The first time I saw a Chinese opera, I was hooked.
I was 6 and begged for lessons.
Although the training is very tough, I was fortunate to study with a world-renowned star, Yim-Hing Law.
At 95, she still travels to the U.S. when she can to see me perform.
Chinese opera spans centuries.
I was dedicated to my training.
(I recently retired from that job and have transitioned to a volunteer fundraising role with the agency.)
But I missed the opera.
In 1997, I founded a Chinese-opera troupe, Duen Fung Ming, in the Bay Area.
I direct, choreograph and produce our performances, and each serves as a fundraiser for Self-Help.
In 2019, just before the pandemic, we raised $200,000 for the agency.
But I still love the opera as much as I did the first time I saw it.
