The Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL) proudly celebrated its 40th anniversary with a sold-out gala at The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, bringing together over 160 program leaders, alumni, community members, and civic leaders from across the country.

Masters of ceremonies Erica Brozovsky and Tiffany Chang highlighted TACL’s legacy of community building and leadership development across generations. TACL National President Peter Han officially welcomed guests to the celebration. “I’m excited to celebrate our momentous milestone with everyone!” states Peter Han, “It’s been an amazing 40 years with more to come!” Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) Director General Amino Chi shared congratulatory remarks. Susan Redfield, President of Sister Cities of Long Beach presented certificates to honor TACL’s continued service and impact. Long Beach shares a meaningful sister city with Taoyuan and sister port with Port of Kaohsiung relationships with Taiwan.

The gala featured live performances by Taiwanese American musicians Jessica Chen and Alan Wang, whose string duo performed popular Mandarin pop songs and an original medley composed by fellow committee member George Shaw. The evening included a high-energy concert performance by Niko Rain, an alum of LYF youth camp. Their performances reflected TACL’s commitment to uplifting Taiwanese American talent and culture.

Group photo of all of the gala attendees.

Guests were treated to a touching video montage that captured TACL’s programs over the decades—from the founding of TAP chapters nationwide to the expansion of youth camps and political internship programs such as LID, LYF, and PIP. The video also featured a heartfelt voice message from TACL’s founder, Li-Pei Wu, who reflected on the organization’s origins and its enduring mission to cultivate Taiwanese American identity and leadership. The tribute served as both a nostalgic look back and a call to continue the legacy for future generations. The event also honored past and current presidents of TACL and its programs for their leadership and contributions. More than 25 names were read aloud in gratitude as they stood to warm applause.

Attendees relive TACL’s history through the video montage

The keynote speaker of the evening, Andrea Yi Shan Yang, Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the United States (TECRO), traveled from Washington, D.C. to share remarks on the importance of community engagement in strengthening U.S.-Taiwan relations.

Keynote speaker, Andrea Yi Shan Yang, Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the United States (TECRO)

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the “TACL Legacy of Service” award to long-time community leader Ho Chie Tsai, founder of TaiwaneseAmerican.org and founding member of TAP-SF. The award was presented by Congresswoman Judy Chu, a strong supporter of the Taiwanese American community, praising Tsai’s decades of dedication to supporting the Taiwanese American identity and mentoring future generations. In his remarks, Tsai reflected on his decades-long connection with TACL, beginning as a high school student in the 1980s when he met early organizer Rob Liu. He later discovered his own mother, Shu M. Tsai, served as TACL-LA’s first Executive Director in 1992. Tsai shared how attending TACL’s first National Convention and serving over a decade as a LYF youth camp counselor deeply shaped his passion for youth mentorship and inspired his later work in community building. He accepted the award in honor of his mother and the late James Tseng, noting, “All our work is intricately connected.”

Ho Chie Tsai walking to stage to receive TACL’s “Legacy of Service” award