National Archive

Apply to the 2012 Formosa Foundation Ambassador Program

By
Ho Chie
Date: March 15, 2012Posted in: NationalTags:

The Formosa Foundation is accepting applications for the 2012 Ambassador Program from now through March 15, 2012. The 2012 Program will take place in Washington, D.C. from June 18 through 29. Up to 30 college/graduate students and young professionals will be selected from the United States and Taiwan to participate in this highly competitive “congressional boot camp.”

Application forms, detailed program description and previous program reports are now available on our website: http://www.formosafoundation.org/ambassador-program/program-description.php

The Ambassador Program, in its 10th year, has over 250 future leaders graduate and held over a thousand meetings with individual members of Congress and their staff. With each passing year the program has grown stronger, attracting not only some of the foremost authorities on Taiwan and Asia-Pacific issues from across America, but also garnering the attention of powerful lawmakers as well. The Ambassador Program teaches skills to help change the hearts and minds of our elected leaders and policymakers in Washington on the most critical issues concerning Taiwan. Formosa Foundation ambassadors have received praises as being Capitol Hill’s most articulate and effective advocates for the U.S.-Taiwan bilateral relations.

Applications Available for TACL Summer Political Internship Program

By
Ho Chie
Date: February 19, 2012Posted in: Featured, NationalTags:
Applications Available for TACL Summer Political Internship Program

TACL is accepting applications for the 2012 Summer Political Internship Program, to be held June 8 through August 11 in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles. All application materials must be received by the following dates:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FEBRUARY 19, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO – MARCH 18, 2012
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 18, 2012

MORE INFO & TO APPLY: http://tacl.org/programs/tacl-political-internship

The Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) Summer Internship Program, established in 1992, was formed to infuse the Taiwanese American community with a greater understanding of the political system through placement of college level students in offices of local, state, and national public officials. This allows Taiwanese Americans to be better recognized as a developed community with a voice. TACL’s primary mission is to promote Taiwanese culture, heritage and identity as well as involvement in American society.

Interns experience first hand how the political system works and observe and participate in the formation of policies, both domestic and foreign. Political interns will be assigned to offices located in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles. In addition to working in their offices, interns visit top legislators in an intense lobbying trip, attend community events, participate in leadership development workshops, and various other activities.

TACL interns gain invaluable skills and access to a network of TACL alumni through our mentorship program. Alumni of the TACL Political Internship Program have gone on to become elected officials, Congressional Staffers, State and Local level government staffers, local business leaders and students in top graduate school programs.

List of recent participating political offices:
• John Chiang, CA State Controller
• Member Barbara Boxer, US Senator
• Howard Berman, US Representative
• Judy Chu, US Representative
• Lucille Roybal-Allard, US Representative
• Edward Royce, US Representative
• Adam Schiff, US Representative
• Diane Watson, US Representative
• Gilbert Cedillo, California Senator
• Mike Eng, CA Assemblymember

Interns need not be of Taiwanese heritage, however a vested interest in Taiwanese American issues must be demonstrated.

ITASA East Coast Conference at Georgia Tech in Atlanta

By
Ho Chie
Date: February 16, 2012Posted in: East Coast, Featured, National, SouthTags:
ITASA East Coast Conference at Georgia Tech in Atlanta

The Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association (ITASA) East Coast Conference takes place on February 16-19, 2012! This year it is being held at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and they have many incredible events planned. The tour of Atlanta will feature the Coca-Cola and CNN Headquarters, as well as Centennial Park, where the 1996 Summer Olympics were held! Great keynotes like the Instant Noodles Crew (who were on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew season 6 competition) will also be there!

Registration ends on January 27th! Don’t miss out!

Visit http://eastcoast.itasa.org/ for more information and to register!
Join the conference Facebook group by clicking here.

Other ITASA events and projects to keep on your radar:

Midwest Conference at University of Michigan (April 6-8): http://midwest.itasa.org/

ITASA Footprints Contest for cash prizes!: http://itasa.org/footprints/

The Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association (ITASA) is a non-profit organization providing events and resources that explore and celebrate Taiwanese American identity in order to inspire, empower, and activate its community.

A Snapshot of the Taiwanese American Community and Immigrant Diaspora

By
Ho Chie
Date: February 1, 2012Posted in: Featured, NationalTags:
A Snapshot of the Taiwanese American Community and Immigrant Diaspora

I recently came across the website Migration Information Source, which provides analysis of international migration data and trends. They recently published a document entitled “Taiwanese Immigrants in the United States,” using the most recent Census data, including the more comprehensive 2010 American Community Survey.

As many of you might remember, TaiwaneseAmerican.org and many of our community’s organizations worked hard to encourage people to check the “Other” box and write in “Taiwanese” during the 2010 US Census campaign. As part of a growing Asian American community, we believe in the importance of self-identification and an accurate reflection of the diversity of the community. After all, Census data is used to determine numbers of Congressional seats, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute $400 billion in federal funds to local governments each year.

Remember our website and viral video? http://taiwaneseamerican.org/census2010/

Although the 2000 Census recorded only 144,795 Taiwanese in the United States, the 2010 Census recorded approximately 475,000, a 228% increase. In reality, we know that our community’s migration numbers most likely have not increased that much in the past decade, but that this percentage more likely reflects our community’s growing willingness to identify as “Taiwanese” rather than lumped together with “Chinese” (which is a check box option on the Census). Still, we believe there are more Taiwanese Americans who continue to identify (understandably) as Chinese, and also since it is more convenient to check a box than write in an “Other” option. So for 2020, our community still has work to do to encourage more to write in “Taiwanese,” and hopefully to more accurately reflect our estimated one million community members.

For now, take a look at the Migration Information Source statistics and data regarding the Taiwanese community in the US based on the 2010 data. Below, we highlight some interesting findings, but find the original article here: http://www.migrationinformation.org/USfocus/display.cfm?id=879

  • The 358,000 Taiwanese immigrants residing in the United States in 2010 represented 0.9 percent of the country’s 40 million total foreign born.
  • There were 475,000 self-identified members of the Taiwanese diaspora residing in the United States in 2010.
  • Of the 475,000 self-identified members of the Taiwanese diaspora residing in the United States in 2010, more than three-quarters (76.6 percent) were born in Taiwan. About one in five (20.7 percent, or 98,000) were born in the United States or born abroad to US citizens, and the remaining 2.7 percent were born elsewhere.
  • Taiwanese immigrants are twice as likely as both the native born and immigrants overall to have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher.
  • Almost one-quarter of Taiwanese immigrants lived in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA metro area in 2010.
  • Taiwanese immigrants receiving lawful permanent residence in 2010 were more than twice as likely as immigrants overall to be admitted through employment-based routes.
  • Taiwan was the fifth most common country of origin for international students studying at US institutions of higher learning in 2010.
  • Taiwanese immigrant women outnumbered men in 2010. Among all Taiwanese immigrants residing in the United States in 2010, 55.3 percent were women and 44.7 percent were men.
  • In 2010, Taiwanese-born adults were more than three times as likely to have obtained an advanced degree as the native born and the foreign born overall.
  • About 114,000 children under the age of 18 resided with at least one Taiwanese-born parent in 2010.

    • Taiwan 2012 Presidential Elections: Media Roundup

    By
    Ho Chie
    Date: January 11, 2012Posted in: NationalTags:
    Taiwan 2012 Presidential Elections: Media Roundup

    Taiwan’s 5th ever Presidential Elections takes place on Saturday, January 14, 2012, and as expected, the Taiwanese people and the political parties are all in a frenzy. From the latest polls, it’s evident that this race is going to be a tight one between incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang (KMT) and major opposition challenger Ms. Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). A third candidate, James Soong, of the People First Party (PFP) is also affecting the political landscape. Politics is sometimes ugly, and Taiwan’s future may remain fuzzy and uncertain even after the election results roll in. However, Taiwan’s indeterminate status in the international arena and its growing economic connections with neighboring China make this election one worth following.

    The Taiwanese people no doubt have strong opinions (no fist fights please!), and so do some commentators from around the world. Take a moment to read various articles from media sources inside and out of Taiwan to catch up with what’s going on. And if you have friends or family in Taiwan, remind them to make their voice heard and to vote. Taiwan, after all, is one of the strongest and most vibrant democracies in the Asia Pacific region with a consistently high voter participation rate, and that is something to be proud of.

    *EDIT*
    1/14/12 Election Update
    As expected, the race was close with incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou receiving 6,891,139 votes (51.6 percent) over challenger Ms. Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP, who received 6,093,578 votes (45.63 percent). Congratulations to President Ma.

    Post-election Articles:

    1/14/12: The China Post – “Polls reveal unexpected shifts in geographic trends”

    1/14/12: The New York Times – “President of Taiwan Is Re-elected, a Result That Is Likely to Please China”
    */END EDIT*

    Recent Media Articles, Opinions, & Editorials:

    1/12/12: Times Magazine – “Neither Independence nor Unification”

    1/12/12: The New York Times – “Taiwan Vote Lures Back Expatriates in China”

    1/12/12: The China Post – “Presidential election hinges on cross-strait clout, pro-business stance and electability”

    1/11/12: Mercury News – “Silicon Valley keeps eye on Taiwan election”

    1/11/12: The Deccan Chronicle – “Can Taiwan stay out of Beijing’s clutches?”

    1/10/12: Reuters – “Once bitten, China to temper remarks on Taiwan vote”

    1/10/12: Chicago Tribune – “Ralph Nader of Taiwan”

    1/10/12: The Wall Street Journal – “China a Sticky Point in Taiwan Vote”

    1/10/12: Global Post – “Taiwan elections: Tight presidential race serves up activism gains”

    1/10/12: The Financial Times – “Business backs Ma in Taiwan elections”

    1/10/12: Taipei Times – “Wary of China, many Taiwanese hope for DPP win”

    1/10/12: Want China Times – “Swan Soong? James Soong’s last political battle”

    1/9/12: The Washington Post – “Bye-bye bombast, China offers trade benefits to try to win over voters in Taiwan election”

    1/7/12: The Australian – “President Ma Ying-jeou vulnerable as Taiwan elections loom”

    1/5/12: The Christian Science Monitor – “Taiwan elections: US must show respect for self-determination”

    1/5/12: The New York Times – “Interview With Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou”

    1/5/12: The New York Times – “Interview With Tsai Ing-wen”

    Some Blogs to Follow:

    Ballots & Bullets

    That’s Impossible: Politics from Taiwan

    The View From Taiwan

    Jerome F. Keating’s Writings

    NOTE: TaiwaneseAmerican.org takes no official position with regards to political parties within Taiwan or America. We do believe, however, in the principles of self-determination and democracy, and that the 23 million people of Taiwan should be represented on the international stage.

    A Taiwanese American Adoptee’s Journey and Search for Identity

    By
    Ho Chie
    Date: January 8, 2012Posted in: Featured, NationalTags:
    A Taiwanese American Adoptee’s Journey and Search for Identity

    “Imagine your whole life believing that you are one thing and then learning in mid-life that you are not what you have always believed you were… I always believed that I was Vietnamese and Japanese. That’s what they told me. I had no reason to question what I’d been told. After my mom passed away in 2008, however, I made a discovery about my adoption that changed everything.”

    On February 2010, that first post marked the beginning of a blogging journey by Marijane Chaling Nguyen (birth name: Huang Shiao-Ling) on her blog entitled Beyond Two Worlds: Musings of an Asian-American Adoptee, which documents her search for her birth family in Taiwan.

    Marijane reveals more about her newly discovered identity. She writes in her blog post, “I’ve thought more and more about my adoption and decided to begin a search for my birthfamily. I sent my adoption contract to an adoption agency specializing in placing children from Taiwan with American families. Surprisingly, I learned from one of the caseworkers that my birthparents were not Vietnamese and Japanese, but very possibly from Taiwan. Could I be Taiwanese? For years I have explained to people that I was born in Taiwan, but am really Japanese and Vietnamese adopted by white parents.”

    I was so drawn to her story and insightful commentary that I read her website from beginning to end, and then reached out to interview her. The events that have unfolded since she began blogging is nothing short of amazing, so I felt compelled to share it with you, the readers of TaiwaneseAmerican.org. But as I was trying to decide how to best share her story, I realized the only way to fully understand it and appreciate the emotional drama is to encourage you to read her writings for yourself. This brief interview and spotlight article will not do her story justice. Nonetheless, I present to you some details about her story and some of the commentary that she has been kind enough to share with me.

    Marijane was adopted at 4 months of age by loving parents who raised her in Bossier City/Shreveport, Louisiana. With adoptive parents who were Caucasian and growing up in the South where cultural diversity was lacking, her formative years were challenging. She says she initially “tried to be ‘white’ and rejected [her] birth culture.” But over the years, she has come to embrace her racial identity, and with the recent discovery that she was adopted from Taiwan, “something just clicked.” She tells me, “I now want to learn everything I can about Taiwan, Taiwanese culture and am determined to learn Mandarin.”

    Marijane, who now lives in Arizona, shares the uncertainty she feels, yet expresses her hope to learn more about her roots and about herself. She writes, “I’m not sure how the search for my birthfamily will go. Chances are that neither of my birthparents are still living. My birthmother was 39 and birthfather, 55 when I was born… Discovering things I never knew about my adoption and digging into my past has led to an awakening, a desire to understand my cultural heritage. I am more curious now than ever before about my birthfamily. Do I look like any of them, where did I get my musicality, are there any health issues to be concerned about, was it difficult for my birthparents to give me up, did they ever want to see me? Questions that adoptees sometimes ask themselves. Although I may never find out anything other than what’s preserved on my adoption contract, I hope that won’t be the case.”

    Fast forward to January 2011, after about a two year search for her biological family, Marijane will soon be reuniting with her biological siblings in Taipei. The story is still unfolding before our very eyes, and it is captivating and exciting indeed.

    Follow Marijane’s heartwarming and evolving journey here: http://beyondtwoworlds.com

    I encourage you to read back on all of her posts from the beginning, but if time is short, here are the key posts to bring you up-to-date along her journey. It reads like a tear-jerker, but sheds so much light on the meaning of personal identity and what it feels like to struggle with an uncertain identity. But trust me when I say, start from the beginning:

    Feb. 28, 2010: “My Mysterious Adoption” – on the life-changing discovery.
    Mar. 10, 2010:“Lucky Girl” – on her adoption, the conflicting stories, and her move to Louisiana.
    Mar. 18, 2010: “Who am I?” – on being the only Asian and the difficulty fitting in.
    Mar. 26, 2010: “A Mystery Letter Found” – on a revealing letter about the orphanage, but the rest is missing.
    May 11, 2010: “Road Block” – on a birth family from China, a move to Taiwan, and dead ends.
    Aug. 2, 2010: “Cross-Cultural Adoption: A Thing or Two” – on identity confusion and the importance of cross-cultural awareness.
    Oct 1, 2010: “Searching for my Birth Family” – on renewed efforts to find family in Taiwan.
    Mar. 7, 2011: “The Question I Get Asked the Most” – on the loaded question, “where are you from?”
    May 1, 2011: “From Halfway Across the World” – on hopeful leads from a kindred spirit.
    Aug. 10, 2011: “Missing Link” – on the discovery of a biological sister.
    Oct. 17, 2011: “Embracing my Cultural Roots” – on the complexities of being Chinese or Taiwanese.
    Dec. 24, 2011: “A Christmas Miracle” – on the best news possible and a planned trip to Taipei.

    As one of the few and older Taiwanese American adoptees out there, I asked Marijane what she hoped for other younger adoptees out there. She replies, “My hope for other Taiwanese or Asian American adoptees is that their adoptive parents educate themselves first on the challenges that may occur when adopting cross-culturally. I hope that adoptive families have an openness to discuss issues such as race, ethnicity, and how to handle prejudice. My hope is that adoptive parents can empower their kids to embrace their racial and ethnic identities by exposing them to their birth culture at an early age. I hope that adoptees will grow up feeling secure in who they are and appreciate their cultural roots. If I can help another adoptee through the whole Identity process, then that would be a wonderful thing.”

    Thank you, Marijane, for sharing your very personal and inspiring story to me and all our readers. You have taught us all a little bit more about the value of identity and heritage.

    For our readers, I would like to share some interesting information about adoptions, a topic that is too often overlooked in our community. Did you know that since 1999, there have been 1,884 total adoptions from Taiwan to the US? In comparison, there were 66,630 from China. Although the peak year for international adoptions occurred in 2004 with a total of 22,991 adoptions, in 2011, that number has decreased to 9,319. However, Taiwan to US adoptions are generally on the rise, with about 200 adoptions taking place in recent years. In the US, the states where most Taiwanese adoptions take place include: California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida.

    Find below some interesting links if you would like to learn more about this emerging population in our Taiwanese American community.

    Adoption statistics from Taiwan to US:
    http://adoption.state.gov/country_information/country_specific_info.php?country-select=taiwan
    http://adoption.state.gov/about_us/statistics.php

    Taiwan ROCks, a Taiwanese American adoptee & family social support network:
    http://adoptingfromtaiwanrocks.blogspot.com/

    Index of Taiwan adoption blogs:
    http://taiwanadoptionblogs.blogspot.com/

    Are you a Taiwanese American adoptee? We would like to hear your story. Feel free to leave comments below, and know that we at TaiwaneseAmerican.org are here to serve you too.

    Starting a Collegiate Taiwanese American Student Association

    By
    Stinky Tofu
    Date: January 8, 2012Posted in: Featured, NationalTags:
    Starting a Collegiate Taiwanese American Student Association

    Have you ever wanted to start your own Taiwanese American Students Association (TASA/TASC/TAO – or anything of the like)? Being Taiwanese American is arguably a completely unique experience, and it’s natural to want to find others who share similar experiences – but what if your school doesn’t have a TASA? The Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association (ITASA) has been able to reach thousands of Taiwanese Americans and has seen nearly a hundred schools represented at its many events held nationwide. Furthermore, ITASA is proud to support the efforts of individuals who have the passion to start a Taiwanese American club at their school. Having the initiative to start a cultural club can and should be a daunting task if done properly, but if you can establish a meaningful presence on campus, the sense of accomplishment will be great. Don’t take it from me though, take it from someone who’s done it just this past year! Michelle Ruan is one of ITASA’s West Coast District Chairs and gives us a little insight on how she started TAO at her school.

    * * *

    I had never expected to start a TASA at UC Davis. In high school, I had been a TACL Journalism Internship Program intern and even attended an ITASA as a high school senior. I liked how unique the entire TASA experience was and had planned to join it if my selected university had one. Sadly, Davis didn’t. What it did have was a long established club called TCCS (Taiwanese Chinese Cultural Society) which catered more to the international Taiwanese students on campus. TCCS didn’t grab my interests since I was looking for a more Taiwanese-American vibe.

    However, that didn’t dissuade me from joining other Asian American clubs on campus. From my time spent in the Asian American community, I discovered other Taiwanese Americans who were keen to have a TASA at Davis as well. However, nobody really knew where to start. I understood their confusion as I too only had a desire but not the means or experience to achieve it. Or at least I didn’t until I attended 2011’s West Coast ITASA which was hosted by UC Berkeley. I met the founder of UC Irvine’s TAO (Taiwanese American Organization), who was also attending UC Davis for law school. When I told Mendel that I was interested in trying to find a way to create a TASA at Davis, he gladly offered his help.

    We started pulling ideas of what we wanted the new club to be like and what we hoped that the club would be able to provide to the Taiwanese American community on campus. It was difficult to plan at times because the two of us had school as well as other extracurricular commitments. However, towards the last three months of school, things started to pick up. We selected a board, registered the club, and began to plan events for the upcoming school year. Before all that, however, we had set up meetings for people who were interested in participating as well as helping us set up the club. Surprisingly, we had a very good reception from the UC Davis students, which was great because it made us even more eager to start having real club meetings and events.

    The entire process of starting a club from an idea up was extremely exhausting. It had required a lot of planning, maneuvering, and mistakes were obviously made along the way. Through it all though, it taught me that if people have a brilliant idea and an unyielding desire to make it happen, it can. I’m sure there are lots of other students out there who wish to create a TASA at their own schools. I would definitely recommend that they go for it. It’s been an absolute worthwhile experience starting UC Davis TAO (TASA was the local Thai-American Student Association on campus). I have met people I probably would’ve never met if it hadn’t been for the club. In addition, we’ve created many memories which have bonded a lot of us together.

    There were difficulties, no doubt. Arguments over t-shirt designs, ways of fundraising-but they are inconsequential in the larger scheme of life. I hate to restate what college counselors say about clubs, but it’s true; starting and being in a student organization really can give you skills useful in daily life. You learn to balance everything skillfully and also learn to work well with others. Nevertheless, I have to say that the most beautiful thing that anyone can gain from creating a TASA or any student club, is the end result. Not only is there the chance to see culmination of everybody’s hard work but also to see the continuing ability of a club’s effects on the local student population.

    Written by: Michelle Ruan
    Foreword by: Eric Kao

    Follow ITASA on Tumblr: http://itasa.tumblr.com/
    Follow ITASA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itasanational
    Visit ITASA’s website: http://itasa.org/

    Michelle Ruan is a second year at University of California, Davis. She is a West Coast District Chair and works with the other District Chairs to create a more united network of TASAs. With what little free time she has, Michelle also writes for the California Aggie and likes to catch up on her sleep.

    Eric Kao is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis. He serves as ITASA’s National Public Relations Director, but sometimes wonders how he got there as an Accounting Major. He also loves indie-ish movies like (500) Days of Summer, Up in the Air, and 50/50.

    Help Kickstart Susan & Emily’s Next Exit Clov Album

    By
    Ho Chie
    Date: December 20, 2011Posted in: NationalTags:
    Help Kickstart Susan & Emily’s Next Exit Clov Album

    Remember Emily and Susan, the twin duo of Exit Clov, who made news all over Taiwan after we asked them to come up with a fundraising idea post-Typhoon Morakot in 2009? Well, they’re back! And they’re looking for your help to kickstart a new album!

    They are hoping to raise $3000 to help with the recording costs and album production. With Kickstarter, you only make a pledge initially. If enough pledges are made to reach their goal, only then will your credit card get charged, and the project moves forward.

    You can donate any amount you want, and with certain pledge levels, you’ll get something in return. Check out the project here and watch their 5 minute intro video:

    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/exitclov/exit-clovs-brand-spankin-new-record

    Congrats Timothy Tau, Winner of Hyphen Magazine’s Asian American Short Story Contest

    By
    Ho Chie
    Date: December 10, 2011Posted in: NationalTags:
    Congrats Timothy Tau, Winner of Hyphen Magazine’s Asian American Short Story Contest

    TaiwaneseAmerican.org congratulates filmmaker and writer Timothy Tau, whose short story, “The Understudy,” was selected by Hyphen Magazine and The Asian American Writers’ Workshop as the winner of the 2011 Asian American Short Story Contest! Timothy has previously contributed featured guest articles about fellow filmmakers for our website, so it’s great to see him achieving such recognition for his work.

    Timothy Tau is a graduate of UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC Hastings College of the Law. This isn’t his first award for excellent writing. His short story “Land of Origin” won Second Prize in the 2010 Playboy College Fiction Contest. Also, as a filmmaker, he has directed and produced several films and music videos that have screened at film festivals nationwide.

    In “The Understudy,” the protagonist is a Taiwanese American ENT physician named Jack Chang who leaves his career in medicine to pursue his dreams in Hollywood. However, he finds only stereotypical roles in portraying Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. “The Understudy” has been published in the winter 2011 issue of Hyphen Magazine.

    Read the preview here: http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/magazine/issue-24-survival/understudy

    Then, be sure to pick up a copy of Hyphen Magazine at a bookstore near you!

    “Full of vibrating energy, ‘The Understudy’ is an exciting story to read; better, the excitement does not fizz off but makes a reader think afterward.”
    – Yiyun Li, author of the award-winning novel, The Vagrants and the short story collection, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

    “A psychological thriller successfully pulled off in second person — alone a feat worthy of mention — and cautionary tale about what happens when you entirely live for and therefore ultimately lose everything but your art. At surface glance, it can make one think ‘Chinese thespian Black Swan,’ but the wild, brainy, dark and dazzling prose is in a league of its own.”
    – Porochista Khakpour, author of Sons and Other Flammable Objects

    Introducing Alison Yeh, aka “yayAlison” – Our First Sponsored YouTube Musician

    By
    Ho Chie
    Date: November 26, 2011Posted in: NationalTags:
    Introducing Alison Yeh, aka “yayAlison” – Our First Sponsored YouTube Musician

    During the summer of 2011, a 17 year-old young lady named Alison Yeh from Sugar Land, TX, walked onto stage, sat at a piano, and sung her heart out, captivating an audience of hundreds at the Taiwanese American Foundation youth summer conference in Indiana.

    Months later, many of our TaiwaneseAmerican.org staff members, who also serve as counselors, advisors, and board members for this annual Midwestern camp, were sitting together in LA reminiscing about Alison’s performance of One Republic’s “Secrets” and another song that she covered called “Perfect Two.” Our conclusion? She was super-talented and definitely would be going places.

    Somehow, our conversation fast-forwarded into the possibility of flying our young talented friend to LA so that we could professionally record some songs and videos for her if she was interested. With the help of our group members’ resources, we would bring aboard Turtlist Media, Seaglass Cinema, tafLabs, and producer friend Smashhitta to help us launch “Project YAY Alison.”

    Fortunately for us, Alison loved the idea, and so the background planning and work began…

    In a little over a month, seeds of ideas became reality, and a young lady with big dreams flew from Texas to LA for a whirlwind “working” weekend.

    We now proudly present to you TaiwaneseAmerican.org’s first sponsored artist on YouTube! We hope you enjoy Alison’s (aka “yayAlison”) beautiful singing and joyful spirit as much as we have, and hope you will extend your support as well. This is what building up community and supporting the next generation is all about. The best is yet to come. Stay tuned.



    …

    Subscribe to the YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/yayAlison
    Like her on Facebook: http://facebook.com/yayAlison
    Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/yayAlison
    Email Alison at: yayAlisonMusic@gmail.com

    « Older Entries