When people talk about the people that they admired most, their idols, their role models, the people they look up to and most of all the people who had shaped their lives... the first person that always come to my mind is my mom. She is the single most influential person in my life... she is the person who made me who I am today. She trusted me and gave me strength and courage to make decisions and support me in carrying out those decisions.
Even though she volunteered to take people to hospitals, clinics, welfare, gardens... never once did she complain that she can't take me here or there. She always made sure that I made it to all my engagements... and she always made sure that I had everything I needed to be successful. She taught me to never stop striving and to never settle for less. Most of all, to always do my best - to do my part and not to worry about whether other people will do theirs or not. She taught me to give 100% everytime and in everything.
From a very early age, she taught me how to be a Hmong girl, in heart, mind, and soul. Then she followed through with it by allowing us to get involved in all sorts of cultural shows and events... any chance to go and talk about Hmong, show who and what Hmong is... she was there and made sure that we were active participants. She succeeded in not only teaching me how to take advantage of all the American culture have to offer by always supporting and encouraging education... but also in teaching me the value of what it means to be Hmong.
I will never be able to thank her enough and there is no words adequate to express how much I love her.