State Senator Clarence Lam - The Blue Dumpling Podcast

In August 2026, Maryland General Assembly voted to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Maryland voters will decide whether the state can redraw its Congressional lines. Past court rulings limited redistricting to state legislative districts.

Leading that effort in the Maryland Senate was Senator Clarence Lam, one of the leaders of Maryland's AAPI Legislative Caucus. In this episode, Senator Lam walks us through how the ballot question came together and what it would change. He also talks about what redistricting means for the broader AAPI community: how district lines shape whether our neighborhoods are heard, and why our communities can't afford to sit this one out. Senator Lam also gives us a look at the new Maryland AAPI Legislative Caucus slate and what it means to see more of our community stepping into leadership in Annapolis.

About Maryland State Senator Clarence Lam

Maryland State Senator Clarence Lam has spent his career at the intersection of public health and public service. As the state senator for District 12, covering parts of Howard and Anne Arundel Counties, he brings a doctor's eye to the work of making policy for Marylanders. He is currently the only physician and the only Asian American member of the Maryland Senate. He serves on the Senate Finance Committee, the Joint Committee on Audits and Evaluations, and the Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight. He chairs the Howard County Delegation, is also a member of the Anne Arundel County Delegation, and is chair emeritus of Maryland's Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. Before his election to the Senate, he served as a state delegate from 2015 to 2019. Senator Lam is also an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he directs the preventive medicine residency program. He practices as medical director of occupational medicine at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and is board certified in both preventive and occupational medicine.

Subscribe

Submit your information below, so that you never miss a new blue dumpling podcast!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Latest episodes

Browse Episodes

Neil Ruiz

Neil Ruiz, a leading political economist, sat down with us to talk about how he’s revolutionizing how we understand and engage Asian American communities through powerful data storytelling! Influenced by his Filipino roots, Neil shares his groundbreaking work to lead the largest Asian American survey ever conducted through the Pew Researcher. We also discuss insights into how recent demographic trends are changing the mainstream narratives of Asian American communities across the country. This is a must-listen for those who love data to drive community organizing and inclusive political engagement.

Trip Yang

In this episode, we sit down with nationally recognized political strategist Trip Yang, offering insights into serving as a high-ranking AAPI political operative in a field where representation at the top levels remains limited. Yang discusses the evolving landscape of political engagement in New York City, examining how the community's growing political consciousness is reshaping electoral dynamics - particularly with the election of Zohran Mamdani as the Democratic Nominee for New York City Mayor.

Sheriff Maxwell Uy

What is the unique role of the county sheriff in public safety? In this episode, Sheriff Maxwell Uy, the 62nd—and first Asian American—Sheriff of Montgomery County, Maryland sheds light on one of the county’s oldest yet often misunderstood law enforcement agencies. Sheriff Uy reflects on his 30-year journey through every division of the department, the experience of running for office in 2022, and how the role of Sheriff has evolved over time in Maryland.