ACT Renewal Report

Response to ACT closing notice and video posted by Brock Freeman and Lawrence Lin on 2021.6.13:

For details: ACT Renewal Group chat records

2021.12.1 Update: ACT Business Status became DELINQUENT today. For the record, ACT C4/C3 board members: Brock Freeman, Lawrence Lin, En-Tie Soon, Ying-po Robin Liao, Ya Chieh Hsu disposed of funds from donors with dictatorship bylaws betraying the trust of ACT community. ACT's donation receipts did not print a disclaimer that the organization reserves the right to use money as it sees fit, thus the nonprofit is required by U.S. law to ask prior permission from donors to repurpose their donations and the donors have the right to say no (in this situation, the org may have to refund the donation if it cannot be used for its original intended designation). Misappropriating donated funds is a serious violation of the U.S. law. Published ACT mission when donations to ACT were solicited: "Educating Americans on the importance of Taiwan to the U.S. & working to strengthen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. With Your Support, we make sure Washington stands up for Taiwan's freedom and democracy"

Brock, please don’t kill our baby ACT

pleaded by greater Seattle Taiwanese American community 2021.6.19

ACT was given its name by John Chou, one of the four initial directors of ACT C3, who also had done fundraisings, hosted team meetings with meals at his house, sent his staff Eddie Chen to work for ACT, etc. for the startup years. Most donors, staffs, volunteers, and guardian angels like Honorary Board Member Peter Lin (in end-stage illness) are greater Seattle area Taiwanese Americans who have nurtured and raised ACT like their baby. Alex Chen of FAPA, invited by me to join ACT Renewal group, already announced in our 4/30/2021 online meeting that FAPA will provide their attorneys to defend ACT for free if there is any lawsuit. Avoiding ACT donor’s money being "wasted to fund legal costs fighting a lawsuit" - the reason for Brock to close ACT C3 is a bogus excuse. ACT has been asking "Who owns Taiwan?" As ACT is for democratic governance of Taiwan, shouldn't ACT practice democratic governance as well and not to exclude donors, staffs, and volunteers from major org decisions like the split with US TW Watch and closing of ACT? We all know Brock has complete power to kill ACT if he cannot have it in his way. But Brock, please don’t kill our baby ACT!!

Brock, tell the truth, the whole truth

You accused ACT grassroots people in ACT Renewal chat as "CCP United Front style attack ... attempt to use and take over the ACT Foundation to attack and destroy US-Taiwan watch or USTW". ACT Renewal Group chat records viewed with other evidences presented here provide a comprehensive set of verifiable facts against your false statements insulting those who have gone extra miles to help ACT and you. Please use the right methods to do the right things, not wrong methods and false accusations to avoid accountability.

6/17/2021 update: 1. Robin Liao of USTW already confirmed that USTW is fully independent from ACT. What happens with ACT will not affect USTW and they are not concerned with ACT's internal affairs. The alleged conspiracy of "attempt to use and take over the ACT Foundation to attack and destroy US-Taiwan watch or USTW" is bogus without any proof. 2. The ACT renewal group of donors, officer, board directors, staffs, volunteers, and trustable friends all care deeply about how ACT can move on the right track after US TW Watch separation. The purpose of the group is to clarify ACT’s strategy and roadmap going forward. No one in this group has any intention to "attack and destroy US-Taiwan watch" and no people in our community that I know of "are threatening a lawsuit unless they get their way". 3. May Wu and Ralph Chen nominated by the group as candidates for Board vacancies are also supportive of US Taiwan Watch. Their longtime involvement in the greater Seattle Taiwanese American community and reputation can be easily verified. 4. There is no need at all to close down ACTF C3 org. Current leadership team still can hold at least 3 seats in 5 member board as majority. The only dispute is on whether ACT should follow democratic governance guidelines and revise ACT bylaws accordingly. Current ACT bylaws allow no members and no election for Board members (who can only be appointed by previous board members with 4 year term), and grant all rights only to its "Governors", no rights at all for its grass roots like donors. 5. The support for ACT’s missions is still very strong with new blood in passionate leadership. Please do not allow the closure of ACTF C3 org.

Summary of ACT Renewal group online meeting on 4/30/2021: 1. May Wu and Ralph Chen accepted nomination to join ACT C3 Board. Current Board members will decide if they can be accepted. Leadership roles including President and other officers will be reviewed and refilled after new ACT Board is formed. 2. Lawrence as current President indicated the need to find a replacement for his role but the search for new president as well as other projects better be authorized by the new Board. 3. Lawrence and the Board will send a public email to clarify confusions and questions regarding the org changes on USTW Watch. Donors who do not agree with ACT C4 Board's related decisions may be able to get their donation refunded.

First response on 6/16/2021: For the record (screen grabs in below), evidences of facts speak louder against false statements and accusations by Brock Freeman and Lawrence Lin about ACT Renewal group on what actually happened: (more to be revealed if necessary): 1. 2020.2.11 ACT Board meeting on C4 org name change with (ACT_C4_BoardMeeting_20200211.png), 2020.2.26 ACTF C3 Board meeting stated "Reduce web page down to landing page only. Any paid authors need to write article more around culture" (ACT_C3_BoardMeeting_20200226.png) 2. Brock stated the announcement of C4 org change "in the LINE group" but it cannot be found in both ACT Line chat record (ACTlineChat20191022_20200424.png) nor ACT Seattle Line chat record (ACTseattle20191029_20200822.png). No announcement as well on ACT Staff FB as of 5/2021 (ACTstaffFB_20210503.png). 3. Brock resigned and Lawrence became ACT C3 president on 2020.2.26 but most staffs including myself were not notified. I found out about this important leadership change 8 months later on 2020.10.29 (ACTlineChat20201029.png) 4. On 2021.4.17 USTW posted on ACT Line chats with fundraising letter stated that USTW has inherited all ACT political stuff while ACT "promotes Taiwanese culture" effective early 2020. Most ACT staffs and I were shocked that we had never been notified on this important change of ACT's mission (ACTseattleLine20210418.PNG). 5. Thus I talked to Julie on 4/18/2021 (chat_JulieFreeman.png) and also Brock for 74 minutes on clarification and planning going forward. With their consent, I proceeded with the community outreach forming this ACT Renewal group by talking to current Board members first with follow up and updates (chat_BrockFreeman.png) (chat_LawrenceLin.png) (chat_LindaLin.PNG) 6. Lawrence Lin, Charlene Kao, Chieni, Siông-iông Judy, Alex Chen, Justin Wei, kokoro, May Wu, Tsung-Han Tsai, Ralph Chen, me attended 4/30/2021 online meeting. This group nominated May Wu and Ralph Chen as candidates for Board vacancies. Julie Freeman, Brock Freeman, Shang Ju Li, Rev. Jerry Chang joined the group but did not attend the 4/30 meeting. Michael Turton joined the group but left before 4/30 while Linda Lin, Li-Fang, Shong have not accepted invitations.

Screen grabs:

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