Our Dad Invented the N95 Mask: Our Taiwanese American Story

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Editor’s Note: Taiwanese American Peter Tsai has been in the news a lot lately as “the man behind the mask.”  “The retired inventor of N95 masks is back at work to fight Covid-19,” reads a Washington Post headline; “scientist-inventor a humble national hero,” another news agency chirps. But the depth and vibrance of Tsai’s living legacy is best known by his two daughters, who have not only borne witness to the N95 mask’s far-reaching impact during a global pandemic, but…

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[中英版] An Open Letter to the Taiwanese American Community: Securing Taiwan’s Democracy 給台美人的一封公開信：守護台灣民主

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An Open Letter to the Taiwanese American Community: Securing Taiwan’s Democracy 給台美人的一封公開信：守護台灣民主 A strong United States is crucial for a more secure and democratic Taiwan. Contrary to popular perception among the first generation in the Taiwanese American community, the Trump administration has weakened the United States’ economic, diplomatic, and moral standing in the world. This is detrimental to Taiwan’s long-term security and democracy. The authoritarian…

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Austin Asian American Film Festival Announces “Prismatic Taiwan,” A Queer Film Series

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[PRESS RELEASE FROM THE AUSTIN ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL] Co-presented by Taiwan Academy Houston, OFTaiwan, Taiwanese American Citizens League, and Asian Cinevision; Sponsored by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture AUSTIN, TX – The Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) is thrilled to co-present a virtual, six-film series celebrating the past and present of queer Taiwanese cinema. The viewing period for all films--including exclusive filmmaker Q&As--will be September 4-13, 2020. Access…

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Meet High Schooler-Founded Social Impact Small Business ‘Formosa’

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IMAGE CREDITS: FORMOSA Many high school students who are of Taiwanese ethnicity spend a summer teaching English in Taiwan. Through programs such as Vox Nativa (Vox) and Connexpedition, these students have the opportunity to create connections with the native Taiwanese community. However, for Bay Area rising high school seniors and best friends, Marianne and Serena, they took their treasured memories from their summer teaching Indigenous Taiwanese children with Vox and launched a small business…

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[中英版] At Home in the Library: My Taiwanese American Story / 圖書館裡的家

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Twenty years after we moved from Ohio to California, my parents received a letter from the children’s librarian in our old town. She had addressed it to “Resident,” not knowing if she had the right address for our family. “The other day while uncluttering a box in my basement,” she wrote, “I discovered a letter written by a girl named Cindy Lee. It was dated 12/30/00.” She asked for news of us, wished us well, and closed by noting, “The fear of the virus has kept us all close…

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Taiwan ‘Zhiguang’: Taiwanese & Taiwanese American Athletes to Root For

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The term “Taiwan zhiguang,” or “the pride and glory of Taiwan,” has been used to describe the likes of Chien-Ming Wang, Yani Tseng, and Jeremy Lin, among other Taiwanese and Taiwanese American athletes. Their accomplishments range from World Series titles to Olympic gold medals, and in addition to playing their respective sports, these athletes have also become cultural ambassadors for Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans throughout the world. With professional sports beginning to resume under…

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These Youtubers are vlogging their mandatory quarantine in Taiwan

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"Some people suggested [that I] not eat on the plane... but I just love food." Highly relatable and informative content from Taiwanese Americans and diasporic Taiwanese who have returned to Taiwan during the pandemic. Taiwan requires all arrivals who have traveled to certain countries and territories affected by COVID-19 pandemic to undergo 14-day home or hotel quarantine. | Featuring videos from Jimmy Wang (@jimmywang17), Jolie Chi (@joliechi), Alexander Tseng, Lisin Chen (@chenskiii.lisin),…

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We interviewed “The Half of It” writer & director Alice Wu

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  FEATURE PHOTO OF ALICE WU BY K.C. BAILEY When Netflix dropped its trailer for The Half of It almost a month ago, it rocked the internet. People quickly attached themselves to the film’s universally relatable main character Ellie Chu. Ellie is a shy and smart student who devotes her screen time to helping her best guy friend, Paul Munsky, win over Aster Flores, the hottest girl at their high school. Though The Half of It begins with a seemingly conventional premise, it quickly subverses…

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An Open Letter to my Hafu Grandfather: My Taiwanese American Story

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PHOTO OF DEREK SHAO & HIS GRANDFATHER Dear Ah Gong,  Mom didn’t tell me that you were a hāfu until I was about seven years old, and like most second graders at the time, I was too preoccupied with Wii Sports tennis and Cartoon Network to really think about what that meant. It wasn’t until I had learned more about the history of Taiwan and its relationship with Japan that I began to understand the circumstances surrounding your childhood, while also starting to make sense of experiences…

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