Forms of Expression: An Interview with Artist Jocelyn Tsaih

There’s a good chance you’ve seen artist Jocelyn Tsaih’s work already– her signature cloud-like, amorphous, faceless figurines have been seen as article illustrations for the New York Times, on the cover of slant’d Magazine, and as murals in Hollywood, SF MoMA, and NYC’s Spotify office. If you’ve ever eaten at Mama Liang’s in the SF/Bay area, you may have noticed her subtle illustrations on their Taiwanese noodles-to-go packaging! After I discovered Tsaih’s work, I began…

The Best of the “Best of 2020” Lists

Feature photo from the Office of the President aka "Taiwan #1" All year long, we enjoy showcasing the best and most promising of Taiwanese America (and Taiwan). It has been our proud mission to highlight the amazing stories and people of our community. During this most challenging year in the midst of a global pandemic, inspirational stories have kept our spirits up. Now, with the year's end in sight, the annual superlatives lists have started popping up, and we've taken note. During the past…

Taiwanese and Taiwanese American Film Festival Guide: Fall 2020

FEATURE IMAGE: HELLO FROM TAIWAN, dir. TIFFANY FRANCES We are beaming with Taiwanese American pride as our stories come to life and are being projected across the country! A global pandemic may have paused in-person film festivals and gatherings in America, but that hasn't stopped organizers from creating virtual film festivals accessible to a wider audience. Lucky for us because there are more than a handful of excellent Taiwanese and Taiwanese American films being showcased by several organizations…

The Formosa Coffee Brings Taiwan-grown Beans to US

During the past decade, Taiwan's burgeoning coffee scene has gained more attention, but the stories from news articles have tended towards the creative cafes and talented baristas who import quality beans from other major producers in the world. Rarely told is the story of Taiwan's own home-grown coffee bean. For connoisseurs of fine coffee, many do know that some of the best beans are grown in the high mountain regions around Yunlin county--a perfect altitude for production. In fact, if one visits…

Director Lynn Chen Debuts I Will Make You Mine at CAAMFest

For over a decade, TaiwaneseAmerican.org has been a dedicated supporter of the Center for Asian American Media’s annual film festival and community events. This year, CAAMFest presents a reimagined film festival experience online from May 13-22, 2020 during APA Heritage Month, and we are so excited to co-present the opening night film, I Will Make You Mine. Of note, Taiwanese American actor Lynn Chen (Saving Face, Nice Girls Crew, and numerous TV guest spots) makes her directorial debut with…

Ties that (Un)Bind: Q&A with Filmmaker James Y. Shih

James Y. Shih is a filmmaker currently working on a short film entitled Ahma & Alan--a drama about a Taiwanese grandmother who travels from her rural small town to Taipei to get her American-born grandson out of jail. TaiwaneseAmerican.org's Ho Chie Tsai speaks with James about his path in film-making and this current project now in post-production. Ho Chie: Hi James. Good to chat with you today. What an interesting project you've been working on lately! James: Hi Ho Chie! Thank you…

LATE LIFE: The Chien-Ming Wang Story in Theaters

The first and only Taiwanese player for the New York Yankees, Chien-Ming Wang held many titles: American League Wins Leader, World Series Champion, Olympian, Time 100 Most Influential, and The Pride of Taiwan. He had it all--until a 2008 injury forever altered the course of his career. LATE LIFE: The Chien-Ming Wang Story--named after the late sinking action on his signature pitch--follows the rise and fall of the international icon as he fights his way back into the Major Leagues through endless…

Taiwanese American Film Festival in Seattle

TaiwaneseAmerican.org is proud to be a Bronze Sponsor of this film festival featuring 7 critically-acclaimed feature-length films; 5 inspiring shorts; 2 award-winning directors from Taiwan; AR/VR experience. The Seattle chapter of Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP) is proud to host the first Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival on Friday June 29 - Sunday July 1, 2018, at University of Washington and SIFF Uptown Cinema. The first of its kind, the Seattle Taiwanese American Film Festival,…

50 Books for Your Taiwanese American Library

During the second full week of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month each May, we proudly recognize and celebrate Taiwanese American Heritage Week! In the past decade, more than a handful of authors, writers, creatives, and poets have emerged to write the many stories of our patchwork community into being. Below, we have compiled a list of nearly 50 titles from this talented pool. Many of the authors themselves are Taiwanese Americans or have ties to Taiwan. Some of these books have Taiwanese…

An Interview with Filmmaker Fiona Roan: Reflections on Sisterhood and Belonging

Fiona Feng-I Roan is a Taiwanese American writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. TaiwaneseAmerican.org’s Ho Chie Tsai recently caught up with her to talk about her new short film, JIEJIE, which was recently selected as one of three finalists in the HBO Asian Pacific Visionary American short film competition. It will also be distributed nationally through HBO this May, during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. JIEJIE is a portrait of young sisters being raised by a single immigrant…