Arizona MLK Living the Dream Award Recipient Wen Chyi Chiu
Posted on May. 18, 2023 / Awards / Subscribe 0
This month as the nation celebrates the numerous contributions of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, PRSA Phoenix hosted a one-on-one diversity dialogue with an award-winning community leader. Learn about the local and global contributions of Wen Chyi Chiu, ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism alumnus and Phoenix Sister Cities Taipei, Taiwan Chairperson in the interview below.
Q: Please provide your name and job title and an overview of your background along with information about your career and education at ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism.
A: I am born in Taipei, Taiwan and my family immigrated to the United States when I was just four years old. I see myself as almost a native of Arizona because I am a proud ASU Cronkite School of Journalism graduate. Currently, I am a Chinese Mandarin Teacher at US Blue Ribbon Award Winning School Seton Catholic Preparatory where I established their Chinese Mandarin program and sister school program with Taiwan.
Q: Tell us about your community involvement including association with Phoenix Sister Cities.
A: My passion is volunteerism and community service. I am currently the Chairperson for Phoenix Sister Cities Taipei Sister Cities as well as the Chairperson of Phoenix Sister Cities’ 11 International Sister Cities. This year, I am honored to be the recipient of the 2023 Arizona MLK Living the Dream Award for my volunteerism and community services. I am actively involved in Phoenix Sister Cities where the goal is connecting people to people through businesses, cultural awareness, education, international relations and global exchanges. Therefore, due to the continuous efforts of the Taipei Sister Cities Committee’s strong and continuous 44-year relationship, exchanges and cooperation between Taipei and Phoenix, along with the leadership of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) has chosen to invest $40 billion dollars in Phoenix to make Phoenix a semiconductor leader.
Q: Please tell us how Phoenix Sister Cities celebrates and honors the AAPI community.
A: This year is the 27th Anniversary of the award-winning Taipei Chinese Culture Summer Camp of Arizona, recipient of the Phoenix Mayor’s Partnership Award, Designated as Arizona Centennial Event, Honored by US Congress and Recognized by the Arizona Department of Education, where students are able to have hands-on experience learning about the beauty of Taiwan including Taiwanese culture, folk dance, folk arts, Taiwan yo-yo, arts and crafts, pastry, calligraphy and painting, paper arts, 3D arts, paper folding and paper cutting, Mandarin songs, lion and dragon dances with this free cultural and educational program for younger generations. I am proud to organize and serve as Executive Camp Director as a Volunteer. Each year, I also coordinate Global Friendship Event for Phoenix’s International Youth Ambassadors to promote global cultural awareness, understanding, exchanges and diversity. I also coordinate and sponsor Taiwan Art Exhibitions showcasing the talents of Taiwan artists from professionals to award-winning young artists to artistic special education artists to enrich Arizona’s arts and culture at Arizona Capitol Museum and Phoenix City Hall. In addition, I donate Mandarin books to public libraries to allow the public to learn more about Mandarin. This year, Phoenix Taipei Sister Cities in partnership with ASU has an inaugural free mah jong
culture event where attendees learn about the wisdom game of Mah Jong.
Q: Through Phoenix Sister Cities, you have been actively involved in coordinating Phoenix Chinese Week. How did the random acts of violent incidents in CA during Chinese Week impact security and/or attendance at Phoenix's celebration this year?
A: Phoenix Sister Cities had a moment of silence for the acts of violence incident in CA during the Lunar New Year.
Q: How can individuals learn more about the community and support the #StopAsianHate campaign?
A: Phoenix Sister Cities has exhibitions at Phoenix City Hall to honor AAPI in May, and Phoenix Sister Cities is hosting events showcasing Asian sister cities with A Tea Journey Across Asia event to introduce the public about the different unique teas. Taipei Sister Cities won the People’s Choice for Taiwan’s Lotus Flower Tea. Mayor Gallego also recognizes and honors the efforts of the AAPI. In addition, the Phoenix Sister Cities Global Links Luncheon featured
Ambassador Tai as the keynote speaker who is of Taiwanese descent. Individuals can learn more about the community by actively attending or participating in events to better understand and become more involved and informed about the positive impacts of the AAPI community.
Q: As PR Professionals we represent businesses that work with various communities. How can businesses authentically show their support for the AAPI community?
A: Businesses can sponsor and promote AAPI events to display their support and engage with the AAPI community.
Q: What protocol is important for our readers to know when interacting with the AAPI community?
A: Honoring elders, being respectful and polite, compassionate, loving, humble and caring are key characteristics of the AAPI community. In Taiwan, children are taught to respect their elders and teachers. Respecting the elders because they can share their experiences and expertise. Respecting teachers is equal to respecting your own parents because teachers are like a child’s second parent because teachers are the ones that will educate students to be the leaders of tomorrow. There is a famous saying “A teacher for a day is to be respected like a father for a lifetime. Even if a person only teaches you one day, you should regard and respect the person like your father for the rest of your life,” so teachers are highly respected in Taiwan.
Q: The AAPI community consists of rich cultural histories and vibrant traditions. What would you like for people to know about the community?
A: When the term “China Virus” was used during the COVID-19 pandemic, bullying and hate crimes not only affected people from China but impacted many people of Asian descent who were negatively judged, harassed, or hated because people were judged by their appearance, which is wrong. Public Relations practitioners can help by being more aware of the different cultures and ethnicities in Asia. For example, Chinese New Year mainly means celebrating the New Year for Chinese people. However, if the term is changed to Lunar New Year, it will mean celebrating the New Year by all Asian cultures that recognize and celebrate the lunar calendar.
By Cynthia Weaver
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