MI City Council honors Yuan as Community Member of the Year
Published 9:30 am Thursday, May 21, 2026
Mercer Island Deputy Mayor Daniel Becker called resident Fan Yuan a “rock star” and thanked her two daughters for loaning their mom to the community.
Yuan was all smiles and shed a few tears when she was formally recognized as the 2025 Community Member of the Year at city council’s May 19 regular meeting. She receives the award “for her exceptional leadership and dedicated volunteer service,” according to the city.
The Mercer Island Chinese Association president has partnered with the city to host the successful and jam-packed Mercer Island Lunar New Year celebration and the Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. She was a Mercer Island Preschool Association board member, serves on the Northwood Elementary School PTA board, contributes to the Friends of Dragon Park community group, is a King County Library System Foundation board member and runs Mandarin Storytime at the Mercer Island Library.
“Thank you to the many kind friends I’ve made here on this island whose warmth and friendship have shaped my sense of belonging, and to this community for seeing me, welcoming me, and embracing me for who I am. I think it’s that quality — the ability to truly see and understand one another — that unites us,” she said at the meeting, during which Mayor Dave Rosenbaum read from a proclamation and presented Yuan with a plaque.
Yuan, who was joined at the gathering by her husband Brian Sloan and their two girls, Kara and Rya Sloan, thanked Becker for nominating her for the honor and is grateful to be part of a community that recognizes her work.
“I feel especially grateful that immigrants like me can not only find a home here, but also shape it in the way we want it. Because in the end, this is what turns a place into a home,” Yuan said.
At the meeting, councilmember Ted Weinberg spoke the words, “thank you for your exceptional service to the community,” in Mandarin. Councilmember Julie Hsieh praised Yuan’s impressive leadership and for raising the importance of recognizing Chinese culture.
Becker, who nominated Yuan for the award at city council’s Jan. 16 planning session, said he appreciates that she is a “doer” and eyes how she can make things better.
Regarding the Lunar New Year celebration and the Mid-Autumn Festival Carnival, Rosenbaum said it is truly amazing how Yuan’s events have become city staples so quickly and attract thousands of attendees. Rosenbaum added that Yuan is humble and inspiring.
“It’s people like you that make this such a wonderful place to live,” the mayor said.
Yuan delved into the importance of community connections during her acceptance speech: “I also want to say this to my girls and to all the parents out there: community value cannot always be measured in job titles or income. Some of the most meaningful work happens quietly in everyday life — in the care we give to our children, the support we offer our families, the ways we show up for one another, and the effort we make to help people around us feel seen, included, and connected.”
Mercer Island City Council has been honoring the Community Member of the Year since 1990 and a city document notes that the selection criteria includes: significant service accomplishments within the past year; the quality, scale and duration of the benefits to the community resulting from the accomplishments and more.
