From Fear to Fearless
A year ago, we officially launched KITA at the Taiwanese American Conference-East Coast (TACEC). This summer, we are honored to go back to TACEC to share snippets of our oral history interviews with three pioneers.
Meng and Sabrina co-led a workshop titled “From Fear to Fearless: Finding Intergenerational Resilience in the Stories of Taiwanese Students and First-generation Immigrants” on July 5, 2025, at West Chester University. Our goal - to inspire YOUR innate resilience.
Taiwanese activists transformed the fear they faced from the KMT authoritarian regime that carried out suppression of civil liberties and political repression from the 1940s to the 1990s, both in Taiwan and overseas, and turned to courageous and creative actions.
Participants watched interview clips featuring Powen Wang, who successfully organized impactful direct actions outside of the United Nations headquarters and during the Williamsports Little League baseball games to advocate for Taiwan’s independence; Dr. Long-Rong Mark Kao, who demonstrated resilience in grassroots organizing on college campus despite facing surveillance and intimidation and built momentum for student organizing around Taiwanese identity to thrive; and Dr. Monica Hsieh who utilized art to raise awareness, expand outreach, and build solidarity and support for Taiwan.
“I’m so grateful that Powen, Monica, Mark and others are willing to share their stories with us,” said Sabrina, “it was a special and powerful moment for me to see some of these pioneers being in this room, watching their own stories on six TVs - stories that are a part of our Taiwanese collective history.”
Participants talked with each other about how they connect with their own heritage and personal strengths, and what actions they would take today to reinforce their connections with their personal values, identities, and heritage.
“You know, resilience is all about bouncing back from tough times,” said Meng, KITA’s treasurer, “We often say ‘being Taiwanese is political,’ which really highlights the adversities tied to our identity. But let's also remember that resilience is a powerful, natural part of being Taiwanese, too! The three stories we just heard aren't just history lessons; they're like a mirror, showing us our own potential for strength and resilience within our community. They inspire us to connect with that inner drive we all have.”
If you are looking to connect with your Taiwanese heritage through engaging conversations, consider joining KITA’s online book club focusing on《Island X》. We gather virtually on the fourth Thursday of each month, with our next meeting scheduled for August 28, 2025. For more information, please contact us at info@kitafoundation.org.
Photos credit: TACEC 2025
