The older I get, the more clearly I feel my root as a Vietnamese woman and the indelible imprint it leaves on me. Our homeland’s history is the work of making and keeping a country, and through every chapter, women have held the line. Beyond the heroines who fought on battlefields were the women at home who did it all—stocking the front with food and medicine, holding families together, raising children alone, cooking, mending, nursing. If something needed doing, they did it.

- How old are you? - How old do you think I am? - You must be a few years older than me... so I’m guessing you were born in 2000? - Haha! You’re very sweet. So, I noticed you were reading. - Ahhh… yes. I want to be successful, so this book caught my interest. - I see. What does being successful mean to you? - I want to make lots of money and get rich quickly. - Interesting. Any reason it’s top of mind for you right now? - I want to make money fast so I can retire my mom… She’

There are many things that come to mind when we talk about feminine energy, and one of them is the immense strength and power in softness. Being a Vietnamese woman means I grew up celebrating today which is Vietnamese Women’s Day every year back home, but I didn’t fully grasp how it’s shaped who I am, despite the joy of always receiving gifts for the occasion. Our country has overcome so many wars that someone as privileged as me, born in peacetime, can only try to understand