A toast to Heritage Week
(l-r): Jason Yuan, Dir. General of the L.A. Taipei Economic & Culture Office; Dr. Michael Tsai,
Dep. Rep of the Taipei Economic & Culture Rep Office in D.C.& Li Hwang, Taiwan Association of AZ president.
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The Taiwanese Association of Arizona sponsored the 2nd Annual Taiwanese-American Heritage Week Celebration Gala Dinner on April 26, 2002. This celebration was held at the beautiful Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in Scottsdale. The night’s program began with an exciting lion dance to welcome and bring luck to the celebration. Mr. Ming Chen was the master of ceremonies and he did a wonderful job in teaching everyone how to say a few phrases in Taiwanese. Those phrases of course had to do with food since food is a very important part of the Taiwanese culture. It was amazing to see and hear everyone in the room repeat those phrases in Taiwanese and to learn a little bit more of the Taiwanese culture.
We were then fortunate enough to be able to hear a few distinguished guests speak. Ms. Li Hwang, the committee chair of the Taiwanese Association of Arizona spoke on the mission and importance of the association. It was Dr. Michael Tsai’s, the Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic & Culture Representative Office in the United States, first time in Arizona and he spoke on the uniqueness of the Taiwanese culture and the importance of celebrating it here in Arizona. Ambassador Jason Yuan is the Director General of the Taipei Economic & Culture Office in Los Angeles. He mentioned how it was wonderful that this was the 2nd Annual Taiwanese-American Heritage Week Celebration, and that he knows the gala will continue to grow and expand every year just as how it has in Los Angeles. Mr. Jim Weiers, the House Speaker of the Arizona State Representatives was also present and congratulated the Taiwanese Association of Arizona for organizing the gala. The final speaker was Mr. Garry Ong, Commissioner for the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, and he mentioned the presence of Asian Americans in Arizona and the United States as a whole.
After all the speakers, everyone was incredibly hungry and those Taiwanese phrases definitely came in handy. When we all shouted that it was time to eat, the dinner began, and the wait was well worth it. Dinner was wonderful and all of our stomachs were quickly bulging and full. There was a presentation of greeting letters from Congressman Bob Stump by Lisa Atkins and Congressman Ed Pastor by Eric Gudino. After the presentation of letters two very gifted young men treated us with a few performances. Evan Yu played the piano while Jim Tai played the violin and both were simply brilliant in their performances. While they played there was a VCD presentation of “Taiwanese Americans in Phoenix” which showed all the contributions of Taiwanese Americans in Phoenix. There were many stores, buildings, and companies that I had simply no idea about the impact that Taiwanese Americans had, and it was incredible to see all that they have accomplished in the short time that they have been in the United States. The night’s program ended most appropriately in celebrating the heritage and contributions of Taiwanese Americans.
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