⭐️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.
