Hi family, friends, and mentors,

I'm Daniel Pai, a Taiwanese American educator currently based in Taiwan, and I'm reaching out to you with a heartfelt request for support. I'm excited to share that my research was selected for presentation at the 2025 Association of Asian American Studies Conference in Boston from April 17th to 19th.

I have had the opportunity to learn and grow with several Indigenous communities here, working predominantly with Indigenous youths and advocating for greater understanding and awareness of the contemporary challenges they face. Currently only 2% of the population, Indigenous Taiwanese communities have experienced 400 years of culture and language loss due to European, Japanese, and Chinese colonization. Today, many Indigenous young people suffer from identity crises as they seek to reconcile the ongoing loss of their cultural traditions and language. Over 90% cannot speak their mother tongues.

I will be presenting my research that I conducted during the past few years, highlighting the practices of resistance that Indigenous youths in Taiwan engage in to re(claim) and (re)connect with their Indigenous identity, heritage, and language. However, the costs associated with travel, accommodation, and conference fees are significant, especially traveling from Taiwan. As such, I am reaching out to my network in hopes of getting your support in making this opportunity possible. Your contributions will directly support my journey to the Asian American Studies conference.

I'm deeply passionate about exploring the complexities of language, identity, and power. I believe that Indigenous youth have much perspective, knowledge, and wisdom to share with the world. Furthermore, I believe that attending this conference will be a stepping stone for me to not only advance the conversation on Asian American ethnic studies but also empower future generations of students.