From Roots We Rise

When I was thinking about a name for this blog, I kept returning to the image of roots.

Roots are often hidden beneath the surface. We don’t always see them, yet they shape everything that grows above ground. They anchor us, nourish us, and connect us to something larger than ourselves. The more I reflected on my own journey, the more I realized that so much of who I am has been shaped by the roots that came before me.

As the daughter of refugees and immigrants and a person of Ethnic Chinese descent born in Vietnam and grew up in Los Angeles, I have often found myself navigating different worlds. There have been moments when I felt deeply connected to my culture and community, and other times when I felt disconnected or uncertain about where I belonged. Like many children of immigrants, I grew up carrying stories that I did not fully understand until I became older.

My roots are found in the sacrifices my parents made to build a life in a new country. They are found in family gatherings, shared meals, traditions, languages, and stories passed down across generations. They are found in the resilience of people who endured hardship while holding onto hope. These roots remind me that I did not arrive here alone. I stand on the efforts, struggles, and dreams of those who came before me.

But roots are not only about the past.

For me, roots also represent community. Throughout my life, I have learned that growth rarely happens in isolation. It happens through relationships. It happens when we listen to one another, challenge one another, support one another, and imagine new possibilities together. The communities I have been part of have helped me see the world differently, ask deeper questions, and understand my responsibility to something larger than myself.

This understanding has been especially important in my journey of learning about social justice. The more I learn, the more I realize that growth is not a destination. It is an ongoing process of listening, reflecting, unlearning, and showing up. There is always more to understand. There are always new perspectives to consider. There are always opportunities to deepen our connection to one another and to the world around us.

That is where the second part of this title comes in: rise.

To rise does not mean leaving our roots behind. It means growing from them.

We rise when we learn from our history rather than forget it. We rise when we honor the experiences of those who came before us while creating new possibilities for those who come after us. We rise when we build relationships rooted in care, accountability, and belonging. We rise when we commit ourselves to growth, even when that growth is uncomfortable.

“From Roots We Rise” is not about having all the answers. It is about being willing to stay curious. It is about documenting my own journey of learning and becoming. It is a space for reflections on family, culture, community, justice, and the lessons I encounter along the way.

My hope is that this blog becomes a place where stories are honored, questions are welcomed, and growth is shared. A place where we can explore what it means to stay rooted while continuing to rise.

Thank you for being here at the beginning of this journey.

I’d love to hear from you: What roots have shaped who you are today?