Alice yu
余蕴资
Chinese
2023 Contestant #9
Miss Asian Chicago
Contestant Spotlight
Alice's Community Project Proposal
alice's activities with us
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What's something memorable about you?
I once won a dumpling eating contest!
Why should the community support you for Miss Crowd Favorite?
My goal is for all the contestants, judges, and our amazing audience to have a great time! Supporting our community should be fun and enjoyable, in addition to incredibly meaningful. I hope I can provide that atmosphere for everyone on Pageant Day and that you'll support me as Miss Crowd Favorite!
Why did you join MAC? / What is your goal with MAC?
I joined MAC to utilize my strengths and experiences as a Chinese-American and as a pediatrician to support my local community. Being a doctor is rewarding, but sometimes frustrating when we have limited ability to address the barriers to health care our patients face. With MAC, I hope to reach children and families outside the confines of a doctor's office with the goal to improve mental health in the Asian community of Chicago, one child at a time!
Tell us about your community platform project.
My community platform project focuses on improving mental health in Asian youth. This mental health outreach program will help parents understand mental health disorders and develop skills to recognize and support children who may be struggling with them. Importantly, this program will help parents help other parents in this endeavor, thus utilizing the strength and ties of our community to make an even bigger impact.
What about your heritage makes you proud?
My parents always taught me the importance of family. The beauty and strength of looking out for your family (and that can expand to include friends and community too) is something I am proud to claim as part of my heritage.
What is your spirit animal?
Quokka (look them up!)
Share about a time you amplified someone's voice.
I recently discussed with a patient her mental health, safety, and various stressors in her life. I first politely asked her father to leave the room so we could have a private conversation. In this safe space, she was able to share with me her truth, which she openly expressed sometimes differed from her father’s truth. Following this conversation, I discussed with her father how these concerns are not trivial, but important and significant. Though this was no quick fix, in advocating for my patient, I hope I initiated the beginning of many more discussions and greater understanding between my patient and her father.
What three things would you bring with you to a remote island?
Cellphone with service, sunscreen, a friend
What's a fun fact about you?
I love doing K-pop dances!
Hi! My name is Alice Yunzi Ling Yu. My Chinese name is 余蕴资. When people hear my Chinese name, they always assume it’s the feminine version 姿 (to mean “I have beauty”), but I was named the masculine 资, to mean “I have abilities and resources”.
This name feels fitting for my life, and specifically my journey into pediatrics. As a doctor, I take care of a diverse patient population, ranging from premature babies to wise-beyond-their-years adolescents. My profession calls upon me to use my “abilities and resources” every day for the purpose of bettering the lives of children and their families. One of my aspirations in joining Miss Asian Chicago is to utilize this community platform to extend that mission beyond the walls of a doctor’s office.
Another aspiration I have for participating in my first-ever pageant (!) is to meet intelligent, driven, and talented Asian women who can inspire me to continuously better myself and love myself.
As a child, I vividly remember experiences that made me feel disconnected from my Asian heritage. Luckily as I’ve grown older, I’ve also learned more about the beauty and strength of Chinese culture. Now, I consider my bi-cultural identity to be one of my greatest strengths and factors that shaped me into the woman I am today.
I am honored to have been selected as a participant in the 2023 Miss Asian Chicago pageant, through which I hope to better my local community, make inspirational friends, and share the beauty of Asian culture with those whose hearts and minds are open to it.
Follow my MAC journey on Instagram at @missasianalice