Today is World Refugee Day. Here’s my grandma, grandpa and mother in their hometown Bac Lieu, Vietnam. The photo was taken by my uncle, the captain of their refugee boat. “We went into death to seek life,” my mother would tell me. The night of their escape they were caught by guards who fired machine guns at them. At the exact time the guards saw a bigger refugee boat escaping. Refugees commonly carry gold because gold has value across borders. Guards and pirates took advantage of this and targeted refugees boats to pillage for gold. A bigger boat meant more gold. The guards told my mom and uncle to stay where they were while would steal from the other boat and then come back and get them. At that moment my mother told my uncle “it’s now or never”. They ran and made it to international waters. After that they survived a tidal wave storm, pirates and a refugee camp before making it to America. When people ask me how I got the courage to take on the US government to fight for my rights I think to my family. It’s nothing compared to what they’ve been through and if they had the audacity to hope than I can too.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! #perhentianisland #pulauperhentian #3menwithnoplans #vape #Malaysian #Indian #host #actor #photography #selfpotrait #travel #traveling #island #pirate #islandlife #piratelife

韓國人 才能讓台灣人聚在一起 見證了台灣大學生 特有的熱炒搶食文化 Thanks Daisy and Hailey for coming Taiwan🇹🇼.Only u guys could let Taiwanese reunion and saw a special dinner pillage show.😜 #EV #Academy #Korea #Taiwan #bonvoyage