Meet the People

Marcus Lam came to US from HK via Vancouver in 1982. In his word, He was not a “good student” in his family. His family a long history of immigration. His great grandfather and grandfather used to come to U.S. as labor workers. His great grandfather used to work in the U.S. as the “賣豬仔” (maizhuzai) according to his word. (Farming, Working in Gambling house and Laundry house.) But once his great grandfather earned the money, he returned to China.

His father and his mother had a totally different background. They received higher education in Taiwan. His father used to own a Publishing Company in HK. His mother used to be a teacher. When 1997 Hong Kong Handover was announced, his own family decided to leave Hong Kong to prevent themselves from political persecution. His parents did not stay in the U.S. for long after getting the green card. They travelled back and forth between Hong Kong and U.S. in order to run their Publishing Company. In Lam’s word, he was not a “good student” in his family. Many members of his family were teachers, college professors, editors and publishers. Unlike his family, he didn’t choose a career path like his family members. In Vancouver, he studied auto technician. Now, he owns an auto repair shop in Sacramento and work for the state government for the highway patrol part time.

Though Mr. Marcus Lam seldom mentions his family, the influence of his family on him is visible. Most of his family have been involved with cultural-related business back in China and Hong Kong. Though Mr. Marcus Lam always says that he is not a “讀書人.” (cultured person) He is now responsible for two major important Chinese cultural association in Sacramento: 林西河堂 and 中華會館. At the end of the interview, Mr. Marcus Lam offered to show me around 中華會館. During my short visit in 中華會館, Mr. Marcus Lam humbly said that he was only the person in charge of door watching and door keeping. He is now the vice president of 中華會館. Mr. Lam is now highly involving with the Chinese community in Sacramento. He has witnessed the rapid development of mainland China in these years and he is reluctant to see Chinese Americans miss the opportunities in Asia.