“It is important for an organization like TAP-SF to exist because the culture, values, and heritage of Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans are constantly evolving. It is valuable for us to continue to connect with our communities to learn about what we do not know, and also to share about our own identities with the rest of the Bay Area.”
Why is it so hard to make friends? How do I make friends as an adult? Dr. Christine Chang, PhD, shares practical tips and advice for cultivating healthy relationships and making friends as an adult. She also shares insights on the mental health conversation as it relates to the Asian American community and the importance of holistic care.
2022 ended with a bang for us! With every committee putting on an event (or two!) last month, we welcomed community members with a range of interests all throughout December. Here’s our December snapshot.
#Snapshot is a monthly blog series by TAP-SF featuring a roundup of our latest events, activities, and experiences.
From bar hopping and dumpling making to speed networking and volunteer gardening, our 2022 saw an abundance of new events, the return of unique community experiences, and the reconnection of friendly faces.
We rounded up some of our favorite moments that tell the story of this year. Here’s to building more memories with our amazing Bay Area community in 2023!
January — Happy (Lunar) New Year! Partnering with the Chinatown Community Development Center, our community service committee kicked off the year with a heartwarming card-writing event for seniors in honor of Spring Festival.
March — At Alcatraz Historical Gardens, a group of volunteers organized by our community service committee helped prune and plant new shrubbery during a brisk spring morning.
April — Meeting new people can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be! ‘Tea Talks’ was one of our most popular events this year, with more than 50 people in attendance. At the Stanford Golf Course, attendees gathered in small groups to chat through a deck of conversation cards before mixing, mingling, and conversing in new groups.
May — The West Coast’s largest Taiwanese American cultural celebration, the Taiwanese American Cultural Festival, returned to Union Square in San Francisco after a two year hiatus brought on by the pandemic.
June — We launched the first iteration of our ‘Dinner with TAP-SF’ event series, where TAP-SF board members host small group dinners at restaurants around the Bay Area. These small group dinners provide a more intimate setting for participants to learn about TAP-SF, our upcoming events, and make connections with new community members.
August — Hosted at Good to Eat Dumplings in Emeryville, our sold out dumpling making workshop invited Chef Henry Hsu of Oramasu Dumplings to teach us how to make dumplings from scratch. Throughout the event, participants learned the history and culture behind specific Taiwanese ingredients. At the end of class, handmade dumplings were served up with traditional Taiwanese accompaniments for all to enjoy.
September — Our ever-popular ‘Speed Networking’ event, hosted by our professional development committee, returned in-person for the first time since the pandemic hit! Our Speed Networking events provide a space for Bay Area professionals to connect and mingle, whether individuals are hunting for their next career opportunity or just looking to broaden their network.
October — Hello from the 2022-2023 TAP-SF Board! Our fall recruitment cycle attracted a number of new board members, resulting in a 30 person-strong board for the upcoming term. We kicked off the new term with our fall retreat, mapping out goals and brainstorming ideas within our refreshed board!
October — Spooky season celebrations were co-hosted at Southside Spirit House with longtime friend Jon Fong. Can you guess what the TAP-SF board was dressed as?
Hint: Our costumes reflect a drink that originated from Taiwan!
December — No better way to unwind (from the year, perhaps!) than with some good food and good company. Our social committee organized an energetic day of bar-hopping across the peninsula where attendees indulged in each cities’ local food and bar scene.
Our Community Service team this year, organized a new event with the On Lok senior community center in San Francisco. It was a very successful event and the connections made with the seniors was fulfilling for everyone involved. This event was a shining example of how the partnerships we make in the community can benefit everyone.
We interview Michelle Lee, our community service chair:
Why did you guys choose On Lok Seniors Caregiver?
My husband's grandmother goes there for services and likes it. I chatted with Jessica Chang Greenman and she was very open to having TAP come and help out with some gardening.
What was the experience like for the volunteers?
Overall it was fun. Jessica did a great job walking us through history of On Lok and telling us about the activities on offer. The gardening work was hard but fun, we had to move woodchips in wheelbarrows and place them on the paths to keep weeds from growing. It was rewarding as the look was quite professional after adding woodchips and it was clear seniors love that garden (they were singing, reading, watching opera videos, and doing tai chi). We also worked with a great master gardener.
Some folks went to help serve lunch and bus the tables, which gave them more interactions with the seniors. We ate lunch with the seniors and chatted with some of them. Many were excited to see younger people.
Why someone reading the blog might want to get involved?
It was so cool meeting all these people doing awesome work (like Jessica and her coworkers) and hearing how On Lok started (it was more informal at first before getting government funding). It was great to bond with the elderly and help them out! We'll all be there one day.
Greetings All,
As we are in the holiday season, I'd like to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support and participation in our community. We couldn't have had such a successful year without all of you!
The TAP community of the Bay Area is indeed a special one. We kicked off the year with a beautiful banquet, professional headshots at the shot-for-shot event and then a record breaking cultural festival. Our dragon boat team, the defending Novice champs, took home gold again this year. The first negotiation workshop was a big success. We've had some crowded and cheery TAPpy hours and are looking forward to many more to come! Volunteering events have been amazing as many of you dedicated time to volunteer at the Oakland Zoo and CAAM Fest. The season of giving continues - we will be partaking in the upcoming Giving Tree gift drive.
As we look forward to 2019, I'd like to extend the invitation to you to join us on the TAP team. Applications for chair positions are officially open, and we are always looking for committee members to help out throughout the year. Our focus as a community organization in 2019 will continue to center around social, community, health and wellness, and professional events. We are also looking for ways to increase civic engagement and be able to partner with other other Asian American groups to do so. Lastly, we want to get to know new members and focus on you. Come join us at the next recruiting event on 12/10 and complete our quick survey.
Wishing everyone a warm and blessed holiday!
Yours truly,
Vivian Liu
