Angelina Choy Angella Lee

San Mateo, California

Age: 17

Malaysian/Chinese

Sponsors: Shreve & Co., Global Financial Empowerment American Brokerage Network, CH Premier

IG: @angel.inachoy

List three personality traits: Tenacious, Thoughtful, and Curious

Life motto:

Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings

Last book you read:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

What is your current school or occupation: Rising high school senior at Crystal Springs Uplands School

What is a hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

Ever since I took my first ballet class at age 8, dancing has served as an outlet for me to destress, express, and create. Besides the obvious physical benefits, dance has taught me the invaluable lessons of self-correction, introspection, poise, discipline, abstraction, and imagination, and has allowed me to meet numerous talented dancers from all over the world.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

Food has allowed me to share my Malaysian heritage with my peers, and even though they may never be fond of the smell of durian, their valiant efforts to simply take a whiff of the stinky fruit absolutely warms my heart.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I will have just obtained my undergraduate degree and will continue my education at a reputable business school. I would then dabble in the world of startups and hopefully serve on the boards of a few well established biotech companies. I also want to continue competing in pageants and modeling on the side.

Los Angeles, California

Age: 26 Korean

IG: @angellaleee

IG: @nurseangella

List three personality traits:

Honest, Hard-working, and Easy-going

Life motto:

"I dream my painting and then I paint my dream." —Vincent Van Gogh

Last book you read:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

What is your current school or occupation: Aesthetic Nurse Injector

What is a hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

A passion that I have had since I was a child is using my hands to create things. I remember being 3 years old, coloring blank papers blue to create a make-shift jean skirt. Now, I use my creativity and hands in my career as a Nurse Injector, using aesthetic medicine to help others look and feel beautiful.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

One of my favorite aspects of Korean culture is the importance of enjoying meals with family. My parents were always very big on having meals at home and now, I value those memories we had while having my mother's amazing cooking at the dinner table.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself continuing my career as an aesthetic injector and becoming a mother. Although at this current moment, I am very career- and goal-oriented, I am very excited to one day prioritize building my family.

Aymi Lin

San Francisco, California

Age: 21 Chinese Sponsors: Begoni Bistro

Osmanthus Dim Sum Lounge

Singtao Daily

IG: @xoaymi

List three personality traits: Creative, Bubbly, and Empathetic

Life motto:

If you don't try, you'll never know

Last book you read:

Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans by Ronald Takaki

What is your current school or occupation?

Incoming transfer student at UC Berkeley

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

I discovered my love of dance at a young age. My family's situation prevented me from enrolling in dance classes when I was younger, but that didn't stop me, and I started learning through Youtube videos. Dance defines me because dance is one of my creative outlets where I am able to express my mood through my body.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

One of my favorite aspects of my culture is the importance of family. Growing up with this value, I was able to learn how to respect my elders and learn to cherish the moment we have together as a family. I am grateful to say, with my family as my biggest support system, I know I can overcome all challenges that stand in my way.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I will be done with college and have bought my very first home in San Francisco. I have found my passion for film and media and would love to focus my career in the entertainment industry. I would love to start acting and take part in big productions. Most importantly is to try to retire at least one of my parents from working their 9-5 job.

Cindy Phillips

Orlando, Florida

Age: 27 Chinese/Vietnamese/Caucasian Sponsors:

Top Therapy Academy & Grant

Plaza Hotel

Young Real Estate

IG: @cportiap

List three personality traits:

Authentic, Thoughtful, and Passionate

Life motto:

C'est la vie

Last book you read:

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma

What is your current school or occupation: Field Marketing Manager, Public Sector at Slack Technologies

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

I've always loved designing and building things with my hands. Whether it was designing outfits for my paper dolls out of scrapbooking paper when I was 10 or completing home renovation projects now, I get excited by creating ideas from my head into something physical.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

My favorite part about the Vietnamese culture is the food! I appreciate all types of cuisine but there's something about a big, steaming bowl of beef pho on a chilly day that feeds my soul.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’ll be 31 years old. I hope by this time I am with a loving partner who enjoys eating their way around with me. Maybe we would also be planning our future as parents. At this time, I would also hope to have started a dog farm for rescues.

Claire Ong Emily Smith

Seattle, Washington

Age: 18

Chinese/Vietnamese

Sponsors: Shoukang Herbals

Eastside Little Learners at Overlake

IG: @clairemong

List three personality traits: Creative, Outspoken, and Compassionate

Life motto:

“Have courage and be kind” —Cinderella

Last book you read: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

What is your current school or occupation: Incoming freshman studying business at the University of Washington

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

I trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and tap, and danced competitively for five years before joining cheer. I like that the purpose of cheerleading is to support. I taught cheer camp to kids and even traveled to China to teach underprivileged kids. I love the athleticism and artistry, performing, and bringing joy to people's lives.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

Something I used to loathe about being multicultural has become one of my favorite things: Every holiday is celebrated multiple times. I go to my Chinese grandparents' house to gobble up hot pot and then to my Vietnamese cousins’ to scarf down pho.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to be continv ing my education and have established my coffee shop. Coffee is consumed in multiple cultures and each one has its unique spin on it. My dad taught me how to make and enjoy cà phê sữa đá, which brought me closer to my Vietnamese culture. I believe coffee brings people and cultures together.

Mililani, Hawaii

Age: 19

Japanese/British

IG: @emilyysmith13

List three personality traits: Creative, Compassionate, and Hardworking

Life motto: Always give your 100%

Last book you read: I reread the entire Harry Potter series

What is your current school or occupation: Masters student at the University of Southern California studying Communication Management

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

As a child, I was timid. I started creating films when I was eleven years old because creative projects allowed me to be vulnerable. After having my film chosen for the Hawai’i International Film Festival, I became a mentor, now instructor, with the Hawai’i Women in Filmmaking to encourage young women to share their emotions through filmmaking too.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

Japanese food is culturally significant. Okonomiyaki is a dish that was created after World War II because it was cheap to make. We still eat Okonomiyaki to this day to honor all the struggles that our ancestors went through.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself utilizing my master’s degree at the Hawai’i State Capitol. I hope to be the voice for Hawaiian citizens to create a more sustainable and financially stable environment. For my enjoyment, I will continue my passion of journalism as a contributing writer with the HONOLULU Magazine where I write food articles. Overall, I see my hard work paying off.

Gloria Leung Jackie Teer

Hong Kong SAR, China

Age: 29 Chinese

IG: @miss.sunshine.glo

List three personality traits: Empathetic, Fun-loving, and Imaginative

Life motto:

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Last book you read:

What Happened To You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey

What is your current school or occupation: IT Project Supervisor/Company’s Film Director

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

I have played piano since I was 3, and my piano is my best friend. When I was a child, I would improvise music and my friends loved to sing along. A piano is not just an instrument to me but also encourages me to be a warm and joyful person that loves using music to build connections with others.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

The attitude of respect for parents that is called filial piety. It reminds us of all the efforts our parents have given us and reminds us to give back to them in return.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to use my media and project management skills to serve the people with family brokenness and personal mental issues and give people the love and positive energy. With my professional training, I also hope to become a successful emcee.

San Francisco, California

Age: 25 Filipina

IG: @teerrex

List three personality traits: Ambitious, Adventurous, and Confident

Life motto:

Whatever good things we build, end up building us.

Last book you read: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

What is your current school or occupation: Senior Financial Analyst at Hines Development

What hobby or passion that defines you as a person and can be traced back to your childhood?

Ever since I was a kid, my parents would make me dance various different Filipino dances like the "otcho-otcho" and the "spaghetti pababa" for friends and family. I find that now even as an adult, I like to express my creativity and personality through movement.

What is your favorite aspect of your culture?

The humor and comedy of the Philippines is my favorite aspect of my culture. Since life is hard in the Philippines, due to poverty and inequality, the humor that emerges is uniquely funny and dark, but also incredibly necessary.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself having broadened my experience set within my current career path: commercial real estate development to the point where I am poised to branch out and start my own specialized real estate investment company focusing on properties in the Bay Area and affordable housing.