In 2010, I moved from Shanghai to Seattle, leaving behind a corporate career. Within three years, I became a mother of two and a postpartum fitness coach, leading local moms in workouts at Bellevue’s parks and community centers. Through fitness and volunteering at shelters, I found a sense of belonging and was later appointed to Bellevue’s Parks and Community Services Board.

My true sense of community came from my children's preschool, a Jewish Community Center (JCC). I was amazed by its inclusive, well-equipped facilities—offering services from preschools and theatres to fitness centers and senior care. Despite being a Jewish center, 70% of its members are non-Jewish, and the community welcomed families of all backgrounds, embodying a strong and supportive community.

In 2018, I moved to Silicon Valley, joined a local JCC, and got involved in community development, eventually serving on the Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Commission. As anti-Asian hate crimes surged in 2020, I asked myself: Why don’t the Chinese immigrants have our own community center? Silicon Valley is home to over 400,000 Chinese, yet we remain disconnected, lacking a shared space to celebrate our evolving culture and engage with other communities.

Determined to change this, I joined the Society of Heart's Delight to take the first step toward creating a modern Chinese Community Center (CCC). It’s a long journey, but I believe that with UNITY, our children will one day find the same belonging and pride in their own cultural home.

2010年冬，我从上海搬到西雅图，开始了新的人生旅程。之前，我是外企白领，但三年后，我的人生发生了巨大变化——我的女儿和儿子相继出生，这也让我踏上了母婴健身教练的道路。每天清晨，我带着本地妈妈们在贝尔维尤的公园和社区中心锻炼，运动让我们恢复体力，也促使我们彼此连接，我在这里找到了归属感。除了健身，我还和孩子一起做义工，帮助流浪妇女收容所，并与政府及非营利组织合作，后来被任命为贝尔维尤市的公园和社区服务委员。

尽管我结识了很多朋友，但真正让我找到心灵归属的是孩子的幼儿园——犹太社区中心（JCC）。我发现，北美有超过350家这样的中心，涵盖幼儿园、养老院、健身中心、剧场、办公室孵化器等，功能全面。虽然是犹太社区中心，70%的用户并非犹太裔，社区里的人们非常友好和包容，张开双臂接纳我和我的家庭。在JCC，我深刻感受到“生命的圆满，生活的乐趣”。

2018年，我搬到硅谷，并加入了当地的JCC，积极参与社区建设，后来被任命为帕罗阿图市的公园和娱乐委员。2020年，面对亚裔仇恨事件频发，我突然意识到：为什么我们华人没有自己的社区中心？硅谷有超过40万华裔，但我们依然像散落的拼图，缺乏真正的社群。过去的移民建立了中国城，但我们今天的需求已不同，我们需要一个能够代表华人现代移民文化的社区中心，不仅为我们服务，还能展示我们与时俱进的中华文化和包容精神。

这些年，我一直在寻找志同道合的人，也结识了许多理念相同的朋友。幸运的是，我加入了愉园社，迈出了打造华人社区中心的第一步。虽然这将是一个漫长的过程，但我相信，只要我们团结一致，总有一天，我们的孩子们也能在自己的社区中心找到归属感，促进族裔大团结。