Angela Chen is a California voter, and a member of the AAPI Caucus Steering Committee Member. She lives in Singapore with her husband and daughter, having arrived in November 2020 after five years in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, Angela served the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (HK Chapter), enthusiastically incepting expats of both parties into registering to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election. Concerned about the risky post-election slide into ideological echo chambers within the Democratic Party itself, Angela was compelled to join Democrats Abroad Lion City soon after her relocation, though it was the subsequent and unfortunate uptick of anti-Asian violence in the US (and abroad) that spurred her to join the Global Asian American and Pacific Islanders Caucus in early 2021. She is excited to serve the Caucus and learn more about the AAPI community’s commonalities, heritage, and diversity.

Angela is half Mongolian, half Chinese, and all for helping to unite the AAPI community and advocate for AAPI needs.

Hi! I’m Quyen. I am an Iowa voter and have lived in Bogotá, Colombia for over four years. Previously, I also lived abroad in Vietnam and Thailand. I have been a member of Democrats Abroad since 2018 when our country chapter came together in Colombia. I’ve served as chair of DA Colombia since 2019. I was also co-chair of the Global Youth Caucus when it re-formed in 2020—I recently stepped down from the steering committee only because I passed the maximum age limit! I am also proud to be a founding member of the Global AAPI Caucus and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.I am thrilled that we now have this space to build our AAPI community within DA, and to share our culture and common concerns with others across the organization.

I joined Democrats Abroad as an active volunteer in 2016. Having lived abroad in Europe and Asia for much of my life, feeling like an American abroad wasn’t really a motivating factor for joining DA - but the shocking election of our 45th President was. And I never really thought much about being Asian American - there weren’t many half-Asian kids running around when I was a child, so my brothers and I called ourselves “hapa”, the Hawaiian word for someone of mixed ancestry - and left it at that. I’m half Chinese and half German-Irish-English-Jewish-Unitarian Chicago Democrat, as we jokingly say.

My family has always been involved in trying to make a difference - in the State Department, Unicef, and as cultural ambassadors, among others. This colored my world view significantly. When the AAPI Caucus started formation work, I wasn’t sure that I would get deeply involved, but I was curious about the idea of an Asian American group, and I thought I might be able to help get it going. Much to my surprise, the issues and commonalities of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders resonated deeply with me. I’m thrilled to be a member of the Steering Committee and I’m looking forward to making a difference!

Hi! I'm Ifung! I am of Taiwanese-Chinese descent and I vote in Illinois. I joined Democrats Abroad in 2016 when I was living in London. After over a decade spent in the UK, my German-American family and I moved to Cologne, Germany where we live today and where I continue to volunteer for Democrats Abroad.

I am honoured to serve on the AAPI Caucus Steering Committee. I think it is so important, especially for quieter members in our community like me, to speak up and make our voices heard in order for our democracy to thrive. And I am so pleased to be able to work with the talented crew in the Steering Committee to organise and make heard all the voices of our diverse AAPI community.

Last year, a small group of amazing, uplifting, and dedicated individuals came together to form the Democrats Abroad Asian American and Pacific Islander Global Caucus. In the beginning our virtual meetings were filled with conversations about each other, what has it meant to us personally to be a member of the AAPI community, our personal journeys, growth, and reflections.

Our journey also coincided with the outbreak of COVID-19, the beginning of a time of uncertainty and hardship for so many. I too found myself in an unusual situation being trapped outside my country of residence. In the span of 10 months, I had to relocate to 8 different cities, but our meetings were a constant and gave me something to look forward to. It was a place I felt heard, respected, and supported. We all cared about one another’s wellbeing, which carried even more weight in a time when many of us felt isolated and alone. One morning after relocating to San Francisco, I woke up to a text from one of my fellow AAPI steering committee members saying they were sending me a loaf of delicious artisanal sour dough bread. What a way to start my morning!

The AAPI caucus has been like a family to me. I have been offered help and support without asking for it, and it seems fitting that with my next relocation voyage just around the corner, it has been my AAPI family that has recommended information on apartments to rent and advice on what neighborhoods to live in. For any member of Democrats Abroad looking for a caucus that will open them with open arms, support, and empower them, the AAPI caucus is the family you have been looking for.

I will miss you all!

Lots of <3

Sam Wong
Asia-Pacific Deputy Regional Vice Chair
(Former AAPI Caucus Steering Committee Member)
Soon to be Democrats Abroad alum

Annie Tanampai is an active member of Democrats Abroad Belgium. She has been living in Belgium for almost 10 years and in her free time she likes to spend time with her family, hiking, and traveling. She joins the AAPI steering committee because she wants to take action in raising awareness on the AAPI issues and help strengthen the AAPI community around the world. 😊

My name is Powen, and I've been living in Berlin, Germany, since 2014. I've been involved in Democrats Abroad for almost that whole time. I'm currently the Press & Communications coordinator on the Berlin chapter board, and I also serve as one of the representatives for Germany to the Democratic Party Committee Abroad (DPCA).

I spent most of my formative years in Michigan, but have lived in Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, and Mississippi as well. In addition to political activities and organizing, I also work with technology startups focusing on marketing and internationalization.

Starting the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus at Democrats Abroad is important to me because I believe that AAPI communities need a voice in our political system. The best way to focus on the needs, stories, and issues important to us to get organized and make ourselves heard.

I'm Suma, an Oregon voter. I grew up in Bangalore, India and relocated to the US to pursue my Master's degree in Computer Science. I was introduced to US politics while in school and I actively participated in organizing events and fund raising. With a rich experience of two Master's degrees and decades of work experience, I returned to India. I am on the board of a technology start-up and mentor new businesses. I am a fitness enthusiast, and participate in marathons.

It is an honor to serve as Chairperson of Democrats Abroad India, member of the Global AAPI steering committee, and member of Global IT team.

Hi, Everyone! I’m Emily and I am an Indiana voter and have been living in Berlin, Germany for the past nine years. Currently, I am the Vice Chair of the Berlin Chapter and the Events and Fundraising Coordinator for DA Germany, as well as a DPCA Voting Representative.

Originally born in Daegu (then known as Taegu), South Korea, I was adopted at the age of three months. My parents were from Missouri, but I grew up in Kentucky and Indiana, surrounded by a majority white community. My first experience with meeting someone from Korea was in third grade when a new student arrived at our school. My teacher paired us up and asked that I help her get settled and show her around school. As thrilled as I was to meet someone from Korea, I suspect our pairing was because of our shared background/attributes. Either way, I am still grateful that I was able to become best friends with this new student. I will never forget sleeping over at her house and eating traditional Korean food for the first time.

My family was always open about the fact that I was adopted. It wasn’t until high school when I had the chance to visit Korea. Once we were there, I was amazed at how different I felt. Being in the majority for the first time in my life was great. Having grown up in a majority white community, I would forget how Korean I actually looked, so I did not feel like I actually belonged in South Korea. I quickly realized that I did look more Korean than I thought, since classmates did not notice me in the crowds, everyone assumed I spoke Korean, and I think many thought I was the tour guide for my classmates.

After returning from the trip, my interest in Korea grew dramatically. I took several courses about Korea my senior year of college and since then, I have spent more time reflecting on what it means to be Korean, specifically a Korean adoptee. Living in Germany has added another layer to understanding my identity since many people question my Americanness when they ask where I am from. That question is typically followed up with, “But, really, where are you from?” By being a member of this caucus, I am very excited to have the chance to learn more about the culture, history, and importance of this growing sector of the U.S. population. It is also wonderful to meet other AAPI members of Democrats Abroad and recognize how diverse we are as a community. As one of the Co-Chairs, it is an honor to be able to represent one of these many diverse faces.