Draft:Tommy Wan

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Tommy Wan is an American civic organizer and student from Houston, Texas. He is the founder and program director of AliefVotes, a non-profit initiative that trains high school students in the multi-ethnic Alief neighborhood of Houston to participate in local government. Wan has been recognized for his youth civic engagement work by the City of Houston and was a 2025 finalist for the Harry S. Truman Scholarship.

Early life and education

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Wan grew up in the Alief section of southwest Houston, a community sometimes referred to as "District F". In a 2023 feature for The Bitter Southerner, he described the area as historically underfunded and lacking political representation.[1] In a 2025 interview with Bold Journey, Wan discussed his upbringing in Alief, his early interest in civic engagement, and his efforts to expand youth leadership opportunities within his community.[2]

He attended Outley and Mahanay elementary schools and Youngblood Intermediate School in the Alief Independent School District, later crediting the area's cultural diversity with motivating his civic work.[3]

While in high school, Wan interned for a Houston City Council member representing Alief and participated in the City’s Hire Houston Youth program, which he said introduced him to urban policy, transportation, infrastructure, and housing issues.[1][4]

In 2021, he was appointed as a District F representative to the Mayor’s Youth Council, a program that introduces students to municipal leadership.[5]

Wan graduated from The Village School in 2022. That year, he won first place in the City of Houston’s Public Service Recognition Week essay contest for a proposal to create a youth civic engagement program in Alief.[6]

He enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022, majoring in civil engineering, government, and the interdisciplinary Plan II honors program. At UT, he has served as a forum editor and opinion columnist for The Daily Texan, competed on the Texas Mock Trial Team, and worked as a legislative aide in the Texas Legislature.[7] In 2025, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation named him a national finalist.[8]

AliefVotes and civic engagement

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In 2022, Wan founded AliefVotes through an E Pluribus Unum Institute fellowship, following discussions with Alief Independent School District officials who cited a lack of funding for civic engagement programs.[1] The 501(c)(3) organization trains high school students in voting procedures, local government, and community organizing.[9]

Its first major project, the Student Ambassador Program, offered workshops on school board processes, leadership, and nonpartisan civic activities. The program has also organized clean-ups, tree planting, food bank drives, and art and essay contests on Alief’s cultural history.[1]

In an October 2024 article for Alief ISD, Wan emphasized that voting involves “identifying prudent public servants” and that when communities “unite, advocate, and dedicate service to one another,” they help create “a just and unified nation.”[10]

As an intern for District F Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, Wan assisted with events such as town halls, pet pantries, and back-to-school drives, as documented in the District’s 2023 Annual Report.[11] His work was also profiled in The Sharpener, which described a day accompanying staff at city council sessions.[12]

In 2022, Wan received the Dr. Martha J. Wong Scholarship from the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association.[13] He has promoted scholarship and civic opportunities through school publications, including The Kerronicle.[14] In 2024, the Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation awarded AliefVotes a grant through its Latitude Fund to support youth leadership development.[15]

Other activities

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Wan has conducted research on water infrastructure and energy policy as part of the Dedman Distinguished Scholars program at the University of Texas.[16] He has also studied abroad in Costa Rica and advocated for expanded cultural centers at UT through opinion pieces in The Daily Texan.[17]

He has served as a legislative aide in the Texas Legislature and been recognized by local officials for his civic leadership.[1] In 2025, the Texas House of Representatives adopted HR 1402 commending him for his community contributions.[18]

Recognition

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  • 2022 – First place, City of Houston Public Service Recognition Week essay contest (US$2,000 scholarship).[19]
  • 2022 – Dr. Martha J. Wong Scholarship, Asian Pacific American Heritage Association.[20]
  • 2023 – Profiled in The Bitter Southerner for work with AliefVotes.[1]
  • 2024 – Latitude Fund grant to AliefVotes from the Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation.[21]
  • 2025 – National finalist, Harry S. Truman Scholarship.[22]
  • 2025 – Honored in HR 1402 by the Texas House of Representatives.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "A New Generation of Southern Changemakers". The Bitter Southerner. Archived from the original on 24 February 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Meet Tommy Wan". Bold Journey. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Life & Work with Tommy Wan of Southwest Houston in Alief, Texas". Voyage Houston. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Hire Houston Youth plays major role in Houston's efforts to reduce crime". KPRC 2 Houston. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Mayor Turner announces 2021-2022 Mayor's Youth Council". City of Houston. 13 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Public Service Recognition Week contest winners". City of Houston. Archived from the original on 30 March 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Tommy Wan – Staff page". The Daily Texan. Archived from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  8. ^ "2025 Truman Finalists". Truman Scholarship Foundation. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  9. ^ "About". AliefVotes. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  10. ^ Su, Li-Wen (7 October 2024). "Every Vote Matters: Be the Change". Alief Independent School District. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  11. ^ "District F 2023 Annual Report" (PDF). City of Houston. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  12. ^ "A (Half) Day in the Life of a Houston City Council Member". The Sharpener. 18 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 April 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  13. ^ "2022 Scholarship Recipients". Asian Pacific American Heritage Association. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  14. ^ "ATTENTION, SENIORS AND JUNIORS: Scholarship Opportunities". The Kerronicle. 18 February 2023. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Growing the Grassroots Through the Latitude Fund". Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation. Archived from the original on 20 June 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Current Scholars". L.A. Dedman Distinguished Scholars. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Bolster minority centers at UT through departmentalization". The Daily Texan. 20 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. ^ "HR 1402". LegiScan. 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Public Service Recognition Week contest winners". City of Houston. Archived from the original on 30 March 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  20. ^ "2022 Scholarship Recipients". Asian Pacific American Heritage Association. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  21. ^ "Growing the Grassroots Through the Latitude Fund". Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  22. ^ "2025 Truman Finalists". Truman Scholarship Foundation. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  23. ^ "HR 1402". LegiScan. 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
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