About Jennifer Love Tang

Jennifer Love Tang believes education should do more than prepare students for tests — it should inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence in every child. As the daughter of hardworking immigrant parents, Jennifer discovered early on how powerful schools can be in shaping a child’s future.

When her family moved from a small apartment near Dodger Stadium to a house in Monterey Park, Jennifer experienced firsthand how strong public schools and supportive communities can open doors to better futures. At Mark Keppel High School, she found opportunities to explore new interests, express herself creatively, and discover the joy of learning. She joined the literary magazine, worked on the school paper, participated in school plays, and embraced the diversity and energy of the community around her.

Those experiences shaped Jennifer’s vision for education today: schools where every student feels encouraged to ask questions, discover new passions, and explore the world around them. She believes every child deserves not only academic opportunity, but also the tools, support, and inspiration to pursue their dreams with confidence.

That belief guided Jennifer throughout her own educational journey. While studying English literature and International Relations at USC, she experienced the challenges many first-generation college students face while balancing higher education with the financial pressures of paying for college. While in college, Jennifer traveled to Cambodia to volunteer as an English teacher in Phnom Penh. Her mother joined her on the trip — returning to Cambodia for the first time since fleeing the Khmer Rouge regime as a refugee. Teaching students of all ages reinforced Jennifer’s belief that education can transform lives, strengthen communities, and create opportunities across generations.

Jennifer is running for Alhambra Unified School Board to ensure every student has access to that same joy of learning — where schools nurture curiosity, creativity, and the confidence to build a brighter future.

From Refugee Roots to Community Opportunity

The daughter of immigrants from Cambodia, Jennifer grew up understanding sacrifice, perseverance, and the importance of community. Her parents survived the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime before rebuilding their lives in Los Angeles as refugees seeking safety and opportunity for their family. Their journey was shaped by uncertainty, hardship, and the determination to create a better future for the next generation.

Monterey Park became that future. For Jennifer, Monterey Park represented stability, belonging, and opportunity — the kind of community where kids could safely play outside and neighbors looked out for one another. 

That experience continues to shape Jennifer’s values today. She understands how deeply families depend on strong public institutions, accessible community resources, and leaders who listen to the people they serve. She believes every family — regardless of where they come from — deserves safe neighborhoods, quality schools, accessible public services, and the opportunity to build a stable life.

Jennifer’s commitment to public service is rooted in gratitude for the opportunities her family found in Monterey Park and in her belief that future generations deserve those same opportunities to succeed.

Turning Public Service into Political Action

Jennifer’s career has been defined by a simple belief: government should improve people’s everyday lives.

After college, Jennifer taught middle school English and Social Studies in Phoenix, Arizona, where many of her students’ families faced deportation, economic hardship, and systemic inequities. Working closely with those students deepened her understanding of how policy decisions directly impact families and communities.

Jennifer later returned to Southern California to teach high school English in Huntington Park. She also completed a fellowship with the City of Los Angeles, helping advance education initiatives including LA College Promise, which expanded access to free community college  and student support services for thousands of students across Los Angeles.

Her commitment to community engagement continued back home in Monterey Park. Jennifer served two terms on the Monterey Park Library Commission, where she successfully advocated to eliminate library late fees so working families and young people could access books and public resources without barriers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer organized locally to support vulnerable neighbors with food drives and grocery delivery, advocated for emergency housing programs, and supported information campaigns for small business support and mental health services. She has also worked on issues including safer streets, public safety, and language accessibility for immigrant communities.

As District Director for Assemblymember Mike Fong, Jennifer has helped secure more than $1 million in funding for local schools, parks, and community programs. Following the Monterey Park mass shooting, she worked on legislation to ensure immigrant communities received emergency communications in their primary languages during crises and public emergencies.

Today, Jennifer and her husband are raising their daughter in Monterey Park — the same community that gave her family opportunity, stability, and hope. Jennifer is running for Alhambra Unified School Board to build a future where every family can count on strong schools, safe neighborhoods, accessible community resources, and leadership grounded in compassion, service, and action.