David Oh grew up in Southwest Philadelphia starting in the 1960s in a neighborhood that was predominantly white and working class at the time.

However, as he grew up, the neighborhood rapidly changed due to white flight, leading to it becoming a predominantly Black neighborhood.

Consequently, Oh attended a predominantly Black school during his formative years in the late 1960s and 1970s, where he received a relatively extensive education focused on African American history.

“I can’t say I thought it was unusual,” said Oh. “I thought it was just normal.”

Looking back, however, now he feels the education efforts he endured were “experimental in a way.”

In his opinion, a lot more money was being put into education at the time, which led to a wealthier nation.

Despite the neighborhood facing challenges like racism, bullying, and gang violence, Oh praised the high level of education he experienced. 

His upbringing instilled in him important values, such as critical thinking, perseverance, and justice.

Developing a Career Path

Growing up in this tough environment helped Oh develop a desire to fight for justice.

More specifically, it inspired Oh to pursue a career in law.

While growing up, Oh was a fan of the show “Perry Mason,” which was about a criminal defense lawyer.

Watching the show, Oh noticed something very glaring about the portrayal of lawyers. 

“I didn’t recall anything I saw in Perry Mason about him getting paid or having a fancy car, or him going on vacation… it was always working. It was always business,” he said. 

“I wanted to be like that,” Oh added.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in political science at Dickinson College, Oh enrolled at and eventually graduated from Rutgers Law School.

While there, he also started giving free legal advice as a volunteer. 

After graduating from law school, Oh joined the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor and Assistant District Attorney.

“I was really interested in providing a level of justice and safety for the weak and the innocent,” Oh said about his goals in the role.

Throughout his career, Oh has been both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, giving him a perspective of work from both sides of the spectrum.

A Pivot to the Military

While Oh had a great education, one thing he was not able to learn about during his formative years was the history of Asians in America.

“There was no book on it, there was no internet, you couldn’t find it in the library … and I assumed, like everybody else assumed, if you don’t see it, it’s because it doesn’t exist,” he said. 

At 28 years old, Oh decided to resign from the DA’s office to join the military.

“But not as a lawyer,” Oh explained.

Instead, Oh served in a Special Forces unit, while not Special Forces qualified.

Due to the lack of resources, Oh didn’t think there was much of a history of Asian Americans serving in the military.

However, as he got deeper into the trenches as a military officer, Oh found out there was actually a rich history of Asian Americans who have served in the military.

While walking through Infantry Hall at Fort Benning, Georgia, Oh came across a painting that he later learned was from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

This was one of the most decorated military units in American history, and consisted almost entirely of Japanese-American soldiers who fought in World War II.

“So, I learned about that and other facts of history that I didn’t know,” Oh explained. 

While at Officer Candidate School, Oh had the opportunity to meet Special Forces sergeants who told him about National Guard SF units, and was eventually recruited to the National Guard’s 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served from 1989 to 1992.

He and the unit were activated for Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s, and went down to the former Fort Bragg — now Fort Liberty.

Once the war ended in 1991, Oh was released from active duty service with an Honorable Discharge.

Oh remained with the National Guard Special Forces Group until 1992 when he transferred to Individual Ready Reserve until 1996 when he was discharged from military service. 

“I felt like I had served my country,” said Oh.

Returning to Law Practice, and An Eye in Politics

After serving in the military, Oh decided to return to practice law. 

However, he didn’t return to the District Attorney’s office, instead opting to launch his own practice. 

“I repaired a home in Southwest Philly, made it my law office, and began to practice law,” said Oh.

With its location in Southwest Philadelphia, Oh literally built that law office from the ground up.

“Every time I made money, I bought something like a conference room desk, a telephone system, secretarial desks, a receptionist station desk,” Oh noted. “I was building the furniture of a law office with nobody but me in it.”

Eventually, Oh was able to hire for different positions, including a handful of lawyers, and later moved his practice into a bigger office in Center City.

In 2008, Oh decided to merge his law firm with a larger one. 

During his time running his firm, Oh started to test the waters of a potential run for office.

The reason was because he began reflecting about all he had accomplished throughout his life up to that point, concluding that he was “blessed.”

“I had learned so many lessons, and what I thought I could do is, I could contribute,” Oh said.

In 2003, Oh decided to run for Philadelphia City Council for the first time.

Oh’s mindset during his first attempt to run for City Council was clear.

“I’ll try to win, but I’m not sure that I’m going to win. It’s kind of unlikely I’ll have much funding, but I think really it’s about running, get out there and speak publicly, and present ideas that might be adopted by others if you don’t win,” he said. “And that’s your contribution.”

While his Council bid was unsuccessful, Oh’s commitment was undeterred. 

This led to a second candidacy run four years later in 2007. 

A Historic City Councilmember, and Another Bid for Office

For Oh as a potential City Councilmember, the third time proved to be the charm.

In 2011, Oh ran for City Council for the third time, this time successfully, as he was sworn in as a new City Councilmember in January 2012.

In doing so, he became the first-ever Asian American elected to political office in Philadelphia history.

Over what turned out to be 11 years and three terms in City Council, Oh managed to do what he set out to do — be of service to the public. 

However, after two successful reelection bids, in 2015 and 2019, seeking yet another Council run was no longer a priority for Oh.

“I think there’s a point where you’ve contributed what you contribute, and it’s time to let somebody else have a crack at it,” he said. 

In 2023, with a mayoral election on the horizon, Oh set his sights on the next political challenge — running for mayor.

After resigning from City Council to run for mayor, Oh became the Republican candidate to become the city’s 100th mayor.

While he didn’t win, Oh has kept a positive mindset.

“I lost, and that’s not a big deal because to me, losing is not in running,” he said. “If you don’t run because you’re afraid to lose … that’s the loss.”

The Voice of Philly’s Asian Business Community

After the dust settled from the election, Oh took some time to reflect and had to determine what was next.

Having spent roughly a year without a job, it was the longest Oh had gone without a job in 30 years. 

Naturally, he understood it’s a much different job market today than it was then.

While some offers eventually came in, one in particular stood out to Oh.

In February 2024, Oh was named the new President and CEO of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. 

His attraction to the job was all about what it would mean to people.

“Because I was an advocate for the economy, and jobs, and the pathway to a better life … especially for people with nothing,” Oh said. 

The Chamber strives to help promote and foster relationships among Asian and non-Asian businesses, serve as a liaison for corporations, catalyze growth, and encourage business retention.

As the newest leader of the Asian Chamber, Oh wants to help individuals and families do more than just eke out a living. 

He hopes to address the many challenges facing the diverse business communities in Philadelphia, from the lack of capital to the language barrier to discrimination.

“They are self-sufficient, and therefore, they have the opportunity to do better within their control, but they need help,” Oh said about the city’s Asian business community. 

The Chamber gives Oh the opportunity to do the very thing he has strived to do in each stop of his career: to help people. 

Using his prior experiences, Oh hopes to use his newest role to provide tools, perspectives, and advocacy to help build more successful Asian American business people in Philadelphia.