Meet Steven
Steven Kung is a second-generation Taiwanese-American, writer/director, father, musician, and community advocate.
He owes his outspoken nature and passion for community-building to his Chinese/Taiwanese immigrant parents. His mother, tech entrepreneur Pat Tsao, founded Tidewater Chinese School, an inter-generational business mentorship program, and a Taipei-based seniors choir that has been placing in choral competitions throughout China. His father, retired computer science professor Jim Kung, is a lay pastor and deacon at Chinese Christian churches and a former missionary. They raised Steven with strong values (standing up for oneself and others, dedication to hard work, practicing the Golden Rule) and a deep appreciation for his culture and the arts.
Family portraits at church were a thing in the 80s.
Steven reclaimed his heritage by minoring in Chinese language and culture at the University of Virginia, where he wrote his bilingual honors thesis on the state of human rights in China. Graduating with high distinction in foreign affairs, Steven studied how the power of government can shape lives, and believes that in Monterey Park, local government can play a profound role in advancing the community good.
Steven was the Virginia High School League state debate champion and captain of the debate squad for three years.
Steven believes that everyone’s voice deserves to be heard - especially the overlooked - and he’s amplified those voices throughout his life from writing and directing Fresh Off The Boat and Dear White People, to leading and creating union committees at the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America, to most recently, his community activism.
Steven and his fellow Mad Men alumni picket during the WGA Strike of 2023.
When Steven learned that a data center was coming to town, he knew he’d seen this film before and wasn’t about to let the billionaire bullies trample the underdogs. Steven helped lead the fight against the data center: co-founding No Data Center Monterey Park, organizing a teach-in, rallying his neighbors, retaining counsel from the Center for Biological Diversity, and of course, giving fiery public comment in council meeting after council meeting.
In his spare time, Steven enjoys playing chamber music with friends, co-op video games with his husband, No Data Center Monterey Park co-founder Jesse Damon, and eating his way around Monterey Park and the SGV.
Steven and Jesse stuff their faces at District 5 restaurant Nha Trang.