Michael Chang, a former Cupertino mayor, has spent almost 30 years building a huge network of Asian American political and community leaders — and he still isn’t satisfied. The Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI), which he founded, has trained hundreds of teens and adults who’ve moved into elected office, civil service, nonprofits and more....
Welcome to In the Spotlight.
This monthly feature spotlights the people who make San José an incredible place to call home. From unsung heroes to former city leaders and politicians who’ve disappeared from the public eye, we catch up with San Joseans who are doing amazing things — and we share the awe inspiring stories behind their struggles and successes.
We are telling the unique, ever-changing, diverse story of San José. One person at a time.
Who should we feature next? To nominate someone for our next In the Spotlight profile, email [email protected].
A San Jose artist who chose to serve artists
When Erin Salazar walked into a Knight Foundation networking event back in 2012 wearing paint-covered work coveralls, she wasn’t expecting to launch a nonprofit. At the time, Salazar was a working artist in San Jose with a simple idea: The city had plenty of talented artists and plenty of blank walls. What it lacked were...
San Jose activist wants to demystify local government
San José Spotlight is highlighting community members who make a difference for AAPI Heritage Month. Ellina Yin compares citizen participation in local government to putting together a piece of IKEA furniture using one of those frustrating assembly manuals that have no words. A self-trained community educator and activist, Yin wants to be the Allen wrench,...
San Jose day center CEO helps people with dementia
Maria Nicolacoudis has dedicated her life to building support programs for adults with disabilities and is taking on what could be her biggest challenge: Providing care for the growing population of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Nicolacoudis is CEO of Hearts & Minds Activity Center in San Jose, a unique...
San Jose immigration lawyer advocates for citizenship
Richard Hobbs has made it his life’s mission to tackle exploitative systems and help those in need. As an immigration attorney for 35 years, he’s helped thousands of people apply for citizenship and represented many in court. His convictions were marked by encounters with extreme poverty in countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, India and...
Campbell dry cleaner offers free services to the unemployed
When Ali Shirkhodaei immigrated to the United States from Iran at 28 in 2006, he didn’t know how difficult it’d be to get a job, even with his molecular biology degree. He job hunted for a year, with no idea he’d eventually run a successful dry-cleaning business in Campbell. Shirkhodaei did know he wanted to infuse...
San Jose addiction counselor’s family struggles inspired her work
Mary Crocker Cook turned her addiction into empowering others, bringing dignity and purpose to people who’ve experienced alcohol or drug addiction. As the daughter of a military father, Crocker Cook’s family moved frequently. Stability was hard to come by and disruption was constant. It was tough for the family, including her mother, who turned to...
John Kouretas invites San Jose to be Greek for a day
If John Kouretas could wave a magic wand, he’d transport any San Jose resident in love with Greece back to his beloved ancestral country for a visit. But since he can’t, Kouretas brings the food, music and culture to San Jose. Kouretas said the joy of having the community come together to celebrate the three-day...
Sarina Soriano reps East San Jose on Super Bowl Sunday
When the San Francisco 49ers take the field on Sunday for Super Bowl 58, Sarina Soriano will be nearby catching the action with a camera. Soriano, 29, is the first female senior producer for the 49ers and one of the first Latina cinematographers in the NFL. At 49ers Studios she creates content for its website...
San Jose’s Trash Punx brings new twist to garbage removal
One man is working to make San Jose and the world cleaner, one piece of trash at a time. All his life, San Jose resident Justin Imamura has been motivated to give back to the community and care for the environment. He leads The Trash Punx, a San Jose nonprofit dedicated to both. It hosts waterway...