Refugee Week 2019

In honour of Refugee Week (#withrefugees), I want to thank this Australian gentlemen pictured in the middle. 🙂

He played a key role in helping my Vietnamese Boat People fam integrate into Australian society. I believe (but could be wrong) that he was a part of Australia's Community Refugee Settlement Scheme (CRSS) which was Australia's first community sponsorship model which ran from 1979-1997.

Community groups and everyday individuals offered to initially support the resettlement and integrate 30,000 refugees from Indo-China (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos), but later expanded to include all refugees from other parts of the world.

Australia no longer runs this program but is currently running a Community Support Program (CSP) which is much more flawed and in much need of a reform since it prioritises economic factors instead of humanitarian needs.

The government should really consider more options for community involvement and sponsorship to resettle refugees, in addition to its committment and responsibility to the refugee and humanitarian program.

Let's always remember that asylum seekers and refugees are not the same as economic migrants, so shouldn't be treated as such.

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Buy Less, Wear More

Throwback to my teenage years when I wore the same clothes over and over again without feeling self-conscious about it, at all. The same jeans, same jumper (the one in the photo lasted me yeeeeeaaars), same tops and same footwear were always in rotation. I liked my clothes and I was happy about it. Little did I know at the time that my choices were actually sustainable.

Until one day, a friend had the audacity to burst my bubble and said,

"Linda, you're wearing the same thing AGAIN!" 

So naturally, I got a little upset about it, became a little self-conscious and prompted me to buy new clothes, which became a mindless and nasty habit.

Fast forward to my present self as a young adult and I feel absolutely proud about wearing the same thing over and over again. I still only wear a fraction of my wardrobe though. However, I do intend on getting more wear out of my current clothes and being more mindful on the impact of my purchasing power. No longer am I falling for those fleeting fashion trends or caring about being caught in the same outfit. Nor do I need approval from others about my outfits.

Being intentional with my clothing choices and sustainability brings me peace. 

Buy less, choose well. Make it last.

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Who Made My Clothes

Dear: Bec and Bridge, 

I am your customer and I love your clothes. However, I feel not enough positive change has happened in the six years since Rana Plaza collapsed, the tragedy which killed and injured thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh.

It is very important to me that people working in your supply chain are seen, heard, paid properly and working in safe conditions.

Seeing your "F" rating in the Ethical Fashion Guide 2019 by Baptist World Aid does not sit well with me.

So please tell me who made my clothes and where I can find out more information about your supply chain.

Thank you!

Lots o' Love, Linda 

Click for the full Ethical Fashion Report 2019. 

Swallowing My Pride

Mindframe 

So in late Feb/early March, with a little push from my bro, I finally decided to swallow my pride to seek professional help about my mental health. I've been struggling for some time now (4+ yrs) and even though I recognised the signs of mental health risk, I forced myself to suffer in silence and battle my inner demons alone.

I'm very well aware that I'm not the only one who has problems nor do I think I have it the worst, but the stigma around mental illness was and still is very strong. No matter how much my mental health was out of whack, I completely underestimated its effects of leaving it unaddressed or untreated.

My past attempts of reaching out to "friends" about it all backfired cause they trivialised how I felt or what I was going through, even before giving me a chance to speak. Been told things like: 

"you're not the only one who has problems",

"if you think you're the only one who has problems then all the best in life to you", and

"if you hear about my problems or what I've been going through, then you will realise that your problems aren't so bad." 

Even toxic positivity thoughts like "just think positive" is damaging. Because of these responses, I was reluctant to open up and then eventually led myself to a depressive disorder.

I really wish I was one of those mentally stable and strong people who can overcome depression or mental health issues without professional help, but I'm not one of them.

My biggest regret is not seeking help a lot earlier. I also regret not continuing my counselling sessions at the age of 17 when I had a sudden breakdown. When I saw people in my grade literally laughing at the idea of counselling, it prevented me from speaking to the counsellor again. Would've made a huge difference to my first few years post-highschool.

If and when you're struggling, please speak to someone you trust. If you can't, I highly encourage you to speak to your GP. You also don't need a "valid" reason or apparent justification like experiencing a tragic or traumatising event. Nor do you need to be in really bad circumstances. Nor do you need to be at crisis point. It doesn't have to make sense.

Lots o' Love, Linda

Straight Outta Cabra

Friendship Arch / Pai Lau, Freedom Plaza, Cabramatta

After reading and listening to many (and I mean, many) other people's shocking stories about growing up Asian in Australia or America and the bullying they copped on the regular simply for being Asian, I've realised how fortunate I was to have a different experience. Growing up, I thought multiculturalism was everywhere in Australia. Little did I know that I was actually a part of an ethnic minority because I was never made to feel that way. I guess I was sorta in a bubble? I only started realising this well into my teenage years. I also only started feeling the effects of racism towards Asians or minorities after highschool.

Super grateful that I grew up in a diverse community that made up of not only South East Asians but also a good mix of white, Spanish, Serbians, Middle Easterns, Pacific Islanders, Italians and Greeks, just to name a few. I never felt alienated or ashamed of my heritage despite Cabra copping heaps of racism back in the day. In fact, there was plenty of Asian pride (*cough* AzN PriDe). I had classmates of different backgrounds and maintained my Vietnamese roots via Vietnamese school, as well as cultural and community events.

Even though it looks like I grew up in an Asian enclave at first glance, the Fairfield - Cabramatta area felt more diverse than any other area in Sydney. Pretty sure I would've had a completely different (and more marginalised) experience growing up somewhere else. And for that, I will never be ashamed of telling people I grew up in Fairfield - Cabramatta area and will always be proud of my Asian ethnicity.

Lots o' Love, Linda