A New Internship Program For TaiwaneseAmerican.org!

Internship Program Team: Ho Chie, Grace, Liz TaiwaneseAmerican.org is proud to announce our brand spankin' new Internship Program for Spring Semester 2010! This will be the first trial run of what we hope will be a series of internships for spring, summer, and fall semesters! Our first collegiate level intern will be selected from the SF/Bay area, and if all goes well, our plan is to expand it nationwide starting in the summer. Excited? We are! Did we mention there's a small stipend that goes along with it? That's right! We're paying to support good ideas and commitment to the community! Read more! About the Internship Program: This program provides second generation Taiwanese Americans with the opportunity to work on a project of their own design that benefits the Taiwanese American community, as well as supports TaiwaneseAmerican.org (TA.org) and its mission. Responsibilities: 1. Execute and complete proposed project during internship period. 2. Assist with fundraising and marketing efforts (e.g., t-shirt design). 3. Contribute to website development through blogging, event postings, spotlights on TA community, etc. 4. Represent TA.org in the community at festivals, mixers, concerts, etc. 5. Attend weekly meetings with the program director/mentor for training, to review progress and to discuss other projects. Qualifications: 1. Be a student currently enrolled at an accredited college or university and living in the SF Bay Area. 2. Interest in promoting Taiwanese American culture & heritage and connecting Taiwanese American organizations around the nation. 3. Prior involvement in a Taiwanese or Taiwanese-American organization. 4. Ability to independently manage time such that the proposed project is completed by the end of the internship. To Apply: 1. Download the application info & instructions: [CLICK HERE] 2. Download and fill out the application form: [CLICK HERE] Email your application, essay, and any relevant documents (e.g., portfolio of past work) to grace@taiwaneseamerican.org by December 1, 2009.

Hsu-Nami Interview on Found Musik

Found Musik 4: The Hsu-Nami from Don Fisco on Vimeo. Check out this nice interview from Found Musik with Jack Hsu and his band members! It's great to see erhu rock band Hsu-Nami doing so well these days. They've always got big shows lined up and they're gaining much attention! Check them out live, if you ever have the chance! Visit their websites at: http://www.hsu-nami.com http://www.myspace.com/hsunami Revisit the TaiwaneseAmerican.org Spotlight on Hsu-Nami from January 2008: http://spotlight.taiwaneseamerican.org/2008/01/hsu-nami-erhu-rock.html

Way Basics - an Eco-friendly Taiwanese American Company

Check out Way Basics, a new company founded by Taiwanese American Jimmy Chiang, which makes eco-friendly storage units and furniture... out of recycled paper! And then, believe it or not, their furniture requires no tools to assemble! Think Ikea, but even easier, lighter and just as strong! They're in the running for Inc. Magazine's Newpreneur of the Year, and are currently in the semi-finalist round. All of their products are made in Taiwan! We checked out the competition, and Way Basics is certainly among the top three best ideas (in our opinion). Watch the videos for yourself and decide! Then, if you agree, vote for Jimmy Chiang, founder of Way Basics. Supporters can vote once daily until November 6th. VOTE HERE -> http://www.inc.com/newpreneur/vote.html EXPLORE WAY BASICS -> http://www.waybasics.com/shop/design_gallery.php

Dzian! (贊! = "super-cool!" in Taiwanese)

please say their name with your thumbs up! Dzian! - "Moon Over Ruined Castle" 荒城の月 from Wendy Hsu on Vimeo. Check out this new band with an interesting sound - Dzian! (贊!, "super-cool!" in Taiwanese). They're a Charlottesville-based band inspired by Nakashi, a Taiwanese burlesque style circa 1960s-80s that morphs into a semi-participatory format over time. They play 1960s surf and garage rock songs from various parts of the world including Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, Sweden, US... They recently played a benefit show in Charlottesville to raise money for the children and families affected by Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan. Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89rlwaQHWDc Of note, Wendy Hsu, one of the band members, runs YellowBuzz.org, an Asian American music blog that explores and documents music and culture between Asia and America. Visit their sites: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dzian/168876187210 Myspace: http://myspace.com/dzianband

Writer/Photographer Wayne Yang Interviews Photographer Nana Chen

Taiwanese American writer/photographer Wayne Yang interviews a series of professional photographers on the topic of how "personal voice has become important for the media artist who wants to stand out, convey a message —maybe even still make a living." In his online book, Through the Looking Glass, he talks to various photographers including another Taiwanese American, Nana Chen, who is a freelance photographer whose work has appeared in magazines including Travel+Leisure, Elle Decor, AsiaSpa, Real Travel UK, and Business Traveller. She has made several guest appearances with her photography featured on the Travel Channel and has published three books on Bangkok and Vietnam. In addition to her book and magazine work she shoots for fashion and other commercial clients. Nana splits her time between Bangkok and Saigon. Read the interview here: http://book.lookingglassinterviews.com Visit Wayne Yang's website: http://www.wayneyang.com

NYC Elects First Taiwanese American to Office

New York City has elected Democrat John Liu as its first Asian American to position of Comptroller. Liu's family emigrated from Taiwan. He won with 76 percent of the vote and 100 percent of precincts reporting. Read article: [Click here]

Tsunah Foundation Taiwan Tour - Registration Deadline

The Tsunah Foundation has launched its Tenth International Youth Culture Camp in Taiwan program. This is a great opportunity for young International Taiwanese who are at least 18 years old, and were born and/or grew up outside of Taiwan to get to know more about Taiwan. * The cost is $50 per person excluding the airplane ticket cost. * The total tour lasts five days, four nights (12/27/09-12/31/09). * There is a scholarship program for the participants. Previous participants have included college students, graduate students, and young professionals, ranging in age from 18 to 40. This year, the group will visit the beautiful I-lan County scenic sites and stay in the Tsunah Center and its dormitory facility for the first four days. Then, the group will tour along the island’s most beautiful east coast to Taroko Gorge National Park on the last day. Please visit the Tsunah web site, www.taiwancenter.com/tsunah for more information and updates. The deadline for enrollment is October 31, 2009. However, it is strongly recommended that interested people register as soon as possible due to limited availability (maximum 35 participants). Airfare is also increasingly difficult to find after September due to the peak traveling season in December. Please contact Justina Wu of the Tsunah Foundation is you have any questions.

SCREEN MEDIA FILMS PICKS UP “FORMOSA BETRAYED”

For Immediate Release: HOLLYWOOD, CA – October 28, 2009 – Screen Media Films has acquired worldwide rights in all media to Formosa Betrayed, which made its international debut at the Montreal World Film Festival. Formosa Betrayed, a political thriller set in the 1980s, is the initial project for Formosa Films, a newly formed production and finance company created by Will Tiao. Adam Kane (TV credits include Heroes, Pushing Daisies, Mercy) directs his feature debut. Story is inspired by actual events. An FBI Agent investigates the murder of an Asian professor at a small college. Agent follows the fleeing killers to Taiwan, where he finds himself on a collision course with the FBI, the State Department, the Chinese Mafia, and the Government of the Republic of China. James Van Der Beek stars as the FBI Agent and Wendy Crewson plays a US diplomat in Taiwan. John Heard, Tzi Ma, Will Tiao, Leslie Hope, and Kenneth Tsang round out supporting cast. Tiao, a former international economist with the Clinton and Bush Administrations, raised the funds for the $8 million project from private equity based on concept, and has nearly 300 investors in the project. Investment bank Berthel Fisher Financial Services provided completion funds. Formosa Betrayed recently screened for Members of Congress in Washington DC, which was highly attended due to heightened interest in US-Taiwan-China relations. Film also recently won Best Picture and Best Actor for Van Der Beek at the San Diego Film Festival, and Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Formosa Betrayed is to be released in theaters in February 2010 in 15-20 North American cities. Screen Media will rep worldwide rights and begin selling territories at the European Film Market in February 2010. Deal was brokered by the Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group, Kevin Mills of Kaye & Mills LLP, and Screen Media’s President Robert Baruc and VP of International Michael Dwyer. Contact: Formosa Films Evita Huang info@formosathemovie.com 1680 Vine St., Suite 906 Hollywood, CA 90028 (323) 465-8885

The Formosa Furies

By George T. Wu This engaging chapter book ushers in themes of staying hopeful, fighting for ones’ beliefs, and appreciating other cultures. The Battle To Free The Skies There is a mystical world where cloth-like objects such as kites, flags, hot air balloons, hang-gliders come to life and live harmoniously with humans. However, evil weather gods have taken over the earth's weather system, creating deadly storms throughout the world, leaving death and destruction in their path. Three young kites called the Formosa Furies face tragedy and are chased by the evil weather gods who are trying to destroy them. They learn about the world and themselves while finding their way back home. Will the Formosa Furies have the strength to battle the evil gods? Can they bring inspiration to the rest of the world? Join the Furies’ journey of amazing adventures and personal growth. About The Author George is a serial entrepreneur and consultant with a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and an M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He lives in Irvine, CA with his wife and two children. Visit the website or purchase: http://www.brioprint.com/bookstore/formosafuries/

Support HCR 200! It's Easy!

Take 30 seconds to send this automated message to your U.S. representative supporting House Resolution 200, which "calls on President Obama to urge China to renounce the use of force against Taiwan." There are over 1500 Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait. Click here to send a message: http://capwiz.com/fapa/issues/alert/?alertid=14209466&PROCESS=Take+Action Join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157846633291

Jenton Lee Live and Streaming!

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009 Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm (PST) Location: Paddy's Coffee, 3900 Smith Street, Union City, CA Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=78211999986 Live webcast page: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/jenton Taiwanese American singer-songwriter Jenton Lee, known for his entertaining parodies and original songs will be performing a two hour set. For those of you outside of the SF/Bay area, he'll be broadcasting it live through his UStream Channel! He's promised to perform a lot of his new material and mashups in addition to the YouTube favorites (like the 'If I Were a Boy' Parody with over 190,000 hits). He'll also be joined by special guest Taiwanese American musician Stephanie Lai on the cello!

Rose Liu Wins 2nd Place in One Million Star

Congratulations to Taiwanese American Rose Liu, who has won 2nd place in Taiwan's version of American Idol, One Million Star! Here are a couple of her performances (in Mandarin): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMsGh02hOCY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYsiCXDmURU

The Smooth Sounds of Singer-songwriter Dawen!

TaiwaneseAmerican.org is proud to be a friend and supporter of Dawen! He's a soul/R&B singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. His music fuses the grooves of funk, soul, and r&b mixed with heartfelt and socio-conscious lyrics that appeals to both the emotions and intellect. As a singer-songwriter, Dawen hopes his music will further the dialogue on racism and social injustice in American society. Did you catch us a couple months ago when we sponsored his CD release party in LA? If not, check out the YouTube video above or samples of his music from his new website: http://www.dawen.us

LA Times Article: "Schools a battleground over dueling Chinese scripts"

Many Taiwanese and Chinese Americans grow up going to Chinese schools on the weekends. Apparently, quite the debate is stirring on whether simplified characters used in mainland China or the traditional ones used in Taiwan is more appropriate. Check out the story here: www.latimes.com

Singer-songwriter Cynthia Lin Online Concert

Free TV : Ustream Did you miss our previous broadcast with singer-songwriter Cynthia Lin when she held an online streaming concert for Typhoon Morakot relief efforts? Well, here's another chance to catch her on October 15, 2009 at 8pm EST for an online concert featuring Meena Cho on cello and vocals!

News From the TECO Office

TECO is the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States The Republic of China (Taiwan) has launched their new English-language internet portal, “My E-Gov.” As part of the launch, there are several promotional programs available through November 25, 2009, and accessible via the portal: the “Taiwan Knowledge Quiz”; the “What’s Your Taiwan No. 1?” photography contest; and the government’s YouTube channel. The “Taiwan Knowledge Quiz” is an English-language web-based quiz game which tests players’ knowledge of Taiwan’s geography, history, culture, and economy. Players are entered into drawings for prizes, including a laptop, consumer electronics, and cash. Available at: http://english.www.gov.tw/TaiwanQuiz The “What’s Your Taiwan No. 1?” photo contest offers English speaking users to share their images of Taiwan online, and to vote for photos they like in five different categories: “Culture,” “Nature,” “Made in Taiwan,” “Humor,” and “Others.” A winning image from each category will be awarded cash prizes, in addition to the selection of random users to receive participation prizes. Available at: http://english.www.gov.tw/TaiwanOne The new government YouTube channel features videos about Taiwan’s diverse cultural heritage, natural beauty and current events. New documentary-style videos will be released on the channel regularly following the launch of the My E-Gov portal. Find it by searching for the YouTube account “gionettaiwan” or by visiting the link below. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/user/gionettaiwan The portal itself provides a central location for information and news about Taiwan which would be of interest to English speaking individuals studying in Taiwan, planning to visit or immigrate, or who otherwise have an interest in Taiwan. Available at: http://english.www.gov.tw

October 13, 2009 is George Lin Day in San Diego

Taiwanese American George C. Lin, festival director, producer, community activist, arts advocate, scientist, son, brother, and most of all, dear and cherished friend to many, passed away one year ago on October 14, 2008, at the age of 37. After many years in a profession devoted to science, it wasn't until 1999 that George unwittingly discovered his passion for the arts after becoming involved in an arts and education organization which ultimately led to his founding of Asian Pacific American Film, a non-profit corporation in Washington, DC, where George served as Founding Executive Director. Under his guidance and leadership, APA Film blossomed into one that exists today to serve as an interface for cross-cultural communication between East and West through arts and media, hosting an annual film festival held throughout metro DC locations including the Smithsonian. In 2003, he seized the opportunity to relocate to sunny California to join the San Diego Asian Film Foundation as Associate Festival Director. At SDAFF, George helped to plan, organize and coordinate community outreach for the festival which screens over 150 films and attracts over 12,000 people every year. George also found time to transform himself into a key spokesperson for Asian American media arts and issues and spoke at many local San Diego educational institutions. George also served on boards and committees of several non-profit organizations located in the San Diego area. At 18 years old, George was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma, a rare and debilitating disease that continuously challenged him throughout his life. Yet for the next two decades, George bravely fought the odds, exceeding his physicians' outlook of survival by a magnitude of order, and thereby going on to accomplish more than one could possibly imagine as a person of his circumstance. The City of San Diego has declared Tuesday, October 13, 2009, George Lin Day. This declaration will be made by Councilmember Carl DeMaio on 10am that day at the San Diego City Council meeting. Support the George C. Lin Memorial Fund, which provides grants to students, educators and professionals in the non-profit media and arts industries: http://www.georgelinfund.blogspot.com

Census Campaign and New T-shirts from TACL & TAP!

As 2010 approaches, it's yet another year for the US Census Bureau to gather data on residents in the United States. One major issue for our Taiwanese American community is the lack of accurate identification of those who have ties to Taiwan. In 2000, there were 326,215 identified as "born in Taiwan" (http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/stp-159/STP-159-taiwan.pdf). Anyone who is actively involved in our Taiwanese American community organizations knows this is grossly under-counted. Current working estimates of the Taiwanese American population is probably in the range of at least 1 million. We are severely under counted! The main issue in the US Census is the lack of an identification check box that allows us to easily identify ourselves as of Taiwanese descent. So, for now, we are the "Other Asian" and we need to declare our identity by writing in "TAIWANESE" in the 2010 Census. For more information about the campaign, visit: http://www.census2010.tacl.org The Taiwanese American Citizens League and the Taiwanese American Professionals group in LA have created a campaign T-shirt, and we here at TaiwaneseAmerican.org are helping to distribute a limited number of these cool shirts! Buy one today! You can even add it to your order for one of our regular Taiwanese pride T-shirts from the online Store! Make a difference. Spread the word. It's time to represent. LIMITED EDITION TEES by TACL! Tultex & Bella brands, 100% ultrafine cotton, form-fitting tees Minimum Donation: $18 (shipping included in donation. US mailing address only.) SIZE/COLOR Select Size/ColorWomen's small / blackWomen's medium / blackWomen's large / blackUnisex small / blackUnisex medium / blackUnisex large / black

First Endowed Faculty Chair in Taiwan Studies Established at UC San Diego

Philanthropist Hwalin Lee funds $500,000 faculty chair through his Chuan Lyu Foundation, a private philanthropic organization founded in 1986 and dedicated to preserving the culture and history of the Taiwanese people. UCSD alumnus and Taiwan culture expert Ping-hui Liao is named the chair holder. Read article here: http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/awards/09-09Liao.asp

Live Streaming Performance by Singer-songwriter Alice Tong

CLICK HERE to view the live video chat on the TaiwaneseAmerican Ustream channel! TaiwaneseAmerican.org is proud to sponsor our second Living Room Session featuring singer-songwriter Alice Tong! We join Alice in her very own living room in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Special guests Mei-Ling (percussionist) and Stephanie Lai (cellist) will also join in the fun! The performance will stream live on Saturday, October 3rd starting at 11:15 AM (PST) to the rest of the country. From this intimate living room setting, she'll share her stories, experiences, and songs with you! Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147797171673 ABOUT THE ARTIST: Alice Tong is a singer, songwriter, artist, activist, social worker, 2nd generation Chinese-Taiwanese-American. Alice has a BA in Ethnomusicology and a Masters in Social Work. Her musical style ranges from such categories as folk rock, indie rock, soul, and jazz. Her music has been in independent films, including “American Fusion” which won the Audience Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival. Alice’s album “Small” can be bought on iTunes, Amazon, or www.blacklava.net. She now lives in San Francisco where she gets obsessed with her dogs and makes and performs more music. For more about Alice, check out www.myspace.com/alicetongmusic. Thank you for supporting TaiwaneseAmerican.org, our community, and our emerging celebrities!