CERRITOS — Tatiana Yokoyama Bui is ?? ??? ??running for the ABC Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 4, in the Nov. 5 election.
“I’ve lived in Cerritos since 1982, where I was raised by my parents Tom and Chit Yokoyama with my brother and sisters,” Bui said in a statement. “I attended ABC elementary, middle and high schools just like my three siblings. I graduated from UC Riverside with a bachelor of science in business administration.
“After years of working in business, I graduated from Western State College of Law, and I work as a trial attorney. I previously worked as a certified law clerk at the Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles and proudly served as a commissioner on the Cerritos Planning Commission for seven years.
“I am married to Vince Bui and we are the proud parents of our son and daughter (elementary school). Because my kids, nieces and nephews are currently ABC students, I am an active volunteer and PTA officer. However, I feel a moral obligation to further serve the ABC community, especially the students.
“As a board member, I will work to provide the best education to our students, along with the extracurriculars, classes, sports and progarms desired by our students and parents. I also will keep our schools safe.
“Further, I will strive to: Provide safe and healthy learning environments that attract students and families; maintain and expand educational opportunities for all students; attract and retain highly qualified and responsive staff.”
Endorsers include ABC Federation of Teachers, AFSCME Local 2229-ABC Classified Employees, ABC School Board member Dr. Olga Rios (Area 6), ABC School Board Vice President H. Ernie Nishii (Area 3), former ABC School Board President Celia Spitzer, Cerritos City Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama (her brother) and former Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido.
Also running in Area 4 is engineer Anu Gupta, who said in his statement, “I have been married to my wife Niyanta for over 17 years and have three beautiful children. Over 12 years ago, we moved to Cerritos to provide the best education to our children. Today, our eldest son is 15 and younger son is 12, both attending ABC schools, while our youngest daughter is 3 and in preschool. As a dedicated parent and passionate advocate of kids education, I am running … with a clear focus on two fundamental pillars: safety and academic excellence …
“With a background in team management and a proven track record of working closely with educational institutions, I am prepared to bring a balanced, thoughtful, and proactive approach to the school board. Let’s prioritize safety, strive for academic excellence, balance our budget responsibly, and always put kids first, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
Gupta’s endorsers include the current Area 4 representative, Brad Beach, who is not seeking re-election; former school board member Dixie Primosch; Dr. Tom Tracy, former principal of Nixon Academy; and Eric Dutra, campaign manager for Rep. Michelle Steel.
Other school board candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot are Lauren Lyon and Leticia “Letty” Mendoza for Area 1. The current representative, Dr. Michael Ray Eugenio, is not seeking re-election. Bui and Mendoza are supporting each other’s campaigns.
The other trustees are President Sophia Tse, Area 5; Francisco Noyola, Area 7; and Soo Yoo, Area 2. Tse and Noyola are unopposed for re-election.
Established in 1965 by the Artesia, Bloomfield and Carmenita school districts, ABC Unified includes Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens, as well as portions of Lakewood, Long Beach and Norwalk, and is composed of 19 elementary schools, five middle schools, three comprehensive high schools, a college prep 7-12 school, a continuation high school, infant/children centers, extended day care, an online school, and an adult school.
The diverse ethnicity of the community is reflected in the K-12 population, which is American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, African American, Filipino, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Portuguese and Caucasian.