Celebrating and Sharing Culture

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Yingman Tang. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Yingman Tang is a 28-year-old Chinese PhD student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). After earning her master’s in lighting design for theater, she is now researching AI and theater with a minor focus in Chinese-American theater.

As an only child and the first in her family to go to college, her high-level educational pursuits are especially meaningful. Her time in the U.S. has been productive outside of her studies, too, learning about how American culture vary as she explores different states on school breaks.

Yingman’s interest in cultural pursuits include that of her own as well. Recently finishing her term as president of the Chinese American Association of Central Illinois (CAACI)—the first student to hold the position—she now serves as president emeritus and strategic advisor. This well-regarded group has been organizing Chinese cultural, educational and civic events for 25 years.

In her role, Yingman builds bridges between Americans and their foreign-born neighbors as well as connecting the large Asian—particularly Chinese population—through things like holiday celebrations, educational opportunities and artistic performances. Whether connecting with their cultural roots or learning something new, both students and residents are delighted.

Through her 50 to 60 monthly volunteer hours, Yingman also helped secure CAACI’s first-ever $2,000 Urbana Arts Grant which expanded the organization’s programming. After graduation, she hopes to find a teaching role at a university and share her knowledge with students in pursuit of their goals.

What inspires you to get started with this initiative?

As an international student, I’ve experienced how difficult it can be to feel connected in a new environment. Immigrants, international residents and students don’t always have access to cultural resources. They miss their hometown but may lack the information to connect, not just to Americans, but to those who share their cultural background.

CAACI organizes events and tries to help people. For example, we’ll do a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration. A lot of people look forward to it because they can’t go home. They feel isolated. Through that event, they meet friends from their native country and celebrate together. They eat food and share stories. That’s meaningful. It inspires me to create spaces where people feel supported, informed and culturally connected.

Tell us about your volunteer role with the Chinese American Association of Central Illinois.

My role isn’t huge, but there are a lot of details. When I host an event, I first look for the venue and negotiate the date and rental fee. Then, we find funding by reaching out to businesses. And I negotiate with the performers or musicians, etc. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes aspects to discuss.

We’ll have one or two events per month, and we have annual events like the Chinese Lunar New Year Festival, the Dragon Board Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival. They’re the biggest festivals in China. Last week, our organization partnered with the Jasmine Field Orchestra, to host an event called “Get to Know Traditional Chinese Folk Music.” Families could come and bring their kids. We’re trying to find any opportunity to show how wonderful Chinese culture is, to let the city remember us.

Many events I’ve held were because of feedback from residents. For example, I invited students from UIUC to an event to share their academic experiences and their future careers. I’d heard from one of the homestay moms who is an immigrant herself, unfamiliar with the US education system. She asked if I could help parents help their kids find out about majors.

I also contribute to broader community engagement and cross-cultural understanding. I was invited to provide suggestions to the mayor of Champaign before her trip to China. I shared perspectives on cultural context and communication to support a more informed and respectful exchange. After her return, I helped organize a community conversation where she shared her experience with local residents.

What has been your favorite event?

My favorite is the Chinese Lunar New Year event. It’s the biggest event that CAACI hosts with 400 to 500 attendees this February. I enjoy hearing the applause from the crowd, especially when the show ends. I can see the artists smile. When other people are happy, it makes me happy.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

We’re trying to build a platform to sell used goods. Many students don’t have enough money to buy new stuff when they move in but don’t have a trusted platform to buy used.

Additionally, not everyone can afford to eat at a restaurant, but restaurants throw away food at night because they only want to sell fresh items the next day. We think it might help both students and restaurants to ask the latter to sell food to students that would otherwise be wasted for a low price. So, we’re trying to build an application to facilitate that. The plan is to have it ready by the end of summer break.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I didn’t know there were so many needs from local people. Not just students, but moms. They aren’t familiar with the American educational system. And right now, politics are chaotic. People are worried about their visas and about speaking publicly about the relationship between China and America.

People have questions, but they don’t know who can help. Once I stepped into the role, I became the helper. No matter who you are, you can find me.

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is in September or October. I spoke with a local who wants to share Chinese tea and the clothing called Qipao, which originated in the Qing Dynasty. She wants to showcase them, so I’m helping with that.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Help people. Even small actions can make a difference. I organize events. It’s not a huge thing, but it’s meaningful. What matters most is being willing to take the first step and stay committed.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Yingman? Find local volunteer opportunities.