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It was nearly 9 p.m. when Gene Kim wrapped up a busy day. Heading straight to a Metro D.C. escalator, he was consulting his Blackberry, as well as listening on his IPod to current favorites Drake, Far East Movement, Kanye West and Jason Mraz.

Spotting a familiar face, he nodded, smiled and waved without breaking his stride: Just an ordinary day for Gene, the Multi-Tasker and young man in a hurry.

Gene was an intern, a Fellow and later director of Communications and Program Development for the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), based in the nation’s capital.

A lot of cheer and applause greeted Gene’s ascendance last year, with the title of CAPAC Executive Director. CAPAC is the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, founded in 1994 by then-Congressman Norman Y. Mineta.

It is composed of 30 Members of the U.S. Congress, including 12 Asian American incumbents, who are dedicated to addressing the needs and concerns of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu (D, CA) is the CAPAC Chair.

U.S. Congressman Mike Honda (D, CA) described Gene as “the perfect man for the job.” The two-term CAPAC Chair and current Chairman Emeritus added: “Gene understands where our Caucus is, where it has been and where it is going. His deep understanding of the issues that matter most to the AAPI community has earned the trust of AAPI leaders across the country.”

“Gene has a fantastic rapport with the Caucus members. He also has a keen insight into how the collective voice of the AAPI community can move all of America forward,” said Honda.

Gene said he’s passionate about a wide range of issues, “including educational equity, fixing our broken immigration system, improving access to quality affordable healthcare, and ending racial profiling and other forms of discrimination.”

“But in a broader sense,” he stressed, “I’m passionate about ensuring that all Americans, including AAPIs, have a seat at the table and are fairly represented.”

Gene is originally from California. He graduated with high honors from the University of California, Berkeley with dual degrees in Rhetoric and Sociology. He worked as the head director of a housing and tenant’s rights legal center. He also co-chaired a statewide environmental justice movement.

Before working with the CAPAC, Gene served as Chair of the board of directors for the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL). He was also the research and policy director of a national congressional campaign in Chicago.

Achievements

Gene said that since February 2011, when Congresswoman Chu became CAPAC chair, “We’ve had a number of historic firsts.”

Last year, CAPAC had its first official caucus meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss issues of concern to the AAPI community. It also held its first meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, its first Congressional delegation to the People’s Republic of China, and its first official visit and community town hall event in the Gulf Coast since the BP oil spill.

CAPAC also introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act. The comprehensive bill, developed in partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus, seeks to eliminate minority health disparities.

Gene also noted, “Throughout 2011, our Members have been leaders in the charge against the homeland security hearings targeting Muslim communities, the deportation of DREAM students, the rise of anti-Asian political rhetoric, the new voter suppression laws, and various other pressing issues.”

Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, re-filed in May 2011, seeks to grant permanent resident status to undocumented aliens who are of good moral character, high school graduates, or were brought to this country as children and have lived here for at least five straight years.

In May, CAPAC hosted an expanded (two-day) policy summit for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Gene said this is a tough time to work in Congress. “Partisanship is high, public approval ratings are low, severe budget cuts are threatening programs critical to our community, and 2012 is election year,” he explained.

Amid this climate, CAPAC has been able to build broad coalitions on the community’s priorities to ensure that its needs “aren’t the last to be considered, or the first to be cut.”

Strong Leader

“Gene’s got the drive, vision, and tenacity needed to be a strong executive director for CAPAC,” said APAICS President and CEO Gloria Chan, Gene’s predecessor. “The APAICS family is so proud that he’s an alumnus of our intern and fellowship programs.”

Former APAICS Acting Executive Director Ruby G. Moy has followed Gene’s career since she first interviewed him for its summer internship program, and knew he was destined for success. “He has the tenacity of seeing a project through, often driving the project from start to finish,” she said in an email.

Ruby, president and CEO of Asian American and Pacific Islander Association of Colleges and Universities (APIACU), recalled: “APAICS hired him to help develop programs and to work on our political database, for which he received the highest praises from all around the country.”

Gene is grateful for his experience at APAICS, as well as his stint as a Legislative staffer for U.S. Congressman Al Green (D, TX), handling education and science policy issues. Green is a CAPAC committee chair.

Role Models

“I owe most of the skills and perspective to my time with Congressman Green’s office,” said Gene. He cited Green’s incredible track record as a CAPAC member and as a champion for the AAPI community. “I learned the importance of being an inclusive leader who, as Congressman Green likes to say, advocates for the needs of ‘the least, the last, and the lost.’”

He also counts U.S. Congresswoman Patsy Mink (D, CA) and former Congressman and former cabinet official Norman Mineta as role models. “I could probably write a whole book on my reasons why,” citing their inspiring personal stories, fierce advocacy for justice and equality, trailblazing accomplishments, and dedicated records of public service.

He admires most that despite the injustices they faced (“sexism, racism, the internment camps, and more”), they still believed “in what America could be, and fought to help our country live up to its own ideals.”

They help him keep his own challenges in perspective, and to remain optimistic in adversity. They were also former CAPAC Chairs and founders, he said, “another big reason I love my job and feel so privileged to help carry on the work of these great Americans.”

Eventually, Gene plans to return to California to his fiancée and family. He’s the eldest of two brothers. Joe Kim works at an L.A. nonprofit and is a part-time boxing instructor. Gene’s hobbies include watching this sport, aside from martial arts, poker, reading, and watching college football. He intoned, “Go Bears!”

His parents are Kyungsoo Kim (father) and Jeung Hee Kim. Both are immigrants from Korea. “From an early age, my parents raised me to appreciate the value of service and helping others, and taught me to be grateful for all the blessings and opportunities in my life,” he said. “They encouraged me to pursue my passions, rather than fixating on more traditional careers.”

He added, “Most importantly, they helped me understand that true strength and confidence often come from perseverance after failure, rather than unbroken success.”