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Response to Pew Research Reports Hiding Taiwanese Identity: “We made it count. Now tell our stories.”

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Response to Pew Research Reports Hiding Taiwanese Identity: “We made it count. Now tell our stories.”

Identity Snapshot

  • Era: 2021
  • Geography: Taiwanese America
  • Core roles: historical work (story; band A)
  • Source org: taiwaneseamerican-org]]

Record

Article

Cited from the original (source). Echopedia holds this as community historical record.

Taiwanese American Community Response to Pew Research Reports on Asian American Communities

IMAGE SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER

Recently published reports by the Pew Research Center analyzing Asian American communities have included footnotes that data for “‘Chinese’ includes those identifying as ‘Taiwanese.’”

As of today (May 1 – the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month), the methodology for Pew Research Center’s Asian American fact sheets makes no reference to why explicitly “Taiwanese” data points were merged with “Chinese.”

We ask the Pew Research Center to issue an apology to the Taiwanese American community, and re-publish its findings with Taiwanese Americans as a separate category.   

To Neil G. Ruiz, the associate director of Race and Ethnicity Research, and Pew Research Center: 

Taiwanese Americans are not “Unseen,” as the title of your webinar on Asian American stories might suggest, nor do we exist “between the data.” 

We have instead sustained decades of grassroots efforts for Taiwanese Americans to self-identify not simply as “Other Asian,” but as “Taiwanese.” And we were successful: as the note reveals, the data points exist, only to be intentionally jumbled into categorically incorrect information and erasing generations of community advocacy. 

I am getting ready for a conversation with leading experts from academic, business, media, and philanthropy at 1pm ET today on “Beyond the Data: The Unseen Stories of Asian Americans,” feel free to sign up here https://t.co/0AVamE0IxS AsianAmericanExperience pic.twitter.com/jkVqtq9vru

— Neil G. Ruiz (@neil_ruiz) April 29, 2021

In your panel, you challenge why large data gaps exist about Asians and their experiences in America. You ask why those stories are missing, and what the research community can do to bring them to light. As Taiwanese Americans, we respond: why was the data we reported manipulated? Why were our stories hidden, and why is the research community discounting the importance of disaggregated, meaningful data? 

The choice to merge distinct groups is not only hurtful to Taiwanese Americans, but reaffirms an insidious precedent of imprecise, inaccurate data harming those not squarely represented in their limitations. We don’t just want to make Taiwanese Americans count out of shallow identity politics or ethnic pride; we share a deep appreciation for the civic implications, practical outcomes, and systemic development borne out of reports like the Pew Research Center’s. We believe that data is powerful; that is why we have organized around its integrity, and why we are so disappointed by your manipulation of it. 

Lumping Taiwanese with Chinese specifically is hurtful for the Taiwanese American community. Many first generation Taiwanese Americans came to the United States as political refugees from persecution by the Chinese Nationalist Party in Taiwan, and many more Taiwanese Americans defend their identity from being confused with Chinese, given the ongoing threat of military invasion of Taiwan by China. 

For its part, China is actively engaged in a campaign to erase Taiwan off the map, by politically and economically coercing corporations, academic institutions, and governments to label Taiwan as a province of China, an outright lie given that Taiwan is a sovereign state. The Taiwanese people, including Taiwanese Americans, do not appreciate being harassed by China like this. To see such a reputable and trusted organization like Pew Research follow intentionally misleading information from the Chinese Communist Party is bewildering. 

From the 2010 Census data, there were more people who self-identified as Taiwanese Americans than there were counted in 7 out of 19 of the ethnicities listed. Pew Research would never consider grouping Nepalese data with Indian data, or Hmong data with Laotian data, because doing so would be inaccurate, intellectually dishonest, and most of all disrespectful of the tens of thousands of people who work tirelessly just to have this aspect of their existence acknowledged.   

Therefore we ask that the Pew Research Center issue a statement of apology to the Taiwanese American community, including an explanation on why the Taiwanese data was merged, and re-publish its findings with Taiwanese Americans as a separate category. 

Signed,

Christina Hu

Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign

Director of Civic Engagement, Taiwanese American Citizens League

Leona Chen

Creative Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign

Editor-in-Chief, TaiwaneseAmerican.org

Chieh-Ting Yeh

Media Director, Write in Taiwanese Census Campaign

Cleo Chiang

President, Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California

Danny Chen, President, Southeast Bay Taiwanese Association

Jonathan Lee

Huang Chi Yu

Andrew Hua

Lee-Sean Huang

Eric Chang, Taiwanese American Citizens League

Brian Ma

Victor Hsu

Jeremy Lai

Julia Chang

Alicia Chang

Ryder Ko

Veronica Chang

Richard Tsai

Chiung-hsun Lai

Bi Huey Wu, Silicon Valley Taiwanese Association

Daniel Wang

Wellington Tzou, Taiwanese American Citizens League

Alan Y.C. Cheng

Teresa Huang, NATWA-SC (North American Taiwanese Women’s Association – Southern California Chapter)

Karen Hsu Patterson

Pam Tsai, San Francisco Taiwanese Association

Ben Ling TACL

Cindy Lee

Catherine Chou

Will Tiao

Chen Tsai, San Francisco Taiwanese Association

Jaja Liao

Charles C CHUNG Taiwanese Hakka Associations of American

Jeffrey Lai

Baldwin Yen

Cheng Yang Kao Senior Taiwanese association of northern Califonia

Jeff Shieh Taiwanese American Citizens League

Lynna Wang

Cheng-Yang Kao Senior Taiwanese association of Northern Califonia

Kiki Lee President of Formosan Association for Public Affairs, NY-Metro chapter

Justin Tseng

Isabel Kao NATWA-NCA (North American Taiwanese Women’s Association – Northern California Chapter)

Stephen Lin

Sophia Deng, North American Taiwanese Women Association- Northern California

Grace Huang

William Lin

Jeff Hsu

Duane Juang

Yamei Lee Member, North America Taiwanese Womens Association

Chun-yu Lu

Tiffany Cheng

Kuohsiung Chen, FAPA

Dexter Lai

Yu-An Lay

Holly Chiu

Vivian Chang

Tiffany W. Chang

Sun Cossette, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association

Henry Yang

Monica Wang

Thomas Yu, Taiwanese American Next Generation

RayJen Chang

Diana Chang

Alan Chang

Chihyang Hu

Jannie Shea

Chia-Chun Chung

C. Robert Chang

Louisa Wu

Carol Lee

Andrew Tsai

Jo Hsin ( Stacy) Tang, Taiwan Bento

Henley Shao

Michelle Wang

Marian Liu

Sam C Cheng, Taiwanese American Senior Society – East Bay

Sonya Huang

Jacqueline Hsiang Haddenham

Alan Huang

Joselyn Lai

Ariana Chuang

Patty Ho

Connie Jeng

Mei ko

Pamela Hung

JC Chang, Taiwanese Americans for Progress

Pei-Lynn Juang

Hudson Liu

Helen Chen

Huey, Taiwanese American at East Bay

Barnaby Yeh, Makatao Nation, Kalapo Tribe

Vincent Huang, Taiwanese American Foundation

Mengchun Chiang

Whelan and John Detrick, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Edwin Cho

May Lee

Kevin Chou, Taiwanese Association of America

Cooper Wang

Josephine Huang

Jane Chang, TAFNC

CY Chang, Retired

Ruth Chang, Retired

May-Ling Lin

Alice Chou

Diana H Wu, individual from SVTAA

Maggie Hsu

Rebecca Leu, Wellesley Asian Alliance

Sarah Lin

Christina Wang, TACL

Harrison Chen

Stephen Wang

Elizabeth Hwang

Chia Yi Lin

Yuh-Lin Yang, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Christine L. Yang, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association

Shaw Shieng Wen, Silicon Valley Taiwanese association

Erik Lin

Shaw Sujen, Silicon Valley Taiwanese association

Elizabeth Wu

Ray Wang, EBTA

Betty Wang, EBTA

Hank Lu, LWV Taiwanese Club

Nicholas Wu, FAPA Orange County Chapter

Jerry Liu, FAPA

Kuang-tau Liu, Taiwanese American East Bay Association Service

Hanalei Wang

Ken Wu, FAPA Los Angeles

Eric Chang

Chin Shu Chen, LWV Taiwanese Club

Kuan-Lung Chen

Oliver Lin, Laguna Woods Village Formosa Taiwanese Club

Ren Lin, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club

Eric Chang

Ren Lin, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club

Meng-Yun Lin

Gary Lin, Taiwanese

Suh Shyu

Chang Liao

Po Hu

Mark Du

Nancy Ho

Gloria H. Shaw

Shan-Nan Gong, Taiwanese

Amanda Jaskiewicz

Ray C Lee

Billy Stampfl

Ellaina Lin

Tony Stampfl

Beth Stampfl

Su-Mei Kao, FAPA

Jason Wang

Shu-Chih Lin

John Chen, Laguna Woods Taiwanese Club

Victor Lai

Chao-Dung Shih

Judith Huang

Kuei Ling Chen, President, Taiwanese Association of America

Li Ping Sung

Mindi Liao, Formosa Republican Association

Peeyeh Su, Laguna Woods Taiwanese Club

Amy Wu

Peter Chen

Eric Chang

Amy Shih

Hwa Sheng Liu, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Jennie Chen

Liang Chang, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Shu Chang, East Bay Taiwanese Association

J. H. Chen, Taiwanese

W. H. Chen Taiwanese

Walter Yang, East Bay Taiwanese American Senior Society

Kevin Huang

Sandy Chen, San Francisco Taiwanese Association

Cheng-Chi Chen, Senior Taiwanese Association of Northern California

Robert Tsai

Connie Shieh

Alison Yeh

Po-Han Chen

Sarina Chow

TAI M. CHIU, Orange County Taiwanese Association CA

Albert Hwang

Amber Crawford

Cosette Wu

Minly Sung, Taiwanese Association of Houston

Jim Hung, Retired, member of Taiwanese Association

Julia Chen

Ruth McCreery

MinLing Ni

Ann Tan

Thomas Cheng, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Sabrina Wang, Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association

Kuochih Hong, Taiwanese Association of Great Detroit

Feng Chen

Frances Liao

Andrew Chen

Jo Ann Huang, East Bay Taiwanese Association

Tait Sye

Amy Fan, Taiwanese Americans for Progress

Mei-hui Lai

Joe Liu

Jennie Kung

Wanshu Ho

Michelle Stanley

Kerim Friedman, National Dong Hwa Univerity, Taiwan

Andy Woo

PaoHsi Ho

Jau-Yon Chen

Fang Wu, EBTA

Jeffrey Chen

Stephanie Liu

Feng Feng Chen, Taiwanese Club

Chenkwanh F Hsieh

TseHuang Hsueh, Silicon Valley Taiwanese Association

Hilary Wu

Pauline Lee Hsueh, Individual of North America Taiwanese Women Association – North California Chapter

Mei-Lee Hsueh, Individual

Warren Lee, Taiwanese Native Alignment.

Antonio Bolaños Casanova Jr

Sabrina Liu

Li Lee

Charles Chaung, Outreach For Taiwan

David Tsay, Taiwanese American Association of New Jersey(TAANJ)

YaYa Lee, American Taiwanese church in NJ

Agatha Chang 正港台灣人

Stanford Chiou

HueiTong Huang, Taiwanese American Association of Greater Orlando

Ho-Chou Tu

Yi-An Ko

Loring Tu

Irene Lee

Monica Hsieh, TAA NJ Chapter

Shen-yi Liao

Rosalyne Shieh

SingRu Hong

Rozette De Castro

Fan-Yun Lan

Chin-pao Huang, American Taiwanese Association of Delaware

Michael Lin

Demi Wang

Priscilla Chung

Bridget Deline, COOLJC Region 8 SJEREC

Su-yueh Huang

Tenzin Rigden

Jenny YL Lin, IMC

Jusuan Lee

Cynthia Lin, Taiwanese Diaspora Podcast

Joyce Yao

Car Sun

Susanna Wei

William W. S. Wei

Anne Hu

Christopher C Yang

Alice Yang, Taiwanese American

Pao-Fei Kuo. NATWA

Teresa Tarn

En-Tie Soon

Alice Chang Chen, North American Taiwanese Women’s Association

Grace Lai, NATWA

Muhammad Akhtar

Pei wang

Ken Hsu Rochester, Taiwanese Bible Study

Emma Chen STT

Chiou Su-Chuan Chuang

Justin Guyton

Amy Hsu

Lily Yu, NATWA

Ying-Fang Lai, NATWA

Carl Becker

Zero Cho

Martha Camacho Rodriguez, Social Eco Education-LA (SEE-LA)

Min-Lung Kuo Myself

Tsai-Yen Han

Meaghan Su, NATWA

Jeffrey Lin

Hsiu-fang Liu, North American Taiwanese Women’s Association

Elena Ling NATWA

Alex Hung, Chapter President, FAPA CA-SD

Adam Peir, Taiwanese American Professionals – Washington, DC

Huey Chen, ATAA

Rob Worrell

Roger Lo

Betsy Tseng, NATWA

Tiffany Hsieh

Kaitlyn Huang

Irene C Lee

Dr. Song Jan

Emma Jenson, CDP Progressive Caucus

Katherine Alexander

Stephen C Chen, Individual

Linda Wu, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA)

Lain Shan Wu

Jesse Chen

Chia-whei Hsieh, NATWA

Wei-Kei Shiue

Vandy Chang

I-Jin Yeh

Hans Harn

Long Lee FAPA

Alyce Chu

Grace Lin

Yu Ying Lin

Cecelia Tsai, NATWA

Ju-Chu Ho, Self

Wen Chen-Lorhan

Victoria Tsay

Jerry Chen FAPA NC

Ellie Yang Camp

Hung Ping Shih

Vinicius Taguchi, President, Twin Cities Chapter, Japanese American Citizens League

Wendy Houang

Yuan-sheng Cheng

Alex Chen, FAPA Los Angeles

Bertha Huang, NATWA (North America Taiwanese Women’s Association)

Jerry Lio

Doris Lu

Dr. John C. Hsieh, North Texas FAPA chapter president

Miles C. Hsu

Hsin chang Liao, FAPA

Meishan Chiou, North American Taiwanese Women Association

Ethan Lin

Kevin Chang

Alfred Twu

Mao-pang Lin

Chi-Hung Lu

Chi-Hung Lu

Josephine Wu Vuylsteke, NATWA, Hawaii Chapter

Aaron Lee

Huihua Lee

Caroline Fan, Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation

Chun-yi Chen

Judy Chen

Yen Wu

Amy Hsiao, Hsiao Law PC

Asher Hsiao, Hsiao Law PC

Hung Chen, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club

Paul Kuo

Jean Fannjiang

Dr. Kenneth Wang, The Institute of Taiwanese Studies

Clara Chen, NATWA: North America Taiwanese Women’s Association

Albert Fannjiang

David T. Chen, Taiwanese American Center of N CA

Josephine Lo

Cynthia Ling Lee

Justina Wu

Chieni McCullough, American Citizens for Taiwan

Ming-shian Wu

Li-Fang Hsieh

Selia Wu

Jennifer Kao

Megan Kao

Chun Chen

Ramsey Baden

Cindy Kao Tsai NATWA

Sue M. Ku, Taiwanese Association in Greater Philadelphia

Yin-Yin Chou

Kaili Chang

Shang-nien Tsai

Stephanie Chan

Monica Yen

Kristine Lin

Kristine Lin

Shin Yin Lin

Elizabeth Pai

Christine Chern

Ginger Wu

Andrea Chu, Chrysanthemum: Voices of the Taiwanese Diaspora

Yu-ming Cheng

Pearl Wu

Peter Wu

Roselyn Lee

Janice Liu FAPA – OH(N)

Eve Wu

Austin Ko

Mei-Shi Chu, NATWA

Barney Cheng, Taiwanese Americans For Progress

I-SHIH WANG

Kai Yang

Kai Shih

Joyce Pan

YT

Yiting Kuo

Mu-Fen Hsieh

Yvonne Lee

Yuan-Hsin Chen

Weihsien Chang

Hui-Yi Chu FAPA- San Diego (CA)

Wen Wen Chi

Han-Jung Ko

Sheena Lee

Sheena Lee

Sheena Lee

I-Ching Chiu

Vience L

Shu-shen Huang Wu

Ling-chih Kao

Chih-ping Li

Harrison Lee

Jennifer Huang

Siou-Ming Chuq, SVTAA member

Yachi Hung

Mel Wong

V tsai

Jo-Yu Hung

Mel Wong

Lillian Hung

Amy Li

Gabriel Li

Josephine Pan, Taiwan Elite Alliance

Teresa Liao

Wei-Ting Hung

Chih Mei Cheng

George ShaoChi Tang

Hsin Amber Wang

Ken Lin, Taiwanese American Senior Society East Bay

Chieh Chien, Taiwanese Americans of Great Seattle

Richard Chen, StopAAPIHate.us creator, AsiansNOW founding member

Koklioong Loa

Tim Chng

Alan Chen, San Jose-Tainan Sister City Association, Former President

Burton Tan, Taiwanese Christian Church

Cheney Tsai

Edward Hsieh

Albert H Chang

Ron Huang, Laguna Woods Village Taiwanese Club

Kathy Wu

Mark Kao, Formosan Association for Public Relations

Chong Liao

Lisa Liao

Linda Hsieh

Rosa Lin

Wunan Lin, TAFNC

Jean Huang

Szu-Ting Hao

Ling Ling Juang

Peter Chen

La̍p Tiong-Chèng, FAPA

Charlie Cheng

Sue Cheng

Hung-Jen Yang

Cassie Kuo

Sun Tien Lin

Charlene Kao

C. C. Yang

Sandy Chou, Taiwanese Association of greater Seattle

Dr. Christine Chang

Jenny Tsai

Dr. Robert Chen, FAPA

Rolla Chng

Yun-Hao Hsiao

Cherng Jia Hwang

Christina Chuang

Dan Ko, East Bay Taiwanese American Association

Hsin-Jui Chou

Jennifer J Chang

Ta-Chen Wang

David S. Huang

Leslie Cheng

Libby Kau

Daniel Chieh-Ding Lin, National Taiwan University

Chin-Hwa Huang

Shuchean Chien, Taiwanese American

P. Cecilia Liu

Cathy Shang Kuan

Nancy Wang, Chamber of Commerce Ecuador

Peter Hsu, Taiwanese Association of Greater Philadelphia

Li Hsu, Taiwanese Association of Greater Philadelphia

Jen Manens, Taiwanese American Center of Northern California

Yen-Ting Hsu

June Lin, Formosan Association for Public Affairs

Jerry Hsu, US – Taiwan Watch

Simon Lin Physician

Maxine Lu

Elu Tu, Southern Connecticut State University

Patty Tang

Ellen Fan

Samuel Lin

Eric Tang

Eric Tang

Shu-Chen Chen

Amy Cheng

Lan-Fang Chang

Monica Chuang Hsieh, TAANJ

I-Chin Chen

Vincent Lee

S. T. Cheng

LiShin Chiu, Taiwanese American association- Colorado chapter

Philip Liu, member of NATPA, MY name My Right

Frank Hsu N/A

Huiwen Chang

Hung-da Lwo

Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northen California

Margaret Locke

Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northern California

Ching Peng

Frank Hsu, Taiwanese Hakka Association of Northern California

Amy y. Lin, Taiwanese Association of America Greater Washington Chapter

Agnes Wu, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association

Edward J. Lin, Hakka For UN NGO Association

Hui-Shun Hung

Wayne Wang

Shunwen Khang

Shangte Shen, Taiwanese American

CK Huang

H. Huang

Hsiuying Cheng

Frank Lin

Kelly Chen

Jennifer J. Chen, Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California

FC Lin

Maggie C. Lin, TAFNC

Frances Hui, We The Hongkongers

Stella Peng

Stephen R. Hsu

Stephanie Stache, NATWA

Mia Liu, NATWA

Sue Chen, North America Taiwanese Women’s Association

Catherine Lai, Taiwanese Association of America Greater Chicago Chapter

Susan Chan

Frank Chiu

Chien-Kuang Chen

MunHuey Lai

Carl Yang

Ching-I Chen

Susan. Chang, NATWA

Victor Lin

J. J. Chen, Taiwanese American

W. W. Cheng, Taiwanese American

Sui Hwu

Stanley Chen

Cynthia T. Hsu, NATWA

Warren Han

Ava Lee

Gloria Hsieh Garver, Taiwanese American

Ta-Rong Jan

Elaine YL Han

Katie Liu

Robert Lai

Cheng-Chih Ko

Margaret kan

Ling-Ling Lee

Noelle Lee Okoth

Colin Hodge, Snowball

Lisa Wu, Northern America Taiwanese Woman Association

Felicia Lin, Talking Taiwan Podcast

David Ying

Mutauh & Yachung Lin

Sean Shiau

Vicki Hsu

Jeffrey Kimmel, Taiwanese American Professionals – Boston

Julie Chen

Stephen Chen

Shirley Chen

Cecilia Chen

Becky Belcore, NAKASEC

Sookyung Oh, NAKASEC Virginia

Oliver Wang, Taiwanese American Professionals – San Francisco Chapter

Myron Dean Quon, Esq. NAPAFASA

Alvina Yeh, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO

Sina Uipi, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities

Sruti Suryanarayanan, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)

Kiran Kaur Gill, Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund (SALDEF)

To be added to the list of signatories, please fill out the below Google Form.

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  • 2021-05-01 — published

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