Angela Hsu – Youth Camp Program Coordinator and Advocate for Animal Welfare

California State University, Long Beach, CA

Who are you?

I am Taiwanese, born in California, lived in New Zealand, and raised in China. Because of my background, I have always loved traveling and experiencing different cultures. Currently, I am a senior at California State University Long Beach, majoring in Business Marketing. As a proud Taiwanese American, I am keen to learn more about my heritage. In my opinion, the best way to learn is through a leadership role. I find myself being drawn to leadership positions all throughout my life. The Taiwanese communities in the United States and in China have always been very positive and supportive about youth initiatives. Because of this, we second generation Taiwanese Americans have an outlet to give back to the community and broadcast our culture. Working at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles (SPCALA) in my spare time, I am also passionate about volunteer work and animal welfare. When I am not sitting in a classroom or working on a new project, you can usually find me strolling down Main Street at Disneyland, or spending time with my shelter-rescue dog, Bowser, at the dog park.

Tell us about your organization / project, your role, and its impact?

The TACL Leadership Identity and Development camp (TACL-LID) is a project that engages teenagers and young adults in leadership activities. It prompts campers to reach out to their communities and learn more about their Taiwanese American identity. As the Program Coordinator this year, my job was to make sure that the workshops and activities were as educational and interactive as they were fun. LID Camp is also a great tool for networking. Not only do campers get to meet other students that share the same interests, but the counselors and staff members are also given the opportunity to come together with other leaders that share the same passion for change. For this year’s camp, we aimed high and shot for 100 campers. Thanks to the dedication of everyone on the team, the response was beyond what anyone could have imagined. Not only did we reach our goal, but we surpassed it by a significant number of applicants. Being a counselor from last year’s LID Camp, I tried to incorporate my experience and vision into LID Summer Camp 2010. One of my main goals was to make sure that all the counselors and staff felt like one big family. Although everyone had his or her own responsibilities, it was crucial for me to enforce the idea that we were a team. Seeing the huge turnout rate at the reunion and the ongoing desire for gatherings from the campers and staff really made the whole stressful experience worthwhile!

What is your vision for the organization / project and the role that it may play in the broader community?

TACL-LID camp is an organization that prides itself in educating youths about the Taiwanese identity. In a broader sense, it also teaches participants the social and professional skills needed to succeed in their careers. The skills that we teach are not only applicable for Taiwanese Americans, but also for the greater community. My hope for the camp is for it to expand to a larger scale and continue to educate youths in a way that allows them to become proactive members in their schools, churches, or communities. If I can have a lasting effect on just 10 kids, they will go on to educate and inspire 10 more kids. Our older generation created the Taiwanese legacy here in America and it is up to the current generation to bring awareness to the growing Taiwanese American community.

Any additional information you would like to share?

I am currently working on a nonprofit project centralized in producing elevated pet beds for local animal shelters. My dream is to ultimately improve the living conditions of shelter animals. To find out more information about my organization, Eat.Sleep.Love, please visit eatsleeploveblog.wordpress.com. ALL donations and aid will be put towards animal welfare.