Van Morrison wrote and sang one of my favorite songs, Brown Eyed Girl, and whenever I hear it, I instantly think back to a specific moment of my senior year of high school. My friends and I had cut class and blasted the song on our way to the beach. The cheerful melody and lyrics about young love make me nostalgic for the carefree days and innocence of youth.

I was in high school in the early 90s. We listened to “Top 40” music and I would often watch MTV after school and listen to Casey Kasem on the weekends…

When I hear about BIPOC Americans who grew up surrounded by white families, I imagine how difficult life must have been for them. There’s no way to blend into the background when you’re the only one who looks different.

I had a far different experience growing up in California. In fact, I was never the only Asian American student at my public schools, let alone the only one in my class. I always had at least two other Asian Americans in every class and sometimes far more. There is safety in numbers. …

When I step off the plane at Kahului Airport onto the island of Maui, I feel like I’ve returned home. That’s a bold statement to make, considering I’ve only been to Maui as a visitor and never lived there for more than a week. But after eight trips there, it truly does feel like a place my heart calls home.

Once my daughters were 4 and 7, we took them on their first airplane trip: a flight to Maui. We’ve since returned each year (and one lucky year we went twice!). …

Little kids often dream of being singers, dancers, or artists. Yet how many of those dreams are crushed by well-intentioned parents who warn their kids about the low odds of “making it” with their artistic talent?

I confess that I am one of those parents. I read Scott Woods’ essay, “Please Stop Telling Your Kids to Have a Plan B” and winced. I realized I am the target of his advice because I’m holding my children back by advising them to pick pragmatic careers where they won’t face rejection based on superficial reasons like their race, gender, or physical appearance.

…

When I was in 7th grade, I was eager to improve my basketball skills so my mom signed me up for a co-ed basketball camp that summer. Boys and girls would run drills, play scrimmages, and work on our dribbling and shooting side-by-side.

I was proud that I could hang with the boys and was better than some of the girls. I loved that they didn’t split us up by gender — until I didn’t.

One day, we had to run a drill that involved everyone lining up at the baseline. Then, one at a time, we would roll a…

While I was born in New York City (one of the biggest and noisiest cities in the U.S.), I spent most of my life in quieter, slower suburban communities adjacent to big cities in California. But after I hit my 40s, I moved out of the suburbs and learned about the joys of rural living.

My husband, our two daughters, our two big dogs, and I love where we live now. Yet it certainly surprised us and everyone else that we ended up here.

All of our friends and family live in big cities or in suburban neighborhoods adjacent to…

Many of my colleagues, friends, and students marvel at the way I have balanced a fulfilling full-time career outside of the home with a loving and fairly well-adjusted family life.

Whether it’s the tantalizing home-cooked meals I would bring for lunch every day, the numerous happy photos of my daughters, husband, and dog displayed in my office, or my cheerful personality despite balancing several demanding roles, folks often comment that I seem to “have it all.”

Each time someone compliments me about my ability to balance work and personal life, I am quick to point out that my husband deserves…

Money, sex, religion, and politics are often considered taboo subjects. Yet, I have been surprised to see so many Medium writers talking about many of these topics, including money. In fact, I just read Ash Jurberg’s essay, “Why Do Writers Brag About Their Earnings So Much?” and chuckled aloud. Ash points out:

“There are very few other occupations where people willingly share what they earn. Never have I read an accountant, a doctor, or a plumber publish how much they earn. It seems limited to writers and content creators.”

While his essay lamented the high volume of Medium essays and…