The transcript of Mr. Will Ahern’s speech:
Today, you stand at the beginning of a remarkable journey, having been awarded a prestigious scholarship from Stanley and Marvel Chong. As you embark on this path, I would like to share a bit of my own journey and the extraordinary individuals I’ve encountered along the way that have led me to this moment with you.
My work centers around IT, business, and web development—a skill set that has allowed me to connect and collaborate with various organizations, helping them establish a strong presence on the Internet. This work has been a common thread in many of my relationships and continues to shape my path today.
My journey began 25 years ago when my wife and I traveled to China to adopt a beautiful baby girl. She has since grown into a remarkable young woman, much like yourselves, and was also a recipient of a scholarship from Stanley and Marvel Chung, through CAAM.
In 1999, we embarked on that life-changing journey, flying to Beijing on Northwest Airlines, which is now Delta. After a 13-hour flight, we landed two minutes early—still on time, even after such a long journey. I was amazed that a plane could stay in the air for so long! After three weeks of traveling the country and fulfilling the necessary administrative duties, we returned home with our precious daughter.
As she grew, we wanted to ensure she remained connected to her Chinese heritage here in Minnesota. My involvement deepened when I began working as a facilitator for the adoption agency that had brought us together. I hosted workshops and answered questions from families considering adoption. One of those families, the Emoff family, adopted their daughter Charlotte, danced CAAM CDT and also received this scholarship a few years ago.
During one of the dinners I hosted for adoptive families, I met Brenda Fong, who introduced me to the Dragon Festival, which was just beginning at the time. Brenda, with her unyielding passion and dedication, became my first Chinese American friend. Her enthusiasm led me to join the board of the Dragon Festival, where I met incredible individuals like Evelyn Lee, Eileen Her, and many others. This experience further enriched my journey and led me to Pearl Briga, who warmly invited my family to join the Chinese Heritage Foundation.
Through the Foundation, I formed lasting friendships with Ming Chu, Margaret Wong, Yin Simpson, Ida Lano, and many others. I actively volunteered in various events, most notably the Passage to China, a nine-year event at the Mall of America.
At one of these events, I met Greg Hugh, the publisher of China Insight, which sparked another long-term relationship. To this day, I help him maintain China Insight’s online presence.
As Passage to China came to an end, I connected with Bingwen Yan and continue to assist with Chinese New Year and Moon Festival events at the Mall of America. These experiences have introduced me to yet another special friend.
More recently, I’ve deepened my involvement with CAAM and CAAM-CDT, forming close relationships with wonderful people like Ping Wang, Bea Rothweiler, and others. I’ve had the privilege of working with Ping to document CAAM’s history online, which introduced me to some of my newest friends, including Kaimay Terry, Ken Lau, and others.
What began as a simple desire to connect my daughter with her Chinese heritage has grown into an integral part of my life. Through these connections, I’ve formed some of my most cherished friendships.
Interestingly, my daughter, despite knowing all the people I’ve mentioned, has embraced her identity as an American. She’s now working in IT for Optum, living her life with little direct involvement in Chinese culture. Yet, like you, she was a recipient of this scholarship and volunteered with CAAM, including at the last Festival of Nations.
Today, we are all gathered here thanks to the incredible generosity of Stanley and Marvel Chong and their family. I encourage you to visit caam.org to learn more about their remarkable story.
Good luck to each of you as you embark on your journey. May it be as rich and fulfilling as the one that has brought me here today.