Maria Teresa Leiu Clark

I grew up in a unique situation. I was born in Southern California, my mother was born in Guerrero Mexico, my (nonbiological) father was born in Southern Vietnam. Both came to the United States, one looking for better opportunities, the other escaping the war as a child. 

I am the eldest of 3, and with growing up in a bicultural household, it was definitely an experience that I had trouble explaining to my friends growing up. Though, growing up in the neighborhood where I was, there was a heavy presence of Hispanics and Asian communities, which I was grateful for and wish I had appreciated more while growing up.

Education was always first priority when it came to my parents. It was thanks to them that we are all college-educated and doing ok. Both my parents had busted their asses off working full-time jobs with barely any benefits. My father, 45+ years as a mechanic and my mother doing various jobs like Target, as a hotel maid, and a cookie factory (she was a nurse in Mexico, but that doesn't count for shit here, especially if you only speak some broken English). 

My parents had emphasized the importance of speaking English well, to them it was an indicator of how far you'll go in life if you know how to articulate yourself so as to "not have anyone walk all over you", hence the loss of our Spanish-speaking abilities and whatever chance we had to learn Vietnamese too. That was the thing, it was always so easy to just drop things connected to your culture as a kid, because we didn't know the significance of them when we were young. 

It was not until I moved to Portland 6 years ago that I had really reevaluated my upbringing and began to recognize what it was like to actually “be a minority". I found as the years go by, the longing to learn more and live by my family's traditions has grown, as I see those similar to me struggling to connect to and maintain their heritage as progression, technology, and individualism takes first priority in today's society. 

Now, I try my best to honor my parents and where I come from. I'm taking the initiative to learn more and more about my family and all the things that I lost and sacrificed along the way to growing up and "being successful" in the U.S.