This year, I have been especially influenced by people I’ve met in Washington, DC, who have made amazing and enthusiastic contributions to philanthropy. One person in particular is a lady from Taiwan named Yeni Wong. Putting together the articles is easy, but publishing a book to present a comprehensive view of Yeni’s insights and her journey to strive for the best is a fool’s task—one that only a true journalist would attempt.
In DC’s Chinatown, Yeni Wong has built a reputation for her courage and purpose as well as for her hard work and leadership. She has been in love with this tiny, captivating community for a long, long time—in love with Chinatown as it is and in love with the idea of what Chinatown could be. This is why so many of her compatriots look to her for advice to help the community. She is a principled conservative who knows what is attainable. She believes in the wisdom contained in a sign on President Reagan’s desk that said, “There’s no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”
I leave it to you, as a reader, to decide if Yeni Wong’s crusade is immensely influential to readers. I will just point out that Yeni is a great persuader. Her mission is to serve Chinese Americans within the community of a greater Chinatown and societal interdependence. She has done this with humility and courage under the most challenging circumstances. The combination of heart and professionalism makes her an outstanding leader.
And keep in mind that community leaders aren’t often women, good-looking, and charming, but Yeni Wong is all three—not to mention wicked smart. As the result of her charitable efforts, people are seeing her in a larger context. She has several interests—yes, running a restaurant is one of them—but it is this new combination of success in charitable endeavors and her work with foundations that is creating new opportunities both for her and for the people whose lives she touches.
Also, it should be noted that what is unique is her single-minded focus on convincing other community leaders that a particular target is in the best interests of their community and society. Furthermore, what’s so wonderful about Yeni’s achievement is not that it’s extraordinary but that it is so simple and matter-of-fact in its generosity. “Money serves its purpose only when it is used for those who need it,” she told me once.
Yeni demonstrates continually that the essence of community power is the power to persuade. Through her enthusiasm and philanthropy in these various fields, Yeni shows her love of our community and makes the community a better place to live.