Fuzhou, China - 1990's

This story begins in Fuzhou, China, where my grandfather, my Yeye, grew up in poverty with seven siblings. With limited income and many mouths to feed, he learned to survive early. He was dropped off at school with little more than determination and soon picked up sewing, a skill that became his lifeline. Through relentless effort, he built a small business and, by the 1990s, ran a factory with my grandmother. Though always working, they raised their children with care and eventually bought their first home, climbing into the middle class.

In 1994, they immigrated to Manhattan. My grandfather worked in garment factories, my aunt helped run their small clothing business, and my father focused on school, motivated by the sacrifices made for him. Later, he returned to support the family as they transitioned into the jewelry business, once again starting from scratch.

On my mother’s side, my Waigong’s life was even harder. Born in poverty in the 1970s, he began working at age ten. He didn’t know his birthday and endured shame for his family’s low status. But he persisted, and his hard work gave my mother a more stable upbringing than he ever had.

Each generation of my family has faced struggle and sacrifice, not for themselves but to create new possibilities for the next. These stories of resilience, grit, and reinvention are the foundation I stand on today. Though much is lost to history, what remains is a legacy of strength I will always carry forward.