Long-listed for the New American Voices Award, 2026
Elected American
From Red China to Blue Maryland
An immigrant’s journey from Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution to the Maryland State House.
Thirty years after her solo journey to America, Chinese-born Lily Qi became a Maryland state delegate. Elected American tells the inspirational story of Qi’s dreams, setbacks, and achievements with candor and humility. Growing up in Mao’s Shanghai when “politics meant danger,” she never imagined running for public office. However, living in America, Qi came to see political participation as a missed opportunity for immigrants.
As the only U.S. state legislator to have lived through China’s Cultural Revolution, Qi brings a rare cross-system perspective to American politics and the modern-day Asian American identity. Elected American is a political memoir and an immigrant story that emphasizes that democracy doesn’t wait on the sidelines—it favors those who participate.
“This is a fascinating and finely detailed book that chronicles the emergence of an inspiring political leader in Maryland…Lily Qi’s book, like her career, sparkles with authenticity, compassion, and positive meaning. It is a rare gem.” — Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-8), New York Times #1 best-selling author of Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy
“Lily Qi’s story is the American Dream come to life, and her fight for democracy is exactly the kind of uplifting story people want to see.” — Andrew Yang, cofounder of Forward Party and CEO of Noble Mobile
“I couldn’t put Elected American down. Lily Qi’s story brought tears to my eyes and happiness to my heart. It is a tale of courage and of a reluctant constituency finally moved to organize.” — Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
About Lily
Featured by The Washington Post, NPR, and other U.S. and international media, Lily Qi is a longtime cultural broker and leading voice on immigrant integration and civic and political engagement. She has served as a Maryland state legislator representing a Washington, D.C., suburb since 2019, thirty years after her solo journey as an international student. The only U.S. state legislator who lived through China’s Cultural Revolution, she brings a rare immigrant and cross-system perspective to democracy and what it means to become American.
Stay in Touch
Sign Up for Our Newsletter & Socials