Amy Liao – Dentist and Servant to the World

Philadelphia, PA

Who are you?

I am aspiring to be multilingual, as well as a mentor, a musician, and a missionary. My attitude, worldview and life goals are a product of my eccentric family, Canadian roots, mid-western living, Sunday school, sports injuries, hours and hours of piano lessons, study/service abroad experiences in five continents, Taiwanese American conferences, and the amazing people I’ve met along the journey.

What do you do?

Currently I work as a dentist at Esperanza Health Center, a faith-based non-profit organization in the Latino neighbourhood of inner city Philadelphia. My co-workers and patients are mainly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It’s great identifying with them about islander culture and immigrant life. We also talk about family, spirituality, health, struggles, and why it is important to floss.

Why are you proud to be of Taiwanese heritage?

I am a Canadian-born, U.S.-naturalized Taiwanese North American. I love that I grew up surrounded by lots of Taiwanese students, professors, activists and travelers staying at our house for dinner or for the night. I love that Taiwanese people have organizations for anything and everything, and that we get together all over the world. I love that I can move to a new city and find instant connections on Taiwanese association directories. I love that Taiwanese American retirees will attend a heavy metal rock concert simply because a band member is Taiwanese.

What does the future of Taiwanese America look like to you?

I hope we can continue to be a loving, hospitable, influential, and creative community.

Any additional information you would like to share?

Sometimes I like to sew costumes.

The best thing I ever ate in Taiwan was a nice fatty slab of freshly caught sah-bah-hee (milkfish?) pan fried and lightly salted by my late grandmother.