1980
Esther Lee Yao was first contacted and recruited by Esther Kee of the National Democrat Committee in Feb. 1980 to support President Carter’s re-election because she recognized Dr. Yao’s leadership via OCA and OCAW involvement. In the beginning Dr. Yao was excited by the possibility to become an appointed delegate to the National Convention.
She discussed her possible political involvement with Rev. David Chan. He pointed out that she needs to make sure that her family life and church services would not be affected. She also took her then husband, Dr. Stanton Yao’s suggestion to study the platform of the Democrat Party. She went to the University Library to compare the platforms of both parties and came to realize that Democrat Party is not the one for her. Thus, she decide to take part in the GOP.
Meanwhile, she was advised by John Wu who was Reagan appointee as assistant deputy secretary of Adult Education in the US Office of Education, later Dept. of Education to become partisan. He pointed out it’s impossible for those highly qualified OCA members to get appointed unless you are involved in the party.
One day, Stanton learned from the local newspaper that the Bay Area Republican Women’s Club was having a meeting and Vicki Hapke was the contact person. So Esther called Vicki who immediately paid a visit with a lot of books about the philosophy of the party and party leaders, such as the presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and Congressman Jack Kemp. She recruited me for working with her at the Reagan’s campaign. Consequently, Esther was able to become a delegate to the district convention and serve as the vice chair for Pages with Vicki. Since then, Vicki had become Esther’s political mentor in TX until Vicki’ move to other state. Because of Esther’s tireless campaign efforts for Reagan she felt she could try to serve on certain volunteer committee at the federal level as inspired by John Wu.
Esther Lee Yao was first contacted and recruited by Esther Kee of the National Democrat Committee in Feb. 1980 to support President Carter’s re-election because she recognized Dr. Yao’s leadership via OCA and OCAW involvement. In the beginning Dr. Yao was excited by the possibility to become an appointed delegate to the National Convention.
She discussed her possible political involvement with Rev. David Chan. He pointed out that she needs to make sure that her family life and church services would not be affected. She also took her then husband, Dr. Stanton Yao’s suggestion to study the platform of the Democrat Party. She went to the University Library to compare the platforms of both parties and came to realize that Democrat Party is not the one for her. Thus, she decide to take part in the GOP.
Meanwhile, she was advised by John Wu who was Reagan appointee as assistant deputy secretary of Adult Education in the US Office of Education, later Dept. of Education to become partisan. He pointed out it’s impossible for those highly qualified OCA members to get appointed unless you are involved in the party.
One day, Stanton learned from the local newspaper that the Bay Area Republican Women’s Club was having a meeting and Vicki Hapke was the contact person. So Esther called Vicki who immediately paid a visit with a lot of books about the philosophy of the party and party leaders, such as the presidential candidate Ronald Reagan and Congressman Jack Kemp. She recruited me for working with her at the Reagan’s campaign. Consequently, Esther was able to become a delegate to the district convention and serve as the vice chair for Pages with Vicki. Since then, Vicki had become Esther’s political mentor in TX until Vicki’ move to other state. Because of Esther’s tireless campaign efforts for Reagan she felt she could try to serve on certain volunteer committee at the federal level as inspired by John Wu.
