My parents came to this country from Taiwan seeking greater opportunities and a better future for their children. After my father got his graduate degree in engineering, my parents moved to Denton, Texas, where I was born in 1980. They worked hard to provide me with the best education possible, helping me with my homework late into the night after working fourteen hour days, sacrificing vacations and nights out to pay for summer classes, and sending me to programs in places they never had the chance to visit. Thanks to their tireless efforts, I attended public schools and excelled, got into Yale, and graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 2006.

After Meeting Michelle Obama and Getting My Shirt Signed

Even as a kid, I had a certain fascination with politics. But like most kids, I parroted the party line around me. In heavily Republican suburban Dallas, I fancied myself a staunch conservative, listening to Rush Limbaugh and doing school projects about my hero, Ronald Reagan. But as I got older, my eyes began to open to the world around me. I started to understand how people have struggled throughout history for freedom, equality, dignity. I saw that what made America a great country was its great progressive vision, its hope and commitment to making the future better for each new generation. I made my own choice; I became a Democrat.

Along the way, I also learned about the importance of participation and the power of community action. These values eventually drew me into political activism in 2003 when the Howard Dean campaign demonstrated how the grassroots could harness its energies to compete with the lobbyists, the corporations, and the political machines. Though Dean did not win the nomination, the movement he cultivated continued to grow. And by an amazing coincidence, while the 2004 presidential primary was still winding down, I met the man who would take the movement to the next level.

In early 2004, after volunteering for Dean in Iowa, I heard that one of my law professors was running for US Senate. As with most people, the name immediately jumped out at me - Barack Obama. How could a guy with a name like that get elected at this time in our history? So I started to learn more about him. And everything I found out excited me more. My friends in his class raved about him (I was just a first year student so I couldn't take him). He was a principled progressive who could persuade opponents to become supporters. After years of hearing that Democrats could only win by compromising their values, here was a politician who proved that politics should be about compromising everything EXCEPT your values.

So I volunteered on his primary campaign, helping to collect petition signatures to get him on the ballot. I voted for him in the 2004 primary. And I thrilled at the chance for America to see how special he was when he gave the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. I promised myself that I would be there for him if he ever ran for president.

At the UT Campaign Office

While in law school, I also made a decision to move back to my native state and lend my energies to the fight for justice in the place that raised me. I received a prestigious public interest fellowship for a project assisting victims of domestic violence with housing problems at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. in Austin. Shortly after I moved to Austin in 2006, Sen. Obama announced he was exploring a run for president. I decided that my greatest contribution as part of the grassroots would be to use my background and skills to organize the Asian American community, so I founded Asian Americans for Obama in December 2006.

Memberships

• Austin Asian American Bar Association (2006-Present)
• Capital Area Asian American Democrats, Cofounder and President (April 2007-Present)
• Mobilized volunteers to register over 100 new AAPI voters and phone bank and canvass on behalf of endorsed candidates
• 144 members on mailing list
• Launched awards ceremony for local Activist of the Year, Legislator of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award
• Created PAC to help endorsed candidates in local races - raised almost $4,000 so far
• Placed newspaper ad, 80,000+ robocalls on behalf of endorsed candidates in March 4 primary
• Goal of doubling or more AAPI turnout in 2008 general election
• Capital City Young Democrats, Officer at Large (February 2008-Present)
• Central Austin Democrats
• Democracy for Texas
• North By Northwest Democrats
• Save Our Springs
• Sierra Club
• Texas Democratic Party, Majority Builder
• Texas Environmental Democrats
• Travis County Democratic Party, Sustaining Member
• United Auto Workers
• Yale Club of Austin, Social Programs Coordinator (2007-Present)
• Organize all club activities and events
• Handle all club communications