From China to Master Chef to Vice Mayor of Lexington: Dan Wu's journey of discovery part of oral history project on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Kentucky

By Alan Lytle

Published April 30, 2023 at 2:37 PM EDT

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Vice Mayor Dan Wu Dec. 20, 2022 Photo by Amy Wallot

May is national Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month and WUKY's award winning history series Saving Stories marks the occasion with a segment on a new oral history project that examines the challenges and achievements of Asians, Asian Americans, Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders living, working, and studying in Kentucky. Nunn Center director Doug Boyd highlights an interview with Dan Wu, a member of the Lexington City Council who describes his childhood as an immigrant from China, growing up in Lexington, and how his career took him from California to New York City and then back to Lexington. Wu also talks about his identity as an Asian American, how he finds community in Lexington, and why he decided to enter into local politics.

Here is Dan Wu's official Council bio:

At-Large Council Member and Vice Mayor Dan Wu was first elected to office in November of 2022. Born in China, Dan came to the United States as a child, first to Fargo, North Dakota, then settled with his family in Lexington. A graduate of Henry Clay High School and the University of Kentucky, Dan has been a jack of all trades, having worked in journalism, retail, restaurants and other fields.

A former board member of LexArts, The Human Rights Commission, Local First Lexington, KY Equal Justice Center, and CivicLex, Dan has been very active in the community, working on issues ranging from food insecurity to immigrant and refugee rights. He created both the “I Am A Kentuckian” and “Immigrants and Refugees Belong Here” campaigns. Most recently, he was the owner and operator of Atomic Ramen, a restaurant with multiple locations in Lexington.

Dan is married to Lauren, a high school teacher of kids with moderate to severe disabilities and an LGBTQ+ advocate, and father to daughter Sofia, step-daughter Lilly, and a trio of feline kids Cake, Talulah Mae and Tammy Faye. In his spare time, Dan loves crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, binging bad sci-fi shows, and cooking for his family. His kryptonite is
unusually flavored potato chips.

Learn more about the Stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Kentucky project here:

https://www.kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt77rvl4r39l8

Hear Dan Wu's full interview here:

https://www.kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt71qgxz5s7gr