Jamie Hopkins

Research Assistant, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Why do you think it is important for AAPI’s to be involved in public service?

It is important for AAPI’s to be actively involved in public service because it is crucial for everyone in this great nation to want to give back and to improve. I encourage all voices to participate in the conversation to build a greater society-to avoid stagnation and continue to innovate.

Name one person you look up to and explain why.

My mother is someone whom I hold in the highest regard. My mother is a strong woman. Her strength comes from being tested by life’s unpredictability. With perseverance, sacrifice and hard work, she raised me and my sister and instilled in us both the appreciation for hard work and diligence. She is a listener and doer. She’s a woman driven by faith and compassion. I am very proud of my mom and consider her the most courageous woman I know.

Please share one piece of advice or a hope that you have for the future of Asian America.

I share the hope that Asian America will continue to make great strides forward in the near future. We must continue to uplift and remain a strong presence - with dedication and positivity, the possibilities are endless.

Lastly, what is your favorite or go-to comfort food and why?

My go-to comforts are my mother’s homemade pancit and lumpia dishes. These are my favorites because of the stories my mother would share about the family while she was teaching me how to make these pinoy dishes. In a lot of ways, these dishes became my connection to my heritage and my family’s history. They also remind my of the family gatherings we would have in the summers growing up with my cousins and late- grandparents. These childhood memories fill me with warmth and joy as this tradition instilled a deep appreciation for cooking and family