POWER OF THE PEOPLE: API Legal Outreach 51st Annual Gala – Fri, Oct. 2 at the new Koi Palace

On one side, an agency with the federal government behind it, a trafficker with a global network, an abuser controlling the family’s resources, a landlord with a law firm on retainer, a senior trapped in an abusive household. On the other, one person or family fighting for a foothold, frequently in their second language, attempting to navigate a complex legal system. On their own, justice is hard to come by.
But with the collective help of others, our attorneys and staff, our partners, our supporters, our communities, the balance of power tips and our combined strength overcomes. A night of support turns into a year of funding that results in a lifetime of change for those who need it most.
Join us at the new Koi Palace on Friday, Oct. 2 for our 51st anniversary gala, as we recognize the POWER OF THE PEOPLE and unite to take injustice and inequality head on. We’ll celebrate in community, enjoy a multi-course Michelin-recognized feast, and welcome our keynote speaker Congresswoman Lateefah Simon and special guest Norman Wong, great-grandson of birthright citizenship pioneer Wong Kim Ark.

Get Tickets and Sponsorships

📅 Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
📍 The New Koi Palace, 3 Serramonte Center, Daly City, CA 94015
🎟️ Early bird $275 through August 25, $300 after

Meet our guests

Keynote Speaker

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon

Congresswoman Lateefah Simon represents California’s 12th District and serves in multiple leadership roles in Congress, including as a Deputy Whip for Policy, a Vice Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, and Democratic Women’s Caucus.

Read her full bio

Prior to serving in Congress, the Congresswoman worked for over 30 years serving her community, including as the Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she expanded legal representation for migrants, asylum seekers, and formerly incarcerated individuals. She started this work in her late teens at the Young Women’s Freedom Center and became its youngest Executive Director at age 19.

A MacArthur Fellow and lifelong disability rights advocate, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon continues to fight for policies to protect immigration rights, access to affordable housing, disability rights, public safety reform, and much more.

Special Guest

Norman Wong

Norman Wong is the great-grandson of Wong Kim Ark, the San Francisco-born laborer whose landmark 1898 Supreme Court victory in United States v. Wong Kim Ark established that children born on U.S. soil are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment, a principle that has shaped American identity for over a century.

Read his full bio

Norman was born in San Francisco, worked in the carpentry trade before his retirement, and continues to reside in the Bay Area. Over the past year, he has emerged as a prominent public voice in the national debate on citizenship. Norman has spoken to news outlets and organizations across the country, and last year visited his family’s ancestral village in China. In April, he traveled to D.C. to hold vigil outside the Supreme Court building during oral argument in Trump v. Barbara, a case in which the federal government sought to overturn Wong Kim Ark and restrict the citizenship of children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents.

Become a sponsor

Sponsorship puts your organization in front of the legal, business, and nonprofit leaders who fill this room, and it funds a year of representation for the people who need it most. Every level includes tickets and VIP gift packages.

To sponsor Power of the People, purchase online on the event page or download a sponsorship form.

With thanks to our sponsors

Platinum
Arnold Honda, Patrick Ayscue Tse, CT Square Inc.
Silver
Minami Tamaki LLP
Bronze
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, JCYC

Questions?

Contact our team for any reason at events@apilegaloutreach.org.