My story...
I was born in Xingtang, China, a rural county identified by the Chinese government as an area in need of poverty alleviation. Growing up in an environment that provided little, I was insatiable with a desire for more. Living an affluent lifestyle became my life goal at the age of seven.
This desire carried me through high school and college, where I tirelessly worked through a list of checkboxes, ticking my way to the lifestyle I dreamed of. Math award, check. SATs check. Business fraternity, finance courses, investment banking internship...check, check and check. Before I knew it, I was living on the 18th floor, working on the 47th floor and dining on the 118th floor. I had climbed to the top.
But something was missing. It was a sense of purpose and authenticity. This wasn’t me. In fact, I had been escaping from the very things that shaped me. I felt lost, but I believed everything happens for a reason. So I started to connect the dots from the very beginning.
Finally, by accepting where I came from, I unveiled a part of me that I had overlooked until now: my deep empathy for the marginalized. I also realized that I now have the platform and resources to act on this empathy through social change. I had found my purpose.
Thus, I began a four-year quest to accumulate skills that I hoped would eventually lead me to solve complex social problems similar to the ones we faced in my hometown. My ‘aha’ moment occurred when I enrolled at Design Lab’s UX Academy, where I got to see the power of creative and empathetic problem-solving through Design Thinking.
I believe social inequity is shaped by narratives that have become the unconscious status quo. I also believe that human-centered and innovative design is immensely powerful in uncovering, challenging and modifying these narratives to create meaningful changes.
This desire carried me through high school and college, where I tirelessly worked through a list of checkboxes, ticking my way to the lifestyle I dreamed of. Math award, check. SATs check. Business fraternity, finance courses, investment banking internship...check, check and check. Before I knew it, I was living on the 18th floor, working on the 47th floor and dining on the 118th floor. I had climbed to the top.
But something was missing. It was a sense of purpose and authenticity. This wasn’t me. In fact, I had been escaping from the very things that shaped me. I felt lost, but I believed everything happens for a reason. So I started to connect the dots from the very beginning.
Finally, by accepting where I came from, I unveiled a part of me that I had overlooked until now: my deep empathy for the marginalized. I also realized that I now have the platform and resources to act on this empathy through social change. I had found my purpose.
Thus, I began a four-year quest to accumulate skills that I hoped would eventually lead me to solve complex social problems similar to the ones we faced in my hometown. My ‘aha’ moment occurred when I enrolled at Design Lab’s UX Academy, where I got to see the power of creative and empathetic problem-solving through Design Thinking.
I believe social inequity is shaped by narratives that have become the unconscious status quo. I also believe that human-centered and innovative design is immensely powerful in uncovering, challenging and modifying these narratives to create meaningful changes.
What I read...
My interest in books ranges from behaviorism to dystopian fiction. I recently started tracking my books in an Airtable. And that's right, I did not read the Twilight series...🤫
What I listen to...
I've been curating a list of podcasts that seek to understand how people make decisions, especially in the context of social issues and cultural norms.
What I enjoy...
Learning how to 🏂
Rewatching hasan minhaj's special
Striking up a convo with a stranger
What I love...
Talking to 👴🏼via facetime
Being silly in nature
Open 👀meditation
Greeting Caddy 🐶 in the morning