Taiwanese American Citizens League – Leading Youth Forward (TACL-LYF) Camp
For over 30 years, our camp has been empowering kids to become effective leaders in their communities. Established in 1983 as Taiwanese American Youth Leadership (TAYL), the camp originally started as a place where first generation Taiwanese parents could pass on their culture and values. Over the years, the camp has evolved to help Taiwanese youth of all generations handle the issues they face as American citizens. Today, LYF’s mission is to foster awareness of Taiwanese American identity, culture and values while empowering the youth to become effective and proactive leaders in the community.
In recent years, TAYL has undergone an organization shift, transitioning from its fiscal sponsor, Taiwanese Alliance for Interculture (TAI), to Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL). This move was done in order to unite with other second generation Taiwanese Americans across the country. The name of the camp was also changed to Taiwanese American Citizens League – Leading Youth Forward (TACL-LYF, pronounced tackle life).
On the Topic of Taiwanese American Youth Summer Camps & Conferences
Since joining TACL, LYF has undergone a metamorphosis; with access to a vast new community of resources, LYF has exploded with new events and programs to serve the local Taiwanese American youth community. In the San Francisco Bay Area alone, besides LYF, TACL also hosts Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP), Junior Taiwanese American Student Association (JTASA), Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association (ITASA), TACL Political Internship, and TACL Leadership Conference. Together, we have worked closely to focus on nurturing, developing, and educating a new generation of Taiwanese American leaders.
Of course we still maintain close ties with the first generation. They are our roots and together the first and second generations create a Taiwanese American community in the San Francisco Bay Area that works as a family and is unrivaled by any other. While the second generation focuses on developing the youth, the first generation is our cultural rock. Holding events such as the Taiwanese American Cultural Festival, Lunar New Year Celebrations, Lantern Festivals, and Happy Kids Day, the first generation organizations Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California (TAFNC), Taiwanese Collegiate Alumni Association (TCAA), and Taiwanese Volunteer Group (TVG) are some of LYF’s strongest supporters.
Website/Register: http://lyf.tacl.org/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tacl.lyf