2020 Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Queen & Court

I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude, reflection, and excitement for the future as I pen this farewell message. My reign as the 2020 Miss Los Angeles Chinatown (MLAC) Queen was, to say the least, an unprecedented one, significantly impacted by the changes and challenges brought about by the global pandemic.

What our Court anticipated to be a bustling and exciting year of cultural immersion and community events suddenly turned into a prolonged period of uncertainty and social distancing. I am thankful we still had the opportunity to attend key Lunar New Year events such as the Golden Dragon Parade and L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run before lockdown was mandated. What followed afterwards - event cancellations, business closures, and social isolation - could have easily disrupted our community. We, however, remained resilient and found new and innovative ways to adapt to the circumstances instead.

Organizations such as the Chinatown Service Center continued hosting virtual events and fundraisers, allowing our community to stay connected until it was safe to meet again in person.

I am forever grateful and indebted to the community members, volunteers, and sponsors who made our 2020 Court's reign possible. The MLAC platform empowers young women like us and amplifies our voices to advocate for our values and passions. Through this experience, I have grown more confident and comfortable with who I am and have developed a greater understanding of how I can better serve our community. I have connected with individuals from various backgrounds, exchanged life stories, and relished in our shared cultural heritage. Serving as Queen has been a meaningful and transformative journey, one that I will always cherish and look back on fondly.

To the upcoming 2024 MLAC Queen and Court, congratulations - you are about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. Embrace this role with an open heart and mind. Seize every opportunity. Stay true to yourself. Engage with community members. Support one another. Lastly, and most importantly, have fun.

This experience is as rewarding as you make it.

To the Los Angeles Chinatown community, thank you so much for your unwavering support and encouragement. This may be a farewell to my role as Queen, but it is certainly not a goodbye to this community and the causes I hold dear. I look forward to continuing to serve and contribute in new capacities, as we work together to build a brighter, more inclusive future.

With gratitude and love,

Corrie Chan

2020 Queen of Miss Los Angeles Chinatown