I wanted to introduce the newest member of our team, Joy. She is an intern pursuing her master’s degree in counseling. I asked her to write a short piece on herself for my next blog so I could introduce her to you all. It just so happened that I asked her to do this around the time that the tragedies against Asians became more prominent in the news, and towards the end of Women’s History Month. She decided to write about her personal experiences as an Asian woman, where she is currently at in her life, and some tips on showing care and compassion to others during this time. Learn more about her, and join me in welcoming her to Life Giving Counseling Services.
Thank you, Jennifer Zuck
Welcome Joy to LGCS
Living in the United States brings me lots of feelings and thoughts these days. Today is the last day of Women’s History Month (March). As both a woman and an Asian, watching the news of the incident that happened in Atlanta was not easy. My first reaction toward this news was fear and shock. Due to the fear, I was overthinking about the potential chances of those events that can happen again around me even though I live in a peaceful place. And I am going through this big process of learning about America and its people.
Thankfully, in the community where I live, I usually feel peaceful and safe. And I feel privileged to have such a wonderful group of people in my life. It seems so opposite to what I hear from the news. I have my diverse colleagues in my cohort at Missio Seminary (formerly known as Biblical Theological Seminary). Due to Covid-19, we are all online to attend school and we can see each other’s faces through the computer screen. We respect each other and we are all treated equally.
Adjusting as an Asian Woman in the United States
This is what I love about my school. A friend of mine in class texted me to ask if I am okay with the news. Actually, that text really helped me start to think about living in the United States as an Asian woman. After hearing more news about hate speech and violence toward Asians, I also thought about how I would react to hate speech like “Go back to your country!”.
It is okay to talk about that news with your Asian friends and neighbors. A simple question like, “Were you okay with the news” would help your friends to process what they are going through. The conversation that you initiate could also help you, too, to understand other perspectives, ideas, or the culture that you had not experienced yet.
