Consultant. ActivisT. 台灣囝仔.

I am Life Science Consultant who recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University, where I majored in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I am from Taipei, Taiwan, though I was born in New Jersey and spent a few years in the Bay Area before moving to Taipei when I was six.

Growing up in Taiwan was extremely formative in shaping my identity, goals, and aspirations. Unbeknownst to me, I was witnessing my home country slowly flourish into a burgeoning economy and increasingly free-and-open society, built on the evolving unique ideals and cultural identity of the Taiwanese people. In fact, it wasn’t until I transitioned to the U.S. for college that I came to the sobering realization of the pressing importance of preserving Taiwan’s way of life and right to self-determination and, thus, started recognizing the roles I could play in helping shape Taiwan’s future from abroad.

How does being Taiwanese/Taiwanese American and/or community ally play a role in your life?

During my freshman year, my friends and I founded STEP Taiwan, a non-profit organization that strives to address Taiwan’s educational inequality by connecting college student volunteers with students in rural Taiwan through the Boyo Foundation. My work with STEP was really my steppingstone introduction to the thriving Taiwanese American community ecosystem. I remember one of the first events I attended was the 2018 Keep Taiwan Free rally, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about Taiwan’s exclusion from the international community. Seeing hundreds of people attend the event in support of Taiwan was an inspiring and eye-opening experience.

Since then, I’ve become involved in other Taiwanese/Taiwanese American organizations, such as FAPA through the annual lobbying conference and TAA through hosting the Vice President’s visit to DC. I was also fortunate in taking on a role in ITASA as the 19’-20’ National President. All these organization do great work in strengthening the Taiwanese/Taiwanese American community. The biggest takeaway for me is that, through my involvement, I’ve found a sense of purpose in both my personal and professional life. I met some of my closest friends and mentors through these organization, and every single experience has been invaluable.

If you could teach future generations 1 thing about being Taiwanese/Taiwanese American or Taiwan, what would it be?

One of my favorite quotes is “If I can see farther, it is because I am standing on the shoulders of giants”. The Taiwanese activists that came before have been inspirations to me, and I see a continuation of their work as a way to keep their legacy alive.

Second, don’t underestimate the impact you can have. To reiterate my opening ceremony speech at the ITASA 2020 Conference, which I believe shows the impact everyone has had on Taiwanese America, “I cannot think of a better testament to how far the community has come than this year’s theme: Recognize to Reconnect. Today, Taiwan is a shining beacon of democracy in Asia; and in conjunction, the Taiwanese American community has grown in size and color, becoming one of the largest, most socially active, and cohesive ethnic communities in the United States. We have come a long way because of students, around the country, dedicating their precious college hours to this cause. Everyone sitting here in this room has contributed, shaped, and molded Taiwanese America today. Our identity is not stagnant, it is constantly evolving through collective exploration.”

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

I’m very optimistic on the future of Taiwanese America. One trend I’ve observed in the last few years is the growing collaboration between older, first generation and second-generation Taiwanese Americans. I’ve also started seeing more interest from Taiwanese Americans in Taiwan-related matters, either by being more politically active in speaking up for Taiwan’s standing in the international community or by returning to Taiwan to start businesses. For example, Enoch Wu went back to Taiwan to run for legislator in 2020, and I believe many more like him will follow in his footsteps. Taiwan really needs these unique perspectives and experiences, whether it be politics, business, or technology, and Taiwanese Americans can play a crucial role in contributing to Taiwan’s growth.

Favorite memory of Taiwan/Taiwanese America?

My favorite memory was standing next to President Tsai Ying-Wen during her 2020 Taiwanese presidential election speech. I, along with other first-time voters, was invited to symbolize the new wave of young voters who had traveled back home to vote in a pivotal election to support progressive values. I remember vividly feeling a wave of emotion sweep over me as a large banner saying “回家投票” was rolled out into the crowd, encapsulating just how much everyone, especially the youth, cared for the future of Taiwan.

Favorite Taiwanese food?

Hands down 高雄港園牛肉拌麵 (Gang Yuan Beef Noodle)

Connect with Roy @royocheng on Instagram! All the organizations that Roy has mentioned (e.g., Keep Taiwan Free, FAPA, etc.) are great opportunities for young Taiwanese Americans to be more involved in the community, highly recommend checking them out!

Check out his feature on TaiwaneseAmerican.Org’s Instagram and Facebook!

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