Strong like steel!
Welcome back!
Strong like steel
One of the most amazing story of perseverance I learned is from a woman I interviewed. I only have her permission to release her detail information in the book. So for this post, I will just call her Ms. Betty.
Ms. Betty is a professor who grew up in Washington DC to Chinese immigrant parents during the Chinese Exclusion period, a time when Chinese were not allowed to immigrate to the United States. She faced first-hand discrimination and exclusion from American life. Her father expected her to get married to a man he chose for her, but she amazingly went out and hustled up a scholarship at the University of Illinois. She worked her way through college by washing dishes and cleaning restrooms.
After graduating she got a job with the Voice of America, writing scripts on Chinese Americans that were broadcast back to China. While doing research for her stories, she discovered that Chinese immigrants were horribly vilified in American culture and politics. She was inspired to write a book son the history and experiences of Chinese Americans, showing all the contributions that Chinese immigrants had given to this country. After ten years of writing (This was before computers and the internet)—all the while raising her four children—she finished it and got it published, only to have her husband abandon her out of envy! She told herself, “You’re not going to let this conquer you. You have to think about your children.”
Ms. Betty continued raising the children on her own and her book, came out at the opportune time of the budding Asian American movement. It was the first book of its kind. The book’s success led to her being invited to start an Asian American Studies program at City College in New York. Ms. Betty taught there for 22 years, rising to become chair of the department, and she wrote six more books on Chinese American communities and cultural problems.
She also helped expand the US Census to include Asians as a category in the 1980 census, and she has even convinced the US Library of Congress to start a collection on Chinese Americans from the historical documents and materials she’s collected for over 50 years.
Ms. Betty’s work has been groundbreaking and it paved the way for Chinese Americans and other minorities to achieve the freedoms and success they’ve found today. Ms. Betty remains as humble as anyone, though. Through all the difficulties she experienced—the Depression, bombings during the Sino-Japanese War, World War II, cultural traditions that favored males, abandonment, and single motherhood—quitting was never a choice for her. “If you’ve gone through hardships, if you’ve gone through difficulties, then it hardens you like steel,” she says.
Listening to Ms. Betty, I couldn’t help but wonder what if more people can embraces hardship like Ms. Betty did. What will we become? She raised 4 kids on her own in a time when there are no social service help. A time when her country is trying to exclude her. A time without disposable diaper or formula. Her spirit is like steel, she is a woman who is un breakable. Her books had impacted millions of Chinese Americans and she went on to become the role model of countless Chinese American leaders of our time.
When you are facing hardship, think of Ms. Betty, it might just be your time to becoming strong like steel!
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
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Ms. Betty is a true inspiration! Thanks for sharing her story here, Giovanna.
wow Giovanna - no I have no more excuses. thanks for the story - very powerful
Thank you Giovanna,
What a great lady. No matter what her race is she is a great lady. She overcome the hardships that were placed in her way. Her children are more than likely great leaders in the community that they are in, because of her example. We can all learn from her.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”
Thanks for this story, Giovanna - I loved it. The Chinese didn’t fare too well in Australia’s formative years - one of the main motivatons for Federation (Australia becomeing a single nation) was to keep the Chinese out! Not something to be too proud of - after Federation in 1901, families were split up as women and children were sent home. Ms Betty’s story is great!
Hello Giovanna,
What a great story and it illustrates so well the strength of “Ms Betty”. Stories like this really help me and I will refer to them often, especially when I feel as though I am going through a tough time. I look at people such as Betty and realize what I am facing isn’t nearly so challenging so I know I can overcome.
Thank you for this.
Hi Positively Present,
Thanks for your comment and joining the conversation.
I hope you enjoy Ms. Betty’s story.
Giovanna Garica
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Thanks Giovanna, I enjoyed this story — it’s definitely a great preview for the book too, which sounds like it’s going to be pretty inspiring.
Hi Drew,
Stories like Ms. Betty gives us hope and it is an example that show us the lesson of “If there is a will, there is a way.”
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Dan & Deanna,
Thank you for your comment.
You made a very good guess. All of Ms. Betty’s children did become major community leaders.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Robin,
I love that you are so open in sharing with me about Australia’s history. My grandmother always say, “As much as we wish bad things never happen. They happen to teach us the lessons of thankfulness.”
Thank you for your comment and sharing your knownledge.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Keith,
I am so glad. That is why Ms. Betty shared her story with me and why I posted. To help inspire people through hard time.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hello Giovanna,
How could they not do just that with a mother like that. The children did not fall far from the tree. Have a great day.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”
Inspiring article as usual Gio.
No one can be strong, in my opinion, unless she is tested by the hardships of life. Maybe they are there just to make us understand that we are always stronger than the events that affect us.
Hi Gio .. some people just have amazing strength to get through - what else could she have done .. nothing: and that is the inspiration .. she had no choice, and she just simply got on with it. She had achieved, so despite being down trod by her selfish husband, she had something to hold on to and build on .. a huge inspiration - especially through the years she lived .. the 80+ years or so.
I can’t wait to read the book and find out more ..
thanks for the strength of steel ..
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
I like your inspirational stories. It’s a good reminder of the power of perseverance.
Hi Dan & Deanna,
Yes, I also did interviewed one of her daughter. She is also very amazing, you know what they say, “Apples don’t fall far from the tree.”
Thank you for the converstaion.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Sunny,
Yes, we can only gain strength by coming under pressure.
Thank you for your comment and wisdom.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Hilary,
Thank you for adding more to this post.
Ms. Betty is a wise elderly lady, who have seen so much.
You are right about her “Got on within spirit.” That is how she is.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi J.D.
Ms. Betty is an very inspiring woman, she embody the word “perseverance”.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thougth.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
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What an amazing story of courage/success and determination in a word that judges by the outward appearance rather than the basic human being. Remember the creator of heaven/earth made “everyone”. He did not stop to think this one will will called Chinese because they look different than other races. he did not only make apple trees/but many tress bearing different fruits. he said the least will be first and that there would be “JUDGMENT”.
Maybe not today but what he promised is “You reap what you so”. So… Bless this woman and people who are afflicted because of the sins of other human beings that judge people like they are better. The truth will set you free. Easier said than done but I do trust in God and what he says.