I am Vietnamese I was born in Saigon in 1970 and also a child of a war the first
1970 and also a child of a war the first
1970 and also a child of a war the first four years of my childhood was during
four years of my childhood was during
four years of my childhood was during the end of the Vietnam War and two
the end of the Vietnam War and two
the end of the Vietnam War and two million Vietnamese people had already
million Vietnamese people had already
million Vietnamese people had already been killed I am a refugee
been killed I am a refugee
been killed I am a refugee today 42 years ago my parents chose to
today 42 years ago my parents chose to
today 42 years ago my parents chose to escape the only home that my brothers
escape the only home that my brothers
escape the only home that my brothers and I had ever known
and I had ever known
and I had ever known we traveled by boat to the Philippines
we traveled by boat to the Philippines
we traveled by boat to the Philippines and landed in a refugee camp and waited
and landed in a refugee camp and waited
and landed in a refugee camp and waited there with hundreds and thousands of
there with hundreds and thousands of
there with hundreds and thousands of other Vietnamese people waited for a
other Vietnamese people waited for a
other Vietnamese people waited for a country to open its door to accept us a
few months afterwards we were sponsored
few months afterwards we were sponsored by a loving community here in
by a loving community here in
by a loving community here in Minneapolis I am American we were able
Minneapolis I am American we were able
Minneapolis I am American we were able to have the opportunity to live the
to have the opportunity to live the
to have the opportunity to live the American dream and exactly 23 years
American dream and exactly 23 years
American dream and exactly 23 years after I came to Minnesota I went back to
after I came to Minnesota I went back to
after I came to Minnesota I went back to become a mother with the adoption of my
become a mother with the adoption of my
become a mother with the adoption of my twin girls they are beautiful they are
twin girls they are beautiful they are
twin girls they are beautiful they are strong and they wanted to leave a legacy
strong and they wanted to leave a legacy
strong and they wanted to leave a legacy for them I was really sad though I saw
for them I was really sad though I saw
for them I was really sad though I saw all the children that couldn’t be
all the children that couldn’t be
all the children that couldn’t be adopted and I wanted to help them I
adopted and I wanted to help them I
adopted and I wanted to help them I certainly didn’t know how to do it but I
certainly didn’t know how to do it but I
certainly didn’t know how to do it but I knew that I couldn’t turn my back on my
knew that I couldn’t turn my back on my
knew that I couldn’t turn my back on my motherland on my heritage and on another
motherland on my heritage and on another
motherland on my heritage and on another child so six months after they came home
child so six months after they came home
child so six months after they came home I started catalysts foundation with the
I started catalysts foundation with the
I started catalysts foundation with the sole intention of helping orphanages
sole intention of helping orphanages
sole intention of helping orphanages just when they needed something late one
just when they needed something late one
just when they needed something late one night doing laundry a lot of laundry
night doing laundry a lot of laundry
night doing laundry a lot of laundry I was watching a news show on a story
I was watching a news show on a story
I was watching a news show on a story about children in the brothels of
about children in the brothels of
about children in the brothels of Cambodia and I was clueless I saw that
Cambodia and I was clueless I saw that
Cambodia and I was clueless I saw that the children that were being brought out
the children that were being brought out
the children that were being brought out for the customers to choose from were
for the customers to choose from were
for the customers to choose from were children but not only Cambodian but
children but not only Cambodian but
children but not only Cambodian but Vietnamese
Vietnamese
Vietnamese and they’re as young as eight five here
and they’re as young as eight five here
and they’re as young as eight five here are the facts they’re in 2016 there are
are the facts they’re in 2016 there are
are the facts they’re in 2016 there are 46 million victims of human trafficking
46 million victims of human trafficking
46 million victims of human trafficking that is the entire population of Canada
that is the entire population of Canada
that is the entire population of Canada and Scandinavia it affects every
and Scandinavia it affects every
and Scandinavia it affects every continent every country every economy
continent every country every economy
continent every country every economy including here in the United States the
including here in the United States the
including here in the United States the average cost of a slave 90 dollars
average cost of a slave 90 dollars
average cost of a slave 90 dollars traffickers are profiting a hundred and
traffickers are profiting a hundred and
traffickers are profiting a hundred and fifty billion dollars a year from
fifty billion dollars a year from
fifty billion dollars a year from children women boys girls
sleepless nights a lot of crying I
sleepless nights a lot of crying I realized two things first I actually
realized two things first I actually
realized two things first I actually can’t stop human trafficking second the
can’t stop human trafficking second the
can’t stop human trafficking second the children that were being taken were most
children that were being taken were most
children that were being taken were most likely the poorest the uneducated and
likely the poorest the uneducated and
likely the poorest the uneducated and the illiterate and I knew I can do
the illiterate and I knew I can do
the illiterate and I knew I can do something about that so we started
something about that so we started
something about that so we started working with victims of human
working with victims of human
working with victims of human trafficking and after I learned their
trafficking and after I learned their
trafficking and after I learned their struggles I got mad I was tired of being
struggles I got mad I was tired of being
struggles I got mad I was tired of being sad and I wanted to do something
sad and I wanted to do something
sad and I wanted to do something I met families that have lived and
I met families that have lived and
I met families that have lived and raised their families and a garbage dump
raised their families and a garbage dump
raised their families and a garbage dump I met grandparents who sold their
I met grandparents who sold their
I met grandparents who sold their kidneys for $15 just to feed their
kidneys for $15 just to feed their
kidneys for $15 just to feed their family that month
I’ve cried with a father who unknowingly
I’ve cried with a father who unknowingly sold his daughter for $50 to a brothel
sold his daughter for $50 to a brothel
sold his daughter for $50 to a brothel owner that tricked him not because he
owner that tricked him not because he
owner that tricked him not because he wanted to but because he thought that he
wanted to but because he thought that he
wanted to but because he thought that he would be safe
I have hug children that have never had
I have hug children that have never had a full stomach that have learned how to
a full stomach that have learned how to
a full stomach that have learned how to work before they learn how to read and
work before they learn how to read and
work before they learn how to read and at this point I could have walked away I
at this point I could have walked away I
at this point I could have walked away I could have said enough is enough but how
could have said enough is enough but how
could have said enough is enough but how do you do that how do I look at my
do you do that how do I look at my
do you do that how do I look at my children and know that the reason they
children and know that the reason they
children and know that the reason they were brought to an orphanage was because
were brought to an orphanage was because
were brought to an orphanage was because of poverty and then do nothing about it
of poverty and then do nothing about it
of poverty and then do nothing about it what would you have done this is say say
what would you have done this is say say
what would you have done this is say say spends three hours in the morning and
spends three hours in the morning and
spends three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon to get a
three hours in the afternoon to get a
three hours in the afternoon to get a bucket of water to get two buckets of
bucket of water to get two buckets of
bucket of water to get two buckets of water for her family she walks up to the
water for her family she walks up to the
water for her family she walks up to the nearest waterfall in the jungle to bring
nearest waterfall in the jungle to bring
nearest waterfall in the jungle to bring him home this is her daughter Dao Dao is
him home this is her daughter Dao Dao is
him home this is her daughter Dao Dao is nine years old when we met her she had
nine years old when we met her she had
nine years old when we met her she had never gone to school and her mom was
never gone to school and her mom was
never gone to school and her mom was desperate for any sort of income to come
desperate for any sort of income to come
desperate for any sort of income to come into the family and she said why don’t
into the family and she said why don’t
into the family and she said why don’t you work for the nice lady that has a
you work for the nice lady that has a
you work for the nice lady that has a coffee shop in the next town
this is dows little brother he is a
this is dows little brother he is a cowboy he’s five years old and for us
cowboy he’s five years old and for us
cowboy he’s five years old and for us that means he’s following cows and water
that means he’s following cows and water
that means he’s following cows and water buffaloes all day long
buffaloes all day long
buffaloes all day long collecting their dung bringing it home
collecting their dung bringing it home
collecting their dung bringing it home drying it and selling it back to farmers
drying it and selling it back to farmers
drying it and selling it back to farmers for fertilizer he’s working eight hours
for fertilizer he’s working eight hours
for fertilizer he’s working eight hours a day to earn 25 cents
a day to earn 25 cents
a day to earn 25 cents at the age of five this is their baby
at the age of five this is their baby
at the age of five this is their baby sister she’s only a few months old our
sister she’s only a few months old our
sister she’s only a few months old our volunteer doctors just told me last
volunteer doctors just told me last
volunteer doctors just told me last month
month
month that she has an untreated hernia from a
that she has an untreated hernia from a
that she has an untreated hernia from a home delivery but only because she was
home delivery but only because she was
home delivery but only because she was not allowed to go to the Hospitals and
not allowed to go to the Hospitals and
not allowed to go to the Hospitals and Clinics because of the color of their
Clinics because of the color of their
Clinics because of the color of their skin this is their twig home it is no
skin this is their twig home it is no
skin this is their twig home it is no bigger than twice the size of the rug I
bigger than twice the size of the rug I
bigger than twice the size of the rug I stand on there’s no running water
stand on there’s no running water
stand on there’s no running water there’s no bathroom there’s no floor and
there’s no bathroom there’s no floor and
there’s no bathroom there’s no floor and there’s no kitchen this could have been
there’s no kitchen this could have been
there’s no kitchen this could have been my life this could have been my
my life this could have been my
my life this could have been my children’s life and what if it had been
children’s life and what if it had been
children’s life and what if it had been your life khalasar
your life khalasar
your life khalasar grown and changed a lot over the last 18
grown and changed a lot over the last 18
grown and changed a lot over the last 18 years we’ve moved from helping
years we’ve moved from helping
years we’ve moved from helping orphanages to helping victims of child
orphanages to helping victims of child
orphanages to helping victims of child of child and human trafficking to now
of child and human trafficking to now
of child and human trafficking to now helping communities we currently work
helping communities we currently work
helping communities we currently work with a community of ethnic minorities
with a community of ethnic minorities
with a community of ethnic minorities that are the 52nd smallest in Vietnam
that are the 52nd smallest in Vietnam
that are the 52nd smallest in Vietnam and they have been denied the
and they have been denied the
and they have been denied the opportunity ten anything to have any
opportunity ten anything to have any
opportunity ten anything to have any basic human rights because they make up
basic human rights because they make up
basic human rights because they make up less than 1% of the population we have
less than 1% of the population we have
less than 1% of the population we have holistic solutions that work we know
holistic solutions that work we know
holistic solutions that work we know that if you focus on the education of a
that if you focus on the education of a
that if you focus on the education of a child teacher to read you teach your
child teacher to read you teach your
child teacher to read you teach your parents that education is valuable and
parents that education is valuable and
parents that education is valuable and that their community deserves to have
that their community deserves to have
that their community deserves to have everything that they need then they will
everything that they need then they will
everything that they need then they will make a difference and they will have
make a difference and they will have
make a difference and they will have some hope I truly truly believe that if
some hope I truly truly believe that if
some hope I truly truly believe that if you educate a girl to read she can tell
you educate a girl to read she can tell
you educate a girl to read she can tell me where she is when she’s taken when
me where she is when she’s taken when
me where she is when she’s taken when she’s lost at the next coffee shop or
she’s lost at the next coffee shop or
she’s lost at the next coffee shop or the beauty shop before she sold for cuts
the beauty shop before she sold for cuts
the beauty shop before she sold for cuts to her first customer for sex when you
to her first customer for sex when you
to her first customer for sex when you educate a child that his life is more
educate a child that his life is more
educate a child that his life is more than collecting cow dung that he can
than collecting cow dung that he can
than collecting cow dung that he can grow up to be a farmer owned is on land
grow up to be a farmer owned is on land
grow up to be a farmer owned is on land feed his family and his neighbor’s when
feed his family and his neighbor’s when
feed his family and his neighbor’s when you educate a family that education is
you educate a family that education is
you educate a family that education is the way to break the cycle of poverty
the way to break the cycle of poverty
the way to break the cycle of poverty she will understand that she has and
she will understand that she has and
she will understand that she has and deserves the right to have water enough
deserves the right to have water enough
deserves the right to have water enough water to drink cook and bathe that their
water to drink cook and bathe that their
water to drink cook and bathe that their children have the right to have full
children have the right to have full
children have the right to have full stomachs so they that they can thrive
stomachs so they that they can thrive
stomachs so they that they can thrive and reach their full potential and that
and reach their full potential and that
and reach their full potential and that they have the right to basic medical and
they have the right to basic medical and
they have the right to basic medical and dental care so that they can survive a
dental care so that they can survive a
dental care so that they can survive a basic simple tooth infection
and when you bring volunteers from all
and when you bring volunteers from all over the world to come work with them
over the world to come work with them
over the world to come work with them sand by side by side with them play with
sand by side by side with them play with
sand by side by side with them play with them and just hold their hands like this
them and just hold their hands like this
them and just hold their hands like this group of volunteers that built a
group of volunteers that built a
group of volunteers that built a playground in four days then the
playground in four days then the
playground in four days then the community will understand that their
community will understand that their
community will understand that their world is bigger than their backyard and
world is bigger than their backyard and
world is bigger than their backyard and that they had the right to be counted
that they had the right to be counted
that they had the right to be counted Dow will nine year old is now in eighth
Dow will nine year old is now in eighth
Dow will nine year old is now in eighth grade she loves school and wants to go
grade she loves school and wants to go
grade she loves school and wants to go to high school and university her little
to high school and university her little
to high school and university her little brother is still a cowboy but for fun
brother is still a cowboy but for fun
brother is still a cowboy but for fun his favorite subject is math their mom
his favorite subject is math their mom
his favorite subject is math their mom doesn’t have to spend six hours to get
doesn’t have to spend six hours to get
doesn’t have to spend six hours to get water any more because we installed
water any more because we installed
water any more because we installed water pipes to their homes
water pipes to their homes
water pipes to their homes and now she can stay home take care of
and now she can stay home take care of
and now she can stay home take care of the kids feed their family and also go
the kids feed their family and also go
the kids feed their family and also go to our vocational training class we know
to our vocational training class we know
to our vocational training class we know that when you give a child back her
that when you give a child back her
that when you give a child back her dignity her smile comes back and she
dignity her smile comes back and she
dignity her smile comes back and she will no longer be the victims we also
will no longer be the victims we also
will no longer be the victims we also know that if you stick with it not only
know that if you stick with it not only
know that if you stick with it not only stay mad and stay sad but if you stick
stay mad and stay sad but if you stick
stay mad and stay sad but if you stick with it it makes a difference
with it it makes a difference
with it it makes a difference I started kalos foundation to leave a
I started kalos foundation to leave a
I started kalos foundation to leave a legacy for my children and to help the
legacy for my children and to help the
legacy for my children and to help the children that I thought I should adopt
children that I thought I should adopt
children that I thought I should adopt but with the support and love from my
but with the support and love from my
but with the support and love from my daughters and my best friends I know
daughters and my best friends I know
daughters and my best friends I know that I’m making it they’re friends and
that I’m making it they’re friends and
that I’m making it they’re friends and if I can make a difference in a small
if I can make a difference in a small
if I can make a difference in a small rural village in Vietnam you can make a
rural village in Vietnam you can make a
rural village in Vietnam you can make a difference
difference
difference I am Vietnamese I am a child of a war I
I am Vietnamese I am a child of a war I
I am Vietnamese I am a child of a war I am a refugee I am American I am a mother
am a refugee I am American I am a mother
am a refugee I am American I am a mother I am a catalyst and you are the catalyst
I am a catalyst and you are the catalyst
I am a catalyst and you are the catalyst for hope
”
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