For our October Member of the Month, we interviewed superstar member Jonny Lee! Read on to learn more about him.
Tell us about yourself! It can be about anything – where you grew up, your professional background, your hobbies, etc.
Hi! I’m a recent transplant in NYC from LA. I was born and raised in rural Illinois before attending USC for college. Since graduating in 2018, I’ve worked in finance and am currently working for a startup called T-REX here in NYC. Outside of work, you can find me building custom mechanical keyboards, exploring NYC like a tourist, or playing games like Apex Legends, Valorant, or CS:GO.
Why did you join TAP? What was your first event?
While I was at USC, TAP-LA had a college mentorship program pairing TAP members with students in the area and this helped me acclimate to the culture shock of moving from a small town to LA. My mentors gave me professional and personal advice throughout my college career but more importantly, offered a foundation for me to grow and call LA home.
As a new person to NYC, I knew that TAP-NY could provide the same easing into life on this side of the country. I had always been a part of Asian American organizations like AID Summer, USC’s Taiwanese American Organization (TASA equivalent), an Asian-interest fraternity, and eventually TAP-LA; it only felt natural for me to continue my involvement and build out my community here.
My first event was the July Dinner Series at Let’s Meat BBQ, hosted by Connie and Warren! Since then, I’ve tried to go to as many events as possible and have met a whole bunch of new friends.
What’s your favorite Taiwanese food and why? What’s your go-to restaurant in NYC?
Nothing beats a solid bowl of beef noodle soup. I grew up eating all kinds of Taiwanese food cooked by my grandma and beef noodle soup always reminds me of home. While I have yet to explore a lot of NYC’s restaurants, my favorite right now is either Jeju Noodle Bar or Via Carota. Taking sushi recs!
If we wanted to hang out, where would we find you?
Anywhere and everywhere! I’ve only been in NYC for a few months so I’m still looking for my “spot,” whether it’s food or fun.