Many people have asked me why we created the Brookline Taiwanese Chamber Foundation. The answer is simple: we want to carry forward the spirit of earlier generations of Taiwanese people who quietly gave, built community, and gave back to society. Some values should not remain only in the stories of the past. They should be remembered, continued, and passed on.
This April, we formally established the Brookline Taiwanese Chamber Foundation. As the foundation begins its work, many friends have asked how it differs from the chamber and what we hope to do in the future.
First, the Brookline Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and the Brookline Taiwanese Chamber Foundation are two separate organizations. The chamber has not simply changed its name, and the foundation does not replace the chamber. BTCC will continue to serve as a platform for connecting Taiwanese businesses, strengthening the community, and encouraging exchange and cooperation. BTCF will focus more specifically on charitable giving, cultural promotion, community engagement, and youth development. The two organizations have different roles, but they will support each other and work together to create greater impact for the Taiwanese community.
To me, the beginning of the foundation is not only an organizational extension; it is also a passing of the torch. BTCC did not arrive here because of one person alone. From founding president Sheng Yu to the presidents, board members, advisors, and volunteers who followed, many people have protected this chamber and strengthened this community in different ways across different times.
After building a successful life in the United States, Advisor Yu never forgot to give back to Taiwan. For many years, he established scholarships to help children in Taiwan. His example—turning gratitude into action and turning love for Taiwan into responsibility—reminds us that true influence is not only about personal success. It is about the positive force we leave behind for society. The founding of BTCF is not a restart. It is built on the foundation accumulated by those who came before us, and it is an effort to carry that spirit forward to the next generation.
One of the most important reasons for creating the foundation is my belief that true influence does not come only from business success. It also comes from the positive contributions an organization makes to society. If we want Taiwanese people in the United States to be genuinely seen, respected, and trusted, we cannot remain only in the business sphere. We must enter the community, participate in public life, and show through action that Taiwanese people are not only participants in this society, but contributors who want to make it better.
For that reason, in addition to promoting Taiwanese culture and values, BTCF seeks to take part in local service and community giving. We want more people to know that we are not only people from Taiwan; we are also members of American society. We are willing to participate, to give, and to contribute to the place where we live. Taiwan, too, is a place that understands gratitude and is willing to give back to the world.
After the foundation was established, our first activity was the Charles River community cleanup. On that day, members of the Taiwanese community adopted a one-mile stretch of the river. We did not only donate to support the Charles River Conservancy; we went to the river ourselves, put on gloves, picked up trash bags, and cleaned the riverbank with our own hands. It may seem like a small act, but it carries deep meaning. It reminds us that giving back does not require great wealth, corporate resources, or a large stage. Often, giving back begins simply with the willingness to step out, bend down, spend time, and do something for the place we call home.
The same spirit is behind the 912 Taiwan Fan Night at Fenway. Of course, this event is meant to bring together Taiwanese people in Boston. Fenway Park has hosted celebrations for many different communities and cultures over the years, and through this gathering, we hope the Red Sox will see that there is a Taiwanese community in Boston that loves Taiwan, supports Taiwan, and is willing to stand together. But 912 is not only about being seen. We want Boston to benefit from the fact that the Taiwanese community is being seen.
That is why BTCF has chosen to give back through this event by supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, helping local children and families. A truly powerful gathering is not only about the number of people or the size of the crowd. It is about whether, when we stand together, we can turn that collective energy into a blessing for society.
This is the spirit BTCF hopes to continue. Earlier generations of Taiwanese people worked hard in the United States, established themselves, and then protected the community, supported Taiwan, and gave back to society in different ways. Our generation, standing on this same land, hopes to continue that spirit in our own way.
We love Taiwan, so we want Taiwan to be seen. We are also grateful for the United States and the communities where we live, so we are willing to give back. This is the founding purpose of BTCF. We hope more people will see that Taiwanese people are not only a group that works hard and succeeds, but also a community that understands gratitude, is willing to serve, and wants to help society become better.
From one mile of riverbank along the Charles River to a Taiwanese gathering at Fenway Park, what we are trying to do is the same: help Taiwan be seen, and help Taiwanese kindness be felt.
Kuan Chen | President, Brookline Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and Brookline Taiwanese Chamber Foundation
Past Presidents of the Brookline Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce
Sheng Yu
Alice Chang
Jing Ruo Lin
Rose Chin
Grace Woo
Shin Fu Lin
Jessie Chan
Hubert Su
Teresa Young
Sharon Hsu
Meng Chieh Lee
Sarah Chen
Kuan Chen
We also extend our heartfelt thanks to all past board members, advisors, and volunteers for their dedication and legacy of service.