Springfield, IL — As Illinois Democrats recognize the contributions of Illinois’ AANHPI communities during Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and beyond, the Democratic Party of Illinois is proud to celebrate the overdue election of an Asian American Democrat to its State Central Committee, 11th Congressional District Committeewoman Janet Yang Rohr.
“Asian American representation is a belated achievement for DPI, and I couldn’t be more proud it’s my colleague in the Illinois House who broke this glass ceiling,” said Chair Lisa Hernandez. “Her win isn’t about solely placing the representation of many on the shoulders of one. Instead, Committeewoman Yang Rohr’s election is proof that the Democratic Party of Illinois will continue to look more like the Illinois families we advocate for and that voices like theirs will be heard in rooms where Party decisions are made.”
“Representation matters, but what we do with it matters even more,” said Committeewoman Yang Rohr. “I’m proud to be part of this historic moment for Asian Americans in our party, and I see it as a responsibility to open doors for others and ensure more voices are included in the decisions we make. I’m focused on building a stronger, more effective Democratic Party that organizes everywhere, supports our candidates, and delivers real progress for the people we serve.”
Committeewoman Janet Yang Rohr is a mom, a precinct committeeperson, a former school board member, and a current Illinois State Representative. She’s also the granddaughter of refugees and the daughter of immigrants. Today, she serves in the Illinois General Assembly, where she focuses on strengthening public education, expanding economic opportunity, and protecting fundamental rights. As a new committeewoman, she plans to help strengthen our party by investing in grassroots organizing, supporting Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, and building the kind of people-powered infrastructure that turns shared values into lasting change.
