In this episode of The Green Room, host Jonathon Platt sits with Devin Li and Jaja Chen, 2025 Abner V. McCall Humanitarian Award honorees and co-founders of Cha Community – a Taiwanese and Chinese fusion boba shop.
Their story begins in June 2018 at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market with laminated logos and borrowed tables, then known as Waco Cha. Now, Cha Community has pioneered itself into a cornerstone of Waco’s cultural scene. With a mission not just to be the first boba shop in Waco, Li and Chen hope to use their restaurant as a bridge to highlight Asian American culture.
Li and Chen discuss their journey to becoming community leaders, including founding the Asian Leaders Network, which organizes Waco’s Diwali Festival and Lunar New Year celebrations.
Tune in to hear a story of a business dream turned community.
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Credits:
Our theme music is “Short Circuit” by Ryan James Carr, with a special guest appearance by – yes – Abner McCall.
Our episodes are made possible by a grant from the Eula Mae & John Baugh Foundation.
And special thanks to our managing producer, Nina Um, and digital editor Kassidy Tsikitas.