Mayor Celebrates with Family and Supporters

By Carla Thomas They vowed to take Oakland back block by block, and when the votes were tallied, Jean Quan’s campaign team had  succeeded. The first Asian / Chinese American woman mayor-elect of Oakland was joined by her biggest fans, daughter Lailan Huen and husband Dr. Floyd Huen, along with hundreds of community leaders and supporters celebrating at Oakland’s King of King Restaurant, at 1139 East 12th St. in Oakland “This is a celebration of all of you, and you are all leaders,” said Sue Piper, Quan’s spokesperson. “I’m elated – I think that this city will now respond to Jean because she’s the perfect person for the perfect time,” said Arif Khatib of the Multi Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame . “We did something very unusual, we’ve elected people with integrity, passion and love for our city,” said Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble of Imani Community Church, referring to Quan and Assemblyman Sandré Swanson. “We can trust these people to be accountable….without needing money under the table,” she said. Quan supporter Assemblyman Swanson considered the event as culturally and historically significant as when he helped coordinate the welcoming of South African leader Nelson Mandela to Oakland in 1990. “I am excited to be a part of this historic campaign,” he said.  “She is the first woman and Chinese American to be elected ,and I think the city will be blessed by her leadership, compassion for children and her concern for all citizens in our city. Because she believed in people and trusted in people, she won a successful campaign.” “This is an important time to unite Oakland, because there are two Oaklands, and we want both Oaklands to have the same service,” said Dr. Huen, Quan’s proud husband.
“I recommend that right after the inaugural we get with the public works trucks and pick up garbage until the underserved areas are as clean as where I live,” he said. “I am so proud of my mom,” beamed Quan’s daughter  Lailan. “(Jean) is the leader of our entire city, and she has the dedication, the determination, the strength, the vitality and the fortitude to do the work, and we are very proud of her,” said Father Tom Harris of the Greek Orthodox Church.