“Having once written-off her status as an Asian American, Emily now realizes that she ‘represents a rarer version of what it means to be Asian American’ and that her story adds value.”
Born in Fujin, China and left on the steps of a Buddhist temple at 3 months old, Emily was cared for by monks until she was adopted at 16 months old. And after having spent most of her childhood in Arkansas, she wanted to see more of the world. During her bachelors, Emily was able to live abroad in Italy and Germany. Shortly after graduating, she moved back to Germany to work as a professional dancer. Emily describes her experience living abroad profound; not only was she able to explore and find her voice, she learned the power of advocating for herself. This growth prepared her well for the healing and therapy she undertook after returning home to Arkansas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perhaps equally as transformational as her time abroad, Emily describes her self-exploration as an in-depth study on the power of vulnerability. During the pandemic, she also experienced Asian hate, which prompted her to become involved in online support groups and the Asian American community. Having once written-off her status as an Asian American, Emily now realizes that she “represents a rarer version of what it means to be Asian American” and that her story adds value. Today, she feels passionately about sharing her journey with others. Combining her love for dance and advocacy, Emily is now a professional dancer and owner of Language Adoptee Travel. She just began learning Chinese and aims to document her experience on Youtube. Emily hopes to fill gaps in the adoptee language learning space by discussing themes like belonging and identity while also raising awareness in the non-adopted language learning community. As a woman, person of color, and an adoptee, Emily has a unique perspective that she is eager to share.
Humans of CCI profiled on Facebook in 2023.