and present cases well. Furthermore, coming from an ethnic background, I speak several languages. I speak English, Hindi, Tamil, Spanish (2 years of studying), and basic French.
Additionally, I created a group during the chaos of the 2024 election for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans to come together and see each other's views. This has helped me develop the ability to listen to and understand opposing ideas.
The primary role of a board or
commission member is to provide
advice to City Council on policy
issues that are within the scope
of the board or commission. What
steps would you take to
effectively exercise this specific
board or commission role?
I would begin by learning everything I can about the commision's past, present, and future objectives. Then I would address what I think are some of the biggest pressing issues in Sunnyvale, focusing on equity, outreach, and community inclusion. I would come to meetings prepared by researching and interviewing community members, with a strong focus on minorities such as Asian or people of color and students. I would analyze policies with an unbiased lens and determine whether they would benefit the city as a whole. I would also present cases based on evidence and public opinion to give the council members a different perspective.
Education – List college degrees,
majors and any relevant training
or experience that demonstrates
your ability to effectively serve
on this board or commission.
I am currently in high school, but have taken civic engagement courses to help connect with the public and view policies.
Furthermore, I have done a wide variety of debate, including policy, which has helped me analyze policy and communicate effectively. This is very important to me, as I believe that the way one gets a point across is equally as important as the point itself.
Adithya Vishwanath
Describe your involvement in
community activities, volunteer
and civic organizations.
I have volunteered for the Walk to End Alzheimers for almost six years, helping set up events and raise money for Alzheimers research. In this process, I got promoted to an advocacy team member, a group that directly works with Congress and
Representatives to change policy for alzheimers reasearch funding. Furthermore, I am a member of CAHSD (California High School Democrats) and have been involved in getting people to vote in the special coming elections. I have also been a passionate environmental activist, a member of the Sillicon Valley Youth Climate Action team. Additionally, I have volunteered at homeless shelters and soup kitchens. Lastly, I have volunteered in my community to teach religion and culture to small kids.
Description Area The City has a Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials and an Attendance Policy (7.2.19), 2 G (II) that appointed members are required to follow.
Do you have any concerns related
to the above code and policy?
No
Are you willing to accept a
temporary appointment for the
remainder of an unexpired term?
Yes
Board or Commission-Specific Questions
Human Relations Commission
Category One: I'm a Sunnyvale
resident.
Yes
What do you think are major
equity challenges facing the
Sunnyvale community?
Some major equity challenges facing the Sunnyvale community include navigating an increasingly diverse population. As the city grows, more and more people are coming, meaning that more and more people of different race and ethnicities are joining the community. They are underepresented in decision making inside the city government, even when decisions directly impact them.
Furthermore, another issue is the increasing gap between the economic development of the city and accessibility. Housing and expenses such as groceries are too expensive for low-income families to thrive. Additionally, as Sunnyvale is a diverse community, language barriers are high. Especially in schools, students who do not speak English are not given the same opportunities as those who are fluent.
Adithya Vishwanath
Describe your experience working
with historically marginalized
communities. How have your
actions benefited these
communities?
One big issue with historically marginalized communities is that they are not able to speak up. This was the case in my
neighborhood here. Something that I have done to change this is offer speech coaching to help them make their voice heard. These actions have benefited these communities by removing one of the barriers that stood between them and speaking up for
themselves. Students can advocate for themselves, be it in school or at home. It gives them future conversational skills and sets them up for success.
Demographic Information
Your age
Your gender
Description Area LGBTQIA+ Identity (LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and the “+” is an all-inclusive way to include additional terms used to describe one’s gender, romantic, and sexual identities for those who do not identify with heterosexuality or the gender binary.)
LGBTQIA+ Identity
Race or Ethnicity (select all that
apply)
Do you speak a language other
than English?
Which languages?
Household Income
Residence - Are you a
Do you live in a
Your Agreement
Adithya Vishwanath
Description Area IMPORTANT NOTICE – READ BEFORE SIGNING:By selecting both “Yes” and “Submit Form” below I am adding my digital signature to this application. I am also agreeing with the following statements:All statements I have made on this application are true and correct.I authorize the City of Sunnyvale (City) to investigate the accuracy of this information.I release the City from all claims and liabilities arising from such investigation.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application will be grounds for the City to deny my appointment. A false statement discovered later, will be grounds to dismiss me from my appointment at any time.I acknowledge that any false statement on this application could lead to criminal charges. Charges could fall under California Penal Code, Section 115 or other applicable law.
I agree Yes
Your full name Adithya Vishwanath
Date Oct 20, 2025
Adithya Vishwanath