About this event
February 12, 6:30 – 8:00pm
$25 General Admission, $20 Museum Member Admission
$150 VIP Table, $120 Member VIP Table (four people)
Not a member? Join today!
Museum Members are invited to arrive early for exclusive admission and bar access beginning at 5:45pm. Doors open to the public at 6:15.
Join Maryland State Delegate Lily Qi for an interview-style conversation about her memoir, Elected American: From Red China to Blue Maryland, and her unlikely journey from growing up during China’s Cultural Revolution to becoming the first Chinese immigrant elected to the Maryland legislature. The conversation will be moderated by Laura Sturza, organizer of MoCo Underground.
Drawing on her experiences as an immigrant, community leader, and policymaker, Qi explores what it means to belong in America—and how newcomers can move from the sidelines to finding their voice and helping shape their communities. Her story also traces an immigrant community’s political awakening as it discovers its voice in a political system not designed for them.
Part memoir and part reflection on democracy, Elected American is ultimately a story about choosing to belong—and the power of participation to change both individuals and communities.
Lily Qi has served in the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019, representing Montgomery County, a suburb of Washington, D.C. As the only U.S. state legislator who lived through China’s Cultural Revolution, she brings a rare cross-system perspective to American democracy and the Asian American experience. A longtime cultural broker, Qi is a leading voice on economic competitiveness, immigrant integration, and civic and political engagement.
Laura Sturza has work appearing in publications including The New York TImes, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, The LA Times, AARP, Lunch Ticket, Oldster, Washington Writers’ Publishing House, and three anthologies. Laura recently completed the memoir, Better Late: The Making of a Midlife First-Time Wife. She teaches memoir writing and has received grants from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Laura earned her MA in Writing, Theatre, and Communication from George Mason University.
History Happy Hour is a monthly evening program featuring presentations by historians, authors, and subject-matter experts on a wide variety of historical and cultural topics. Admission includes complimentary beverages and snacks.
Sandy Spring Museum, Inc. is supported in part by funding from the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org), the Montgomery County Government, and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County.