Stop AAPI Hate co-founder appointed to LA’s Ethics Commission

City Attorney Mike Feuer Thursday announced his appointment of civil rights and AAPI community leader Manjusha P. Kulkarni to the city’s Ethics Commission.

If confirmed by a majority of the City Council, she will serve a five- year term, effective July 1.

Kulkarni is the executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, a coalition of more than 40 community-based organizations serving and representing the 1.5-million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in L.A. County.

She also co-founded Stop AAPI Hate, an aggregator of COVID-19-related hate incidents against members of the AAPI community nationwide, and is a lecturer in the Asian American Studies Department at UCLA.

Kulkarni previously headed the South Asian Network, served as a senior staff attorney at the National Health Law Program and as a lawyer in the Office of the Civil Rights Monitor in Los Angeles.

“We need elected officials and public institutions that will emulate the highest values of integrity and service,” Kulkarni said. “I am honored to join the City Ethics Commission to carry on the important work of preserving public trust and confidence for all communities in our elections and city government.”

Feuer said: “The Ethics Commission, founded just three decades ago, leads the city in setting strict ethics and campaign finance regulations and holding candidates, elected and appointed officials accountable. Manju’s thoughtful, innovative leadership and great judgment will make her an exceptional Ethics Commissioner.”

The Ethics Commission is governed by five part-time commissioners, who serve staggered five-year terms. The mayor, city attorney, city controller and the City Council president and president pro tempore each appoint one member. Each appointment must be confirmed by a majority of the council.

Commissioners must be registered city voters and during their tenures cannot hold any other public office; participate in or contribute to the election campaign of anyone running for a city or Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education office; participate in or contribute to the election campaign of a city official or member of the LAUSD board who’s running for any office; or employ or be employed as a city lobbyist.

The commissioners appoint an executive director, who hires staff and manages day-to-day operations, but final decisions regarding legislative recommendations and enforcement actions may be made only by the commissioners.

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