Arrigo Proclaims May 9-16 Taiwanese-American Heritage Week

Mayor Brian Arrigo is being praised by local Taiwanese-Americans for his proclamation in honor of May 9-16 being Taiwanese-American Heritage Week.

Revere resident Joe McHugh, regional vice president of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), said, “I want to thank Mayor Arrigo for recognizing this special week for Taiwanese-Americans. This often- overlooked population has contributed greatly to America and having behind them a difficult history, are among the greatest advocates for democracy in our midst.

“In a difficult time for Asian-Americans in the United States Mayor Arrigo’s declaration touches the hearts of many Taiwanese-Americans, and it’s a reminder that Asian populations in the U.S are as diverse as the nation itself,” concluded McHugh.

Mr. McHugh’s wife, Marie O’Connell, accepted the proclamation at City Hall on behalf of the Taiwanese-American community.

McHugh estimated that there are 500,000 Taiwanese-Americans living in the United States.

Chung Commends Mayor’s Citation

Chia-chun Chung, a member and advocate of the local Asian-American community,  grew up in Taiwan and moved to the United States as a teenager. She lived in Queens, N.Y., and moved to the Boston area in 2005. She attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and completed her Master’s degree work in Industrial Engineering at Northeastern. She is a manufacturing engineer.

Currently a resident of Malden, Chung said she was “very much appreciative of Mayor Arrigo’s recognition” of Taiwanese-American Heritage Week.

“Especially this year with the recent incidents targeting Asian-Americans and this month being Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, it’s heartwarming for local officials at a grassroots level to give that recognition and I think that visibility will help the community at-large in being more aware of each other and then appreciate each other more,” said Chung.

She noted that the Boston-area chapter of the Taiwanese Association of America consists of 200 families. A Facebook group, Taiwanese in Boston, has 4,800 members.

Chung said she enjoys living in the Boston area. “You can drive less than an hour to get to the ocean and less than an hour to get to hike,” she said. “I think there is a New Englander camaraderie here.”