Share Forward

We, William and Tracey, are both children of refugees. And we are also first-generation immigrants to America.

Both of our respective parents walked similar life journeys. They grew up in China and survived multiple wars. At the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, they escaped to Taiwan along with 18 million other refugees. Throughout their lives, they experienced terrifying personal hardship that left lifelong emotional scars. It was in that context we were born and grew up on the Taiwan island.

With threat of fighting lingering, our parents’ greatest hope was for their children never have to experience similar suffering as they did. Rather, grow up in a land of peace and opportunities. Therefore, they in their own ways once again uprooted and moved their families to here - the United States. Hence, we became the first-generation American immigrants.

William set foot on here when he was 14 years old while Tracey embarked on her "American Dream" journey when she was 21. We met in college. Like all new immigrants, we struggled to learn the language and the culture that were entirely new to us. We tried our best to integrate into the community we lived in. As most immigrants would attest, it hasn't been easy. After years of adjustments, we established a stable family life, and we call this place our home. Looking back, we appreciate what our parents have sacrificed for us, and what this country has given to us. We are proud Americans. However, those overwhelming moments of confusion, struggles, frustrations, and loneliness as the first-generation immigrants had profound impacts in our lives.

After college, we took 2 years out and volunteered serving rural communities in Lesotho in Southern Africa. William directed a development program building schools, sanitary systems and health clinics while Tracey taught in a local high school. That experience shaped our views about life and value.

In recent years, we directed our energy in local refugee communities. We were struck by how receptive new refugees feel toward us because we could relate to their struggles as immigrants ourselves. The emotional roller coasters - loneliness, worries about their kids, doubts about their own identities, hopes and fears about the future, job bias, racial injustice, and missing their old countries & love ones. The list goes on. We shared our stories, and they shared theirs. We built lasting friendships.

We started this NGO hoping other immigrants can realize they have much to offer. We can Share Forward our experience to other newcomers. We would love to collaborate with like-minded individuals or organizations to make a difference in new immigrants’ lives, as others have given to us.



我們的故事

我們， (William and Tracey), 是難民的子女，也是第一代美國移民。我們的父母在1949年中國內戰末期為了逃離共產黨的統治，跟著一千八百萬的難民潮遷徙到台灣。因此，我們都是在台灣出生及成長。我們的父母曾經親身經歷過戰爭的猙獰和逃亡的恐懼。他們最大的希望就是讓他們的子女永遠不要受到戰爭的洗禮，不要經歷逃亡的辛酸，而能生活在一塊安和樂利的國土上。所以他們極盡所能將他們的子女移民到美國。而我們就此成為了第一代美國移民。

William 是在14歲那年踏上這片對他完全陌生的土地。 Tracey是在她21歲時步上這條“美國夢”的旅程。我們和所有的新移民一樣，吃力地學習者和我們背景完全不同的語文和文化，並努力地試著融入其中。經過多年的打拼，我們算是有了個安身立命的生活。然而，第一代移民在適應陌生國土上的茫然，掙扎，挫敗，孤寂和艱辛，那點點滴滴都是我們生命裡最深刻的印記。

因為這一份刻骨銘心的印記，所以我們希望能聚集一些有經驗的第一代移民和新移民分享這移民旅程的經驗和心得。更希望能提供一些諮詢和資源與新移民並肩走向圓夢之旅。