Cornering the Capitol: How a Chinatown High Schooler Took His Community’s Fight Directly to Lawmakers

On May 6, 19 Asian American organizations from Chicago participated in the 13th Asian American Action Day. Pictured are participants gathered in the first-floor rotunda of the state capitol, holding signs in support of the legislative agenda.

Source: Shuxi / Chinatown Spotlight

The State Capitol corridors in Springfield were bustling as advocates and lobbyists swarmed the halls, searching for lawmakers. Amid the crowd, high school senior Alan Luu and his fellow volunteers scanned the room until they spotted their target: State Senator Willie Preston.

As Preston emerged from a legislative chamber surrounded by a small entourage, Luu didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, cornering the senator to make a quick, impassioned pitch about the critical importance of the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) bills.

“Initially, I was excited but a little bit worried, because I was thinking, ‘What if I say the wrong thing?’” Luu said. “I was just nervous because this was my first time ever speaking to a senator or a public official of this status.”

For Luu, May 6 was a milestone. It marked his first time traveling to the state capital to lobby lawmakers, part of an annual mobilization known as Asian American Action Day (AAA Day). His mission was personal: persuade Preston to support legislation that expands healthcare coverage to low-income immigrants.

Getting there was half the battle. "Springfield is a three-hour drive from Chicago," Luu said. "Especially for me, I'm a high schooler, and that meant I had to take a day off from school."

After arriving at 6 a.m. with a caravan of volunteers, Luu’s group spent nearly an hour staking out legislative offices and the Senate floor with no sign of Preston. Pivoting strategy, their group leader—Sarah Tang, program director for the Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC)—led them to the main lobby, a critical bottleneck where they knew lawmakers would eventually have to pass through.

The persistence paid off. Preston, who chairs the State Senate Black Caucus, stopped and listened attentively to the high schooler's appeal, later telling the group he would continue seeking revenue streams to fund immigrant healthcare initiatives.

Though the encounter lasted only a few minutes, Luu felt he had made his mark. "I am hopeful that he does read into our packet that talks about HBIA and HBIS," Luu said.

Luu was far from alone. This year, 19 Chicago-area organizations under the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition mobilized more than 400 volunteers to descend on the Capitol, pushing a broad legislative agenda aimed at uplifting immigrant communities.

CBCAC alone brought 55 participants from Chinatown, spanning a striking multi-generational demographic of high school students, young professionals, and seniors. Beyond healthcare expansion, the group lobbied for bills holding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable, increasing funding for immigrant services, and securing state resources to implement K-12 inclusive history curricula.

Divided into language-specific groups covering English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, the volunteers met with 11 legislators, including State Rep. Theresa Mah (D-24th) and State Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-12th), both of whom represent portions of Chinatown.

Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community organized 55 Chinese American volunteers to participate, including high school students, young immigrants, and seniors. Pictured are the volunteers posing for a group photo in front of the state capitol building.

Source: Shuxi / Chinatown Spotlight

Strength in Numbers

"Just having that presence and being there really helps your case," Luu observed, adding that he often hears Chinatown residents complain that state and local governments ignore them. Bringing a crowd directly to the Capitol changes the dynamic, he said, because "unity is strength."

That optimism is backed by track records. Last year, AAA Day advocates successfully secured millions in state funding for the Immigrant Services Line Item (ISLI), and inclusive education.

For some, the trip was an awakening. Wang Qing (a pseudonym), a former international student from China who now works full-time in Chicago, was attending AAA Day for the first time. She described her past relationship with politics as that of a passive "consumer."

“Lobbying is a way to voice your needs and maybe convert them into a bill that’s helpful for a lot of people,” Wang said, noting that she previously felt powerless to effect change.

Wang stood alongside Luu inside the office of State Sen. Michael Hastings, urging him to support a bill that would prohibit state agencies from collecting immigration status data. Hastings engaged the group, walking them through how the policy might play out across different legal scenarios.

Alan Luu (center, wearing glasses) lobbies Senator Willie Preston (right, wearing a black cap) in support of healthcare benefits for immigrants.

Source: Shuxi / Chinatown Spotlight

For older residents, the trip was equally eye-opening. Elaine Chiu, a septuagenarian and fixture in Chinatown civic life who once served as president of the Hong Kong Club of Chicago, had never lobbied in Springfield before. She admitted she was unsure of what to expect, but left feeling empowered.

“You could try to schedule a meeting with a legislator or the governor on your own, but they are so busy that if a single individual requests a meeting, they might not agree to see you—they wouldn't even know who you are,” Chiu said.

Effective lobbying, she emphasized, requires sublimation of private grievances into a collective communal voice.

Shattering the 'Passive' Trope

The mobilization comes at a time when Asian Americans remain starkly underrepresented in the political arena. Nationally, while Asian Americans make up roughly 6% of the population, they hold fewer than 1% of elected offices, according to data from the University of Southern California. Furthermore, a 2023 report by the CIRCLE academic center at Tufts University found that less than a third of Asian American youth believe they have the capacity for civic action—a rate 10 percentage points lower than their non-Asian peers.

Valerie Chu, an attorney participating in her third AAA Day, acknowledged that mobilizing the community remains an uphill battle, partly due to deep-seated cultural expectations.

"The 'model minority' stereotype portrays Asian Americans as submissive and politically passive," Chu said. She believes education is critical to dismantling this trope, which is why she and her husband bring their elementary-school-aged son to the Capitol.

"Not long ago, he took the initiative to write to Rep. Mah to request a meeting," Chu said proudly. "His next step is to bring his classmates along to have a conversation with her."

Chu argues that Chinatown organizations must build coalitions both inside and outside the neighborhood to deepen civic literacy, particularly for newcomers who may carry a fear of authority from their home countries.

"We need to tell new immigrants that they actually possess these rights, rather than assuming that simply because they’ve immigrated here, they must blindly obey whatever they are told,” Chu said. “Asian Americans tend to be very deferential. They often feel that they must simply 'do as the locals do'—essentially thinking, 'Whatever you say, I will do.'"

For non-citizens like Wang, political expression requires navigating unique hurdles. While she views public protests as a valid tool, she noted the heightened risks for temporary visa holders, citing recent ICE scrutiny of international students participating in pro-Palestinian campus demonstrations. Instead, she pointed to lower-risk avenues, such as testifying during public comment periods for proposed administrative rules.

For youth like Luu, the path forward starts locally. He points to grassroots groups like the Teen Coalition for Chinatown and CBCAC’s youth program, Origin, as vital entry points. Through his involvement in local campaigns surrounding "The 78" mega-development, Luu learned firsthand about the zoning powers of Chicago alderpersons and how community benefits agreements can prevent displacement.

“So in a way, groups like the Teen Coalition and Origin can be stepping stones,” Luu said. “They let young Asian Americans start getting into politics—especially Chicago politics.”

Reporter: Mavis Chan

Editor: Yonggang Xiao