Today marks exactly 15 years since my first day in the US. I’ve been contemplating a lot lately… and who would have known, I’d receive my permanent residency in the same year America celebrates its 250th anniversary (!) Gosh, the moment it arrived couldn’t have been more unexpected, almost magical in a way I couldn’t have imagined myself. Five years ago, I reflected on a decade of chasing the American dream as a 17-year-old girl who came from Vietnam knowing absolutely no on

- I want to help the vulnerable. It’s not about me, you know? I’ve always believed that I’m meant to contribute to something beyond myself. I’ve heard stories about people still being treated unfairly or arrested just because they’re brown or because they work in construction… I know it because I talked to them and they shared it with me. I realize that I have all of these privileges, and I need to do something with them. - Is your family worried about you? - I think they are

- Heading out? - Yes, it’s so hot out there! Gotta make sure we put on some sunscreen. - I know, right? It is. Good luck out there! - Are you traveling for work? - No… actually I live in Maine, but I came here to protest. - Oh, wow. All by yourself or with other people? - Just myself. Well, I’m a mother of four and a grandmother. Here by myself, though I’ve done it quite a few times. - That’s incredible. I can’t believe you traveled all the way from Maine to DC by yourself j

- Hey! I have a serious question for you. Do you have any friends in Vietnam who follow any news from the US? If so, do they look at us...