This story is part of “Asian in Ohio,” an interactive gallery exploring the landscape of Ohio and the Asian and Asian American individuals who call it home through narratives, data, mapping and film.
As both a mentor and mother, Grace Lin has a deep understanding of the Chinese- and Taiwanese-American experience and how to preserve heritage through language education. Now, she’s bringing that understanding to Northeast Ohio Communities through her work as principal at the Chinese Academy of Cleveland.
Lin grew up in Taiwan, and moved to the U.S. for an undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado. She moved to Cleveland in 1994 and became involved in the city’s Chinese community. In 2000, she joined the board of the Chinese Women Association of Cleveland, for which she is now an advisor. Seven years later, she became involved in the Chinese Academy of Cleveland as an academic director.
Throughout her experiences, Lin has recognized trends in students’ interest in heritage learning.
“It’s been about 50 years. The first generation of immigrants, they tried to send their kids to learn Chinese. At that time, the second generation was not interested. But now we see the third generation, that trend is coming back to learn Chinese,” she said.
The shift exemplifies a desire to reclaim familial connections and culture as Taiwanese Americans seek to communicate with their native grandparents. This reflects an appreciation for the cultural respect for elders in East Asian culture.
“We value the parents. Family is very important for society,” Lin said.
With two daughters who were born and raised in Cleveland, Lin understands the importance of language for children to connect with their Taiwanese identities.
Her children are mixed race, half-Taiwanese and half-Lebanese. Lin has taught them Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese since they were young.
“She considers herself both,” Lin said about one of her daughters, “So, I think that’s valuable about [language learning]. She doesn’t feel uncomfortable speaking about [how] she’s also Taiwanese.”
On the other hand, she has also noticed increased interest in language study in non-heritage students in recent years.
“In the past, at the Chinese school, we proportionately had more heritage families,” Lin said. “More people, especially really young children — preschool age kids — they all want to experience Chinese as CSL [Chinese as a second language].”
Lin’s approach to Chinese education differs from the typical language program today, which emphasizes simplified characters. At the Chinese Academy of Cleveland, the curriculum focuses on traditional Chinese.
By introducing the Cleveland community to a traditional approach to language learning, Lin fosters fascination for what she describes as “the art of Chinese.”
Lin learned Chinese calligraphy for over six years when she was in elementary school, which lends itself to comprehending the visual meaning of the character.
“You can draw the picture, like the jewel is a sun. So, it’s the shape of the character,” Lin said. “Simplified Chinese will not be able to represent the beauty of the character. So, you’re learning the meaning of the character, you’re also showing that as part of the art.”
Her work at the academy has also allowed her to showcase Taiwanese culture to a wider audience. Through the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning (TCML), students and adults alike grasp the language but also participate in social and public programming with a unique Taiwanese flair in Cleveland.
In 2020, the NBA invited students from the academy to perform an Indigenous Taiwanese dance, “三太子” (sāntàizi), at the Lunar New Year halftime show for the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Bulls game.
“Everybody had a great time; it’s really a lifetime experience,” Lin said. “I’m the one behind the thing, helping out the school and also the community to demonstrate our culture. [It] is to continue this tradition so we can transition to the new generation.”
You can read a selected transcript from Grace Lin’s interview here and explore other stories from this series here. “Asian in Ohio” is supported in part by Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Equity & Access Initiative Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation.
