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It was either have stage fright and F-up the dances, or embrace the spotlight and proudly show my roots. When I was 7 years old, I proudly performed a Lao dance at the New York State Fair with my cousins.
“Let’s show them what being Lao is all about,” little me thought. That was among the first of many moments when I practiced being confident in embracing what makes me different.”
“…and as I saw the many who stopped and stared, I learned from then on that showing who I am was worth embracing.”
“
In second grade, we had a weekly Show and Tell. I was excited to show pieces of myself. I would bring in a Laotian artifact, like a musical instrument or a cooking tool. I would rehearse in the mirror my presentation, and couldn’t wait to perform in class.”
“Much of my memories consist of living half my days at our family market selling Southeast Asian crops and ingredients. It’s where I did everything to build my life; homework, studied for the GREs, applied to jobs and colleges, and met up with friends. Doing all this while tending to customers and stocking shelves. Our family market was a big presence for our small Lao community in Syracuse, NY, which was made up of only about 25 families. My family was on the board of Lao community groups.”
PHOTO: Our last day at the store before we closed it down in October 2015.
“I feel fortunate to be among the Lao Americans who can fluently speak Lao. It is a powerful ability to have for
a
first-generation
bi-cultural American growing up and finding their place in the world.”
“Speaking Lao gave me the ability to articulate and grasp the wisdom of my elders. I can share inside jokes with my grandparents, debate about westernized views with my parents, and teach my school friends about Lao culture with much depth.”
“With the wisdom of my elders, I am able to approach the world and life with a broadened scope and expanded knowledge, turning to the lineage of my ancestors and religion to shed light on the wisdom of the past. They have
been my anchor as I journey through self growth.”
“Exchanging stories became my way of life. Stories break the barriers of my projected mirrors, and help me learn more about me and my purpose. A revelation so motivating that I seek out more narratives from others of all walks of life.”
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Be it a journalist, a freelance writer, a film producer, a multimedia artist, a podcaster, or providing a stage and lights; it’s whatever means necessary to showcase stories of thought leaders from all over the world.”
“And as I bring people with me on this journey of collecting stories about obtaining lessons from failures, defiance from defeat, and victory from opportunities, I hope we unite through our similarities and embracing our differences.”
“And I hope that any magic of collaboration and celebration that comes from exchanging stories, will be my lasting legacy.”
