Former Cupertino mayor still helping shape generations of Asian American civic leaders

MICHAEL CHANG, a former Cupertino mayor, has spent almost 30 years building a huge network of Asian American political and community leaders — and he still isn’t satisfied.

The Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute (APALI), which he founded, has trained hundreds of teens and adults who’ve moved into elected office, civil service, nonprofits and more. Three of Santa Clara County’s five supervisors — Margaret Abe-Koga, Betty Duong and Otto Lee — worked for APALI or participated in the group’s programs.