I love this photo.

I love this photo. It was taken ten years ago—the only time all four generations of women in my family were together in one place.

My grandma, a working mom who endured war and famine, lived her entire life in China, while her children eventually built lives across four different countries—each chasing a 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 life.

My mom immigrated to the U.S. in her 40s. She gave up her career and started over so that we could have more choices and a 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 life.

I grew up as an immigrant kid in the U.S., navigating hyphenated identity, and learning how to succeed in America without losing my roots. I’ve worked hard to make my parents proud, and to create a 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 life for my daughters.

My Californian girls are growing up proud to embrace their culture (on most days), and they are already starting to ask: what does a “𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦” look like for 𝘮𝘦?

Four generations.

Four distinct experiences.

While each of us was/is chasing our own version of ambition, stability, and fulfillment, we all share the same desire for a 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 life, and a 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 foundation for the next generation.

𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 (𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩).

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦.

🌸 I’m celebrating 𝐀𝐀𝐏𝐈 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 by honoring those in my family whose strength and sacrifices shaped the path I walk today.

💐 I'm celebrating 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 with all who nurture others while honoring their own path.

✨And here’s to defining your own version of a “𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦”!