Lisa and Amy met on the very first day of college in Pennsylvania in 1992. After being introduced and without any forethought or hesitation, Lisa launched into a story about a crazy dream she'd had the night before. "We're going to be great friends!" Amy declared, thrilled to find someone willing to forgo small talk and share so much of herself. And thus began a friendship that would span several decades, more than 800 miles, and the usual highs and lows that happen when life zooms by.
Their college years were marked by many English classes that were intentionally scheduled (who signs up for a Chaucer class together?), weekend trips to the Jersey shore, countless shopping excursions, and lots and lots of talking. After graduation, Lisa stayed in Pennsylvania, earning a master's degree in education, while Amy headed back home to Georgia to figure out her next steps. Lisa eventually landed in New York, becoming a middle school English teacher and head of English curriculum. Amy stayed down South and began her writing career. They both started families and kept in touch as much as time would allow — via text and the occasional phone call.
As their kids grew older and travel became easier, Amy and Lisa finally carved out time for a much-needed girls' trip in the summer of 2024. Amy had learned mahjong in 2022 and quickly became obsessed. She knew that if there was one person on this planet who would love the game as much as she did, it was Lisa — so she spent the better part of the trip trying to convince her to learn. Not long after returning home, Lisa took a class and became both a mahjong pro and a full-blown addict in a matter of weeks (seriously, it was alarmingly fast!). She even traveled to Georgia to visit Amy for a mahjong-filled long weekend.
Over the following year, the two played online games over FaceTime and exchanged countless text messages dissecting hands, strategies, and plays (no one can analyze a hand quite like Lisa!). When they reunited once again in the summer of 2025 for yet another mahjong girls' trip, the idea for We Mahj was born.
Lisa and Amy are using the best of their talents to drive We Mahj. Lisa's teaching skills have helped shape the tutorials and educational components of the site. Amy's love of writing and creativity have fueled the blog and other aspects of the platform. Together, their shopping savvy has brought the site to life with personally tested and curated mahj items. Mahjong rekindled Lisa and Amy's friendship, and their mutual love of the game continues to inspire them to share its joy and connection with the world.
So join us as we relax, we connect, we play, and We Mahj!
&