The first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
A thriving youth civil society.
An evolving post-colonial national identity. Taiwan has much to celebrate. But as we cheer the achievements of Taiwan's democratic government and civil society, our celebration is bittersweet. We are appalled by the PRC government's increasingly aggressive initiatives to discredit Taiwan's achievements and legitimacy in the global arena. We mourn the loss of diplomatic relations with two more nations…
In 2014, I spoke with filmmaker Yu Gu (顾雨) and her co-director, Scott Drucker, as they were gearing up to follow Arthur Chu for his appearance in the Tournament of Champions on Jeopardy! as a part of their documentary, Who is Arthur Chu?. The film centers on this fellow Taiwanese American, who translated his notoriety from the game show into a being a critical voice on issues of social justice and pop culture. After following the film’s progress, I drove up on a rainy day to speak with Gu…
HuanDao Documentary follows the story of two young women embarking on a two-week bicycle trip (known as huandao) through the country of Taiwan. One is Taiwanese American, and her return to the island explores her relationship with her family, her bicultural identity, and her greater understanding of self, home, and belonging. They travel through the beautiful island, experiencing its food and culture, befriending strangers along the way that challenge the question-- what does it mean to be Taiwanese…
Each year, TaiwaneseAmerican.org is pleased to support the premier Asian American Film Festival in the San Francisco/Bay Area. CAAM Fest, the Center for Asian American Media’s annual festival features not only amazing works in film, TV, and digital media, but also includes showcases in music and food. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the festival--a treasure trove of great Asian American works from established as well as emerging talent. This year, we are proud to co-present the centerpiece…
My Chinese name is 陳克聞. Seven strokes for the first character of my given name, fourteen for the second, because the fortuneteller told my grandmother that this mathematics of words was auspicious. I write my name with one stroke fewer than the prescribed number, so perhaps all my misfortunes are a result of bad penmanship. No one uses 陳克聞. At home, I am 哥哥, “older brother,” except when my mother, in exasperation, calls out all three syllables of my name for dramatic effect.…
If you’re unfamiliar with the many non-profit Taiwanese American community organizations that host these excellent home-away-from-home youth summer camps, be sure to explore the links below. One thing you’ll consistently hear from the participants is how much an experience like this changed their lives. For those new to the summer conference and camp scene, know that we at TaiwaneseAmerican.org endorse all of the listed programs. They all have talented and committed counselors and staff…
I call them the “Amy Tan Questions.”
Questions like “how do families relate in context of war, distance, and famine?” or “how does a child reconcile the old world of their parents with the new world America in which they live?”. These questions are important, for they are our foundation as a community and give us vignettes of Asian and Asian American history that American public schools neglected. But they are dated, and they are not our stories. I wanted to see writing that moved…
Join Dmae Roberts for a reading from her book "The Letting Go Trilogies: Stories of a Mixed-Race Family." She'll also talk about mixed-race history in Oregon. The reading and talk event is Sept 1st at 7pm at Another Read Through bookstore, 3932 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, Oregon 97227 Cookies and sparkling cider will be provided! "The Letting go Trilogies will be available for $13 only at Another Read Through Bookstore. More info: http://www.anotherreadthrough.com/event/local-author-dmae-roberts/ "The…
As we celebrate Taiwanese American Heritage Week and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, TaiwaneseAmerican.org is pleased to feature accomplished individuals of Taiwanese descent who have used their voices and talents to highlight the histories and legacies of our community. Kenji C. Liu is author of Map of an Onion, national winner of the 2015 Hillary Gravendyk Poetry Prize. His poetry is in, among other places, American Poetry Review, Action Yes!, Split This Rock’s poem of the week series,…
If you’re unfamiliar with the many non-profit Taiwanese American community organizations that host these excellent home-away-from-home youth summer camps, be sure to explore the links below. One thing you’ll consistently hear from the participants is how much an experience like this changed their lives. For those new to the summer conference and camp scene, know that we at TaiwaneseAmerican.org endorse all of the listed programs. They all have talented and committed counselors and staff…
