[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Global Header” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” _builder_version=”3.6″ next_background_color=”#000000″ disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on” global_module=”76″][et_pb_fullwidth_image admin_label=”Fullwidth Header Image : DO NOT EDIT” global_parent=”76″ _builder_version=”3.6″ src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/placeholder-header.jpg” saved_tabs=”all” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ specialty=”off” next_background_color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”3.6″ prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.6″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_post_title _builder_version=”3.6″ date=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” title_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” title_font_size=”60px” meta_font=”Roboto|600|||||||” meta_text_color=”#da7858″ meta_font_size=”24″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Explainer Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Roboto||||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n
In this piece, I tell the story of Lindy Li, who recently made her second failed bid at Congress at the tender age of 27. She talks about some of the intense obstacles she has faced over the past few years, along with what keeps her going. We start out at a lunch meeting for the American Association for Cancer Research, where Li is a trustee.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_video admin_label=”Video: Explainer” _builder_version=”3.6″ src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/HIN7lYzDkcw” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Story Hero Image” custom_padding=”100px||600px|” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”3.6″ background_image=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/Ayah_summary-illustration-x1200.jpg” parallax_method=”off” next_background_color=”#ffffff” background_color=”#000000″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” make_fullwidth=”on” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ custom_padding=”26.3px|0px|0px|0px” padding_right_2=”10%” padding_left_2=”10%” background_position_1=”top_left” background_position_2=”top_left” background_repeat_1=”no-repeat” background_repeat_2=”no-repeat” _builder_version=”3.6″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_audio admin_label=”Audio Option 1″ _builder_version=”3.6″ title=”The unbreakable Lindy Li” artist_name=”Ayah Alkhars” album_name=”Next Generation Radio, WHYY Philadelphia 2018″ background_color=”rgba(93,103,153,0.15)” custom_margin=”100px|||” audio=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/LINDY-LI-MIXDOWN-2.mp3″ \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” custom_padding=”50px||50px|” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ prev_background_color=”#000000″ next_background_color=”#0f4d90″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.6″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Story Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Roboto|300|||||||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n
Lindy Li doesn\u2019t look like most other candidates running for U.S. Congress. In Pennsylvania, where she attempted bids in 2016 and 2018, the House representatives are all male and almost entirely white.<\/p>\n
Li, by contrast, is a 27-year-old immigrant from China, who was part of a wave of women who this year entered Congressional races across the country. While she has plenty of company, Li says she was never allowed to forget her gender.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust the way that I look…people don’t take me as seriously,\u201d Li says. \u201cSomeone once said to me, \u2018From a man’s perspective, you look like somebody that men would want to sleep with \u2014 not vote for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite that, and other challenges, Li has made two attempts at running for the House of Representatives, and she seems game to keep on trying.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t know how to quit,\u201d Li says. \u201cThere are so many things yet undone.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Li, there are plenty of national issues that hit home on a personal level. For instance, immigration \u2014 Li says her family\u2019s move from China to the U.S. wasn\u2019t exactly an easy process. Li\u2019s parents spent the first few years of her life in the U.K. going to school, while Li stayed with relatives back in China.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents left me two weeks after I was born, so the whole family separation drama that’s unfolding on the national stage really hits home for me because my family was separated,\u201d Li says.<\/p>\n
Finally, at the age of four, Li and her parents moved to the U.S., landing in Massachusetts, where her father worked as a doctor. Li describes a traditional upbringing, guided by her parents\u2019 traditional ideas of what women could and should do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was raised to be a wife,\u201d she says. \u201cThey didn’t necessarily raise me to be a congresswoman \u2014 that was my own idea.\u201d Li describes an early interest in politics, but says that wasn\u2019t her only motivation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn high school I had no friends,\u201d she says. \u201cI literally had a designated table at the library because I was there so often, and by myself.\u201d And so, when Li arrived at Princeton University, she was determined to do things differently.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember standing under the cherry blossom trees on campus, just talking to my then-boyfriend and saying, I’m determined to distinguish myself somehow,\u201d she says. \u201cSo I ran for class government.\u201d It wasn\u2019t an easy process \u2014 Li describes it as \u201cbaptism by fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
“I knocked on 1,000 doors, just handing out candy,\u201d she remembers. \u201cNo one knew who I was, and people were kind of mean.” Still, Li ended up winning that year, along with the next three, and says she holds the distinction of being Princeton\u2019s longest-serving female class president.<\/p>\n
Li says her decision to run for Congress was one she made again and again. Her first real epiphany came in 2012, on the day of her Princeton graduation, where she was scheduled to deliver a speech, alongside keynote speaker Steve Carell.<\/p>\n
But thanks to a downpour, the ceremony was moved back, and Li says the dean told her that her speech would need to be cut so that Carell would have time to speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was so bummed out,\u201d Li says. \u201cI was waiting four years for this moment.\u201d Li turned to Carell to ask what to do. He gave her some practical advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he said, \u2018You\u2019re on live TV. Once you’re on stage, they can’t pull you down.\u201d Li took his advice and went up on stage and gave her full speech.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot a single word did I omit,\u201d Li says. \u201cAnd it was one of the most liberating moments of my life. It was amazing to just defy essentially what to me was law.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was in the middle of that speech that Li says discovered she had it in her to run for Congress.<\/p>\n
Despite that, Li didn\u2019t go immediately into politics. Instead, she entered the world of finance, first with Merck, and later with Morgan Stanley.<\/p>\n
Still, her mind continued to churn on the idea of running for Congress \u2014 especially after the Sandy Hook shooting.<\/p>\n
\u201cSandy Hook happened on my birthday \u2014 December 14, 2012, and I just remember being so shattered by it,\u201d Li says. \u201cThe slaughter of 20 children, six teachers. Is it enough for our politicians to get off their bottoms and do something? What is enough? When did we become a country in which that sort of tragedy is allowed to occur?\u201d<\/p>\n
It was around that time that Li says she announced her intention to her parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cI texted my family, the group text that we have, and I said, \u2018I’m running for Congress,\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cAnd no one even acknowledged that. My mom’s like, \u2018What’s for dinner?\u2019 They just completely dismissed it. Or maybe they didn’t even read it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, in 2015, Li decided to quit her job at Morgan Stanley and make a serious run. \u201cActually giving up that job was hard because, you know, making six figures at 23 was nice,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
From then on, Li poured all of her efforts, along with a sizeable chunk of her money, into her Congressional campaign.<\/p>\n
That year, her goal was to run as a Democratic candidate for the sixth district of Pennsylvania. Despite some early success attracting support, Li says her run ended before it even truly started.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey knocked me off the ballot so I wasn’t able to run,\u201d she says, referring to her 2016 rival, Mike Parrish. \u201cThey literally sued me to take my name off the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Pennsylvania, Congressional candidates must collect at least 1,000 signatures from registered voters in their party to be able to run. Parrish, she says, challenged the validity of her signatures.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your name is Thomas, you cannot write Tom. If your name is Nicholas, you cannot right Nick,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have to spell out your name exactly as it appears on the driver’s license.\u201d<\/p>\n
Li wasn\u2019t deterred. She decided to make another attempt this year in District 5. This time, she got further \u2014 but not far enough. In May, she came in sixth in the Democratic primary. Despite all that, Li hasn\u2019t closed the door to future runs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that I was put on this earth to serve other people. I just know it,\u201d she says. \u201cEverything that I go through today will only make me stronger for the future, for the people.”<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_audio admin_label=”Audio Option 2″ _builder_version=”3.6″ title=”The unbreakable Lindy Li” artist_name=”Ayah Alkhars” background_color=”#f99300″ album_name=”Next Generation Radio, WHYY Philadelphia 2018″ disabled=”on” disabled_on=”on|on|on” \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: Lindy Li” src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/Ayah_portrait-for-web.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_margin=”10px|||” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” show_bottom_space=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Arial||on||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n
Illustration: Gabi Tylenda\/Next Generation Radio<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: Lindy Li” src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/KEEP-x1200.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_margin=”10px|||” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” show_bottom_space=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Arial||on||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n Lindy Li stands at attention ahead of a planning meeting for the American Association for Cancer Research. Photo: Ayah Alkhars\/Next Generation Radio<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: Lindy Li” src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/PLEASE-CROP-x1200.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_margin=”10px|||” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” show_bottom_space=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Arial||on||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n Lindy Li sits at a ‘Party with a Purpose’ planning meeting for the American Association for Cancer Research. Photo: Alexis L. Richardson\/Next Generation Radio<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: Lindy Li” src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/IMG_2048-2-x1200.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_margin=”10px|||” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” show_bottom_space=”off” \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: Lindy Li” src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/CROP-OUT-MIC-x1200.jpg” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_margin=”10px|||” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” show_bottom_space=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption Text” disabled_on=”off|off|off%22%22″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Arial||on||” text_line_height=”1.9em” custom_padding=”30px|||” disabled=”off”]<\/p>\n Lindy Li speaks with fellow members at the American Association for Cancer Research, where she serves on the board of trustees. Photo: Alexis L. Richardson\/Next Generation Radio<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Footer_Sitewide” background_color=”#0f4d90″ _builder_version=”3.6″ custom_padding=”0px||0px|” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” global_module=”24″][et_pb_row global_parent=”24″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS ROW” global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ disabled=”off” disabled_on=”off|off|on” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row global_parent=”24″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ custom_padding=”50px||50px|” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: Next Generation Radio” global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Raleway|on|||” text_font_size=”28″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||8px|” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 900;”]<\/p>\n Next Generation Radio<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Source Sans Pro|on|||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#e0e0e0″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||8px|”]<\/p>\n FOLLOW US<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_social_media_follow global_parent=”24″ background_layout=”dark” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ border_radii=”on|100%|100%|100%|100%” link_shape=”circle”][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”facebook” url=”https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/officialnextgenerationradio\/” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#3b5998″ bg_color=”#3b5998″ link_shape=”circle” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]Facebook[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/nextgenradio” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#00aced” bg_color=”#00aced” link_shape=”circle” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]Twitter[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”instagram” url=”https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/tags\/nextgenradio\/” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_color=”#517fa4″ bg_color=”#517fa4″ link_shape=”circle” follow_button=”off” url_new_window=”on”]Instagram[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_text global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Source Sans Pro|on|||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#e0e0e0″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||8px|”]<\/p>\n ABOUT NEXTGEN RADIO<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Source Sans Pro||||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_line_height=”2.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”0px|||” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n About the program<\/a> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: TALK” global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Source Sans Pro|on|||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#e0e0e0″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”||8px|”]<\/p>\n STUDENTS TALK<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video global_parent=”24″ src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BcuRJHHjXrw” _builder_version=”3.0.51″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image: WHYY logo” global_parent=”24″ src=”https:\/\/whyy2018.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2018\/06\/WHYY_web3.jpg” _builder_version=”3.6″ animation_direction=”left” animation_duration=”500ms” animation_intensity_slide=”10%” url=”https:\/\/whyy.org\/” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text: WHYY Station info” global_parent=”24″ _builder_version=”3.6″ text_font=”Source Sans Pro||||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_line_height=”2.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”0px|||”]<\/p>\n Independence Mall West<\/span> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nExplore previous projects<\/a>
\nFAQ<\/a>
\nApply<\/a>
\nContact Us<\/a><\/p>\n
\n150 N. 6th Street<\/span>
\nPhiladelphia, PA 19106<\/span>
\nDirections | Map
\n<\/a>
\nParking locator<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n