FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Executive Director Ryan Alsayegh (ryan@secgenpac.org)
 
(Philadelphia, PA) — Second Generation stands in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. We are horrified by the recent atrocity in Atlanta, in which eight people, including six Asian American women, were brutally murdered.

These acts of violence were racially motivated and demonstrate a larger problem in this country. We are currently experiencing an alarming surge in violence against Asian Americans, including over 3,800 incidents in the past year alone. 

This spike in violence is neither random nor isolated. It is the direct result of inflammatory rhetoric by the former president and his allies, who failed to address the challenges of a global pandemic, and tried to scapegoat our Asian American and immigrant communities instead. Hateful slurs and dehumanizing language always lead to violence. There is no place for such hostility in our country.

Second Generation condemns this hatred, bigotry and violence. As an organization committed to promoting the full political engagement of immigrant communities, we embrace our responsibility to speak out against racism and injustice. We are proud to stand in solidarity with our State Senator Nikil Saval, who called on his colleagues to take action against "the racism, the violence, and the exploitation of our nation’s Black and brown communities." We ask you to do the same.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Executive Director Ryan Alsayegh (ryan@secgenpac.org)
 
(Philadelphia, PA) — Today, Second Generation calls on U.S. Senator Pat Toomey to follow the precedent he set in 2016 and refuse to vote on the confirmation of a new Justice to the Supreme Court until the next presidential term begins.

In 2016, Sen. Toomey refused to vote on a Supreme Court nominee following the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia eleven months before the upcoming election. Sen. Toomey made his stance very clear in a statement on Feb. 5, 2016:

“Given that we are already well into the presidential election process, and that the Supreme Court appointment is for a lifetime, it makes sense to give the American people a more direct say in this critical decision. The next court appointment should be made by the newly elected president. If that new president is not a member of my party, I will take the same objective nonpartisan approach to that nominee as I have always done.”

Now with his own party’s nomination on the line, Sen. Toomey has reversed from his stance from four years ago. On Sept. 22, 2020—just six weeks before an election in which over 1 million early votes have already been cast—Sen. Toomey announced his intent to vote on the confirmation of a new Justice to the Supreme Court before the upcoming election concludes.

If Sen. Toomey truly believes the American people should have a “direct say in this critical decision”, he should let our ongoing democratic process determine the nomination. His decision to rush a Senate confirmation vote before the conclusion of this ongoing election not only breaks with his own precedent, it goes against the will of the American people. A majority (59%) of the public believes the winner of the upcoming presidential election should choose the person to fill Justice Ginsburg’s seat.

Sen. Toomey’s decision is an anti-democratic act that deprives the American people of their right to shape the future of our country. Should the confirmation proceed before the election, it will be at the behest of a Senate Republican majority representing 15 million fewer people than the Democratic minority, and it would ensure that one-third of the Supreme Court will have been nominated by a president who lost the popular vote by a historic margin of nearly 3 million votes.

We call on Sen. Toomey to uphold his own precedent and refuse to vote for a nominee to the Supreme Court until the next presidential term begins.

Second Generation is a nonconnected federal political action committee whose mission is to promote the political engagement of immigrant communities that have not been fully included in the political process where they live.

Second Generation mourns the tragic loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. May her memory be a blessing.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Executive Director Ryan Alsayegh (ryan@secgenpac.org)

(Philadelphia, PA) – On the heels of its endorsement of PA House candidate Anton Andrew, Second Generation, the federal political action committee for marginalized immigrant communities, announced today the appointment of attorneys Raina S. Mehta, James P. Faunes and Salvatore Filippello to its Board.

“Like Anton, Raina, JP and Sal became leaders in their communities and the legal profession thanks to the sacrifices of their hard-working immigrant parents,” said Siobhán Lyons, Chair of Second Generation. “We have one the most diverse Board of any PAC in America, and its growth enables us to meet our commitment to marginalized immigrant communities in these unprecedented and uncertain times.”

Raina Mehta is Senior Counsel at PNC Bank where she also serves as the Vice Chair of PNC Legal’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. She is also active within her community. In 2018, Raina joined the Forum of Executive Women, a nonprofit recognized as the source for leveraging the collective power of women’s leadership in the Philadelphia area. She lives in Bucks County, where she is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Peace Center, whose programs are designed to help reduce violence and conflict in schools, homes, and communities, and a trained facilitator for Girls Unlimited. Raina holds degrees from Temple University, Beasley School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communication.

“As a first generation Indian-American woman, the investment that others have made in my growth has defined both my personal life and my career,” said Mehta. “I am passionate about promoting political engagement in immigrant communities, and Second Generation’s mission to support emerging candidates is an important way to reinvest in leaders who might just need an extra push in order to succeed.”

James P. Faunes is an advocate for the disenfranchised. A trial attorney at Feldman Shepherd, he has served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania. A native of Texas, JP volunteers significant time to Philadelphia VIP, the Homeless Advocacy Project, and other nonprofits. In recent years, he was honored by Philadelphia City Council for his representation of injured workers and AL DÍA news media  organization recognized him as a “top Latino lawyer.” After graduating from Swarthmore College, JP earned his law degree from the Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a Staff Editor on the Temple Law Review. He served for three years as a Deputy City Solicitor for the City of Philadelphia before entering private practice.

“I’m very proud to have been recognized throughout my career for promoting diversity in the practice of law, and now I am equally proud to help encourage more diversity in the political realm as well,” said Faunes. “As the son of Guatemalan and Chilean parents, I’m excited to join Second Generation and support new rising political stars, particularly from the Latinx community.”

Salvatore Filippello is the CEO of Philadelphia Heart, P.C., a multispecialty healthcare practice that serves many of the diverse immigrant communities in South Philadelphia. He is also active in his community, serving on the board of Philadelphia Heart House for Hope and as the treasurer of Jefferson’s Preamble, a political action committee. After graduating from Penn, Sal earned his law degree and MBA from the Villanova University School of Law. Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Sal’s father and maternal grandfather emigrated from Naples, Italy and settled in Philadelphia. 

“As the descendant of Italian Immigrants who came to this country to attain a better future for their family, I appreciate the challenges immigrants face and their consequent love for this country,” said Filippello. “Our country was founded by immigrants and immigration has made this country unique. The diversity of experience and culture is what makes the United States such a desirable place to live and work. We must provide immigrants access to the political process and champion their causes - it’s part of  the American Dream.”

Board members Majid Alsayegh, Maryam Deloffre, Joe Khan, Asif Hussain, Bhavini Patel, Emily Rodriguez, Andy Toy, and Shailah Yazdani joined Lyons in welcoming Mehta, Faunes and Filippello to the Board. Second Generation is a nonconnected federal political action committee whose mission is to promote the political engagement of immigrant communities that have not been fully included in the political process where they live.

(CHESTER COUNTY, PA) – Second Generation, the federal political action committee for marginalized immigrant communities, announced its final endorsement for the Pennsylvania  primary elections by declaring its strong support for 160th House District candidate Anton Andrew. 

“As a public defender, an environmentalist, and an educator, Anton has spent the last 25 years fighting for the values instilled in him by a family of immigrants,” said Siobhán Lyons, Chairwoman of Second Generation.  “Our Board proudly — and unanimously — joins Anton now in his fight to empower marginalized communities in Chester and Delaware Counties as a State Representative.”

Born to hardworking parents from the West Indies, Andrew was able to attend the University of Pennsylvania because of federal Pell Grants, scholarships, subsidized student loans and part-time jobs.  After graduating from law school, he dedicated his career to representing the indigent, stamping out discrimination, and expanding business opportunities for women and people of color. 

“I am both proud and humbled to receive the Second Generation endorsement, which validates the industriousness and creativity of immigrants from all over the world who make America  great,” said Andrew.  “This is personal for me, and I will fight with everything I have to expand the rights of immigrants like my parents who are attempting to live out the American Dream.”  

This endorsement comes at a crucial moment for Andrew, whose 2020 candidacy builds on the momentum from his 2018 campaign, when he came close to unseating the Republican incumbent. Recognized as a strong pickup opportunity for Democrats now that the incumbent has announced his retirement, the 160th House District is a diverse district split between Chester and Delaware Counties.  

Through endorsements and financial resources, Second Generation promotes the political engagement of immigrant communities that have not been fully included in the political process where they live.  Since 2019, endorsements from Second Generation have propelled the candidacies of several other Caribbean-Americans, including Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, Chester County Prothonotary Debbie Bookman, and Claudette Williams, who is now running for PA State Representative in the 176th district.

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) – Second Generation, the federal political action committee that seeks to empower immigrant communities in the political process, announced the endorsement of Claudette Williams of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, who is running for state representative in the 176th district. 

“We are very impressed with Claudette Williams’ record of service to her family, her community, and our country,” said Siobhan Lyons, Chair of Second Generation. “Through her selflessness and commitment, Claudette Williams has shown herself to be exactly the kind of leader we need more of in Harrisburg.”

Williams, who lives in Mount Pocono, was born in Jamaica and immigrated to the United States at an early age. A mother of four and Army veteran with 30 years of military service, Sergeant Major (ret.) Williams currently serves as President of the Mount Pocono Borough Council, Police Commissioner, and Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee.

“The endorsement of Second Generation means the world to me. Second Generation affirms the underlying truth of the United States - that we are a nation built by immigrants. This endorsement recognizes the sacrifice of immigrants like my mother, who brought me and my siblings to the United States so we could have a better life and help others,” said Williams. “The lessons I learned from my mother guided me through 30 years of military service, and they will help me to continue to serve the people of my community as their representative in Harrisburg.”

Claudette Williams’ 2020 candidacy has its roots in the momentum she built during her campaign for the same office in 2018, when she proved herself a formidable challenger to the Republican incumbent. The 176th is an increasingly diverse district: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans make up over 25 percent of the population, and nearly 8 percent of residents are foreign born.

Through endorsements and financial resources, Second Generation promotes the political engagement of immigrant communities that have not been fully included in the political process where they live. Last year, SecGen’s inaugural slate propelled the historic victories of trailblazers like Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and Chester County Prothonotary Debbie Bookman. Other 2020 SecGen endorsements include Nina Ahmad, running for Pennsylvania Auditor General, and Nikil Saval, running to represent the First Senatorial District of Pennsylvania.