Rising Stars: Meet Rita Liu

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Liu

Hi Rita, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Shanghai, China, and my early childhood presented great challenges for my family. We escaped China during the Chinese Communist Revolution. My mother and three siblings watched the city being bombed as they took the last boat out of Shanghai, leaving behind our grandparents and two siblings. We brought nearly nothing with us to Taiwan: Anything you brought with you, even a small suitcase, meant another person would be left behind. Consequently, we did not have much money growing up in Taiwan. My only nice outfit was my school uniform. But we were a strong and happy family, and my parents gave me the room to grow and make my own choices. This helped instill in me the importance of people.

At that time, I was raised with traditional Chinese values. That meant focusing on education and learning, and doing my best at everything. I was a top-level student, a national athlete for Taiwan, and a painter. My paintings won numerous awards and were even displayed at the Taiwan National History Museum. When I moved to Germany for advanced studies with my fiancé, George, my art teacher presented all my paintings at an art show in Taiwan and, sadly, all my paintings disappeared right after that show.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As a foreign student with a language barrier, my job prospects in Germany were limited. I applied for a job as a waitress, but everyone laughed at me because I was too small, especially when it came to serving large German beer steins. As fate would have it, a friend informed me of a data entry/programmer training opening with General Electric, and I jumped at the opportunity. We then moved to the United States, and I left General Electric to work for IBM in New York. I had to face my first job interview without knowing the English language. My husband George coached me phonetically. It worked, and I began my career with IBM as a Programmer.

Because of my Chinese upbringing, I faced the challenge of holding a job in a new country with English as my third language. With a mindset of doing my best despite my fears. I focused on what needed to be done, and that served me well at IBM where I rose up in the ranks from a Programmer to an International Executive Management Consultant. I often found myself in situations where I was the only female and the only Asian. However, I viewed all situations as a challenge and a learning/teaching opportunity. There was one occasion where a very tall male colleague tried to intimidate me by physically towering over me. I repeatedly (and politely) insisted that he take the seat across from my desk, and refused to engage him until he did. When he finally sat down and we were at the same eye level, I said in a firm tone, “Now, what’s the problem.” He laughed, and said, “I can intimidate all the VPs, but I can’t intimidate you.” I’ve always held the belief that one should respect all individuals, and I always find ways to work with people’s strengths, turning potential adversaries into co-workers and team players.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
After I retired from IBM, my husband and I moved to Longmont, Colorado to be closer to our son and grandsons. This presented a challenge for me, as I had spent my entire career within a corporate structure, and now I was structureless. However, I had spent a lifetime starting from scratch. I found Colorado to be a wonderful place to live and develop a community. I also realized that there was a large, diverse Asian population in Longmont with an under-utilized skill set and a desire to be of service. I became the Chair of the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee (LMAC) for six years, and founded the Asian-Pacific Association of Longmont (A-PAL) in 2010. I recognized that language and cultural barriers impede in the ability of many Asians to participate within the community, and I created A-PAL to help bring people of all ethnicities and backgrounds together to work towards a common goal, and to get Asians more active within the community at large.

A-PAL’s flagship event is the annual Lunar New Year celebration (LNY), and it is the largest such celebration in Colorado. Our program includes live cultural performances (music, dance, fashion, martial arts, and the iconic dragon dance), educational and creative interactive booths, food sampling, robotics and virtual reality, and more. Though LNY celebrates a multitude of Asian ethnicities, the performers and presenters represent many different ages, races, and cultures. It is truly multicultural.

LNY provides Asian-Americans and Asian immigrants the opportunity to transcend cultural and language differences by putting them in creative, leadership, and managerial roles where they not only thrive, but serve as role models to others. A-PAL also partners with the St. Vrain Valley School District and the Silver Creek High School Leadership Academy. LNY is a long-term project that provides mentorship throughout the school semester on events production, leadership, and management. We identify students’ strengths, and give them a platform in which to hone their skills.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.apalconnect.org
• Other: apalconnect@aol.com

Image Credits
undefined