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On this episode of Democracy Is, we dive deep into the origins of the recall, how recalls are used today, and how they should be reformed. When was the recall conceived? What was its original purpose? How do recalls impact everyday Americans? We will discuss all of these topics and more in the latest release from Democracy Is.

We speak with Sylvia Leong, a school board member who confronted a recall while navigating an unprecedented time for her district. As recalls proliferate, they are becoming more politicized than ever, so the time to discuss recalls is now!

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Our Guests this Episode

Sylvia Leong is serving her second term as Board Vice President of the Cupertino Union School District, the largest K-8 district in Northern California with 23 schools across six cities. She brings over 20 years of education leadership experience and community engagement to the CUSD Board.  She is passionate about holistic education that balances academics with social-emotional health to best equip students for future success. She has been an active parent volunteer in the local elementary and high schools. In her board role, she serves on the Budget Advisory Committee, Enrollment Committee, and Facilities Master Planning Committee.She is also an Advisory Board member for International China Concern, a non-profit organization serving vulnerable children in China.

Professionally, Sylvia’s career has taken her from Los Angeles to China, as she directed admissions and marketing departments at USC and Carnegie Mellon University, worked in freshman admissions at UC Berkeley, and taught at the Shandong University of Science and Technology. She received her Bachelor’s in Mass Communications from UC Berkeley and completed the Master’s in Governance program from the California School Boards Association. She serves on the executive board of Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association (APISBMA), a statewide organization dedicated to the advocacy of AAPI student and staff needs.  She is also an Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI) Fellow.

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