Vision Statement
Hello! My name is Michael Tzeng and I'm running for Secretary of AQUA. I was born in Taiwan and lived extensively in both Taiwan and Los Angeles. My parents and extended family still live in Taiwan, but my brother and his wife live in LA. I try to get back to both places each year to visit.
I went to an American high school in Taiwan and then moved to LA for college. I attended UCLA where I received my BS degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation, I moved to DC where I've worked since then as a Patent Examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office, like so many other people here in DC.
Growing up in Taiwan helped me develop a sense of strong community among family and friends. Living with my parents and grandparents meant that there was always someone around - either the neighbor next door, or a relative from hundreds of miles away. Life in Taiwan was never a dull moment.
I soon learned how individualistic American society was after I moved here. Throw in my shyness and denying to myself who I was (I still thought being gay was just a phase), I felt very alone and without any sense of community. When I moved to DC, I was introduced to AQUA and suddenly it all clicked. I found people that were similar to my experiences and background from all walks of life. People were accepting and that meant a lot to me.
That’s my vision for AQUA. I want AQUA to be a place where all people, LGBTQ or not, will feel comfortable, and feel like they have a home away from home. If I'm elected, I will open up all forms of communication to make people feel welcome. Not having served in many LGBTQ organizations, it would be an honor to serve with AQUA. For the past year or so I have coordinated many different events, such as barbecues and ski trips, but solely on my own planning. I'd like to think I've built a good reputation for event planning and organization. I'm confident I can do the same on a larger scale with AQUA.
I sincerely appreciate your consideration as AQUA Secretary this next year and look forward to working with all of you to continue developing AQUA into a great organization for our community.
I went to an American high school in Taiwan and then moved to LA for college. I attended UCLA where I received my BS degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation, I moved to DC where I've worked since then as a Patent Examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office, like so many other people here in DC.
Growing up in Taiwan helped me develop a sense of strong community among family and friends. Living with my parents and grandparents meant that there was always someone around - either the neighbor next door, or a relative from hundreds of miles away. Life in Taiwan was never a dull moment.
I soon learned how individualistic American society was after I moved here. Throw in my shyness and denying to myself who I was (I still thought being gay was just a phase), I felt very alone and without any sense of community. When I moved to DC, I was introduced to AQUA and suddenly it all clicked. I found people that were similar to my experiences and background from all walks of life. People were accepting and that meant a lot to me.
That’s my vision for AQUA. I want AQUA to be a place where all people, LGBTQ or not, will feel comfortable, and feel like they have a home away from home. If I'm elected, I will open up all forms of communication to make people feel welcome. Not having served in many LGBTQ organizations, it would be an honor to serve with AQUA. For the past year or so I have coordinated many different events, such as barbecues and ski trips, but solely on my own planning. I'd like to think I've built a good reputation for event planning and organization. I'm confident I can do the same on a larger scale with AQUA.
I sincerely appreciate your consideration as AQUA Secretary this next year and look forward to working with all of you to continue developing AQUA into a great organization for our community.
