Drawing from my family’s legacy of strength and courage, I pursued a dream of my own and learned a priceless lesson.

I turned over the phrase in my head before translating it aloud into Vietnamese for my mother. We had moved a couple of times already, and by the time I was 13, I became an intermediary for my parents between REALTORS®. That experience planted the seed for a lifelong passion.

My parents left Vietnam during the war. As a soldier fighting alongside the US for democracy, getting out of the country was a matter of life and death for my father. He and my mother told me about the many parts of their journey to build a new life in America. There were weeks they spent on a small boat at sea among millions of other refugees, years at a refugee camp in the Philippines, and finally arriving in the United States with nothing.

The two of them worked nearly nonstop to provide my sister and me with the best opportunities possible. Even though we did not have much, they always found something to share with others in need. Whether it was dinner, a little money, or staging an event, I grew up with giving back as second nature and recognized the more success I achieved, the more I could give.

My parents sacrificed so much to provide me with this awesome opportunity. Although I did not choose the route they had expected, I made it my own through pursuing my passion to work with others. I love being of service and knew business was the perfect avenue. I began a career in car sales with real estate still on my mind.

I spent many years in management and training others. However, after having my daughter, I saw everything in a new light. Working six days a week, I was not home a lot and wanted more time with my family. In 2018, when my second son was 2 years old, I went cold turkey into real estate.

I loved it as much as ever, and though it was a struggle at first,
I was used to being the underdog. Although I was born here,
I did not learn English until I started kindergarten. I had to learn it on my own and grew up independent, resourceful and resilient, learning whatever I needed as I went along. As a child, I was often picked on and used that as motivation to be the

best in whatever I did. All the while, I kept in mind the legacy of strength and courage passed on from my parents.

I am a product of my parents, my culture, this nation, and the journey that has brought me where I am today. At some point,