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Tag Archives: Asian American
TAP-Chicago May Happy Hour at Market
Kick off the summer right!!!
Come join your favorite TAP-Chicago friends as we kick off the summer at Market. We have reserved a semi-private area on their rooftop for you!! With gorgeous skyline views and plenty of space to sit and sip, it is the perfect place to enjoy a perfect summer night or catch an NBA playoff with a couple of new/old friends. Light appetizers will also be provided so make sure you get there on time!
April HH at Old Town Pour House with AACN & KACC
Join TAP-Chicago, AACN and KACC for a fun night filled with friends, music and drinks at the Pour House located in the heart of Old Town. Pour House is a warm, sophisticated, expansive bar and restaurant featuring over 90 beers on tap in front of the several massive flat-screen TVs. The rich and dark wood interiors and upscale tavern fare make it a perfect place to catch up with old friends and make new friends. We have reserved the entire Mezzanine Level of the bar just for you. Complimentary appetizers will also be provided so make sure you get there on time!!!
2013 Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival
Be a part of the 2nd Annual Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival, held at Lake Arlington Park, in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The combination of the culture of Chicago and the spirit of dragon boating guarantees participants and spectators an one-of-a-kind racing experience.
February Happy Hour with YNPN
Join TAP-Chicago, YNPN, and 100+ new and old friends for our February happy hour at The Grid, one of the newest venues in River North. We have reserved half of the bar space with two of their famous ventless fireplaces floating atop massive leather booths and a state of the art Funktion-one speaker system. The Grid’s rustic décor, exposed brick and vintage timber ceilings provide an amazingly unique and intimate setting. A perfect spot to relax fireside after a long day of work.
TAP-Chicago Flag Football: Badasses in the Snow
All the real badass NFL teams play outdoor in the snow! This is your chance to be as badass as Briggs, Urlacher, Suggs, Von Miller, JPP, oh, and Sam Gordon (for the ladies out there). Join TAP-Chicago for a fun-filled night of coed flag football…in the snow! (But with my luck, it’s going to be nice, sunny, and only slightly chilly.) We made a few changes to the rules. These rules are designed to facilitate a fun, female friendly game, and a good workout. Please ask if anything is unclear. (more…)
Membership Wine & Dessert Tasting
Join us for a fun, casual get-together! Meet other members while you un-“wine”d by tasting different delicious wines and desserts. You’ll also have a chance to hear from 5 members about their experiences with TAP-Chicago.
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Recap: Unmi Song Professional Development Seminar
It’s safe to say that Umni Song inspired us all today. She shared her views on the Asian American identity, her professional experiences, and broadened our perspectives on non-traditional career paths and opportunities.
The Asian American Identity
Growing up as a Korean American, Unmi often felt that others did not see her as an American because she didn’t look like one; she also received surprising comments about how well she could speak English. When she lived in South Korea, working for Gold Star Tele-Electric Company in Seoul, she also felt like an outsider. Even though she looks Korean, her limited Korean fluency made it difficult for natives to accept her as Korean.
The anecdote on this topic is short, but it clearly reflects the world Asian Americans live in. While we may identify with a certain nationality and culture, it isn’t always aligned to the perception of those we encounter.
Finding Your Passion
Unmi began her career in the private sector, holding positions in Gold Star Tele-Electric Company in Seoul, the First National Bank of Chicago, Citicorp Investment Bank in New York City, and Bankers Trust Company. While she enjoyed the work and the perks, she noticed one day that there are many others who want her job more than she wants it. She began to think about what she really wants to do, what would make her truly happy, and where her passion is. She decided that her passion is in giving back, in making a difference to the world, and this is what launched her self-exploration and what led to her career switch into the nonprofit sector.
Learning about a Different Career Path
Switching careers is not easy, especially when the switch is to completely unfamiliar and foreign ground. Unmi did not let that stop her, however. Instead, she spent a lot of time learning about the nonprofit sector through reading up on relevant literature and conducting informational interviews, talking to more than 100 people who work with and work in nonprofits. The information she collected helped her pinpoint where her skills and background could be applied and utilized in this different world.
One of the helpful tips she gave was on informational interviews. Informational interviews are interviews that job seekers conduct to help them learn about a specific occupation or organization. These are useful in terms of networking and also in getting an insider’s view on the jobs and organizations. When requesting an informational interview, it’s important to state your purpose, to explain your skills and what you’re good at, and also to admit that there’s a lot you don’t know. When preparing for an informational interview, it’s helpful to think about questions that will guide you to your ultimate goal, for example: what can I do to be useful to the organization. With time, you’ll be able to refine your questions better to get relevant information, and eventually, your hard work will pay off, just like Unmi’s, when she landed her dream job. Twenty years later, she’s stayed at a job that other people still want, but this time, she wants it as much as everyone else does, if not more.
Giving Back
Working for a nonprofit is a lot different than working in the private sector. In the finance world for example, a project can take a lot of time and energy and stress before it is complete, but when it’s done, it’s done. However, when you work for a nonprofit, your work is never done. There is always more to do. While not everyone can or is willing to switch careers to the nonprofit sector, Unmi encourages everyone to give back. She says that Asian American Foundations receive less than 1% of donations. This may be because of the notion of Asians as model minorities– but Asian Americans need help, too. Whether it’s through community service or monetarily, we should all try to give back in ways we can.
After the talk, Unmi stayed with us to answer everyone’s questions. We are so grateful for her time and the inspiration she brought each and every one of us. Some member feedback are below:
“What an awesome and inspiring event! I’m so glad I went.”
“[I]t was a really touching one!…”
“Thanks! Interesting and moving at the same time. Glad I attended… Good job…”
“Had a great time there, thanks for organizing such an interesting seminar!”
Special thanks to Jack and to the Asian Professional Network, who put together this event. We look forward to more successful professional development seminars such as this one!
[Photo courtesy of Phil]
Recap: Urban Farming at Chicago Lights
TAP-Chicago would like to thank all of you who came out to the urban farming event at Chicago Lights last Saturday! We had an awesome tour of the farm grounds, watered plants, harvested tomatoes and green beans, helped with composting, and even discovered what a worm egg looks like! Below are some pictures to share with you in case you missed out.
Laura Lynn, one of the farm staff members, giving us a tour of the grounds.
There are vegetable plots not only for their farm stand but also for summer camp kids and neighbors in the community, a green house under construction, and enormous compost bins.
To thank our members for participating, we had a drawing for the gift certificate to Chilam Balam, a delicious Mexican small-plates restaurant in Lakeview and a strong supporter of sustainable agriculture and local farmers. Congrats to Jay for winning. We hope you enjoy the hard-earned meal!
Special thanks to Henry Y. So and Autumn Chim for organizing this event, to everyone who came out, and of course, to Chicago Lights for teaching us so much and spending time with us.
Please join us for our next community service event at the Asian Youth Services on September 15, 11:00am – 2:00pm, where we’ll be tutoring, mentoring, playing basketball, etc., for at-risk youth!
Tacori Trunkshow at Merry Richards Jewelers
Merry Richards Jewelers has been a generous sponsor of TAP-Chicago events and they invite all members to attend their upcoming fashion launch party on Saturday, September 15th. Please come to support this family-owned business and check out some major bling!
The Tacori Trunkshow will feature the complete Tacori collection of 200+ engagement rings, fine jewelry, wedding bands, and fashion lifestyle jewelry. Champagne and edibles will be served courtesy of Bob Chins Crab House.
Questions/Book an Appointment: Call Merry Richards at (847) 480-8988
More About Merry Richards Jewelers:
(Image courtesy of Merry Richards Jewelers)
Recap: August Happy Hour @ Sushi Sumba
On August 16, 2012, TAP-Chicago, along with the Filipino American Network (FAN), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and Taiwanese Junior Chamber of Commerce Chicago (TJCCC), co-hosted a successful happy hour at Sushi Sumba.
With close to 200 attendees, the space was packed with new and old faces and great conversations.
Checking in
Announcements!
A big thank you to our volunteers, to our co-hosts, and of course, to our members, for your continued support.
Feel like you missed out on our August happy hour? Don’t be too distraught–we’ll have another one in September, so be sure to visit our website or Facebook page for updates! Also, if you want see more pictures from this evening, please click here.
[Photos courtesey of Ascene Chicago.]