APAPA National CEO Mary Yin Liu Recognized as a Top 20 AAPI Changemaker

Mary Yin Liu’s life has always been about uplifting others. A daughter of Chinese immigrants, Liu said her family was treated as outsiders when they came to the U.S. They ran a McDonald’s chain in East Oakland and were often challenged because of their heritage. Not only did they work harder to prove themselves, but also to achieve success as a community.

That McDonald’s would become an avenue into Liu’s career. Over time, Liu and her family expanded their business to Yolo, Solano, and Sacramento counties. She later served as the chair of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarship Program, and she raised more than $1 million to support high school students. But her achievements would have never been possible without her family and her community, she said. It’s her responsibility to continue her family’s legacy and extend a hand to others.

“The story of America is people helping others,” Liu, 55, said. This dedication to uplift other AAPI communities would later inspire the creation of the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs. The national nonprofit, which was founded by her parents, is dedicated to advancing AAPI communities through civic engagement.

Liu now serves as APAPA’s national chief executive officer. Her mission with APAPA is to ensure Asian communities “have a voice” and their stories are shared, she said. Through her work with APAPA, Liu has organized an Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Advocacy day, partnering with 50 nonprofits and 120 community leaders.

“We truly are Americans, just like everyone else,” Liu said. “Some of our families have been here for generations, we have built this community. We have built this country.”