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Asian Pacific American Political Identities in Prince George's County

With County Council Member Wanika Fisher and Cheverly City Council Member Amy Fry

In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, hear from County Council Member Wanika Fisher and Cheverly City Council Member Amy Fry about community engagement and political identities amongst Asian Pacific Americans.

The Asian Pacific American community contains complex histories, identities, and experiences. More than 40,000 Asian Americans and 2,000 Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders call Prince George's County home. “Asian American” and “Pacific Islander” are large and imperfect terms. These communities include East Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians, Central Asians, West Asians, Polynesians, Melanesians, Micronesians, and their diasporas, including Indo-Caribbean.

Wanika B. Fisher is a proud daughter of immigrant parents of Nigerian and South Asian descent. Wanika broke barriers as the 1st first-generation African immigrant to be elected from Prince George’s County in 2018. She currently serves as the Prince George’s County Council Member of District 2. Her interest in politics began at an early age when she distributed petitions to build sidewalks in her neighborhood so children could safely walk to school. Wanika has served in the Maryland General Assembly since January 2019. She is a prominent private attorney with a focus on criminal defense. Wanika was the highest-ranking freshman in the House of Delegates, elected by other members of the freshman class to serve as the Assistant Majority Leader in the Maryland House of Delegates. She is the proud sponsor of the Right to Counsel legislation, giving Tenants-Access to Counsel in eviction proceedings. Wanika has championed bills on labor trafficking, environmental rights, and immigration reform. 

Wanika B. Fisher, Esq. served on the House Judiciary Committee, where she worked daily to ensure our communities are safe and criminal justice reform is a priority. Her knowledge of the law serves the community, and she was appointed to several workgroups to work on legislation. The Study Group on Economic Stability, Marijuana Legalization Work Group, and the Work Group to Address Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Government and Politics & African American studies from the University of Maryland College Park. In addition, she earned her Juris Doctor from the Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Amy Jean Chung Fry (she/her) is a 2nd Generation Korean-American serving her third term as
the Council Member for Ward 6 in the Town of Cheverly, Maryland.

Originally from Southern California, she attended Scripps Women’s College graduating with a
Bachelor’s degree in International Relations & Political Science, and Claremont Graduate
University with a Master’s degree in International Studies focusing on East Asian Studies. Amy

went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in
Bloomington, Indiana where she met her husband Larry.

Amy lives in Cheverly, Maryland with her husband, two children, mother, and husky. She
currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Prince George’s County Council Member Jolene Ivey,
District 5. Previously, she was on the anti-hate team for Asian Americans Advancing
Justice-AAJC, a national civil rights non-profit focused on empowering the AAPI community and
working in collaboration with other marginalized communities to create a just and fair society for
all.

One of Amy’s biggest priorities is amplifying AAPI voices and elevating AAPI representation in
every space she occupies. Amy was a co-founder and current president of the AAPI Democratic
Club of Prince George’s County and she is a co-founder of the AAPI affinity group in the
Maryland Municipal League. Amy continues to advocate for inclusive policies within her town in
her elected role, her county by serving on the Prince George’s County Municipal Association
Board and Policy Committee, and her state by serving on the Maryland Municipal League
Legislative Committee.