Knowing that Asians and Friends Chicago has had many memorable personalities over the years, it’s good to remember and celebrate their lives. Here, Larry Beck has written up a great rememberance of one of the organization’s brightest leaders.
[Note: AFC will celebrate its 25th anniversary year in a big black-tie optional gala on May 7, 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Allegro, in tandem with GLBT couples and other organizations. http://ouranniversarychicago.blogspot.com for info and tickets.]
Remembering Samson
May 14 marks the 15th anniversary of the passing of Samson Chan, AFC’s first president. In reading over his biography and accomplishments on the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame website
glhalloffame.org/index.pl?item=68&todo=view.item I was once again struck by the remarkable achievements Samson attained in his too-short life.
Here in Chicago, Samson served as one of AFC’s founders and its first president, helping shape the nature of the organization in that pioneering period in 1984 when no similar group existed. Through articles and correspondence with those in other cities, he inspired others in founding similar organizations and chaired the Chicago steering committee that hosted that year’s International Friendship Weekend where Asian/non-Asian groups from many cities gathered.
Samson lead AFC into serving as one of the original sponsors of the annual “Have A Heart” dance, an AIDS fundraiser where AFC worked with many gay and lesbian organizations and he personally continued on the “Have A Heart” committee until his departure for Hong Kong in 1991.
Diagnosed HIV positive, he returned to Hong Kong and became Service Program Director for the newly-formed Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, doing educational outreach, running support groups, screening doctors to assure appropriate service to PWA’s, and making hospital visits. He still found time to establish Horizons, a volunteer gay and lesbian crisis hotline that received calls from mainland China.
A much more thorough review of his life and legacy can be found at the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame website cited above.
But there were things about Samson that cannot be captured in a list of accomplishments. Indeed, those things helped make those accomplishments possible. I find it hard to find the right words to describe the character of this remarkable man.
Samson was caring. His skill in working with people flowed from his genuine concern for them. Even in the driest piece of board of directors business or the most routine tasks, he was mindful of those he worked with of those he worked to serve.
He was a peacemaker, always looking for a principled way to build a consensus. He respected the views of others. He listened with an open mind and heart while remaining true to his own beliefs.
Perhaps most of all, Samson was a man in love with life. A smile was his natural expression and a focused energy his natural state. This enthusiasm and energy would overflow, motivating and inspiring those around him.
A PWA on the website forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=18899.0 sums up my thoughts and memories of him better than I can myself. I encourage others to read this brief article in full. It shows even more of the person behind the accomplishments. The author writes:
“I wish we had more time together as friends, Samson. You taught me so much….”
“I have missed for so many years. I still sometimes see you on the streets… not really you, only someone happened to look a bit like you. It felt strangely good when it happened; it was as if you never left us….”
“…I wish more people could get to know you and what a wonderful person you were.”
