Our Treasury

The Shaping of First-Generation Taiwanese Americans

Author: Sibyl Chen

 

The Shaping of First-Generation Taiwanese Americans presents a glimpse into the lives of ten diverse Taiwanese Americans and the challenges they faced as first-generation immigrants in the U.S. Whether they arrived during the 1960s-70s “brain drain” or later, all came in pursuit of the same dreams: higher education, greater freedom, and a better future for their families. Their experiences reveal both the obstacles common to life in a new country – language barrier, isolation, culture shock – and the struggles unique to being Taiwanese.

From the stay-at-home mom to the multimillionaire philanthropist, from the blacklisted engineer to the internationally acclaimed artist, each individual has helped forge a distinct, hybridized identity for our community – one that combines the rich values and traditions of Taiwan with the democratic ideals and opportunities of America. Our Treasury gives voice to the original wave of immigrants from Taiwan – profiled for the first time in English – and provides a much-needed perspective on the Taiwanese American community.

Author Sibyl Chen

Sibyl Chen is a freelance writer and a second-generation Taiwanese-American activist, currently living in San Francisco, California. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in Political Science and plans to pursue a career in foreign policy and international diplomacy. Our Treasury: the Shaping of First-Generation Taiwanese Americans is her first book.

 

Published in -/2002

Posted in 10/2014