WHAT IS YOUR CULTURE/HERITAGE?
My culture consists of blended traditions and customs between French, Vietnamese, and Chinese origins. My mother is Vietnamese and Chinese, while my father is French and Vietnamese.
WHAT MADE YOU JOIN HER CULTURE?
I wanted to join Her Culture because I wanted to collaborate with other unique girls towards a great cause that I believe is overshadowed in today’s society. I believe Her Culture is working to truly take the uniqueness and eccentricities of women from all cultures and ethnicities and unite them on one platform, Her Culture. I am excited to be reading and writing articles, and being a contributor has constantly challenged me to analyze my own culture and truly understand what has truly shaped my “identity.”
HOW COULD YOU SEE CULTURAL AWARENESS CHANGE THE WORLD?
I believe that if each person can put himself or herself in the shoes of another person of a different culture and learn to ACCEPT the other person’s traditions, the world will be a lot more peaceful. We all come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and are raised by different parents of different cultures, and rather than seeing one another as someone you need to change and “convert” to your own customs, I believe that we should learn to be open-minded and explore the entire international spectrum of different cultures. From the food to the music to the politics, there is always room for our minds to explore and try new things, and I believe that by having an open mind to cultural awareness, it will propel our society to great heights.
WHAT'S THE WORST PROBLEM IN THE WORLD TODAY?
To me, I’ve seen way too many girls in today’s society fall victim to the mass media culture of entertainment and pop culture. I don’t think enough people realize exactly what the TRUE definition of “culture” really is. For girls in the US, I believe that they are raised in a narrow-minded world bombarded by messages that truly do not represent what reality is. Culture, essentially, is not reading Seventeen Magazine and going on diet fads to lose weight and attract that significant other (spoiler alert: those tips never worked anyway)…it is eating with friends and family on a Friday night talking about current events and spreading and connecting positive ideas of empowerment and open-mindedness. It is believing in your culture, that your identity is interconnected with all cultures and minds of the world and is open to change. Your culture is not restricted or defined by one standard ethnicity or one mode. Rather, I believe it is unique at both the individual and regional level. Each country and geographical region has its own distinct culture, but it is also up to the individual to explore and create his or her own “culture” per se, similar to a Pinterest board…or a puzzle picture.
HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN FIX THAT PROBLEM?
First, we need to educate our society, and Her Culture, in my opinion, is doing a great job of making cultural awareness interesting, entertaining, and accessible to all girls around the nation. Either by discussing these issues to our friends or writing about it on Her Culture, etc…the possibilities are endless! Only then will we be able to nurture a positive mindset, one that is quintessential to cultural acceptance and ultimately, peace. Culture, like everything else in life, is similar to a puzzle piece. You explore different cultures by either trying them out yourself or being introduced to them by your family and friends…those are like the puzzle pieces, each unique and eccentric….however, through time, you are ultimately creating a bigger, larger piece of work…the puzzle picture, with the hope and goal that your picture is able to send a strong, thought-provoking message to the future progeny.
WHAT'S ONE FAMILY TRADITION THAT YOU WANT TO PASS ONTO YOUR CHILDREN?
I want to pass on speaking russian to my children. I think that it is important that they know their native language and culture, and have the ability to communicate with their future great-grandparents and future grandfather.
WHICH WOMEN INSPIRE YOU?
I have lived and been raised by the strongest women whom I have ever met in my life, my mother and grandmother. They have taught me to believe in myself as a young woman and to empower other girls to take action to achieve their dreams and goals. I can’t possibly put into words all that they have taught and done for me, but out of all the women I know, these two women in my life have made me who I am today and are the reason why I advocate for female empowerment so much. I want to spread the message and ideas that they taught me to other young girls, and hopefully, inspire them to achieve their own goals and dreams just like I did.
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF A #CULTUREREVOLUTION?
My definition of a “Culture Revolution” is to ultimately alter the definition of “culture” itself. Culture is unique to each person as well as each society, and I believe that a culture revolution is needed to provoke thoughts and introduce new ideas to young girls of all around the world. These young girls will grow up to the strong women who are our future’s leaders, mothers, sisters, and daughters. A culture revolution, ultimately, will change and challenge the thoughts and stereotypes associated with each culture, and hopefully, unite us as a whole.
APRIL 2014
69