Woven into Wichita

Lily Wu will never forget spring of 1993. More specifically, she remembers April of that year, the day she and her family arrived in Wichita from Antigua, Guatemala. 

The family of four — Lily, her two parents and her younger brother — moved in with her grandfather in southwest Wichita. By this time, 8-year-old Lily was already fluent in Spanish and her parents’ native Cantonese, but she didn’t know English. “I remember that very first day going home crying to my mom. I begged her to take us back home, but she reminded me this is our new home,” Wu said of her first day at Lawrence Elementary school. 

What happened next speaks to the tenacity Wu has carried throughout her life — from a newcomer in America 30 years ago, to a political newcomer unseating Mayor Brandon Whipple in the November 2023 election. The 8-year-old Wu decided that, not only would she quickly learn English, she also determined she would help guide her family through the unknown. “I knew my parents would be working, and my brother is younger than me, so I knew that I would have to take a leadership role in helping my parents navigate this new country with the language,” Wu said. 

And that’s what she did. With the help of teachers in the ESL program at Lawrence Elementary, Wu graduated from the program and finished elementary school at her neighborhood school of Rea Woodman. From there, she attended Truesdell Middle School, where Wu was connected with school psychologist Stephanie Sorensen, who encouraged her to explore new opportunities. 

“Had it not been for [Sorensen], the trajectory of my life would have been completely different,” Wu said. “And that’s why I say Wichita is so special, because it’s the people here that really care.”

Sorensen encouraged Wu to apply for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at East High School, into which she was eventually accepted. Her education and community involvement throughout high school propelled her to apply for the Harry Gore Memorial Scholarship at Wichita State University, one of the most prestigious scholarships in the state. Wu was one of only two students to receive the scholarship the year she applied.

“The Gore Scholarship gave me a chance to not have the burden of thinking about finances and helping my family,” said Wu. “My parents did not save for college … so the Gore Scholarship really is a lifesaver for someone like me.”

Wu became the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college, eventually graduating from WSU with two degrees: one in international business, the other in integrated marketing communications. She then spent some time at the University of Hong Kong earning her master’s degree in journalism.

Making a Difference 

Wu has been woven into Wichita since she was just a teen, whether through her volunteer work at Exploration Place and Diversity Kansas, hosting a public television show, “Kidding Around Wichita with Lily Wu,” her work and advocacy for the Wichita Asian Association (WAA), and various nonprofits in Wichita. 

Not to mention, Wu is a recognizable face from her 12-year career as a local television reporter and news anchor for KAKE and KWCH — a career that is rooted in her biggest challenge as a new American immigrant. While she was still in the ESL program in elementary school, Wu remembers her grandfather watching the 6 o’clock news on KSN followed by “Wheel of Fortune” every night, and she was always nearby. 

“I say that I had formal in-classroom teachers, and out-of-classroom teachers, and those were the folks on TV,” Wu said. “When I was little my dream was to become one of those reporters that I saw on channel 3.”

Wu’s parents are originally from China and immigrated to Guatemala prior to starting a family. Wu has always shared her pride in her Chinese heritage, propelling her to become part of the WAA at a young age (and serving as its president in 2015 and 2016). She attended the organization’s main event, the Wichita Asian Festival, for many years, eventually participating in the event as a performer. Now she is part of the festival’s organizing board.

“Asian Festival is that one night when all these cultures come together. We don’t have a common language; our commonality is that our heritage is from the continent of Asia,” Wu said. “I’ve always loved Asian Festival because it is an opportunity … [people] don’t even have to leave the city of Wichita and they get exposure to Asia.” 

Blazing Trails

When she is sworn into office on January 8, Wu will become the first Asian-American mayor of Wichita, and just the fifth woman to hold the position. She took 58 percent of the votes in the November election, winning the seat Whipple has held since 2020. 

“Throughout this entire campaign, one of the things I’ve really enjoyed is helping inspire the next generation to see that anything is possible, especially in Wichita, Kansas,” said Wu. 

Wu has made her priorities as Wichita’s mayor clear: focused efforts to support public safety and efforts to boost the local economy. 

“Talking to her as she made her decision [to run for mayor],” recalled Sedgwick County Commissioner Pete Meitzner, “I was really glad she decided to run. I just believe she’s going to do good.” 

Above all, Wu wants to encourage people to get involved in the community of Wichita. She notes that Wichita City Council meetings often have limited attendance; that is something she aims to change. Wu says that everyone has a role in setting the direction of the community, not just those elected to positions in the local government. 

“It’s the power of ‘we’ that I want to energize Wichita with, that we can all be part of the solution,” Wu said. “In this new era, we’re all going to be part of it together.” 

Perhaps it was fate that the Wichita mayoral election landed in 2023. This, combined with a lifetime of public service, created the perfect opportunity for Wu’s next chapter. On April 2, 2023, exactly 30 years after arriving in Wichita, Lily was once again with her family, this time announcing her run to become Wichita’s next mayor. 

“It was so special, because we were celebrating what it means to be a Wichitan, what it means to be an American,” Wu said. 

At just 39 years old, Lily Wu has a story with many chapters: a Chinese-American woman, an immigrant, a Wichita Public Schools graduate, a WSU Shocker, a former president of WAA, a community volunteer, a successful journalist, and now Wichita’s next mayor. 

“Not one label defines who I am, the label that I have is my name: Lily Wu.”