My father was born and raised in China, and my mother in Vietnam. They were introduced by a mutual friend, married months later and had four children before attempting to leave Vietnam for the United States in 1983. My parents knew that raising their children in a war-torn, communist country was far from ideal. The first time they tried to flee, the government caught them and my father was imprisoned for two years. By the time of his release, the family had lost everything. The government had seized the home and family-run spice shop. My parents’ second escape plan worked. In 1986, my uncle successfully immigrated to the United States and began saving every penny he earned. Two years later, with the purchase of a few plane tickets, he bought freedom for my family.

My parents embodied hard work. My father was employed as a laborer; he stocked groceries in a supermarket in Chinatown everyday before sunrise. My mother worked from home where she glued and sewed goods for a family friend. They would always tell me how an education could give me opportunities never afforded to them.

By the time I was ten, my brothers and sisters collectively saved roughly fifty thousand dollars, enough to open a small CD/DVD store in Chinatown. They were so proud; they were finally able to relieve our parents from their odd jobs. I’ll never forget the joy in my mom’s eyes when she rung our first customer up. I saw, for the very first time, our American dream.

Growing up, I always had a sense of the hardships faced by immigrant and working class families, but that sense would become a reality in the summer of 2005. The demand for CD’s and DVD’s were already in a steep decline when my brothers and sisters invested, though the store brought the family closer than ever. However, it closed after years of unprofitability. The store closing was unforeseen and abrupt, but it gave me insights about how difficult things can be for those who lack education, knowledge, wealth, and power.I entered college with this understanding. I studied political science and took several law-related classes and, subsequently, secured an internship with a public defender. Though it was unpaid, and I had to balance classes with my part-time job, the undertaking was rewarding.

I’ve always tried to view my family’s woes as an isolated personal matter, but interning gave me a profound realization of how disadvantaged poor and working class people sometimes are. The vast majority of our clients have court-appointed lawyers because they have little or no income. It occurred to me that many live in neighborhoods much like the one I grew up in. Many of our clients, because of their socioeconomic status, face other major life issues ranging from a lack of education and good housing, to immigration problems, and lack the support needed to avoid becoming repeat offenders. The three years I spent interning gave me exposure to some of these difficulties, but more importantly, it taught me the importance of a holistic approach to problem solving.

I’ve come to learn that there are many nuances in law and that takes not only intelligence to solve problems, but also compassion and dedication. I know that in law school I would be given the opportunity to develop all of these things. My parents and siblings taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. My experiences have reinforced my commitment to use the law as a tool to promote empowerment and fairness for disadvantaged people.