At a young age, I found the intersection of my multiple identities - Vietnamese, Muslim, American, and woman - difficult to explore and understand. How all might coexist within one person seemed unimaginable when the community I grew up in was as homogenous as they come. I felt that I had to sacrifice one aspect of my identity to find celebration in or justice for another. However, learning about my family's history and the stories of the communities I belong to while writing my own allowed me to weave together a sense of self that no longer splintered when called into question. I began to focus on ways that I could embrace them all and advocate for myself and others in a truly unique way. My own background and experiences of growing into my power and confidence inspire my commitment to advocating for and researching girls’ access to education and adequate healthcare in lower-income countries. I dream of standing at the front of a lecture hall one day, passing on everything I know to students of my own. Especially for the younger version of myself who would've given anything to learn from someone who understood what it meant to piece together pieces of identity to make a whole and beautiful person. Please feel free to reach out to me if you're interested in the same, no matter your field. I'm happy to talk over a cup of coffee, but bonus points if you know a good board game cafe - always down for some friendly competition!