第一位当选美国州议会议员的华人 – 叶梅Mae Yih

作者：Xiaohong Chen
关键词： 美国参政

第一位华人当选美国州议会议员的, 今年93岁了, 她的名字叫叶梅Mae Yih.
2020年， 是一个不平凡的一年，每逢佳节倍思亲，在海外的华侨华人，尽管去年遭遇疫情的影响，不能聚集在一起举办庆祝活动，但仍有不少侨胞以不同的方式庆祝中华人民共和国成立71 周年和中秋双节活动，以表达对祖国和亲人的思念与祝福。
叶梅Mae Yih 在参加俄勒冈州华人华侨举办的“国庆”和“ 中秋”双节庆祝活动之际，发表了视频讲话：
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, friends, and neighbors :
hello everyone. I am delighted to be here this evening to join you in the double celebration of the 71st anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China and the Mid-September Moon Festival in mid-September. Jimmy Zhu is a grade school classmate of my nephew in Shanghai sixty years ago. Timmy Tso attended Premier Zhu Rongi’s welcome reception in Washington D.C. in 1999 with me. It’s wonderful to see many old friends and meet new friends.
Jimmy asked me to say a few words about my experience as the first Chinese American to be elected to the state legislature in the United States in 1976
I am happy to share some of my experience because it is critical that we have more Chinese American elected officials in the government that can represent our interests and concerns, and uphold equal opportunity and justice for all of us. We have many successful Chinese American businessmen, scientists, engineers, and artists but very few Chinese American elected officials.
There is an old Chinese saying” we need to worry about snow in front of our doorsteps but not to worry about the frost on my neighbor’s roof”. I totally disagree. We should follow what Confuscious said,” We need to care for the seniors the same as how we care for our own seniors and we need to care for the children the same as we care for our own children.”
I was a student at a small women’s college in New York City. Every week the college president said to us during the student assembly,” Use your education, be involved in the decision-making process for the benefit of your community”. Because of her inspirational message, when my sons were going to an elementary school in Albany, I volunteered as a room mother, den mother, hot lunch program coordinator, zoo visit chaperone, PTA vice president, PTA president, and I was then elected to the elementary school board and served 9 years and the Albany high school board for 4 years.
I was drafted by the Democrat party to run for the legislature after being very vocal on the school boards without knowing it, trying hard to work for high-quality programs and watching out for wise spending of tax dollars as well. I was able to defeat a 13 year incumbent for the House seat in 1976. I served 3 two year terms in the House and 5 four year terms in the Senate. Always working hard for high-quality programs, wise spending of tax dollars, and representing people’s concerns and needs in my district.
I like to take this opportunity to encourage you to use your education, talent, and time to be involved in the decision-making process for the benefit of the community.
If a minority woman immigrant like me could do it. So can you. With hard work and determination, only the sky is the limit.
Again, congratulations, and all best wishes for good health, success, prosperity, an increase in trade, a clean environment, and world peace.

主席先生，女士们，先生们，朋友和邻居：
大家好。 今天晚上我很高兴能与您一起参加中华人民共和国成立71周年和9月中旬中秋节的双重庆祝活动。 朱（Jimmy Zhu）是六十年前我侄子在上海的一个小学同班同学。Jimmy Zhu与我一起出席了1999年在华盛顿举行的朱鎔基总理的欢迎招待会。 见到很多老朋友并结识新朋友真是太好了。
我是在美国第一个华裔被选为1976年在美国的州议会议员。
我很高兴分享我的一些经验，因为至关重要的是，我们在政府中应有更多的华裔美国民选官员代表我们的利益和关切，并为我们所有人维护平等的机会和正义。 我们有许多成功的中国的美国商人，科学家，工程师和艺术家，但很少有中国的美国民选官员。
中国有一句古老的谚语：“我们不必担心门前的积雪，而不必担心邻居屋顶上的霜冻”。 我完全不同意。 我们应该遵循Confuscious所说的话：“我们需要像照料自己的老人一样照料老人，我们需要像照料自己的孩子一样照料孩子。”
我是纽约一所女子大学的学生。 大学校长每周在学生会上对我们说：“利用您的教育，参与决策过程，为社区带来好处”。 由于她的鼓舞人心的消息，当我的儿子将要在奥尔巴尼小学的，我自愿为一个房间的母亲，书房母亲，热午餐计划协调员，动物园参观伴侣，PTA副总裁，PTA会长，然后我被选为 小学董事会，服务9年，奥尔巴尼高中董事会服务4年。
我是由民主党选拔的，是在不知不觉中在校董会上大声疾呼之后，努力为高质量的课程而努力，并提防明智的税收支出。 1976年，我击败了13年的众议院议席。我在众议院任期3年，任期2年，在参议院任期4年，任期4年。 始终为高质量计划而努力，明智地花费税金，并表达我所在地区人们的关注和需求。
我想借此机会鼓励您利用自己的学历，才能和时间参与决策过程，以造福社区。
如果像我这样的少数族裔女性移民能够做到这一点。 你也可以 经过艰苦的工作和决心，只有天空才是极限。
再次祝贺并祝大家身体健康，成功，繁荣，贸易增长，环境清洁和世界和平。

叶梅女士的讲话，普实诚肯.在当前美国对亚裔仇视问题，有一定的启示. 不管是华裔还是亚裔，不管是公民还是非公民，作为你生活在这片土地上，你就有权益和义务为正义伸张，为公平正义作出贡献……您有何感想？欢迎热评.