Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

Ray Buenaventura has a lot on his shoulders. Aside from being an attorney licensed to practice law in California and Washington, DC, he is also very active in the community. He was appointed to the Library Board of Trustees for Daly City and serves as commissioner and current president.

He is also the President of the Filipino American Democratic Club of San Mateo County.

Buenaventura also serves as an alternate and associate member of the Democractic Central Committee of San Mateo County, as well as holds the position of secretary for the Filipino American Democratic Caucus of the California Democratic Party.

Buenaventura has helped organize the Asian American and Pacific Islander vote for the 2008 Presidential Election in Iowa, Nevada, Pennsylvania, San Francisco, San Jose and Texas. Just last August, he was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. On election day, Buenaventura participated in Voter Protection in Nevada by monitoring voter intimidation and suppression.

In addition, Buenaventura is involved in several non-profit organizations including the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (Director), Daly City-Sister Cities Committee (Director), Filipino Mental Health Initiatives (Oversight Member) and Pinoy/Pinay Educational Partnerships (PEP) as Director and Vice Chair. He is also on the Board of the Knights of Columbus Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children in San Francisco (Director and Vice President), as well as a member of the Friends of the Filipino American Community, a political action committee devoted to the empowerment of Filipino-Americans throughout California.

Currently in private practice focusing on criminal defense and immigration, Buenaventura is a Certified Criminal Law Specialist and has been practicing law for 15 years. He is a member of the San Mateo Bar Association, Filipino Bar Association of Northern California, Asian American Bar Association and Alameda County Bar Association.

Buenaventura was born in the Philippines and attended La Salle, Greenhills before moving to the United States. He graduated from the University of California in Berkeley where he received his Bachelors Degree in Legal Studies. He received his Law Degree from Whittier College School of Law (Juris Doctorate).

(www.asianjournal.com)