Filipino American community organizer Al Perez was recently appointed San Francisco Entertainment Commissioner by Mayor Gavin Newsom in December 2009.  San Francisco’s Entertainment Commission oversees the development of The City’s vital and vibrant entertainment industry. Established in 2003, the Entertainment Commission’s mission is to regulate, promote and enhance the field of entertainment in San Francisco.

Perez has been actively serving the Filipino American and the Asian Pacific American communities for the last eight years. As president of the Filipino American Arts Exposition, Perez leads a team of community leaders, stakeholders and volunteers to organize the annual Pistahan Parade and Festival at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. He also partners with local professional sports franchises including the S.F. Giants, Oakland Raiders, Golden State Warriors, San Jose Earthquakes and Sacramento Kings to organize a series of Filipino Heritage Nights to celebrate Filipino culture and heritage. Perez has also organized fundraising events to benefit the victims of the Leyte landslide and Ondoy/Pepeng typhoon disasters in the Philippines. He also serves on the Board of the Filipina Women’s Network and is proud to be a part of the organization’s anti-domestic violence campaign to stop the cycle of violence against Filipina women and girls.