Lily Qi — Elected American: From Red China to Blue Maryland - with Josh Kurtz — at Conn Ave

Lily Qi, a Chinese-born Maryland state delegate, will discuss her new memoir *Elected American: From Red China to Blue Maryland* with journalist Josh Kurtz at Politics and Prose. The event tells the story of Qi’s journey from growing up in Mao’s Shanghai, where “politics meant danger,” to becoming the only U.S. state legislator who lived through China’s Cultural Revolution. Her candid memoir explores the challenges of running for office as an immigrant, overcoming a WeChat disinformation campaign and skepticism from the Democratic establishment, and her mission to energize first-time voters in a system not designed for them. Qi has served in the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019, representing Montgomery County. She will appear in conversation with Josh Kurtz, founder of Maryland Matters and co-host of the podcast Maryland Now.

Name: Lily Qi — Elected American: From Red China to Blue Maryland - with Josh Kurtz
Venue: Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2026
Time: 5:00pm (first come, first served seating)
Price: Free admission
Lineup: Lily Qi (author), Josh Kurtz (interviewer/conversation partner)
Run time: Not specified; typical author events at Politics and Prose last approximately one hour
Ages: Not specified; event content is appropriate for general audiences
Accessibility: To request accommodations, email events@politics-prose.com ideally one week in advance; efforts will be made to accommodate all requests up to the event time
Note: This is a free, in-person event with first come, first served seating. The book *Elected American: From Red China to Blue Maryland* is available for preorder at $35.00 (hardcover, ISBN 9781439927182, publish date July 10, 2026).