For Immediate Release August 29, 2013 Contact: Bright Limm () (917) 224-4040 Korean Americans for Political

l Advancement Endorses John Liu, Letitia James, Scott Stringer, Austin Shafran and Rory Lancman Flushing, NY Korean Americans for Political Advancement (KAPA) announces today its endorsements for the 2013 City Elections:

Position Mayor Public Advocate Comptroller City Council District 19 City Council District 24

Candidate John Liu Letitia James Scott Stringer Austin Shafran Rory Lancman

Our endorsements are the final result of a rigorous process throughout which we focused on the substance of candidates positions, said Bright Limm, KAPAs President. We are confident that these candidates are the best choices for Queens and for the City.

KAPAs membership voted through anonymous poll on the candidates, after having received a slate of recommendations from the Board of Directors, which were based on candidates responses to an indepth questionnaire.* The Directors had deliberated for over ten hours in coming to its final recommendations, and additionally held interviews of some City Council candidates. KAPAs endorsements, as in past years, will bring with it the manpower needed to win the elections for its chosen candidates. Beginning today, KAPAs members will be conducting phone-banking, canvassing, and Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) activities through Election Day to support its endorsed candidates. John Liu, City Comptroller and candidate for Mayor, stated: I am honored to receive the endorsement of KAPA to be the next Mayor of this great City. Just like many Korean American families, my parents immigrated to New York to pursue the American Dream and worked very hard to achieve it. I have experienced first-hand the difficulties and will fight everyday to level the playing field so that every family in this City has an equal opportunity to pursue the dream. I am proud to be the only consistently progressive candidate for Mayor and have been fortunate to have the strong support of the Korean American community, which I do not take for granted. I thank KAPA for its support as we have an election to win, and a City to change. !" Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President and candidate for Comptroller, stated: "I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Korean Americans for Political Advancement," said "Throughout the last eight years, I have worked closely with KAPA to advance a progressive agenda that promotes the full and equal participation of immigrant communities in New York City. As Comptroller, I will work ensure greater diversity by empowering Minority and Women Owned Businesses, and employ contract oversight to ensure City dollars are spent effectively to help immigrant communities." Austin Shafran, candidate for City Council District 19 , stated: I am deeply honored to have the support of KAPA and look forward to working with them to bring social, economic and civil justice to all New Yorkers. To restore our citys legacy as the progressive capital of the world and beacon of hope for all New Yorkers, I will partner with KAPA to expand immigrants rights, deliver greater educational equality in our schools, and help create good-paying jobs for working families. These are the core values that I will fight for every day with KAPA to address our citys biggest challenges, improve the lives of all Asian Americans, and ensure that equal opportunity is the birthright of all New Yorkers. Rory Lancman, candidate for City Council District 24, stated: New York City's Korean-American community knows the importance of enacting progressive policies on immigration, affordable housing, education access and fairness for small businesses, and I am so proud that KAPA thinks I'm the candidate to bring this agenda to a new City Council. For both City Council races, KAPA created an in-depth questionnaire covering ten areas of city policy, including, but not limited to: Tax and budget policy Neighborhood planning and development Public Transportation Healthcare Council governance reform

KAPAs Board of Directors also held formal interviews of candidates Paul Graziano, Austin Shafran, Paul Vallone, and Chrissy Voskerichian, candidates for the City Council District 19 who had completed the

questionnaire on time. District 19 includes the neighborhoods of Bayside, Whitestone, Little Neck, Douglaston, Bay Terrace, College Point, and portions of Murray Hill, and is home to more than 18,000 Korean Americans, including at least 3,000 registered Democrats. KAPAs membership voted through anonymous poll on the candidates, after having received a slate of recommendations** from its Board of Directors. All endorsed candidates received a majority of votes cast for that race, and each race was voted on by at least the majority of KAPAs enrolled members. KAPAs endorsements, as in past years, will bring with it the manpower needed to win the elections for its chosen candidates. Beginning today, KAPAs members will be conducting phone-banking, canvassing, and Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) activities through Election Day. In a city where injustices are committed every day against Korean Americans and other racial & ethnic minorities, immigrants, low-wage workers, small business owners, the disabled, seniors, and the poor, we must ensure that our decision-makers have vision and backbone. We are confident that each of these candidates will fight to make the City a better place for all, said Limm.

Reference * KAPAs Questionnaire for City Council Candidates: http://db.tt/O7OTONL4 ** Written recommendations by KAPAs Board of Directors to its membership: http://kapany.org/positions/candidate/
***
Founded in 2006, Korean Americans for Political Advancement (KAPA) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer membership organization based in New York City. Through policy education, lobbying, and political activities, KAPA aims to build support within the Korean American community both for the advancement of progressive policies particularly on matters of civil & political rights, immigrants rights, and economic justice and for political candidates who share KAPAs policy goals. To find out more, visit www.kapany.org or facebook.com/kapany.org.