Greetings! It’s so nice to be back on deck after a month off. I didn’t plan to go AWOL for so long but sometimes you just need to a break from everything.
So much has happened over the past month. But most notably, the fall of Kabul and the subsequent exodus of Afghan refugees.
How did you feel when you saw that unfold in the news? I had so many emotions. All I could think about was all the families trying to get out of Afghanistan. The panic. The hopelessness.
Obviously, as children of refugees, it does make you think about what your family went through too. It made me desperate to find ways to cherish and honour their sacrifices.
And then this happened.
During that time, I discovered that I was one of 50 aspiring children’s book writers shortlisted for Penguin’s annual WriteNow programme 😳😳😳
I submitted my application on a whim, inspired by what I was doing here with The First Gens. I wanted to tell my story - OUR story - because if you look around, there aren’t that many children’s books for refugee kids.
As a child, I SO WISHED there were books that reflected my history! Didn’t you??
Anyway, I’m over the moon and got to speak directly with a Penguin editor about my book idea. That doesn’t mean it will get published, of course, because it’s a pretty long-winded process.
But it’s still so validating that one of the world’s biggest publishers took notice and thinks that serving OUR COMMUNITY is worthwhile 🙌
Lately, I’ve come to the conclusion that we need to lean into - and LOVE - our story and our history because no-one is going to do it for us. (Well, actually, they will but who wants other people telling our story anyway, right?)
It’s always daunting to allow yourself to pursue lofty dreams or aspirations, especially since our parents worked so hard to give us a future. The thought of choosing a career path or side hustle that has no prestige or money tied to it is scary as hell! (hahaha… laugh-cry emoji?)
But I would LOVE to know if you have projects or ideas you’ve been dreaming about or have launched! I think we need to celebrate these things! 💪🥳🍾
What’s got my attention lately
My brother posted this article on his IG Stories this week and it made me so so emotional. Man, if this doesn’t make you cry, I don’t know what to say!! ♥️
In the faces of Afghans desperate to leave their country after U.S. forces withdrew, Thuy Do sees her own family, decades earlier and thousands of miles away.
“We were them 40 years ago,” Do said. “With the fall of Saigon in 1975, this was us.” Read the full story
What are you reading, watching or listening to at the moment? Let me know!
Until next time!
Cheers,
Lin ✌🏽✨