Vida Benavides Named 2021 Trailblazer

Vida is a Filipino American, born in the Philippines, raised in San Francisco East Bay Area, CA. Benavides is a proven leader who has harnessed the intersection of policy advocacy, civic & electoral engagement, social justice, equity and multicultural activism.

Vida is the first Filipino American to serve as a Public Affairs, Political and Multicultural Affairs Strategist, and Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (J.E.DI) facilitator in the country. Vida serves as a strategic counsel to national, state and local leaders from the private and public sectors.  Vida has advised and consulted Forbes 50 Company C-Suite Executives, Global Foundations, Federal Agencies such as CDC and OMH, and National Advocacy Organizations. 

Prior to her career as a Strategist, Vida served as the Executive Director for APIAVote (National Organization, Executive Director,) Community Technology Policy Council (California Statewide), Director of Constituencies, (Democratic National Committee), Deputy Political Director (Clinton Presidential Transition Team), Special Assistant (Clinton-Gore Campaign) Management Analyst (Solano County, County Administrators Office).

As a leader in Political Affairs and within the Democratic Party, Vida served in various leadership roles: DNC Platform Committee Member; DNC Commission Member, Presidential Nomination, Timing and Scheduling; Convention Site Selection Committee Member; Delegate to two Democratic Party Conventions and DNC Director of Constituencies.

Vida has advised, consulted, and worked on Presidential Campaigns since Clinton-Gore Campaign. And served as a Deputy Political Director for the Clinton-Gore Transition. She was the first Asian American to consult the DNC and Democratic Presidential Campaigns for General Election. Just recently, Vida served as Senior Adviser to Filipino Americans for Biden-Harris guiding infrastructure, data driven and GOTV strategies.

Benavides as a community leader serves on boards that support emerging leaders and grow capacity for community involvement at all levels.  She currently serves on the Boards of Civic Power of Media, Civic Power of Change and America’s Opportunity Fund.  Benavides served distinguished honors as German Marshall Fund Transatlantic Fellow, Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute Fellow, Outen-UMC GBCS Fellow, Ron Brown Civil Rights and Economic Development Honoree and Filipina American Women’s Network Top 100 Influential Women Honoree.

As one of Vida’s life achievement is her volunteer service as a Co-Founder and Campaign Strategist for the National Alliance for Filipino World War II Filipino Veterans for Equity (NAFVE).  After WW II, Filipinos who served under the US Flag’s military benefits were rescinded.  From 2007-2009, Benavides developed policy engagement infrastructure at the grass tops and grassroots levels, raised funds, and implemented policy-communications strategies. In 2009, President Barack Obama signed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, authorizing the release of one lump sump payment to eligible World War II Filipino Veterans, widows and eligible family members.

The value of service by her parent’s example is Vida’s foundation and purpose in Life.  Her parents became civically engaged by serving as leaders in the Filipino community of San Francisco East Bay Area. Her father, Eugenio served as an Board Executive Officer for the Filipino American Center of the East Bay that provided employment, job training, immigrant services for Filipinos.  Her mother, Belen served as a Medical Social Worker and Social Services Director for

Alameda County and Health Care Systems in the area of health care access and affordability for Immigrant and senior populations.