Welcome to "Only in San José," a new column dedicated to empowering our community through active civic participation. My name is Ellina Yin, and I was born and raised in Eastside San José. My family came to the United States from Cambodia as genocide survivors through a refugee program. It was the most significant refugee resettlement effort in American history and came with momentous challenges. One of the biggest—and one I imagine many immigrants who did not grow up speaking English still face—was language.
Growing up, I was the family interpreter regarding government forms, documents, and contracts. This lifelong skill, developed by necessity as early as age five, taught me how local government functions. According to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation survey, more than 70% of Americans fail a basic civics quiz on topics like the three branches of government—and that doesn’t even touch on local government structures like city and county systems. Civic literacy remains a widespread challenge to this day.
2020 was my catalyzing moment, as the world seemed to collapse and the prescribed American Dream with it, I made it my mission to unpack how we got to this point and what we can do to change it, especially here in San José. I launched San José’s first civic education podcast, "Only in San José." You can find it here. Learn more about my nonprofit at www.onlyinsj.org. Now, allow me to be your interpreter on the basics of civic participation, a unique language of its own kind.
“What’s the point of a broken system? Voting doesn’t change anything.”
When I teach high school students or adults, I often hear civic apathy: "What’s the point of a broken system? Voting doesn’t change anything,” is common. I get it—once upon a time, I used to feel the same. It wasn’t until I discovered that voting was just one part of the multifaceted process of how our democracy functions that my perspective shifted. To simplify, I created a graphic outlining how the federal, state, and local laws that govern and shape our lives are made real.
There are at least six general steps, plus a seventh, lesser-known realm of the judicial process—but we’ll have to save that one for another day. Before we get started, I define “politics” as discussions between elected officials and others (steps 1-3) and “government” as the civil employees tasked with doing the work (steps 4-6). It is crucial to distinguish: with our collective tax dollars, we fund and own the government, and we elect the politician—both are supposed to work for us—to run the show. Let’s break down this process of self-governance, starting with my favorite government code:
California Government Code §54950: “The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them.” “The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.”
*Catalyzing Events Examples: Civil Rights Movement, Black Lives Matter protest marches of 2020, COVID-19, March for our Lives, etc.
Process Starts (Enters the Floor): Most issues don’t begin with global pandemics, major protests, or marches. Often, it’s as simple as contacting your elected official to address an issue important to you/your community. The process officially starts once it has been agendized as a meeting item and the meeting is called. Council (or state and federal representatives) then meet and discuss the issue to set a direction.
Enters Committee (Drafting): Once a direction is decided, the issue moves to a committee, commission, task force, or specific department, where the details are refined. This stage often involves a lot of back-and-forth. This is where the policy/law takes shape.
Vote (Pass or Fail): The final proposal returns to the Council, Congress, or even voters for a decision. The governor or president must also sign the bill into law at the state and federal levels.
Planning: After a law is passed, the process transitions to the real world. Civil servants and government departments are responsible for creating actionable plans.
Implementation: Once planning is complete, the law’s enforcement begins. For example, implementing bans involves sending out guides, notices, and penalties for non-compliance.
Goes into Practice: At this stage, the law becomes part of daily life. To follow the example of the plastic bag ban, grocery stores stock reusable bags and post reminders for customers. Some laws end here, and others may face legal challenges.
C) Law Challenged: An example is Roe v. Wade (1973), the landmark Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. In 2023, Roe v. Wade was overturned, leaving abortion laws to individual states. At this point, the process is back to step one for individual states.
Now for the big open secret: This process doesn’t function without public participation. At every stage (steps 1–6), there are oversight committees, commissions, task forces, etc. These spaces are where everyday residents work alongside elected officials and government staff to shape the solutions. However, the majority of people shaping these solutions do not reflect the lived experiences of most residents. Instead, commissions are overrepresented by real estate representatives, business elites, and aspiring politicians. This absence of diverse community voices leaves critical gaps in the solutions developed. That’s why in 2024, I worked with the City of San José’s Office of Racial and Social Equity to launch a first-in-the-nation FREE multilingual—Spanish and Vietnamese—civics masterclass (bit.ly/SJCivics) and thanks to Measure I (approved by voters in 2022), San José residents, regardless of documentation status, can now serve as commissioners. With no former experience, I participated in all six steps and worked in the community to help make this a reality.
I believe in our community's collective intelligence. Rooted in lived experience, we can solve our own problems, but first, we need to move beyond disassociated news headlines and into the democratic process.
