Taiwanese American Community Response to Pew Research Reports on Asian American Communities
IMAGE SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Recently published reports by the Pew Research Center analyzing Asian American communities have included footnotes that data for “‘Chinese’ includes those identifying as ‘Taiwanese.’”
As of today (May 1 – the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month), the methodology for Pew Research Center’s Asian American fact sheets makes no reference to why explicitly “Taiwanese” data points were merged with “Chinese.”
We ask the Pew Research Center to issue an apology to the Taiwanese American community, and re-publish its findings with Taiwanese Americans as a separate category.
To Neil G. Ruiz, the associate director of Race and Ethnicity Research, and Pew Research Center:
Taiwanese Americans are not “Unseen,” as the title of your webinar on Asian American stories might suggest, nor do we exist “between the data.”
We have instead sustained decades of grassroots efforts for Taiwanese Americans to self-identify not simply as “Other Asian,” but as “Taiwanese.” And we were successful: as the note reveals, the data points exist, only to be intentionally jumbled into categorically incorrect information and erasing generations of community advocacy.
I am getting ready for a conversation with leading experts from academic, business, media, and philanthropy at 1pm ET today on "Beyond the Data: The Unseen Stories of Asian Americans," feel free to sign up here https://t.co/0AVamE0IxS #AsianAmericanExperience pic.twitter.com/jkVqtq9vru
— Neil G. Ruiz (@neil_ruiz) April 29, 2021
In your panel, you challenge why large data gaps exist about Asians and their experiences in America. You ask why those stories are missing, and what the research community can do to bring them to light. As Taiwanese Americans, we respond: why was the data we reported manipulated? Why were our stories hidden, and why is the research community discounting the importance of disaggregated, meaningful data?
The choice to merge distinct groups is not only hurtful to Taiwanese Americans, but reaffirms an insidious precedent of imprecise, inaccurate data harming those not squarely represented in their limitations. We don’t just want to make Taiwanese Americans count out of shallow identity politics or ethnic pride; we share a deep appreciation for the civic implications, practical outcomes, and systemic development borne out of reports like the Pew Research Center’s. We believe that data is powerful; that is why we have organized around its integrity, and why we are so disappointed by your manipulation of it.
Lumping Taiwanese with Chinese specifically is hurtful for the Taiwanese American community. Many first generation Taiwanese Americans came to the United States as political refugees from persecution by the Chinese Nationalist Party in Taiwan, and many more Taiwanese Americans defend their identity from being confused with Chinese, given the ongoing threat of military invasion of Taiwan by China.
For its part, China is actively engaged in a campaign to erase Taiwan off the map, by politically and economically coercing corporations, academic institutions, and governments to label Taiwan as a province of China, an outright lie given that Taiwan is a sovereign state. The Taiwanese people, including Taiwanese Americans, do not appreciate being harassed by China like this. To see such a reputable and trusted organization like Pew Research follow intentionally misleading information from the Chinese Communist Party is bewildering.
From the 2010 Census data, there were more people who self-identified as Taiwanese Americans than there were counted in 7 out of 19 of the ethnicities listed. Pew Research would never consider grouping Nepalese data with Indian data, or Hmong data with Laotian data, because doing so would be inaccurate, intellectually dishonest, and most of all disrespectful of the tens of thousands of people who work tirelessly just to have this aspect of their existence acknowledged.
Therefore we ask that the Pew Research Center issue a statement of apology to the Taiwanese American community, including an explanation on why the Taiwanese data was merged, and re-publish its findings with Taiwanese Americans as a separate category.
Signed,
Christina Hu
Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign
Director of Civic Engagement, Taiwanese American Citizens League
Leona Chen
Creative Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign
Editor-in-Chief, TaiwaneseAmerican.org
Chieh-Ting Yeh
Media Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign
Cleo Chiang
President, Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California
Danny Chen, President, Southeast Bay Taiwanese Association
Jonathan Lee
Huang Chi Yu
Andrew Hua
Lee-Sean Huang
Eric Chang, Taiwanese American Citizens League
Brian Ma
Victor Hsu
Jeremy Lai
Julia Chang
Alicia Chang
Ryder Ko
Veronica Chang
Richard Tsai
Chiung-hsun Lai
Bi Huey Wu, Silicon Valley Taiwanese Association
Daniel Wang
Wellington Tzou, Taiwanese American Citizens League
Alan Y.C. Cheng
Teresa Huang, NATWA-SC (North American Taiwanese Women’s Association – Southern California Chapter)
Karen Hsu Patterson
Pam Tsai, San Francisco Taiwanese Association
Ben Ling TACL
Cindy Lee
Catherine Chou
Will Tiao
Chen Tsai, San Francisco Taiwanese Association
Jaja Liao
Charles C CHUNG Taiwanese Hakka Associations of American
Jeffrey Lai
Baldwin Yen
Cheng Yang Kao Senior Taiwanese association of northern Califonia
Jeff Shieh Taiwanese American Citizens League
Lynna Wang
Cheng-Yang Kao Senior Taiwanese association of Northern Califonia
Kiki Lee President of Formosan Association for Public Affairs, NY-Metro chapter
Justin Tseng
Isabel Kao NATWA-NCA (North American Taiwanese Women’s Association – Northern California Chapter)
Stephen Lin
Sophia Deng, North American Taiwanese Women Association- Northern California
Grace Huang
William Lin
Jeff Hsu
Duane Juang
Yamei Lee Member, North America Taiwanese Womens Association
Chun-yu Lu
Tiffany Cheng
Kuohsiung Chen, FAPA
Dexter Lai
Yu-An Lay
Holly Chiu
Vivian Chang
Tiffany W. Chang
Sun Cossette, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Henry Yang
Monica Wang
Thomas Yu, Taiwanese American Next Generation
RayJen Chang
Diana Chang
Alan Chang
Chihyang Hu
Jannie Shea
Chia-Chun Chung
C. Robert Chang
Louisa Wu
Carol Lee
Andrew Tsai
Jo Hsin ( Stacy) Tang, Taiwan Bento
Henley Shao
Michelle Wang
Marian Liu
Sam C Cheng, Taiwanese American Senior Society – East Bay
Sonya Huang
Jacqueline Hsiang Haddenham
Alan Huang
Joselyn Lai
Ariana Chuang
Patty Ho
Connie Jeng
Mei ko
Pamela Hung
JC Chang, Taiwanese Americans for Progress
Pei-Lynn Juang
Hudson Liu
Helen Chen
Huey, Taiwanese American at East Bay
Barnaby Yeh, Makatao Nation, Kalapo Tribe
Vincent Huang, Taiwanese American Foundation
Mengchun Chiang
Whelan and John Detrick, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Edwin Cho
May Lee
Kevin Chou, Taiwanese Association of America
Cooper Wang
Josephine Huang
Jane Chang, TAFNC
CY Chang, Retired
Ruth Chang, Retired
May-Ling Lin
Alice Chou
Diana H Wu, individual from SVTAA
Maggie Hsu
Rebecca Leu, Wellesley Asian Alliance
Sarah Lin
Christina Wang, TACL
Harrison Chen
Stephen Wang
Elizabeth Hwang
Chia Yi Lin
Yuh-Lin Yang, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Christine L. Yang, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Shaw Shieng Wen, Silicon Valley Taiwanese association
Erik Lin
Shaw Sujen, Silicon Valley Taiwanese association
Elizabeth Wu
Ray Wang, EBTA
Betty Wang, EBTA
Hank Lu, LWV Taiwanese Club
Nicholas Wu, FAPA Orange County Chapter
Jerry Liu, FAPA
Kuang-tau Liu, Taiwanese American East Bay Association Service
Hanalei Wang
Ken Wu, FAPA Los Angeles
Eric Chang
Chin Shu Chen, LWV Taiwanese Club
Kuan-Lung Chen
Oliver Lin, Laguna Woods Village Formosa Taiwanese Club
Ren Lin, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club
Eric Chang
Ren Lin, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club
Meng-Yun Lin
Gary Lin, Taiwanese
Suh Shyu
Chang Liao
Po Hu
Mark Du
Nancy Ho
Gloria H. Shaw
Shan-Nan Gong, Taiwanese
Amanda Jaskiewicz
Ray C Lee
Billy Stampfl
Ellaina Lin
Tony Stampfl
Beth Stampfl
Su-Mei Kao, FAPA
Jason Wang
Shu-Chih Lin
John Chen, Laguna Woods Taiwanese Club
Victor Lai
Chao-Dung Shih
Judith Huang
Kuei Ling Chen, President, Taiwanese Association of America
Li Ping Sung
Mindi Liao, Formosa Republican Association
Peeyeh Su, Laguna Woods Taiwanese Club
Amy Wu
Peter Chen
Eric Chang
Amy Shih
Hwa Sheng Liu, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Jennie Chen
Liang Chang, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Shu Chang, East Bay Taiwanese Association
J. H. Chen, Taiwanese
W. H. Chen Taiwanese
Walter Yang, East Bay Taiwanese American Senior Society
Kevin Huang
Sandy Chen, San Francisco Taiwanese Association
Cheng-Chi Chen, Senior Taiwanese Association of Northern California
Robert Tsai
Connie Shieh
Alison Yeh
Po-Han Chen
Sarina Chow
TAI M. CHIU, Orange County Taiwanese Association CA
Albert Hwang
Amber Crawford
Cosette Wu
Minly Sung, Taiwanese Association of Houston
Jim Hung, Retired, member of Taiwanese Association
Julia Chen
Ruth McCreery
MinLing Ni
Ann Tan
Thomas Cheng, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Sabrina Wang, Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association
Kuochih Hong, Taiwanese Association of Great Detroit
Feng Chen
Frances Liao
Andrew Chen
Jo Ann Huang, East Bay Taiwanese Association
Tait Sye
Amy Fan, Taiwanese Americans for Progress
Mei-hui Lai
Joe Liu
Jennie Kung
Wanshu Ho
Michelle Stanley
Kerim Friedman, National Dong Hwa Univerity, Taiwan
Andy Woo
PaoHsi Ho
Jau-Yon Chen
Fang Wu, EBTA
Jeffrey Chen
Stephanie Liu
Feng Feng Chen, Taiwanese Club
Chenkwanh F Hsieh
TseHuang Hsueh, Silicon Valley Taiwanese Association
Hilary Wu
Pauline Lee Hsueh, Individual of North America Taiwanese Women Association – North California Chapter
Mei-Lee Hsueh, Individual
Warren Lee, Taiwanese Native Alignment.
Antonio Bolaños Casanova Jr
Sabrina Liu
Li Lee
Charles Chaung, Outreach For Taiwan
David Tsay, Taiwanese American Association of New Jersey(TAANJ)
YaYa Lee, American Taiwanese church in NJ
Agatha Chang 正港台灣人
Stanford Chiou
HueiTong Huang, Taiwanese American Association of Greater Orlando
Ho-Chou Tu
Yi-An Ko
Loring Tu
Irene Lee
Monica Hsieh, TAA NJ Chapter
Shen-yi Liao
Rosalyne Shieh
SingRu Hong
Rozette De Castro
Fan-Yun Lan
Chin-pao Huang, American Taiwanese Association of Delaware
Michael Lin
Demi Wang
Priscilla Chung
Bridget Deline, COOLJC Region 8 SJEREC
Su-yueh Huang
Tenzin Rigden
Jenny YL Lin, IMC
Jusuan Lee
Cynthia Lin, Taiwanese Diaspora Podcast
Joyce Yao
Car Sun
Susanna Wei
William W. S. Wei
Anne Hu
Christopher C Yang
Alice Yang, Taiwanese American
Pao-Fei Kuo. NATWA
Teresa Tarn
En-Tie Soon
Alice Chang Chen, North American Taiwanese Women’s Association
Grace Lai, NATWA
Muhammad Akhtar
Pei wang
Ken Hsu Rochester, Taiwanese Bible Study
Emma Chen STT
Chiou Su-Chuan Chuang
Justin Guyton
Amy Hsu
Lily Yu, NATWA
Ying-Fang Lai, NATWA
Carl Becker
Zero Cho
Martha Camacho Rodriguez, Social Eco Education-LA (SEE-LA)
Min-Lung Kuo Myself
Tsai-Yen Han
Meaghan Su, NATWA
Jeffrey Lin
Hsiu-fang Liu, North American Taiwanese Women’s Association
Elena Ling NATWA
Alex Hung, Chapter President, FAPA CA-SD
Adam Peir, Taiwanese American Professionals – Washington, DC
Huey Chen, ATAA
Rob Worrell
Roger Lo
Betsy Tseng, NATWA
Tiffany Hsieh
Kaitlyn Huang
Irene C Lee
Dr. Song Jan
Emma Jenson, CDP Progressive Caucus
Katherine Alexander
Stephen C Chen, Individual
Linda Wu, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA)
Lain Shan Wu
Jesse Chen
Chia-whei Hsieh, NATWA
Wei-Kei Shiue
Vandy Chang
I-Jin Yeh
Hans Harn
Long Lee FAPA
Alyce Chu
Grace Lin
Yu Ying Lin
Cecelia Tsai, NATWA
Ju-Chu Ho, Self
Wen Chen-Lorhan
Victoria Tsay
Jerry Chen FAPA NC
Ellie Yang Camp
Hung Ping Shih
Vinicius Taguchi, President, Twin Cities Chapter, Japanese American Citizens League
Wendy Houang
Yuan-sheng Cheng
Alex Chen, FAPA Los Angeles
Bertha Huang, NATWA (North America Taiwanese Women’s Association)
Jerry Lio
Doris Lu
Dr. John C. Hsieh, North Texas FAPA chapter president
Miles C. Hsu
Hsin chang Liao, FAPA
Meishan Chiou, North American Taiwanese Women Association
Ethan Lin
Kevin Chang
Alfred Twu
Mao-pang Lin
Chi-Hung Lu
Chi-Hung Lu
Josephine Wu Vuylsteke, NATWA, Hawaii Chapter
Aaron Lee
Huihua Lee
Caroline Fan, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation
Chun-yi Chen
Judy Chen
Yen Wu
Amy Hsiao, Hsiao Law PC
Asher Hsiao, Hsiao Law PC
Hung Chen, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club
Paul Kuo
Jean Fannjiang
Dr. Kenneth Wang, The Institute of Taiwanese Studies
Clara Chen, NATWA: North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Albert Fannjiang
David T. Chen, Taiwanese American Center of N CA
Josephine Lo
Cynthia Ling Lee
Justina Wu
Chieni McCullough, American Citizens for Taiwan
Ming-shian Wu
Li-Fang Hsieh
Selia Wu
Jennifer Kao
Megan Kao
Chun Chen
Ramsey Baden
Cindy Kao Tsai NATWA
Sue M. Ku, Taiwanese Association in Greater Philadelphia
Yin-Yin Chou
Kaili Chang
Shang-nien Tsai
Stephanie Chan
Monica Yen
Kristine Lin
Kristine Lin
Shin Yin Lin
Elizabeth Pai
Christine Chern
Ginger Wu
Andrea Chu, Chrysanthemum: Voices of the Taiwanese Diaspora
Yu-ming Cheng
Pearl Wu
Peter Wu
Roselyn Lee
Janice Liu FAPA – OH(N)
Eve Wu
Austin Ko
Mei-Shi Chu, NATWA
Barney Cheng, Taiwanese Americans For Progress
I-SHIH WANG
Kai Yang
Kai Shih
Joyce Pan
YT
Yiting Kuo
Mu-Fen Hsieh
Yvonne Lee
Yuan-Hsin Chen
Weihsien Chang
Hui-Yi Chu FAPA- San Diego (CA)
Wen Wen Chi
Han-Jung Ko
Sheena Lee
Sheena Lee
Sheena Lee
I-Ching Chiu
Vience L
Shu-shen Huang Wu
Ling-chih Kao
Chih-ping Li
Harrison Lee
Jennifer Huang
Siou-Ming Chuq, SVTAA member
Yachi Hung
Mel Wong
V tsai
Jo-Yu Hung
Mel Wong
Lillian Hung
Amy Li
Gabriel Li
Josephine Pan, Taiwan Elite Alliance
Teresa Liao
Wei-Ting Hung
Chih Mei Cheng
George ShaoChi Tang
Hsin Amber Wang
Ken Lin, Taiwanese American Senior Society East Bay
Chieh Chien, Taiwanese Americans of Great Seattle
Richard Chen, StopAAPIHate.us creator, AsiansNOW founding member
Koklioong Loa
Tim Chng
Alan Chen, San Jose-Tainan Sister City Association, Former President
Burton Tan, Taiwanese Christian Church
Cheney Tsai
Edward Hsieh
Albert H Chang
Ron Huang, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club
Kathy Wu
Mark Kao, Formosan Association for Public Relations
Chong Liao
Lisa Liao
Linda Hsieh
Rosa Lin
Wunan Lin, TAFNC
Jean Huang
Szu-Ting Hao
Ling Ling Juang
Peter Chen
La̍p Tiong-Chèng, FAPA
Charlie Cheng
Sue Cheng
Hung-Jen Yang
Cassie Kuo
Sun Tien Lin
Charlene Kao
C. C. Yang
Sandy Chou, Taiwanese Association of greater Seattle
Dr. Christine Chang
Jenny Tsai
Dr. Robert Chen, FAPA
Rolla Chng
Yun-Hao Hsiao
Cherng Jia Hwang
Christina Chuang
Dan Ko, East Bay Taiwanese American Association
Hsin-Jui Chou
Jennifer J Chang
Ta-Chen Wang
David S. Huang
Leslie Cheng
Libby Kau
Daniel Chieh-Ding Lin, National Taiwan University
Chin-Hwa Huang
Shuchean Chien, Taiwanese American
P. Cecilia Liu
Cathy Shang Kuan
Nancy Wang, Chamber of Commerce Ecuador
Peter Hsu, Taiwanese Association of Greater Philadelphia
Li Hsu, Taiwanese Association of Greater Philadelphia
Jen Manens, Taiwanese American Center of Northern California
Yen-Ting Hsu
June Lin, Formosan Association for Public Affairs
Jerry Hsu, US – Taiwan Watch
Simon Lin Physician
Maxine Lu
Elu Tu, Southern Connecticut State University
Patty Tang
Ellen Fan
Samuel Lin
Eric Tang
Eric Tang
Shu-Chen Chen
Amy Cheng
Lan-Fang Chang
Monica Chuang Hsieh, TAANJ
I-Chin Chen
Vincent Lee
S. T. Cheng
LiShin Chiu, Taiwanese American association- Colorado chapter
Philip Liu, member of NATPA, MY name My Right
Frank Hsu N/A
Huiwen Chang
Hung-da Lwo
Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northen California
Margaret Locke
Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northern California
Ching Peng
Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northern California
Amy y. Lin, Taiwanese Association of America Greater Washington Chapter
Agnes Wu, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Edward J. Lin, Hakka For UN NGO Association
Hui-Shun Hung
Wayne Wang
Shunwen Khang
Shangte Shen, Taiwanese American
CK Huang
H. Huang
Hsiuying Cheng
Frank Lin
Kelly Chen
Jennifer J. Chen, Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California
FC Lin
Maggie C. Lin, TAFNC
Frances Hui, We The Hongkongers
Stella Peng
Stephen R. Hsu
Stephanie Stache, NATWA
Mia Liu, NATWA
Sue Chen, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association
Catherine Lai, Taiwanese Association of America Greater Chicago Chapter
Susan Chan
Frank Chiu
Chien-Kuang Chen
MunHuey Lai
Carl Yang
Ching-I Chen
Susan. Chang, NATWA
Victor Lin
J. J. Chen, Taiwanese American
W. W. Cheng, Taiwanese American
Sui Hwu
Stanley Chen
Cynthia T. Hsu, NATWA
Warren Han
Ava Lee
Gloria Hsieh Garver, Taiwanese American
Ta-Rong Jan
Elaine YL Han
Katie Liu
Robert Lai
Cheng-Chih Ko
Margaret kan
Ling-Ling Lee
Noelle Lee Okoth
Colin Hodge, Snowball
Lisa Wu, Northern America Taiwanese Woman Association
Felicia Lin, Talking Taiwan Podcast
David Ying
Mutauh & Yachung Lin
Sean Shiau
Vicki Hsu
Jeffrey Kimmel, Taiwanese American Professionals – Boston
Julie Chen
Stephen Chen
Shirley Chen
Cecilia Chen
Becky Belcore, NAKASEC
Sookyung Oh, NAKASEC Virginia
Oliver Wang, Taiwanese American Professionals – San Francisco Chapter
Myron Dean Quon, Esq. NAPAFASA
Alvina Yeh, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
Sina Uipi, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
Sruti Suryanarayanan, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
Kiran Kaur Gill, Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF)
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