Growing up, I was instilled with the values of hard work, perseverance, and a deep appreciation for family. These values were passed down to me by my parents, who, when I was born, immigrated from China to Japan in search of financial opportunities. Seeing my father work tirelessly to provide for our family while adapting to Japan's notorious workaholic culture was a defining experience of my childhood. I rarely ever saw my dad during the day, and only got to spend an hour with him in the evening. My early childhood memories of him were always filled with anticipating the little gifts and snacks he'll bring home, which was his way of trying to make up for the lost time. Eventually, my parents made the hard decision to move to Canada, which they saw as a stepping stone to moving to America and pursuing the American dream. This decision also meant that my dad can be more present in raising me and my brother. The journey involved many obstacles, including dealing with the language barrier and ageism, which impacted my dad's chances of landing stable jobs. However, he was determined to succeed, and his sheer willpower, academic smarts, and passion for studying helped us move forward. He's the living, breathing embodiment of perseverance in the face of all odds. My childhood was marked by constant moves and making new friends, which made me resilient but also lonely. When my family moved to Newport Beach, Orange County, I struggled to accept my own identity because very few kids looked like me. I felt like I had invisibility as a superpower and never quite found my place in that environment. My parents had moved us there assuming that the lack of Asian kids meant little competition to enter prestigious colleges, but the reality was that my peers had abundant access to private tutoring and heavily-connected networks from their parents' privilege and status. This experience gave me a life-changing perspective on equity, and I am now passionate about promoting fairness and inclusivity in all aspects of life. Despite the challenges, I have found ways to display service excellence, integrity, cultural diversity, and human development as a leader in my community. As a community moderator for Subtle Asian Women, an online community of 29,000 women and non-binary folks, I grew it by 625% in just three years. I organized various events, including movie and game nights, and facilitated advice forums on topics ranging from mental health, family, intersectional identity, and career to relationships. I launched marketing campaigns to support minority-owned services and products. Above all, I learned the power of community and the importance of representation for marginalized groups. My passion for equity and social justice has also led me to launch my own small business during the pandemic, coaching women and femmes of color to cultivate self-trust and navigate uncertainty. As I pursue my master's degree in human-centered design, I am driven to use my multidisciplinary background and experiences to design products and services that promote equity and inclusivity for underrepresented communities. My entrepreneurial pursuit taught me the importance of empathy, storytelling, and flexibility in design, as well as the power of creating solutions that meet the needs of marginalized users. Investing in my higher education is a humbling experience, as my parents and I have pooled together our savings to fund the program. This family investment will one day pay off - but in the meantime, I'm working on finding any scrappy resources that can relieve the financial burden. I am determined to complete my degree as it symbolizes a gateway of possibilities and career stability, and a chance to shape the future for kids that look like me - the ones that are determined to survive in limited circumstances, and the very same ones that deserve to thrive. I will be the first woman in my entire extended family to get my master's degree, and it motivates me that my ancestors of farmers and soldiers must be looking after me. I hope I can make them proud.

I have always been fascinated by the intersection of technology, design, and human behavior. This interest led me to pursue a Master's degree in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington. I believe that this program is the perfect foundation for me to achieve my career goal of becoming an expert UX Designer. My ultimate objective is to use my skills to design for good by creating inclusive and accessible digital experiences that benefit society as a whole. I am particularly drawn to this field because of the opportunities it presents to make a positive impact on people's lives through design. The HCDE program at UW provides me with a comprehensive curriculum that covers the various aspects of human-centered design, including user research, prototyping, and user testing. This education, combined with the hands-on experience I will gain through projects and internships, will equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel as a UX Designer. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am also committed to contributing to the field by participating in design societies, networking, and paying it forward. I plan to become a member of at least one design society, such as the UX Design Association or the Interaction Design Association, where I can engage with like-minded individuals and stay updated on the latest industry trends and developments. Moreover, I intend to network with UX Design professionals and participate in events and workshops to expand my knowledge and gain practical experience. Finally, I am committed to mentoring junior UX Designers and people who are pivoting to this field, just as I am transitioning from a background in data analytics. I believe that sharing my experiences and knowledge with others will help me grow as a professional and also help advance the field as it matures over time. I want to help empower international students, new grads, and career changers, especially if they are women and femmes of color. Imagine a world where marginalized communities and future generations have easy access to powerful tools and resources to help each other achieve their career goals. I'm excited to help drive this reality. In conclusion, my decision to pursue a Master's degree in HCDE at the University of Washington is driven by my curiosity for human-centered design and my desire to make a positive impact on people's lives through this knowledge medium. I am confident that this program will provide me with the education and experience I need to achieve my career goals.

As an aspiring UX designer and entrepeneur, I believe that writing is a crucial tool in all of my pursuits. Writing allows me to communicate my ideas and insights effectively, engage with my audience, and bring my work to life. As an entrepreneur, writing is a powerful tool that can help in multiple aspects of building and growing a business. Writing can be used to articulate ideas, express my vision, and create a compelling narrative that resonates with my target audience. In my experience building an online coaching business, writing has played a crucial role in helping me communicate effectively with my clients. By listening to their stories and understanding their frustrations, I am able to clarify their needs and goals, and curate tailored roadmaps that help them achieve their desired outcomes. I am able to articulate these roadmaps in a clear and concise manner, ensuring that my clients have a clear understanding of what they can expect from our partnership. Writing is also an important tool for entrepreneurship in the sense that it allows you to communicate your value proposition to potential investors, customers, and partners. A well-written business plan, for example, can help you articulate your vision, strategies, and goals, and convince others to join you on your entrepreneurial journey. You can think more critically and strategically about your business, as you must analyze and articulate your ideas in a clear and concise manner. In addition to these practical applications, writing can also help entrepreneurs like me to develop our leadership skills and self-awareness. Writing helps me reflect on my experiences, gain a deeper understanding of my strengths and weaknesses, and develop the communication and critical thinking skills needed to succeed. In my role as a UX designer, writing is a key part of the design process. From user research to prototyping, writing helps me organize and clarify my thoughts, as well as communicate them to stakeholders. For example, writing user personas and user journey maps help me understand and empathize with my target audience, which in turn leads to more effective and user-centered design solutions. Additionally, writing design specifications and prototypes helps me communicate my design decisions and ensures that my designs are executed accurately. I can reach a wider audience and engage with readers in a meaningful way, and I can contribute to the conversation and spark change.It allows me to share stories that are often underrepresented in mainstream media, creating a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. Whether it's used for design research, prototyping, storytelling, business building or personal growth, writing has the power to communicate, engage, and inspire. As I continue my journey, I am committed to improving my writing skills and using them to make a positive impact in the world.

As a master's student pursuing Human-Centered Design and Engineering, I have seen firsthand the importance of addressing the issue of climate change and the role that design and technology can play in combating it. One example of this is my first project from my master's program, where I designed a sustainable room reservation system for my university. The current room reservation system was not centralized and was not user-friendly, which made it difficult for students to easily find and book rooms. The redesigned system, on the other hand, showed students rooms and spaces to book based on a sustainable ranking scale indicated using leaf icons and additional, expandable educational tooltips. From the user research and data collection stage of this project, it was clear that students do care about the environment and sustainability. However, they were often lost and unsure about what actions they could take to contribute. So as a solution, the redesigned room reservation system aimed to nudge student behavior over time and align with the university's 5-year plan for energy savings. By making sustainability easier to understand and more accessible, the redesigned system encouraged students to make more environmentally-conscious decisions by giving them to options to book more eco-friendly spaces and contribute to the larger effort of combating climate change. In addition to my 3-month long work on the sustainable room reservation system, I also strive to fight climate change in my personal life. This includes reducing my energy usage by turning off lights and electronics when not in use, using public transportation or walking instead of driving, and being mindful of the amount of water I use. I also try to eat a plant-based diet and limit my consumption of single-use plastics. I limit my consumer purchases to local when possible and avoid shopping from giants like Amazon and SHEIN, both of which waste a lot of materials and products that can end up in landfills. Additionally, I support organizations and businesses that prioritize sustainability and advocate for policies that address climate change. In conclusion, combating climate change requires systemic change and individual actions. The most impactful way to fight climate change is through policy changes, technological innovations, and a shift in societal values and behavior toward sustainability. At the individual level, we can strive to reduce our carbon footprint and support organizations and businesses that prioritize sustainability. My experience designing a sustainable room reservation system showed me the power of design and technology in nudging behavior and making sustainability more accessible, and I will continue to use my skills to contribute to the larger effort to combat climate change.

One technology that has always inspired me about how the world can be influenced to become a better place is User Experience design. More specifically, design tools like Figma, are powerful in shaping our society because they enable designers to create user-centered experiences that are accessible, intuitive, and enjoyable to use. By using these tools, designers can create products and services that meet the needs of a wide range of users, including those from marginalized communities, and that are designed with accessibility and inclusiveness in mind. They also make the design process more collaborative and efficient. Designers can work together in real-time on a single project, which streamlines the design process and reduce the amount of time required to complete a project. This is especially important in today's fast-paced world. Additionally, design tools like Figma also allow designers to conduct user testing and make iterations and improvements to their designs based on user feedback. This helps to ensure that the final product is user-centered and meets the needs of the people who will be using it. By conducting user testing and incorporating user feedback into the design process, designers can create products and services that are tailored to the needs of their users, which can have a profound impact on their lives. As someone who is studying for a Master's degree in this field, I am particularly drawn to the impact that good user experience design can have on people's lives. Design can be used to empower people from marginalized communities, and to create a more equitable world. Through my studies and research, I have seen the power of design in creating products and services that are accessible, intuitive, and enjoyable to use. In my own entrepreneurial experience, I built an online coaching business to empower women and femmes of color during the pandemic. Through this experience, I saw firsthand the power of design and technology in helping people to build confidence, which is key to unlocking growth. My business helped people to overcome their fears and to see the potential within themselves. Whether it is through creating products and services that are more accessible, empower people, or helping them to build confidence, I believe that design has the power to make a real difference in people's lives. I am excited to continue to explore and contribute to the possibilities of this field.

Generational wealth means a lot to me, especially with my background as an immigrant. My family has moved from China to Japan, then to Canada, and finally to the United States of America, opening my eyes to the privilege and class gaps in society. This experience has given me a unique perspective on the importance of building wealth and ensuring financial stability for future generations. It seemed to me that my peers never had to deal with the financial stresses and emotional turmoil because they were often 2nd-generation to 4th-generation Americans. For me, achieving generational wealth involves working hard to improve my education, skills, and independence. I believe that by doing so, I can create a foundation of stability and success that will enable me to help future generations achieve their goals. Motivated, but pained by my parent's sacrifice and hard work throughout the years, I'm now pursuing my master's degree in hopes of securing a brighter future for my potential. It inspires me to make them proud of their long and challenging journey. I also plan to invest in my future, whether it be through savings, property, or other forms of assets, to secure my financial future and that of my family. One of my main goals is to provide easy access to powerful education for my future children. I believe that education is a key factor in success and that everyone should have the opportunity to receive a quality education, regardless of their background or financial situation. I want my future children to have financially stable role models, tutoring and other academic resources, as well as the emotionally healthy support they need to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams, no matter what they may be. In addition to education, I also plan to prioritize mental health resources and support for my family. Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and I believe that access to mental health resources should be a right, not a privilege. My parents did not grow up with the privilege to learn about mental health, and the stigma they still hold truly has a significant impact on our family dynamics. By investing in my family's mental health, I can help to ensure that future generations are well-equipped to handle life's challenges and thrive. In conclusion, building generational wealth is a personal goal that is deeply rooted in my background and experiences as an immigrant. I believe that by working hard, investing in my future, and providing support and resources to my family, I can help to create a legacy of financial stability and success that will last for generations to come. I can't wait until I become a world-traveling businesswoman and successful UX designer, globally talented DJ, and ranch owner - and for my children to reap the benefits and pave their trailblazing paths.

As the eldest immigrant daughter in a traditional, Asian family, I was taught to deprioritize my emotional needs to put others first. This is how my parents grew up but their teachings never sat right with my baby brother and I. We grew up mostly under a Western influence as we moved from China, Japan, Canada and then the US, where we spent our most transformative years. My little brother was able to assimilate to Orange County much more smoothly to make sense of our identities, emotions, and beliefs to uphold and honor our parents' teachings as well. I, on the other hand, struggled to fit in a pre-dominantly Caucasian and privileged school, and rejected my surroundings in turn to avoid further hurt. If there is one thing I can tell my younger self now, it is that her pain was valid, and she did the best she could with the limited resources and support she had to survive. I learned to eventually prioritize my mental health journey in my mid-20s, after a series of hardship hit me seemingly all at once, from a sudden breakup of a relationship that I believed would last to marriage, tied to a loss of access over two dogs, and followed by a job layoff. At rock bottom, I could only focus on pulling pieces of myself back together, step by step, piece by piece, day by day. The pandemic hit a few months after, setting my self-love journey to a unique start. Forced to slow down and reflect inward more than ever, I had just moved to Vancouver, BC from Los Angeles, where I had only one friend and a distant aunt as my network. I started journaling my feelings, and spending time alone, exploring the city solo and immersing in nature to connect with myself spiritually. As soon as pandemic restrictions eased to let fitness studios reopen partially, I picked up pole dancing - and it was a game-changer - I fell in love with it, fell in love with the progress I was making, the self-expression and strength of the art - and it also helped me heal from the past. We go fast alone, but we go far if we go together as a community. Especially if the community is made up of like-minded entrepreneurial and creative dance lovers. Mental wellness is a balance of self-compassion, prioritizing self-care, honoring boundaries but not being closed off as an island. No man is an island, and community love helps us heal. Since then, I have allowed myself to experiment with entrepreneurship, coaching other women of color to cultivate self-trust, lead the growth of an online AAPI community of 29K women and queer folks, and am currently pursuing my master's in Human- Centered Design and Engineering. My mental wellness now feels healthy, as I make time for solo joy, community care, aligned connections, movement, music and academia. Grad school has been another challenging transition, but I've grown so much and know that healing is not linear. Mental wellness is a life long self-love journey, and I know now, that I hold power to validate all parts of me.

I aspire to empower young queer folks and people of color through advocacy work, spirituality, and design. Human-centered design will build the bridges to forge strong intersectional communities. As a queer, woman of color, I will use my evolving beliefs, current master's degree in UX design, my past entrepreneurial experience, combined with my thirst for life - to continue to challenge the status quo of hustle culture, white supremacy, and psychedelic criminalization.