Over the course of our history, TACL has had a part in helping to instill in our community a greater sense of citizenship, stressing both the responsibilities and rights that come with it, so that all may share in the task of forging a strong future and the benefits that follow.
2021 – Present
APRIL 24, 2022 – TACL PUBLISHED ADDITIONAL CENSUS DATA ON TAIWANESE
Using IPUMS 2020 American Community Survey Data, we see the top five metropolitan areas where Taiwanese/Taiwanese Americans reside are – Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle.
The 2020 American Community Survey, also showed some continued encouraging and positive trends in areas of education, health insurance access, U.S. Citizenship integration, and homeownership for Taiwanese/Taiwanese American. You can submit your data query in the comment section of the blog.
FEBRUARY 3, 2022 – TACL PUBLISHED DATA ON TAIWANESE COUNT
Undercount remains an issue for Taiwanese in the 2020 ACS data. TACL published a population map of Taiwanese around the United States, according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 – PEW RESEARCH REISSUES REPORT ON ASIAN AMERICANS AFTER MISREPRESENTING TAIWANESE AMERICANS
We are happy to report that we have since had several very productive conversations and communications over this topic with Pew Research. This week, we saw the positive impact of this open dialogue with their issued correction and a further statement looking more closely at the problem of inconsistent reporting around self reported identities by the U.S. Census.
JUNE 2, 2021 – TACL PUBLISHED DISAGGREGATED DATA ON ASIAN DIVERSITY IN MAY 2021
TACL published comparison of Census data to demonstrate to Pew Research that the U.S. Census Bureau provides the disaggregated data for Taiwanese and Okinawan counts.
Before 2021
July 15, 1986 – The Monterey Park Incident
In 1986, TACL demonstrated its dedication to Citizenship and mobilized a coalition called “Committee Against Age and Racial Discrimination” to rally against the Monterey Park City Council in Southern California who had rejected the construction of a senior citizen housing complex that would have serviced many Taiwanese Americans. This movement brought to public attention the city’s instruction of police to collude with immigration authorities targeting Asian Americans, where many Taiwanese were targeted and racially profiled.
1990 – Demonstration of Citizenship | Census 1990
In 1990, TACL led a nationwide effort to include “Taiwanese” as a check-off ethnicity. To this present day, that effort is still in effect – “Taiwanese” still does not have its own check box under the ethnic categories on the Census form. However, TACL has been able to successfully add “Taiwanese” as an example on the 1990 census, and show that the issues pertaining to self determination are important to the community. Subsequent Census forms (2010) did not list Taiwanese as an example, and TACL continued to lead nationwide campaigns to educate people to “write-in Taiwanese.” Go to census2010.tacl.org to find out more about the 2010 campaign.
1998-2004 – Resolutions & Campaigns
1998 Resolution: Census Bureau should disaggregate all APA data (not just “Asian Americans”)
1998 Resolution: Self Determination of Taiwan – the people have the right to choose
Census 2000: write in “Taiwanese”. As a part of the 2000 census bureau campaign, we spread the word to have people check “Other” as their race and write in Taiwanese.
2002-2004 – More Resolutions & Campaigns
2002 – Petition against Abercrombie & Fitch’s “Wong Brothers Laundry” T-shirts
2004 – Support AB2428 “Kenny’s Law”, which protects hate crime victims and their family from further acts of violence, threats, stalking or harassment. Advocated for passage of hate crime victims protection law in California.
2011 – Fisher v. UT Austin
Signed onto an amicus brief with fellow API organization in the Fisher v. UT Austin matter to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in support of upholding affirmative action.
2016 – Signed Letter in Support of Affirmative Action
In May 2016, a coalition of 132 Asian American organizations was expected to file a complaint with the Departments of Education and Justice against Brown, Dartmouth and Yale University to end affirmative action, because they claim that quotas are hurting Asian Americans in the college application process. TACL did not agree with their claim that affirmative action implies racial quotas and signed a letter along with 150 Asian-American organizations in support of affirmative action. Check out the letter and list of 150 organizations here.
2016 – Signed FAPA Letter to Census Bureau to Call for “Taiwanese” in 2020 Census
TACL signed the FAPA letter to the Census Bureau, alongside 11 other organizations, to request a check box for “Taiwanese” on the 2020 Census Our communication with FAPA came through Jonathan Lin (jonolin429@gmail.com). The FAPA letter garnered publicity via these 3 outlets:
Taipei Times: [link]
Taiwan American history society: [link]
Chicago Chinese News (芝加哥時報): [link]
While TACL submitted revision requests to FAPA, our revisions were not made. The final letter in pdf format is loaded here.
2016 – Issued Public Release in Response to Jesse Watters’ Segment on Chinatown
In a recent Fox News segment, “Watters’ World,” host Jesse Watters conducted “man on the street” interviews with individuals in New York City’s Chinatown. While “Watters’ World” is known for its attempts at comedy, the interviews in this particular segment consisted of questions that TACL, like many other groups, condemns as racist and offensive. TACL applauds the efforts of elected officials, community leaders and Asian Americans around the nation who have gathered in a strong showing to lambast Watters and Fox News for their racist production.
Watch original segment and Ronny Chieng’s response to Watters here.
2016 – Signed onto Reappropriate Letter to Make Requests of Fox News in Response to Jesse Watters’ Segment on Chinatown
Signed onto the Reappropriate-led letter along with most of the TAP Chapters to support our request of Fox News. TACL had participated in the Town Hall in NYC that brainstormed the drafting of the letter.
Read the Reappropriate letter here.
2017 – Issued Public Release/Blog to Condemn President Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration and Pledge Alongside 200+ Asian American Organizations to Resist Discriminatory Actions
In January 2017, President Trump issued executive orders that limited/banned entry into the US from certain Muslim-majority countries, impacting travelers and refugees. TACL issued a public release/blog that condemned President Trump’s order. TACL reiterated that we stand against against Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism, and stands with other minority communities of color in solidarity against this ban.
Furthermore, we signed onto a letter along with 200+ Asian American organizations that condemn President Trump’s orders, and we pledged to stand alongside our brethrens in the fight against discrimination and racism.
Blog: [link]
Letter: [link]
If you have any questions or comments about TACL’s civic history, email us at tacl@tacl.org.