Formerly
Our STORY
Dear Community is a group of accidental activists that ignited in response to anti-Asian hate violence. We found each other in the midst of pandemic through the shared passion of wanting to protect our community and elders. We are healing our community by curating safe space events that foster discourse while generating income for merchants fighting to survive. Our goal is to support Asian small business corridors that have disproportionately suffered from COVID-19 and racism. We are calling to attention the Asian American experience and we work to engage and inspire the community to join the movement.
Our MISSION
To uplift Asian pride and inspire new leaders through community building and activism.
Our VISION
A proud, empowered, and safe Asian community.
.jpg)
Bridging Generations,
Building Community,
and Supporting Small Businesses.
Our family
Our ADVISORS
Mary Jung - SFAR Foundation Executive Director
Jay Cheng - SFAR Director of Government Relations
Vanita Louie - Parks & Recreation Commissioner
Bilal Mahmood
Pablo Wong
AMY LEE
FOUNDER
Amy Lee is a San Francisco native and first generation Chinese American. Chinatown has a special place in her heart as she grew up there. She attended weekend Chinese school and her family ran a local grocery store.
In 2021, the attacks against Asians elders angered and activated her to find ways to help and this is how Dear Community was born! Lee wanted to create a positive space to connect to the older generation and bring younger people back into Chinatown while simultaneously revitalizing the businesses that were affected by the pandemic. Now she continues to serve as the vision behind the organization and create programs that keep us on the path of Building Community.
During her free time she loves to try out new recipes, explore new and old stand up comedy and rewatch her favorite movies- Monsters Inc. and Seinfeld, anyone?
JADE TU
CO-FOUNDER AND
BOARD Secretary
Jade Tu is a Chinese-American and a San Francisco native. She’s the Chief of Staff to the Executive Director at Together SF, has a Masters in Higher Education, and has the best dog named Cooper.
In 2021, her world was shaken up when she watched the murder of Grandpa Vicha Ratanapakdee. Tu decided to take action and spent time volunteering in Chinatown Safety patrols to make an impact on the community. From there, she, Amy, and Forrest co-founded Dear Community formerly Revive SF Chinatown. She’s proud to be part of this coalition of leaders that are like-minded and determined to end Asian Hate.
FORREST LIU
CO-FOUNDER AND
BOARD Vice President
Forrest Liu’s an Asian Community Activist working to Stop Asian Hate.
In 2021, he saw the video of Grandpa Vicha Ratanapakdee's murder which inspired him to start a nonviolent volunteer foot patrol in San Francisco Chinatown. That started his journey as an activist, where he joined a national movement to Stop Asian Hate.
Liu aspires to inspire others to join a community of supporters who believe in working towards a sustainable solution to Asian hate.
TâM NGô
BOARD PRESIDENT
Tâm Ngô is a Vietnamese American, born and raised in East Side San Jose. She’s lived in San Francisco since 2009 where she started up several of her own businesses, served on several nonprofit boards, is an award winning filmmaker, and is currently program director for nonprofit Welcome Home Project.
Ngô joined Dear Community in 2021 to join in the efforts to Stop Asian Hate and to build community. She became Board President in 2022 continuing the work of connecting and bringing resources to the community along with a team of Asian leaders and activists. She’s community-focused and driven. Not only does she and the team bring awareness to issues in the community, but also contribute and create solutions that make a meaningful impact.
JONATHAN WEN
BOARD TREAsURER
During the height of random acts of violence against our Asian elderly in 2021, Jonathan Wen was motivated to do more than just write a donation check. He got involved with Dear Community after meeting founders, Amy, Forrest and Jade while participating in safety patrols on the streets of San Francisco Chinatown. He was inspired by the vision and commitment of these young budding community activists who didn't just complain about what was happening on social media, they went out in the streets to do something about it. Jonathan is committed to ending Asian hate, building community and supporting the next generation of Asian American community leaders.
Jonathan has an over 20 year career in corporate business technology consulting. He is also a father who wants to make his sons proud by standing up for something greater than himself.
PHILIP VY
BOARD CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Philip Vy is a 3rd generation half-Filipino half-Vietnamese American born in Monterey raised in Modesto. Remembering Chinatown with great fondness, he always made sure to get a couple of selfies, a bite to eat, and some souvenirs every time he visited San Francisco during his youth. In Chinatown, he found familiarity with food, culture, and identity that wasn’t present in the Central Valley.
During the height of the pandemic, Vy’s call to action was to capture as many images as possible with his camera at protests, rallies, and demonstrations from the likes of Asians Are Strong, Stand With Asians, and of course Dear Community in his free time. With the murder of Michelle Go as his breaking point, he roamed Chinatown as a street photographer and accidentally started patrolling on his own until he found Dear Community. He can’t wait to be more engaged with the AAPI community. With his new self appointed purpose, his mission is to change the narrative that Asians are passive and easy targets by getting people together at events to show solidarity and pride one picture at a time.
KIMBERLY SZETO
EVENTs COORDINATOR AND
PROGRAM MANAGER
Kimberly Szeto’s a Hong Kongnese American who’s a constant advocate and activist in the community. She first got involved in the SF Chinatown community when she joined the Chinese Historical Society of America in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when she knew she couldn’t sit back and watch the attacks and violence from her TV screen. She had to find ways to help the community. Here, Szeto got a chance to be a part of the team for the legendary We Are Bruce Lee exhibit, currently on show right now at 965 Clay Street. In her free time, she’s active in the community supporting organizations like Save Cantonese and serving on the Okinawa Memories Initiative's Advisory Board.