"It was inconcievable to her that she would not succeed,"said activist and once-refugee Tan Le.She spoke of her mother, traveling across the ocean in turmoil and solitude, from Vietnam to Australia. All she had was her mother and two daughters. Three generations of immigrant refugee women with nothing but each other and their iron will, stepping foot on a new horizon. As the leader of a displaced family unit--one consisted solely of women and girls--her mother had no option but to push forward and succeed.
Her task was bigger than herself; the weight on her shoulders was the future of three generations.
She spoke of her mother, travelling across the ocean in turmoil and solitude, from Vietnam to Australia. All she had was her mother and two daughters. Three generations of immigrant refugee women with nothing but each other and their iron will, stepping foot on a new horizon. me can all learn something from her story
Every once in a while, I stumble across a TED talk--or any kind of story--that truly inspires me. Tan Le's "My Immigration Story" was one of them. It reached the core of my own being; the story of the pure strength of Asian immigrant women, the strength of mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and sisters to overcome and prosper inspire me tremendously. I think that we can all learn something from her story
In an unfamiliar world that holds bias against them in every way, the women hold hands in unison against its harsh critiques. Tan Le details of the familial bond that keeps them strong: sharing stories, communicating, understanding each other. Her mother was not a high-achieving salary earner or some powerful buisnesswoman; yet, she was the role model that Tan Le looked up to and learned from. She worked multiple backbreaking jobs, all the while giving her family the moral and emotional support they needed to traverse the unfamiliar realm that is now their reality. Today's society often disregard the accomplishments of immigrant Asian mothers who put all behind and sacrifice a professional career for the sake of their family. In fact, the stereotype of the immigrant mother is overwhelmingly negative: the "tiger" mother, the illiterate housewife, and the irrational helicopter parent who controls every aspect of their children's lives. Asian mothers, especially those who are first generation immigrants, deserve much, much more credit for the work that they have done for their families. Moving to a new country is daunting for anyone, especially those who had so much to leave behind them. Family, friends, a career, the the familiarity of the world one grew up in is gone overseas. A fresh start is mandatory, right away. Le's mother taught her strength: when faced with adversity, she does not back off. She does not shy away from challenge; she learned her mother's work ethic and her mother's great capacity to love others. Dispite the odds, Le stands strong now, educated and accalimed, spreading her story to many more just like her.