Meet Deputy DA Mei Owen
In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month, which is observed throughout the month of May, we are featuring stories of DA employees, what inspired them to pursue a career in public service and their contributions at the DA’s Office.
Meet Deputy District Attorney Mei Owen, who has been with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2011. She began her journey as a legal intern, then continued as a graduate law clerk and later as a volunteer attorney, then ultimately as a Deputy District Attorney. Over the years she has served in several of our branches, including Vista, Juvenile, and El Cajon. She is now downtown in our Special Operations Division.
Read more about what inspired her to pursue a career at the DA’s Office, below.
Why did you choose a career in public service/what inspired you to pursue this career?
“My path toward public service began with a moment from my early childhood that has never left me. When I was three or four years old, I was walking home from the grocery store with my mother when she was robbed at knifepoint. I didn’t understand why a stranger wielded a kitchen knife in my mother’s face or why she handed over the contents of her purse so quickly. But I understood her fear. I remember the tears on her face and the way she instinctively shielded me. The man was never caught. Justice was never done. Even at that young age, something in me recognized the profound impact of harm and the importance of accountability. That experience planted a seed that grew over time. It shaped my belief in fairness, safety, and the need for a justice system that protects vulnerable people, families, and communities like mine. It’s what inspired me to pursue a career as a deputy district attorney. Every day, I’m reminded that the work I do is not abstract. It’s personal. It’s rooted in a lifetime of experiences, my own and those passed down to me.
Public service is my way of honoring my parents’ sacrifices, my community’s resilience, and the many people who still hope for their own version of the ‘Golden Mountain.’ It is my way of giving back to the country that gave my family a chance to thrive, and of helping ensure that justice, dignity, and safety are more than just ideals. They are realities people can count on.”
What does AANHPI Month mean to you/why is it important?
“AANHPI Heritage Month is a time for me to reflect on where I come from and the journey that brought me here. As a first‑generation Chinese‑American who emigrated to the United States at eight years old, I grew up hearing my parents speak of America as the “golden mountain.” As a child, I imagined literal mountains made of gold waiting for us when we stepped off the plane. In reality, we arrived with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Yet my parents carried with them something far more powerful: hope, determination, and an unshakable belief that this country could offer opportunities they never had. They gave everything so that I could be anything.
Their sacrifices supported me through school and every hardship in between. Becoming the first in my family to not only attend college, but to earn a doctorate and build a meaningful career, is something I carry with great pride and deep gratitude. AANHPI Heritage Month reminds me that my achievements aren’t mine alone – they are the result of generations of perseverance, of stories carried across oceans, of dreams planted long before I was old enough to understand them.”
A fun fact about you or what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
“I love baking bread. There’s something magical about taking a bunch of random ingredients like flour, water, salt, and somehow ending up with something delicious. It reminds me in many ways of what public service feels like – a mix of small, humble ingredients, a lot of patience, and the courage to step into the heat when it matters. And if everything goes well, you come out with something that is pretty great.”
“Beyond my professional journey, I am also the proud mother of three wonderful children and the spouse of a military service member. My husband has dedicated over 20 years to serving this country in the Navy’s special warfare community as an EOD bomb technician. His career has been marked by sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to protecting others. The weight of that service is immeasurable, and being part of his journey has deepened my appreciation for the many forms public service can take. Our family has grown alongside the challenges and triumphs of his career, and I carry immense pride in the strength and purpose that binds us. His dedication continues to inspire me in my own work and reinforce my commitment to serving our community.”
