West Coast ITASA '99 Conference Mission Statement
U.C. Berkeley's Taiwanese Student Association (TSA) and Berkeley Students for a Sovereign Taiwan (BST) are pleased to announce the first annual West Coast Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association (ITASA) Conference. The weekend-long West Coast ITASA '99 Conference will take place on the U.C. Berkeley campus on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. The theme of the conference is entitled, "A Journey through Our Taiwanese American Experience."
For almost a decade, ITASA conferences have been an annual tradition in the East Coast and in the Midwest. West Coast ITASA '99 Conference at U.C. Berkeley will be the first ever West Coast conference of like nature, with our own West Coast flavor!
West Coast ITASA '99 Conference seeks to bring together Taiwanese/Taiwanese American collegians of all backgrounds to establish a common ground on which to learn about our Taiwanese American identity, history and culture. As the new millennium approaches, the need for greater contact between students interested in Taiwanese American issues will increase. What does the future hold for 2nd generation Taiwanese Americans? What does the Taiwanese American identity mean? How can students be more active in the Taiwanese or Taiwanese American community? The West Coast ITASA '99 Conference will be one step towards increasing the visibility of Taiwanese Americans.
Our program consists of interactive lecture workshops, indigenous Taiwanese dance lessons, "Taiwan Night" - featuring first generation artists and performers and a semi-formal dance with a well known Taiwanese-American DJ at H's Lordships in the Berkeley Marina, and much, much more - all with an educational component as well as a cultural one.
We hope that students will take away from the conference an understanding about where our parents come from, why understanding Taiwanese history and culture is crucial to our Taiwanese-American identity, and most importantly, who we are as a diverse community of Taiwanese Americans. Where we were, who we are, and where we are heading as a community are issues that will be raised and brought to an open forum at the West Coast ITASA '99 Conference. West Coast ITASA '99 Conference intends to educate and to promote community building.
West Coast ITASA '99 Conference welcomes those who are not Taiwanese/Taiwanese-Americans as well to join us in forum to learn about these issues. The Conference does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, or disability.
West Coast ITASA '99 Conference has a qualified and capable team of staff. Since Fall 1998, TSA and BST have started the early stages of planning West Coast ITASA '99 Conference. The Berkeley Team comprises of approximately 30 students with diverse backgrounds, ranging from all academic years. We are committed to making this Conference a success!
If you have questions about ITASA or the West Coast ITASA '99 Conference, please feel free to contact:
Taiwanese Student Association (TSA),