I have learned to speak many languages in my life but linguistically; I would tell you I only speak English and Vietnamese. At an early age, I had to learn how to speak a non-formal language in order to communicate with my oldest brother, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder. As a child, I learned that even though he could not speak like other people could, my brother could communicate with me through shared empathy and with patience, I could learn from him like he learned from me. Autism caused his emotions to be wildly unpredictable. I saw the mistreatment he received from people who did not understand him and I saw their anger that stemmed from this. I strived to accept that he was still a person who deserved my respect and understanding. Starting from age 7, I learned how to speak for my parents. My parents immigrated to the United States in 1998 and had many difficulties speaking English. I was the translator for my parents to my elementary school’s administration, to the clients of their nail salon that they owned, and also to a slew of immigration lawyers and INS staff as my family sought citizenship. I had a lot of responsibility to understand how to communicate with adults because my parents did not. This was when I learned that with different situations I encountered, I must adapt to the language. My curiosity for understanding different groups of people and the different situations I would encounter them in, was sparked.
At age 15, my father went blind in one eye after a botched cataracts surgery. He was forced to stop working and I had to step up in his place. I ran the inner workings of his small business, a world I had been familiar with since I was 7. By day, I was a professional with my own business trying to pass as an adult and by night I was a teenager going to night school trying to get my high school diploma. I dropped out of normal high school in 10th grade and finished my last two years of coursework in a mere 4 months while still graduating valedictorian of my alternative high school. I took this tragedy in my family and used it for motivation to start building a better life for myself. I learned security is never promised but is earned. I started college at a local community college at age 16. For my early achievements in the STEM field, I received a full scholarship during my time at the school. I used this scholarship to complete 50 credits in only two semesters. This was the credit requirement for the scholarship I wished to receive at the school I wanted so badly to transfer to but could not afford without a large scholarship, Southern Methodist University. I committed myself to education and not getting distracted even though I was supposed to be a carefree junior in high school. At age 17, I received a half scholarship to SMU. During my time at SMU, I had a drive to prove my place among my much older peers. In my first semester, I used my combined passion for education and affinity for others to cofound and be on the executive committee for Mustangs Who Care, a student mental health and safety awareness organization. This built the foundation for many services and events on campus promoting wellness on issues that many college students face but rarely speak up about, such as drug abuse, the dangers of alcohol, sexual assault, and mental illness. I wanted to shed light on something that most of peers were ashamed about but often needed help coping with. My Autistic brother made me learn that some of the people in need of the most for compassion are the ones that do not say so. In my second semester, I became not only the youngest member of but also the member who fundraised the most money in the history of my sorority’s chapter for our philanthropy. I did this by using the communication and business skills I had refined throughout my life through the struggles I had faced. I wanted to earn the respect of others by showing them that I could be a strong leader and handle significant responsibilities even though I was several years their junior. Going into my third semester at age 18, my mother was diagnosed with coronary heart disease and became very weak. I then sacrificed my dreams at SMU like I did in high school. At this time, I transferred to the University of Texas at Dallas to be closer to her. Even though I struggled immensely personally, I adapted to UTD and began to excel academically after my first semester at the school, as my mother got healthier. At UTD, I sought to prove myself once again to my older peers. I did this by becoming the youngest member of my sorority’s professional National Board. I learned how to be the voice and make educated decisions for many, as I became the speaker for my chapter.
I am 19 years old at the moment but I do not see the difference between the peers of my graduating class and I. I have earned the respect of my professors who do not know my age and the grades that led to the bachelors I will soon have. I have always been worried throughout my college career if I would fit in but now I have learned that I will always stand out because of my voice and skill of adapting well to the many languages that people speak when in specific circumstances. I wish to pursue law because legal language intrigues me. I want to apply that to being a voice to those that do not understand the language but need desperately someone who does while also maintaining warmth for the weakest members in our society.
