Catherine Hang
韓惠蓮
Hello, my name is Catherine Hang. Going into the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown 2020 competition, my platform was primarily focused on Asian American representation in American and Western media. Growing up, it wasn’t common to see Asians in American film, and because of that, I always felt as though Asians didn’t belong in media. It wasn’t until after the premier of 'Crazy Rich Asians' when I realized that Asian Americans deserve the same opportunities to express themselves in the mainstream industry. As Second Princess, I hope to set a good example for the Chinese community and be a positive role model kids could look up to. I want to use my voice to encourage younger Chinese Americans to pursue their dreams; big or small. As a vocalist, my goal is to help young individuals appreciate the importance of art, education, and perseverance.
After searching through different organizations, I decided to work with Chinatown Community for Equitable Development because I appreciate their vision to maintain cultural integrity throughout the city, and their dedication towards quality education in their community. As a multi-ethnic and intergenerational organization, CCED aims to create a space where members are acknowledged for their individualism regardless of cultural or ethnic background. The demographic of Chinatown is constantly changing, but it’s reassuring to know that CCED has the community’s best interest in mind. The small city will always have a special place in my heart, so I’m glad I could find an organization dedicated to preserving its beauty. I have not yet had the opportunity to personally volunteer with CCED, but I plan to in the near future. I'm excited for what's to come, and although things may not have gone as planned, I'm excited for my remaining time on Court. Thank you!
Mentor: Jessica Sun, Co-founder and CEO of Viiva
If you knew Catherine Hang on a personal level, you would know that her participating in a competition like this is very out of character. Throughout her childhood, Catherine never felt comfortable wearing dresses, and was usually referred to by her peers as a “tom-boy” because of how she acted and presented herself. By participating in the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown competition, Catherine hopes to break out of her comfort zone and take ownership of who she is as an Asian American woman. When it comes to academics, Catherine understood the importance of attending university but knew that a career out of the arts would not have been personally fulfilling. Since graduating from the University of California, Riverside in 2018, Catherine has continuously been putting her effort into writing music and pursuing a vocalist career. Her goal would be to represent the Chinese American community in popular culture and to educate younger generations of the importance of art, education, and perseverance.
Catherine would like to thank her mentor Jessica Sun, Cofounder and CEO of Viiva.