San Francisco Chinatown native helps empower next generation of Asian American women
For more than 40 years, a San Francisco Chinatown native has been serving the Asian American community, especially empowering Asian American women to become leaders.
Rose Chung rehearses for a cultural procession that helps kick off San Francisco's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month festivities at the Herbst Theater. Volunteering is an important part of her life.
"That fulfilled my childhood dream," Chung said.
A dream to make a difference in her community.
The retired x-ray technologist has volunteered on the organizing committee since the city's annual celebration began in 2005. She grew up in Chinatown, one of four daughters, raised by her immigrant mother, a widow. Chung's father passed away when she was three years old.
"In those days, there wasn't much entertainment and the Chinese New Year celebration was the most glamorous thing in the community," Chung told CBS News Bay Area.
Chung entered the Miss Chinatown pageant in 1981 and won.
"And it absolutely changed the trajectory of my life and gave me all these opportunities to get involved in the community," she smiled.
It built her confidence. In 1985, she founded the nonprofit Asian America Foundation. Under its umbrella, she started the Miss Asian Global Pageant and later, co-founded Imagine Talks, a speaker series to empower young women.
Her mission - to ensure Asian American women are seen, heard, and mentored. Alumnae have become actors, anchors, authors and more.
"In this generation now, women can dream what they want to be and become it," Chung said.
Sidney Yee-Siu, a past Miss Asian Global Princess, went on to become Miss Chinatown USA in 2025. Today, she works at the Chinese Culture Center and the Chinatown Media Arts Collaborative.
Yee-Siu is emceeing the procession at the AAPI awards festivities. It's just one way in which Rose has opened doors for growth.
"She always tries to invite me to opportunities to emcee or perform at events and connect me with people who can also help empower me," said Yee-Siu.
Pageant leadership director Dr. Francis Kong says Chung leads by example.
"You don't talk about what you want to do. You be the change you want to see," Kong said.
Chung has taken many other volunteer leadership roles. Among them, board chair for APA Family Support Services. It provides diverse communities resources that she wishes her own mother would have had as a single mom.