Donald Mendoza Graham has given the Los Angeles Filipino community another reason to cheer and be festive about while celebrating the Filipino American History Month this October.
The community proudly honored Donald Mendoza Graham for his promotion to the rank of commander in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the highest position a Filipino-American officer has reached in the department’s 150-year history.
Graham was originally born in Manhattan New York, then moved with his family to San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. In Valley College he got interested in music and acting, tried political science, and during his last semester he worked at the Campus Police Office. While working with retired Los Angeles Police Department officers he was so impressed by them he realized he wanted to take the same path.
After a 24-year career journey, Donald Mendoza Graham was promoted in July 2019 by Chief Michael Moore with the rank of commander and holds the office of the Department’s Homeless Coordinator.
With LA having an estimated 36,000 homeless persons Graham knows and welcomes the daunting challenge of dealing with it, finding solutions and recommending policies to help deal with LA’s complicated homeless problem.
As there are only 241 Fil-Am police officers in the LAPD, Graham serves as a role model in the Filipino community as he hopes to inspire more Filipinos to serve and join the force.
This year’s celebration of the Filipino-American History Month marks 10 years since the United States Congress recognized the festivities in 2009 to honor the contribution of Filipinos in American society.
In early October, Filipino-American Brigadier General Roy J. Macaraeg of the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard became the first Filipino soldier to rise from the ranks to become a General Officer.
SEND congratulations in the comments below to Donald Mendoza Graham, the new LAPD Commander!
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