嚴敏最初對紐約的想像，僅止於航程的長度與時差的差距。那是一段他以為遙不可及的距離——台灣飛往美國最遠的一般航程，幾乎要跨越半個地球。直到真正踏上這座城市，他才明白，「距離」不只是地理上的遠，而是機會與想像之間的鴻溝。他看見紐約舞台上的無限可能，也同時感受到亞洲音樂在此的缺席。那時，中央公園的 SummerStage 舞台上沒有亞洲聲音，沒有台灣的旋律。嚴敏決定去挑戰那個「不可能」。他開始提案、寫信、奔走，用三年的時間向主辦單位證明：台灣音樂值得被聽見。就在他歷經無數次拒絕與疫情的考驗後，“Taiwanese Waves 台灣之夜” 終於在 2016 年登上了紐約中央公園。那一夜，台語、華語、客語、原住民族語與嘻哈節奏一同迴盪在紐約的夏夜天空。觀眾跟著節拍合唱〈不了情〉，那片草地成了屬於華人的卡拉 OK，屬於台灣的驕傲舞台。從此，台灣音樂不再只是地方性的文化，而是世界對話的一部分。對嚴敏來說，這段歷程改變了他對「距離」的定義。紐約與台灣不再隔著太平洋，而只隔著一首歌的時間。他說，那首歌是從拒絕開始，從堅持延伸，最終化成連結世界的旋律。在演講的最後，嚴敏邀請所有聽眾一同上場。因為人生的每個舞台，都在等著我們不再害怕被拒絕的那一刻。當我們選擇開口、選擇行動、選擇讓自己的聲音被聽見，距離就會消失，而音樂——或那份勇氣——就會開始流動。 In the beginning, all Mia Min Yen knew about New York was its distance — the longest regular flight from Taiwan to the United States, a place half a world away, with a time difference of several hours. That was how she defined the gap between the two cities: in miles and hours. But when she finally arrived in New York, she realized that the true distance was not measured by geography — it was the space between what is possible and what is allowed.She saw endless creativity and opportunity in New York, yet also noticed something missing: there were no Asian sounds on its stages, no echoes of Taiwan’s music in its parks. So she began to challenge that absence. For three years, she pitched, wrote, and persisted — and each time she was told no. Still, she refused to let rejection define the limits of what could be done.In 2016, after years of determination and a global pandemic that nearly silenced live music, Taiwanese Waves finally debuted on the SummerStage in Central Park. That night, voices from Taiwan — in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, and Indigenous languages — rose through the warm New York air. Hip-hop beats met traditional melodies. And when the crowd joined together to sing “Unforgettable,” the park transformed into a vast open-air karaoke, a space where cultures intertwined and distance disappeared.For Mia, that moment redefined what “distance” means. The space between Taipei and New York was no longer measured in miles — it had become the length of a song. That song began with rejection, grew through resilience, and became a bridge of understanding between two worlds.In closing, she invites everyone to step onto their own stage — to face rejection not as a wall but as a doorway. Because when we dare to be heard, to act, and to share our voices, the world listens. And in that moment of courage, distance fades — and music begins. 物子巡演工作室負責人 創作歌手9m88 經紀人 紐約中央公園 Taiwanese Waves 台灣之夜策展人• Director, WUZI Touring Studio • Manager of singer-songwriter 9m88 • Curator of Taiwanese Waves – Taiwan Night at Central Park, New York This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx