I am a realistic optimist. I’ve always believed in the power of positive speech while keeping expectations low to accept the inevitable — life’s broken promises and constant letdowns. My journey in Go began at age 14 in the summer of 2019, introduced by my aunts. The timing of the COVID-19 pandemic meant my only access to Go was through game records books, the Online Go Server (OGS), or the American Go E-Journal. I was self-taught in Go for the first year, improving from 20-Kyu to 7-Kyu. The following year, I joined the New York Insititute of Go. Go became a source of comfort amidst the pandemic, which reminded me of my late brother. But my past continued to haunt me. I could not focus on the game. In the fall of 2021, my break from school only reinforced my belief in life’s unending disappointments. Yet, these experiences would ultimately fuel my determination to empower others. My first U.S. Go Congress in the summer of 2022 marked a turning point. Meeting the Go promoters I had read about and sharing my winning Go Seigen sonnet — inspired by the lectures of my Go teacher Ryan Li 4P — felt surreal. Little did I know that in the 2023 U.S. Go Congress, I would team up with Albert Yen 8D for the Pair Go Qualifiers and serve as the Prize Coordinator. Yet doubts from my past lingered. I felt I had nothing to offer other than my ability to write sob stories for college applications. In the fall of 2022, Albert invited me to volunteer for Evanston Go Club’s tournaments. As the Tournament Outreach Director, I contributed to the quadrupled growth of the 2023 Chicago Rapid and 2023 Chicago Open, which made headlines in The Daily Northwestern. The support from my Go teachers, mentors, colleagues and friends was invaluable. They played teaching games, polished my college applications, assisted with schoolwork and encouraged me to dream big. I applied my student journalism experience to the Go community, publishing articles in the American Go E-Journal, American Go Honor Society, and Baduk News. After releasing my article on Jae Donley, several beginner players in the Midwest Go Association Discord expressed their excitement over the “inspiring” story and interest in studying Go in China. My roles expanded, from leading the high school-level American Go Honor Society to mobilizing student leaders to found a unified American Collegiate Go Association. In the first month, our team hosted our debut event, the ACGA Virtual Pilot Tournament, which drew students from over 20 universities across North America with the support of four partners. This year marks a series of milestones, reaffirming that optimism triumphs over pessimism. The 14-year-old who never envisioned these opportunities now lives her dream. I envision crafting more articles and events that resonate with and inspire players of all levels to hold on to their love for the game.
