A purpose-driven platform committed to elevating the Asian American youth and other underserved communities into influential roles within society. We founded T.H.I.C.K. with a clear and unwavering mission: to help the Asian American youth and other underserved communities ascend, through the development of intangible soft skills, entrepreneurship, and global community impacts.  THICK is dedicated to preparing youths to assume significant decision-making positions, encouraging them to become leaders, and business owners, create opportunities for others, and give back to society.

By focusing on education, leadership, and entrepreneurship, we envision THICK as a catalyst for change, ensuring that future generations of Asian youth are equipped to lead, innovate, and contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.
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‍Core Theme of THICK
(Autonomy · Ownership · Leadership · Self-Reliance)
Each word has its own layer of meaning — together they form a complete growth philosophy:
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‍(Autonomy)
— The ability to think, choose, and act for oneself.
— It’s about confidence in decision-making and personal direction.

(Ownership)
— The right and responsibility to claim what you’ve built.
— It means being accountable, taking pride in one’s work, and protecting one’s values.

(Leadership / Initiative)
— The power to lead and influence outcomes.
— Not just managing others, but guiding vision and creating momentum.

(Self-Reliance)
— The inner strength to stand independently, solve problems, and grow without dependency.

Rachel Lam, Founder

Rachel Lam is driven by a deep commitment to strengthening immigrant communities—particularly Chinese-American families navigating complex systems such as higher education, small business development, and civic participation. Having personally experienced cultural dislocation and structural gaps in access, she has dedicated her work to building bridges between institutions and underserved communities. Rachel currently serves as a Community Liaison with Elmhurst United, a nonprofit committed to improving quality of life, educational access, and neighborhood safety in one of New York’s most diverse districts. She is also one of the founding board members of Chinese American Citizens Alliance of Greater New York, where she advocates for civic representation, cultural equity, and leadership development within the Chinese-American community. She previously served as a Certified Business Mentor with SCORE, a national nonprofit partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Rachel advised small business owners—many from underserved communities on strategy, business planning, and long-term sustainability. Her commitment to financial empowerment extends to grassroots financial literacy education. Rachel provides ongoing pro bono financial counseling focused on budgeting systems, debt elimination, and emergency fund building for working-class families. She previously served as an Instructor Teaching Assistant with the New York City Police Department Youth Outreach Program, where she helped deliver financial preparedness education to local youth, equipping them with practical skills in saving, investing, and long-term planning. In addition to economic and educational advocacy, Rachel has supported immigration access initiatives. She volunteered with Immigrant Hope under attorney supervision, assisting Latin American youth in securing lawful status. She also worked with CUNY Citizenship Now to help low-income individuals navigate the U.S. citizenship application process. Through each of these roles, Rachel’s work centers on one core principle: sustainable empowerment requires institutional literacy, cross-sector collaboration, and leadership pipelines that span generations. Thick Liaison was founded to formalize that mission, creating a structured ecosystem where youth, immigrant entrepreneurs, and community leaders are connected through mentorship, civic engagement, and long-term capability building.