This is my favourite shirt. 

In 1980 my parents, along with 13 other family members (including children), escaped from Vietnam during the night and drifted at sea on a small wooden boat for 11 days and 11 nights. They eventually ended up in a refugee camp in Thailand before arriving in Canada with nothing. I was born 5 years later. 

I am so fortunate that not only did my family survive, but was given a chance by this country. To this day I am still in awe of this story and so incredibly proud to be Canadian. I grew up with kids of every background, where it was cool to be from somewhere else. I was taught from a young age that Canada was a mosaic, not a melting pot, and different cultures were embraced.

So when I’m asked where I’m from, I say Toronto. If I’m asked where I am “from-from”, I say Canada. I may be Asian, but I am Canadian AF.

(December 23 2020)