Cindy Lam has a head for business; a heart for service; and a respect for culture, heritage and community. Her gifts and talents, which have been recognized by the state, will be put to good use as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Affairs.

 “I don’t know if I would be [considered] a politician,” says Lam, a 34-year-old resident of Manheim Township. “The title is commissioner, but it feels more like advocate or representative. I don’t think this is supposed to be political, even though there are political things to it. I want to be a voice for Asian American and Pacific Islander business owners.”

“For me, I’m just a mom and a business owner, and I dabble in politics in a sense,” she continues. “I’m an advocate and a leader in different worlds. I will advocate for what’s in my world, and if that means I will get into politics, that’s what I will do.”

Last year, Lam was appointed to Governor Josh Shapiro’s Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Affairs. The process began in late 2024, when Lam received a phone call from the advisory commission’s executive director, Razin Karu, who asked her to submit a résumé. “He told me there will be some openings on Governor Shapiro’s commission,” Lam recalls. “I didn’t hear back, so I thought maybe I wasn’t selected. I didn’t think it would take that long, but I didn’t want to push it. I stayed patient throughout the whole process until I got a phone call in July.”

“It was all very exciting,” adds Lam. “I was so proud because I thought this was another way to serve my community and to have a voice for my community. I am so humbled by this appointment.”

Lam is one of 28 members of Shapiro’s advisory commission – whose purpose is to focus on the experiences and needs of the AAPI community – and the only representative from Lancaster. Lam and the other volunteer members from across the commonwealth will serve two-year terms that end in 2027. The commission meets regularly in Harrisburg, and Lam attended her first meeting in late October.

“I’ve been given this honor, so I want to make sure I’m there for every meeting, and I want to be committed,” Lam says. “I feel like there’s a lot of things we can share, but I’m not sure what those things are. We discuss what’s going on in our AAPI communities, and I talk about what’s going on in Lancaster. There is work to be done. I’m ready to put in the work to make progress.”

According to census numbers, in 2024, 616,079 members of Pennsylvania’s population of 13 million residents identified as AAPI, a number that has grown by 49% since 2010.

“I’m devoted to uplifting the voice of our AAPI community,” said Lam. “I need to find out the concerns of our community. I want to be the best liaison I can be. I know the real changes will come from the governor’s office. But if they don’t know what’s best for our community, they’re not going to do it. I want a seat at the table, so things aren’t overlooked.”

Lam is one of the founders of the advocacy organization Lancaster AAPI, which hosted a Mid-Autumn Festival at the Stevens and Smith Center for History & Democracy in October, and will once again host a Lunar New Year Festival in Downtown Lancaster in February. (Visit Lancasteraapi.com for details.) She is also a member of the Manheim Township School Board of Directors. Lam and her husband, Sam Guo, are the owners and operators of the three locations of Silantra Asian Street Kitchens.

“I ask myself why I do the things I do,” Lam shares. “I think when you see your family come to a new country with nothing and build things on their own, you want to stand up for all the things your community has done. I keep doing it because someone has to be the one to elevate our voices.”

Lam’s grandparents and their young children came to America from China. She was born in the U.S. “I remember when my dad got his citizenship,” Lam notes. “I was very young, and it was something he was so proud of. I remember him studying for the test. My mom had gotten her citizenship before she was married.”

“My whole family has built a life here,” she continues. “I think it’s so important for me to remember what they went through. When I do this advocacy work, I want to make my grandparents and parents feel proud.”

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Jeff Falk writes for the community newspapers – Merchandiser, Advertiser and Pennysaver – that are published by Engle Printing & Publishing, Townlively.com.