Page 11 - BEQ Magazine Iss 20 Fall 2021 WebRev09272021

the state legislature. Earlier this year, he was named
to BEQ Pride’s 40 LGBTQ Leaders Under 40 Class of
2021.
A second-generation Asian American, Tam was
born in Honolulu. He earned a degree in history at
Penn State and originally planned to go to law school
but changed course, joining his family’s real estate
business and later working for a state senator.
In 2020, Tam decided to run for office with a
slogan of “People Over Politics.” “I started really
late,” he says. “My opponent had been running since
2019. I had no name recognition and I was challeng-
ing an incumbent. But I told myself and my friends
and supporters that I would never forgive myself if
I didn’t run.”
It wasn’t an easy campaign. Because of the
pandemic, Tam couldn’t go door to door to make a
personal connection with voters, so he spent his time
calling instead. In the general election, supporters of
his opponent flooded his social media accounts with
“very crude and inappropriate material,” Tam says.
But Tam won handily with nearly 68% of the vote.
“My district is very diverse,” Tam says. “I wouldn’t
say it’s very liberal but we recognize that our diversity
is our strength.” District 22 includes tourist draws COURTESY PHOTO
like the world-famous Waikiki neighborhood and
Diamond Head, but Tam’s focus is on the residents: a
mix of retirees, young professionals and established
business owners.
The area also has a large LGTBQ population and
is “home to many LGBTQ businesses,” Tam says. And
to create a strong, diversified economy, Hawaii needs
to encourage inclusivity in business. “(Inclusivity)
broadens perspectives and can open doors for new
markets for that business,” Tam says. “As a lawmaker,
I’ve always supported businesses in District 22 that
want to add more diversity, by creating a healthy and
safe neighborhood for them to thrive.”
During his first term, Tam says, he is “focusing
a lot on homelessness issues, health care and our
economy. It’s become very difficult for residents to
keep living in Hawaii because of the cost of living.

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