⭐️五月是美國亞太裔傳統月！美國亞太裔外交官在美國國務院扮演重要的角色，在AIT的運作上更是如此！在整個五月份，我們將為各位介紹AIT亞太裔官員的重要貢獻。今天要和大家介紹的是政治組官員林宏美 (Joy Lin) 的故事。

1930年代時，我的阿嬤在台灣只接受了幾年日語教育，所以她不太會讀寫中文。到了我母親那一代，我媽媽中英文都能通，甚至遠赴美國攻讀博士學位，最後成為美國公民。從某些方面來說，我距離我母親卓越的成就還有一步之遙，我沒有博士學位，中文也不夠流利。但是，我可以很有自信地說，我實踐了媽媽的夢想，而她的夢想就是讓自己的孩子有選擇自己道路的自由。在我人生的前十年，我有一半時間住在美國，一半時間住在台灣，而這樣的經驗也培養了我對國際事務的好奇心。現在，我很自豪能代表美國外派到台灣，並且趁著在台灣的機會，從我家人身上汲取靈感，進而推動並彰顯女性的培力賦權。

照片是1990年代我住在高雄時，媽媽和我一起到墾丁旅行。

⭐️It’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! AAPI diplomats are a vital part of the State Department, and especially our AIT operation! All month, we look forward to featuring the important contributions of our AAPI colleagues. Today we are sharing Political Section Officer Joy Lin’s story with you.

In 1930s Taiwan my grandmother only had a few years of education in Japanese leaving her mostly illiterate in Chinese. A generation later my mother studied Chinese and English, earned a PhD and became a US citizen. By some measures I’m a step away from my mom’s excellence— no PhD and only semi-literate in Chinese. However, I am confidently fulfilling my mom’s dream for her children to have the freedom to choose our own path. Splitting the first decade of my life between the United States and Taiwan fostered a curiosity for international affairs. Now I am proudly representing the United States in Taiwan, where I can draw inspiration from my own family to advocate and celebrate women’s empowerment.

My mom and I pictured below from a visit to Kenting when I lived in Kaohsiung in the 1990s.

BBC話主席「無影」，英國衛報就話"Taking credit, avoiding blame"？

《The Guardian》報導自從1月28號同WHO嗰個人話親自指揮（“personally commanding”）之後，主席就無出現過。

//Yet Xi does not appear to be the face of the government’s fight against the virus. He has not been pictured visiting hospitals, doctors or patients.//

而《BBC 中文網》亦報導（英文版又無同一編新聞㗎喎）：

//周一，中國官媒終於報道，習近平還在「親自指揮」，並主持了政治局常委的會議。不過，這次的露面仍是「無影」。

央視有關會議的報道長達13分鐘，播音員一念到底，沒有習近平主持會議和各位常委的任何畫面。同一天，新華社報道也只用了央視播音員。//

#TakingCredit
#AvoidingBlame

報導：
BBC中文網
https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-51374330
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/04/blame-xi-jinping-absence-coronavirus-frontline-china-crisis

最近這件事鬧的沸沸揚揚 也上了新聞 在留言上發現自己考試的影片有被po上去 增加一些曝光率這樣 哈XD

但對於此事件 我就不公開多表態什麼了 只希望一切能以理性與和平的方式去解決 我們大家都是文明人 都要努力讓這個世界變得更美好

謝謝大家關注這個議題，我剛剛把評審的照片拿掉了，原因是我希望大家不要將這位評審當成壞人，而也我們把焦點專注在這個事件上，而不是人身上，我們才能真正長期的改善這個問題．因為我不會中文，所以我會和我的夥伴們一起再產出一篇更詳盡完整的中文文章，屆時也煩請大家一同關注，讓台灣的藝術環境更好，最好也謝謝幫我翻譯以下文章的朋友，我非常訝異這篇造成的影響力，感謝你們！

I CAUSED A SCENE TODAY IN THE PUBLIC

Today I got very angry and upset for the first time in public in front of a crowd.

What started out as a nice day, I thought it would only get better by attending the street performance artist's exam in Taipei. Everything seemed nice when I saw the performers were all prepared in their provided locations around the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. But after I saw the head of the judge panel treated the street performers while performing, I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

Let me explained: each performer had to pay to register for the license exam. They were given 3 minutes to present their work(s) hoping they'd get a lisence so they can earn some sort of living from their passion. This one particular judge (pictured) leading the group seems impatiently listen and watch the street performers. It barely hit the one minute mark, he aggressively cut into the song of a singer and told the performer "many singers sing in different languages like English etc, sing in another language!"(I paraphrased with my bad Chinese translation). Then the singer started singing in Taiwanese language. But barely two sentences, he talked to another judge barely paying attention to the performer this head judge basically just left and gestured to the rest of the group to follow him.

The singer sang barely a minute and a half (they were promised 3 mins and they kept being interrupted by this judge). Bare in mind, this judge is earning a wage while these hopeful performers were paying him to be there. He basically did the same thing over and over again disregarding the artist's intent and hard work. Not a single word of appreciation. He just acted as he was a big boss looking down on these petty performers. He chatted as he wished and walked away without saying a "thank you" or a gesture of acknowledgement. A percussionist kept being interrupted asking him to do something different. Then he just left after the third time. The rest of the judges just followed.

So, i approached him politely asking for his name and his business card. I told him I wanted to talk to him one on one in the future. Degradingly he asked me who I was. I could see in his eyes that he saw a young man who looked like a student to him. But I was not and am not. I am a 40 year old dance artist, filmmaker and educator that have taught around the globe and in many prestigious colleges and festivals.

He didn't want to give me his business card. He seemed annoyed and surprised that someone spoke up. So I said I can give him my contact info but we needed to talk on how the exam went.

The way Taipei city exams the performers today was both disrespectful and insulting to the arts community in general. I didn't want to say this all out. But he left me with no choice.

I told him, for one, the way he treated the performers was disrespectful. As an educator I could not be quiet when I see something like that. Second, the process of the exam is not doing the art community any justice. If he cannot see the artists as a human being first, then what does it say about his view on the Arts. I could see him pissed off. But again he left me with no choice. He was very degrading towards these performers. As an artist myself and an art advocate I had to do something.

The organizer apologized to me said the process needed to go on. I told him I wasn't trying to stop them. I merely want to know how I could get in touch with them to discuss this. If you know me well enough, you should know my temperament. I am a happy go lucky person. I almost never get angry in the public. But it was genuinely insulting and degrading to every artists based on what I saw today.

This arrogant judge didn't care of my opinion. I could see it in his eyes. He was basically the superior in his world and his way was the right way. That's how he had always done it. All the young staffers there were afraid of him. Today he was disrespectful, rude, and arrogant. I really want to know why he does what he does.

After the incident, a few people came up and thanked me for speaking up. They felt the same way but they didn't have the courage to say it to this judge or the organization that issues these licenses. One organizer from the New Taipei City said even she felt bad seeing how the performers being treated.

I don't understand why people don't stand up for each other. The Taipei City has failed their community and even more so to their arts community.

For an organization that is supposed to advocate for the arts, culture and authenticity, they did miserably today. It is like giving an exam to a dog, a cat, a bird and a monkey then telling them that their exam is climbing a tree. It's absolutely ridiculous.

I left them my contact information. They said they will contact me. If they don't, this could be an interesting subject for my next film project. A documentary on how these hopeful, aspiring performers being treated.

I am mad and I am angry. I really hope they will change their shallow way of seeing Arts.

P.S. Share or repost in Chinese. They need to change. Thanks.

台北國際藝術村－寶藏巖 Taipei Artist Village－Treasure Hill
Taipei National University of the Arts
臺北表演藝術中心 Taipei Performing Arts Center
National Theater and Concert Hall, Taipei
中正紀念堂 Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
National Taiwan University of Arts