Merry Month of May

By: Kayla Tejero

 

There is a great reason to celebrate May as the merriest month of the year. For our community, this month pays tribute to the many contributions of Asian Americans in their respective communities as we observe the Month of Asian Americans and Pacifi c Islanders. For families, this is a celebration of mothers as Happy Mother’s Day falls in this month. For me, this is a special shout out to greet my dad – a Happy Birthday on May 12. Also, for me, this is one of the busiest months after I graduated from university. I have found my new job as a registered nurse at Loyola Hospital. This is the job I’ve been dreaming of, and I am enjoying every moment of it. This month, I will be out travelling to far countries. I will talk about this next month. But let me thank the Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois (PNAI) for inviting me as part of their fundraiser, Flores de Mayo, on May 21 at Elm West Banquet in Elmhurst, IL. I am also performing at the Chicago Rizal Center on May 24th for the Asian American and Pacifi c Islander (AAPI) event. I thank God for all the blessings that all comes from Him. I like to encourage everyone to celebrate each day, make it merry however you like and reach out to others and wish them only good things! With that said, let us hear from our four featured young Asian Americans.

Annum Dandia says, “As an Asian-American student I want to accomplish the happiness that I can give people through helping them either big or small. I know that small helpful acts go a long way, and by doing small things for others and putting others fi rst, when related to healthcare, I can internally revive myself. I feel like my purpose in life, and through this educational journey, is to help others.”

Chinguun Gankhuleg says, “I want to make a difference within the group I am in charge of while in school or after graduation at my fi rst duty location for the army as a fi nance offi cer.”

Janell Nguyen says, “I want to be involved with different organizations that help foster my personal and professional development. I want to move to Chicago and work on a cardiovascular intensive care unit with the potential of either going back to school or becoming a travel nurse after a few years of experience.”

Dex Provido says, “As an Asian-American student at the University of Iowa, I hope to help develop a safer and more welcoming environment for the APIDA community. After graduation, I plan to pursue a career as a multimedia writer that represents diverse and intersectional identities.”

 

Annum Dandia, Junior
BS Nursing
Chamberlain University

Chinguun Gankhuleg, Junior
BS Corporate Finance
Olivet Nazarene University

Janell Nguyen, Senior
BS Nursing
University of Iowa

Dex Provido, Senior
BA English Creative Writing
University of Iowa