Andrew Yang is an American entrepreneur, attorney, lobbyist, political commentator, and author. In 2021, he co-founded the Forward Party, a political action committee, with former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Before his political endeavors, Yang was best known for his entrepreneurial pursuits. He was the founder of Venture for America, a non-profit fellowship program that focused on creating jobs in cities struggling with economic decline. Yang gained national prominence during his 2020 presidential campaign, where he advocated for a universal basic income, also known as the "Freedom Dividend." Although his presidential bid was unsuccessful, he later ran for Mayor of New York City in 2021.
January 13, 1975: Birth of Andrew Yang
Andrew Yang was born on January 13, 1975, to Taiwanese American immigrants.
1992: Graduation from Phillips Exeter Academy and Participation in US National Debate Team
Andrew Yang graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1992 and participated in the US national debate team which competed at the world championships in London.
1996: Graduation from Brown University
Andrew Yang graduated from Brown University in 1996 with a degree in economics and political science.
1999: Graduation from Columbia Law School
Andrew Yang graduated from Columbia Law School in 1999 with a Juris Doctor degree.
February 2000: Launch of Stargiving
In February 2000, Andrew Yang co-founded Stargiving, a celebrity-affiliated philanthropic fundraising website.
2001: Last Municipal Vote
It was revealed that Yang had not voted in a New York City municipal election since 2001.
2002: Closure of Stargiving and Other Ventures
Stargiving closed in 2002. Yang then explored other ventures, including party organizing.
2005: End of Vice Presidency at Healthcare Startup
In 2005, Andrew Yang finished his role as vice president of a healthcare startup.
2006: CEO of Manhattan Prep
In 2006, Andrew Yang became CEO of Manhattan Prep.
December 2009: Acquisition of Manhattan Prep by Kaplan
Manhattan Prep was acquired by Kaplan, Inc. in December 2009.
2009: Start of work on Venture for America
After Kaplan acquired Manhattan Prep, Yang began working on Venture for America (VFA).
2011: Champion of Change Award
In 2011, Andrew Yang was recognized as a "Champion of Change" by the Obama administration.
2011: Founding of Venture for America
Andrew Yang founded Venture for America (VFA) in 2011.
2011: Champion of Change Award
In 2011, Andrew Yang was named a "Champion of Change" by the Obama administration.
2011: Yang's Marriage
Andrew Yang married Evelyn Lu in 2011. They have two sons, and Yang has often spoken about his older son, Christopher, who is autistic.
2012: Resignation from Manhattan Prep
Andrew Yang resigned from Manhattan Prep in early 2012.
2012: First VFA Graduates
VFA trained its first 40 graduates in 2012.
2013: Expansion of VFA
VFA trained 69 graduates in 2013.
2014: Further Expansion of VFA
VFA expanded to more cities and trained 106 graduates in 2014.
2015: Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship
Andrew Yang was designated a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship in 2015.
2015: Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship
In 2015, Andrew Yang was named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.
2015: Purchase of New Paltz Home
In 2015, the Yang family purchased a home in New Paltz, New York. This home later became a source of controversy during Yang's mayoral campaign due to questions surrounding its rental history.
2016: Yang's Post-Election Proposals for Democrats
In 2016, after Trump's presidential win, Yang suggested improvements for the Democratic Party, including apologizing for hindering Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary, appointing new DNC leadership, supporting local journalism, and focusing on improving Americans' living standards.
2016: Release of Documentary "Startup"
The documentary "Startup," about VFA-launched businesses in Detroit, was released in 2016.
March 2017: Departure from VFA
Andrew Yang stepped down as CEO of VFA in March 2017.
November 6, 2017: Andrew Yang Files for 2020 Presidential Run
On November 6, 2017, Andrew Yang officially filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for President of the United States in the 2020 election. His campaign began modestly, operating from his mother's apartment.
February 2019: Gaining Momentum with The Joe Rogan Experience
In February 2019, Yang's campaign gained significant traction following his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. His discussion of libertarian-leaning policies, such as drug decriminalization and ending corporate welfare, resonated with a wider audience.
March 2019: Qualifying for Democratic Debates
By March 2019, Yang achieved the necessary polling and fundraising criteria to participate in the initial Democratic primary debates.
August 2019: Continued Qualification for Debates
In August 2019, Andrew Yang further solidified his presence in the race by qualifying for the second round of Democratic debates, having met the higher thresholds set by the DNC.
August 29, 2019: CNN Infographic Exclusion
On August 29, 2019, a CNN infographic depicting poll results omitted Andrew Yang, despite him polling higher than included candidate Beto O'Rourke, sparking criticism and the hashtag #YangMediaBlackout.
September 2019: Testimony of Kimberly Watkins
In September 2019, Kimberly Watkins, a former employee, testified about her dismissal from Manhattan Prep which she attributed to her marriage. Yang has denied Watkins allegations.
2019: Rental of New Paltz Home
In 2019, Andrew Yang reported renting out his New Paltz home for 58 days, adding to the controversy that arose during his mayoral campaign.
2019: Net Worth Estimates
Several media outlets estimated Andrew Yang's net worth in mid-2019 to be between $1 million and $4 million.
January 2020: Missing the January Debate
Despite qualifying for several previous rounds, Yang was unable to meet the polling threshold required for the January 2020 Democratic debate.
February 11, 2020: Suspension of Presidential Campaign
On February 11, 2020, Andrew Yang suspended his presidential campaign.
February 2020: Qualifying for the February Debate
Yang successfully requalified for the Democratic debates, securing a spot in the February 2020 debate.
February 2020: Interest in NYC Mayoral Race
Following the suspension of his presidential campaign in February 2020, Yang expressed interest in the 2021 New York City mayoral election.
March 5, 2020: Creation of Humanity Forward Foundation
On March 5, 2020, Andrew Yang created the Humanity Forward Foundation.
March 10, 2020: Endorsement of Joe Biden
On March 10, 2020, after suspending his own presidential campaign, Andrew Yang publicly endorsed Joe Biden for president.
April 29, 2020: Legal Action Against NY Board of Elections
On April 29, 2020, Yang initiated legal action against the New York State Board of Elections for canceling the presidential primary, claiming voter disenfranchisement.
August 2020: Potential Biden Cabinet Role
In August 2020, Yang revealed he'd been in contact with the Biden campaign about a possible cabinet position related to technology's impact on society, and later revealed he interviewed for the position of Secretary of Labor.
September 2020: Joining Biden Campaign
In September 2020, Yang joined the Biden campaign as part of the small business advisory council.
November 2020: Supporting Georgia Senate Runoffs
In November 2020, Yang and his wife relocated to Atlanta to support the Senate runoff campaigns of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
December 23, 2020: Filing for NYC Mayoral Race
On December 23, 2020, Yang formally filed paperwork to begin fundraising for his New York City mayoral campaign.
2020: Vilcek Prize Nomination
Andrew Yang was nominated for the 2021 Vilcek Prize for Excellence in Public Service in 2020.
2020: Media Coverage Issues
Throughout 2020, Yang faced challenges with media coverage, being disproportionately omitted from reports or having his polling data misrepresented, which was criticized by his supporters.
2020: OpenSecrets Net Worth Estimate
In 2020, OpenSecrets estimated Yang's net worth to be as low as $584,047.
2020: 2020 Democratic Presidential Primaries
In 2020, Andrew Yang ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, advocating for universal basic income.
2020: VFA Job Creation Figures
An ABC News investigation in 2020 found that VFA had created fewer jobs than initially projected.
2020: Speaking at the DNC
In 2020, after initially being excluded, Andrew Yang spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
January 8, 2021: Leaving NYC During Pandemic
On January 8, 2021, news broke that Yang had left New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic to stay at his second home, leading to criticism.
January 13, 2021: Announcing NYC Mayoral Bid
On January 13, 2021, Yang officially announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City via Twitter.
January 2021: Continued Support for Georgia Runoffs
Yang's support for the Georgia Senate runoff elections continued into January 2021.
February 26, 2021: Intervention in Ferry Assault
On February 26, 2021, Andrew Yang intervened in a physical assault on a journalist on the Staten Island Ferry. His presence and recognition by the attacker led to the assault being stopped.
May 2021: NYC Mayoral Campaign
By May 2021, while campaigning for mayor, Yang's initial lead in polls began to shrink as Eric Adams gained momentum.
October 4, 2021: Departure from the Democratic Party
On October 4, 2021, Andrew Yang left the Democratic Party to become an independent.
October 2021: Founding of the Forward Party
Later in October 2021, Andrew Yang founded the Forward Party.
2021: Potential NYC Mayoral Run
In 2021, Andrew Yang was considered a potential candidate in the New York City mayoral election.
2021: New York City Mayoral Run
In 2021, Andrew Yang unsuccessfully ran for mayor of New York City.
2021: Founding of the Forward Party
In 2021, Andrew Yang co-founded the Forward Party with Christine Todd Whitman.
2021: Vilcek Prize Awarded
Andrew Yang received the Vilcek Prize for Excellence in Public Service in 2021.
February 17, 2022: Launch of Web3 Community
On February 17, 2022, Andrew Yang launched a Web3 community to fund lobbying efforts for Web3 interests.
July 27, 2022: Forward Party Merger
On July 27, 2022, the Forward Party, founded by Andrew Yang, merged with the Serve America Movement and Renew America Movement.
August 10, 2022: Joins Legendary Ventures
On August 10, 2022, Andrew Yang joined the advisory team at Legendary Ventures.
June 2023: Donation to Chris Christie Campaign
In June 2023, Yang donated to Chris Christie's 2024 presidential campaign.
January 2024: Endorsement of Andy Kim and Dean Phillips
In January 2024, Yang endorsed Andy Kim for the New Jersey Senate election and Dean Phillips for President.
February 2024: Potential Kennedy Running Mate
In February 2024, reports surfaced that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had asked Yang to be his running mate.
March 2024: Kennedy Running Mate Decision
By March 2024, Kennedy was still considering Yang as a potential running mate, but ultimately chose Nicole Shanahan.
July 23, 2024: Yang Endorses Kamala Harris
On July 23, 2024, after encouraging Biden to drop out of the presidential race, Andrew Yang endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president following Biden's withdrawal. He also wrote an opinion piece encouraging independents to vote for Harris.