From Orange County church shooting to Pelosi's visit — what it's like to be Taiwanese American right now
LOS ANGELES — At the Miss Taiwanese American pageant, contestants usually answer questions like, "Describe yourself in three words."
This year, with the competition taking place days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's controversial visit to Taiwan, organizers prodded the young women to share their thoughts about the island.
One contestant, Tiffany Chang, highlighted Taiwan's vaunted semiconductor industry and a democratic government that provides universal health care and has legalized same-sex marriage.
Chang said afterward that she has become increasingly conscious of her role in educating others about Taiwan, as China's threats grow more aggressive.
"If we as Taiwanese Americans don't define our identity, it will be imposed on us, as Taiwan's history reminds us again and again," said Chang, an incoming first-year student at Stanford, who was crowned the winner Aug. 6 at the Hilton hotel in San Gabriel.
Taiwan's complex geopolitical in Laguna Woods, killing one and wounding five.
