For decades, the City of Davis and Yolo County have prided themselves on being at the vanguard of social justice and equity. We talk often about the importance of diversity in our schools, our boardrooms, and our city councils. But there is one critical arena where our progress has lagged behind our rhetoric: the judicial bench.
As someone who has spent a lifetime engaged in Asian American affairs and community building here in Davis, I have seen how the promise of “equal justice under law” can feel hollow when the people administering that justice do not share the lived experiences of the community they serve. My perspective is shaped by a family legacy of quiet persistence. I watched my father, Dr. Lindy F. Kumagai, M.D. stand at the center of the landmark Bakke case at UC Davis, fighting for the then-radical idea that a medical school—and by extension, our society—is stronger when it is diverse. I have spent my own years as a “local politico” and mentor, working to ensure that the next generation of voices in Davis isn’t just background noise, but a valued part of our civic choir.
Today, we have a rare and vital opportunity to turn that history of advocacy into a reality of representation. I am writing to strongly urge my fellow residents to support Diane Ortiz for Yolo County Superior Court Judge…