A Word from the Author

 

When I was first approached to write the skit this year, I was absolutely honored but nervous. Creative writing was never my strong suit, and I was not even sure of what to write about. However, in brainstorming for the skit, I began to think about the balance between our passions and the expectations that are set on us. Growing up, I was never interested in working in the medical field or being a lawyer or engineer. My parents never set this expectation on me, but I grew up with the idea that in order to make my family proud, I had to pursue a career that made a lot of money and was prestigious in some way. This was set on me by my extended family, teachers, and other people who believed that, because I was Asian, I had to pursue very specific careers. Entering college, I wanted to pursue a career in mental health, which is heavily stigmatized in many Asian communities. I was also warned that I would not be able to financially support myself or my family. Going into my social work program, while it felt like the right choice for me, many of my extended family members questioned how I was going to support my parents in the future and why I chose not to pursue a medical degree. All I wanted to do was to help others, but it seemed like I was disregarding my family and my culture for doing so.

 

It’s easy to think that I perhaps got into many fights with my parents about my career

or perhaps I pursued my social work degree in secret. The reality is I grew up with very

supportive parents, who merely wished that I grew up to be healthy and happy. This

was when I realized that it was possible to have both; you can be supported in your

passions while respecting your family and culture. Pursuing your passions does not

necessarily have to be in conflict with your culture; as long as you are doing what you

love, you are honoring your identity by doing what you love and inspiring the next

generation to do the same. At the same time, having a conversation with family

members about your passions can perhaps allow them to understand the value of

the work that you do. 

 

I wanted to write this skit to not only share my story and experience, but also

represent a story that is common amongst Asian Americans--learning how to defy

expectations. As a second-generation Vietnamese American, I definitely felt the

pressure to fall into typically “Asian” professions and felt the need to conform to

expectation. However, the beauty of Asian Americans today is that we are defying

them by going against traditional and stereotypical expectations while finding new

and creative ways to honor our culture. I wanted to write this story to show other

Asian Americans that they are not alone in this struggle and that their passions are valid; I wanted to write this story to show the parents of this new generation that their children’s goals are important and can be fostered with their support. At the end of the day, happiness and love are the most important in a family, and I wrote this to show how families can still unite with joy and love.

 

The theme of the skit this year is Xuan Moi, Tinh Yeu Moi: New Spring, New Love, which not only signifies the journey that my characters go through, but also signifies the new love for the connections made with our culture and the family. It signifies a love for our passions and our joys and the love for our cultures. Springtime represents the beginning of life, a fresh start, and this time can be used to reconnect with what is important to us and what it can mean to be Asian American.

 

Obviously, I did not expect this year’s Xuan to be canceled, and thus this skit will not be performed in front of an audience this year. I was definitely heartbroken hearing this news, but I appreciate the new and creative ways that our efforts will be put into one creative project. Thank you so much for taking the time to explore this website; this is the collective efforts of all of the committees and the directors, who have worked extra hard to make sure that this website is possible. Thank you to everyone for their hard work!

 

Before I end this essay, I would like to thank all of the cast members for their hard work! We had several practices prior to the cancellation, and I loved seeing everyone’s enthusiasm every week. I would also like to thank the stage managers, Sheera Tamura and Peter Hoang, for walking through literally all of the directions and logistics of the skit with me and being super supportive. I would also like to thank the performance chairs, Erin Kobayashi, MaryAnne Tran, and Maddie Hoang, for being super intentional about the performances and making sure the performances flowed well. I would also like to thank this year’s directors, Nam Thao Tran and Myranda Buiquy for being very supportive and open directors and willing to share my story. I would also like to give special shout-outs to Ashley Patricio and Amy Yasukawa for being super supportive and helping me write out this skit. I would also like to thank Dakota Lind for being my rock through this whole process, and supporting me through all the ups and downs for this whole parents. And finally, I would like to thank my parents; without their love and support, I would not be able to pursue my passions and be where I am today. 

 

And also, thank you to the person reading this skit! I know that this was meant to be performed, but I hope you enjoy it regardless! Your support is absolutely what makes this show possible, so thank you for coming to this website, and we hope to see you next year!

 

With love,

Jamie Vo