Who We Are

Chinese Americans Re-Imagining Leadership is a collective of Chinese Americans from the Greater Boston area working to develop a new generation of Chinese Americans committed to transformative community leadership for social justice.

Eugenia Beh was born in Poughkeepsie, NY and claims both the East Coast and Texas as her answer to the age-old question asked of all Asian Americans, "Where are you from?" She graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and a Masters in Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin. She spent 13 years altogether in Texas before moving back to Boston, where she is currently a librarian at the MIT Libraries as well as the Social Media Coordinator for the Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) and a past president of the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association.

Fun facts: Eugenia's parents came to the U.S. as graduate students, prior to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, and met in Boston.

Favorite Asian American sites: Angry Asian Man, NBC Asian America
Favorite Asian American podcasts: They Call Us Bruce, Southern Fried Asian
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Delia Cheung Hom was born and raised in Massachusetts, spending most of her youth in Acton. She is a proud third generation Chinese American, a feminist, and the mother to three spirited and persistent children. Her passion for social justice is inspired by the stories of her grandparents. Delia earned a bachelor’s degree in cognitive science from Vassar College, and a master’s degree in cognitive science from Johns Hopkins University. After realizing that her calling was in education, Delia also earned a master’s in Education from Claremont Graduate University and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University.

Fun Facts:  Delia’s high school gymnastics team was ranked third in the state. Delia studied Mandarin for four years in college, but still gets corrected by her five year old.

Favorite Asian American authors for people of all ages: Bao Phi and Grace Lin

Felix Poon graduated with sociology degrees from UMass Amherst and SUNY Albany before working over 7 years with college ESL teachers and international students at Northeastern University Global, and Boston University CELOP. In between his years as student and then administrator in higher education, Felix lived abroad in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taiwan, and Bangkok, and backpacked around Southeast Asia, India, and along the Silk Road in Xinjiang, China. He now works as a user experience designer creating enterprise software systems for organizations across various industries.

Fun Facts: Felix was a runway model in Design Museum Boston's 2015 3D Printed Jewelry Fashion Show, and a performer at the Liberty Hotel's Halloween and New Year's Eve parties. 

Favorite Asian American Author: Celeste Ng​
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OiYan Poon was born in Boston and grew up in Ludlow, Massachusetts. The daughter of immigrants, and now a mom, she has always been passionate about community empowerment for social justice and racial equity in education. She has been involved in advocacy, research, and organizational development efforts related to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for nearly two decades. She earned a B.S. in marketing management from Boston College, an M.Ed. in college student affairs from The University of Georgia, and a Ph.D. in education and graduate certificate in Asian American studies from UCLA.

Fun facts: When she was in college, OiYan worked in concessions at Fenway Park. She has now lived in all four time zones on the continental U.S. She once showed up to her regular Saturday morning yoga class in West Hollywood and found herself sitting next to Queen Latifah. She has been known to binge watch episodes of The Bachelor and Bachelorette.

Favorite Asian American blogs: AngryAsianMan.com; Reappropriate.co
Favorite Asian American music: Us by Ruby Ibarra; Life & Debt by Blue Scholars

Ellen Wang was born in Taichung, Taiwan and grew up in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. She came to the US at the age of 18 to attend the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. As an immigrant, transnational, parent, former teacher, youth worker, and now grantmaker, Ellen is passionate about lifting up the voices of young people. She is a Program Officer at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, where she supports school districts and communities in ensuring that young people are at the center of their learning experience. 

Fun/Interesting Fact: From 5 months – 8 years old, Ellen lived in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. Ellen can speak Mandarin, but is illiterate in Chinese, and is frequently schooled by her biracial son, who speaks Mandarin and can read and write in Chinese (embarrassed and also proud mama here).

Favorite Asian American authors: Min Jin Lee, Celeste Ng, Grace Lin
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Chu Huang is a native Bostonian raised in Chinatown, Boston. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from UMASS Boston in a double major: Asian American Studies and Sociology. Driven by the commitment to social justice, youth leadership and community engagement to create change. She continues to serve on local civic leadership organizations and working towards to pursue a Masters in Leadership with concentration in Organization Communications.

Fun Facts: Chu is an only child and is bilingual in Cantonese!

Favorite Asian American Youtuber: Wongfu Productions and Michelle Phan