|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
It’s not often that airports make me smile ear to ear. Yet on one recent afternoon at Miami International Airport, I found myself doing exactly that. An event took place that I feel deserves more attention than it has received.
Hundreds of airport employees – federal officers, county staff, maintenance workers, contractors, and frontline personnel – gathered for a large Thanksgiving luncheon organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Miami in partnership with the On Leong Chinese Merchants Association.
I was there as an invited observer through my interest with the Asian American Advisory Board, and what I witnessed was a rare and significant act of what positive people-to-people diplomacy can truly look like if we, here in the U.S., try hard enough.
The scale of the event was notable. Food was prepared for several hundred individuals, and it was all gone by the end of the event. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava gave remarks, as did Miami International Airport CEO Ralph Cutie. Director General Charles Chou of TECO in Miami also spoke to the audience.
The presence of such senior local leadership underscored the seriousness of the occasion.
However, what may have struck me most was that this initiative did not originate from a domestic government office, nor from the airport administration itself, but from Taiwan’s local representative office. In international affairs, diplomatic presence often is associated with policy statements, cultural showcases, or trade missions. It is far less common, perhaps even unusual, to see a foreign consulate directly engage the labor force (hundreds of airport staff) of a major American airport and extend a gesture of Thanksgiving on this scale.
This action is especially meaningful when viewed through the lens of Taiwanese cultural practice. Through my studies, I have learned that in Taiwan, it is customary to hold end-of-year appreciation meals for those whose work has supported an organization or community throughout the year. Monday’s event reflected that tradition, translated thoughtfully into a South Florida context.
Indeed, Miami International Airport is one of the nation’s busiest transit hubs, relying on the daily efforts of workers whose contributions are often taken for granted. The decision by TECO and its community partners to highlight and thank these individuals was both meaningful on a cultural level and tangibly impactful.
Walking out of the terminal, I didn’t see a diplomatic gesture, with diplomatic hopes, as much as a community gesture. This is what impressed me the most. It wasn’t meant to be flashy, nor was it designed for headlines. It simply recognized people who rarely get recognized. That alone made this Thanksgiving lunch worth writing about.
Isaac Dinnerstein is a 2025 University of Miami graduate, with degrees in International Studies and Political Science, who closely follows U.S.-Asia relations on both a broader and community level scale.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com.
If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com or Grant@communitynewspapers.com.
