We want to hear from more voices within our community so every month we will have a post from someone you may not normally hear from. This month the spotlight is on Women's History and we have the amazing opportunity to hear from Stephanie Tran on who inspires her the most. Let her know what you think in the comment section below.
Who watched the Oscars this past Sunday? I surely did, or at least the ending of it. I caught it
right at the end when Michelle Yeoh won best actress for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. I watched her acceptance speech while receiving a news notification that Ke Huy Quan had won best supporting actor for the same movie. Naturally, after hearing her speech, I had to watch Ke’s acceptance speech on YouTube. I couldn’t help but notice a strong likeness between their speeches – they acknowledged and lifted up their mothers for what they had accomplished and where they were now.
My relationship with my mom isn’t so straightforward. I think a lot of us have a chow fun-like relationship with our moms, where the noodles are all twisted and tangled up. But you have to admit, chow fun is still a good dish regardless of its messy formation. Like many Vietnamese moms in their late 60s, mine has gone through some crazy experiences – four attempts to escape Vietnam by boat, immigrating to the States with no knowledge of the language, and acculturating and assimilating into a new community so she could move on, fit in, and live her life peacefully and quietly.
Her inner strength and resilience are things I never recognized when I was younger because she tends to keep a myriad of her thoughts and feelings to herself. Her actions showed me how to host family events with so much food that everyone would get boxes of to-go food when they go home; no one leaves empty-handed and everyone is fed until they feel the need to nap on our couches and spare bedroom.
I’m certain that many of us can relate to this. I’m hopeful that each one of us has women in our lives who have taught us specific things so deeply ingrained within that it is now how we show our love and care to our loved ones and those around us.
I don’t think I will ever win an Oscar, but if in some multiverse I do, I will say, “Mom, I am here
because of you.” In fact, that is something I try to remember every day, regardless of a
multiverse win at the Oscars. Thanks, mom. You are my hero.