05/01/2026
May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month! Iām Chandler Tang. Iām the owner & founder of PS and Iām Asian-American.
AANHPI month is always an unusual time for me. To be frank, Iāve always struggled to fully acknowledge my Asian-American heritage. I used to dismiss the holiday.
Growing up, I tried to assimilate with classmates & hide the āAsian-Americanā parts of me. I didnāt want friends to come over to my house. I only wanted āAmerican-brandedā snacks. I wouldnāt be caught dead wearing a ācheongsamā (a traditional Chinese dress).
After opening PS, I began to post about myself and I was confronted with these feelings about my heritage. I realized I had a responsibility to represent AANHPI as a small business owner, even at my current state. I wasnāt expecting this to be part of the job, but I decided to be honest about my story & take the opportunity to educate myself while educating others. I decided that my complicated relationship with my heritage was OK.
As sad as it is to admit, I was embarrassed by how ādifferentā my family was. I didnāt realize the importance of their work and how hard they worked. My grandparents immigrated from China to SF in the 1950ās and great-great grandpa in 1850ās, working on the Transcontinental Railroad. It took me until adulthood to celebrate their story.
My family also ran many businesses in SF: a major laundry service, a bookstore, and more. Tradition runs deep: I now run a gift shop. I hope I make them proud.
I learned that my grandpa would loan money to young law students and would regularly take them out to lunch. One lawyer even attended my grandparentsā 50th anniversary party! Community is so important.
Becoming a small business owner has helped me grow in ways I had never imagined - helping me find myself again. Iām still learning and I am so grateful for this opportunity. Sometimes things grow back stronger. Thank you for reading and supporting us these past 6.5 years!
In tradition, weāll be donating a portion of May sales to whose mission is to make mental health available worldwide. Next post will be AANHPI brands!
