Thuy Trang: Yellow Ranger

Like many Asian immigrants who have migrated over to the United States due to poverty or restraint back in their homeland, Thuy Trang and her family were refugees by boat who came to the U.S. after the fall of Saigon to Communist forces in the year 1979.  The journey in which she endured carried memories of sickness and unconsciousness because the shortage of food and water subconsciously made them think that there would be no light at the end of the tunnel.  In fact, Trang was at a turning point of the trip where many people perceived her as dead or not worth being saved because she was wasting other healthy people’s food source.  But with her mother’s persistancy and perseverance, she would forcibly shoved food down Trang’s throat, which gave her enough energy to survive the entire trip.  The sacrifice and the love given to Trang from her mother were strong enough to give her a chance of hope and faith.

At the age of six, she began a new life and was forced to integrate into a different cultural understanding as well as the language barrier.  After a year, Trang’s father passed away from cancer and so her mom was left alone to raise her and her three other siblings.  Three years later, Trang began kung fu lessons through the practice of Kung Fu Shaolin and was able to receive a black belt at the age of 13.  Through her friends, she was introduced to a talented agent who represented her through the entertainment industry.  She then later attended the University of California, Irvine to study civil engineering when an acting opportunity was introduced at her front door.  Her agent encouraged her to audition for Power Rangers and so she did.  Through her audition, they rated her based on her performance and saw her as a potential candidate.  After few more auditions, she was able to get the part as Trini Kwan, the yellow ranger, in the year 1993. 

During her acting period, she was an attention grabber to all young fans and has always been seen as a person full of life and fearless at what she does.  She had a spiritual heart that was filled with warmth and care.  Her active charity work illuminates the wonderful work she brings to society and communities because people only see her as an equal to them and not as a foreigner.  With that said, she believes that there are opportunities for Asian actresses and that the growth of Asian population is growing in the acting industry. Her dream was to continue as a professional actress after graduating from UCI, but her dream was short lived.  Although she was never able to live long enough to see today, she definitely made much impact towards Asian Americans and Americans through the smiles she creates, the character she builds with others and within self, the helping hand she lends, and the struggle she have endured as an Asian American.

Michelle Kwan: Female Role Model Figure Skating Hero

We all know the famous 9 U.S. Championship, 5 World Championship, and 2 Olympic Championship figure skating Michelle Kwan who has been an icon for women and Asian Americans.  Being born and raised in the Torrance, CA as a Second Generation Chinese American, Michelle Kwan started her first encounter of figure skating at the age of 5 with her two siblings, Ron and Karen Kwan.  She was able to receive her first 1st Place World Champion in the year 1996 at the age of 16.  Because of the passion, joy, and love Michelle has for skating, she then continued figured skating and has been an influential skater representing the United States.   Through all the injuries and the falls that has occurred to her while performing and practicing, she took those incidents as an ambition to grow stronger and work harder, which was a value taught to her while she was growing up.  Because of this, Michelle Kwan very much represents America's ideal image of an Asian American or an Asian immigrant.

With her artistic skills, success and spirits, Michelle was able to publish her own experience into books, such as "The Winning Attitude", in order to spread the inspirational message from the values, hardship, and struggles (taught by her parents) that she has endeavor throughout her lifetime of skating. Not only can the novel relate to other women but it can also very much relate to many Asian American lives who has struggle for survival and how they now are seen as the "model minority" today. Michelle Kwan, up until today, has been seen as a role model and a prestigious figure skater to both the American and Asian American society.

Although she may seem to have a contemporary figure towards the American society, she was not always perceived as an American because of her physical appearance.  After she lost her chance for the gold medal at the Winter Olympics of 1998 to Tara Lipinski, media portrayed her as a non-citizen and foreigner because she was Chinese.  The infamous MSNBC headline “American Beats Kwan” gave a suggested statement that it was the White American girl who had beaten the non-American girl even though they were both legally Americans. Though I do not see this issue as crucial and critical as the 90's, it is still a contested issue that still should be analyzed and researched thoroughly to see where the Asian communities is mapped on the social graph with the American society.  But even so, Michelle Kwan up until today is still a highly acknowledged athlete with a reputation that she has given herself through the passion and love she put out for figure skating.  I believe it gave a spark to the U.S. and was able to continue on giving America the reputation of being the most diverse country.

I believe because through all that she has overcome and the identity in which she represents for herself and for her family, she has made a great impact towards the Asian American community.  And looking at the athletic history of the U.S., it seems as though Asian Americans are becoming more involved in sports and we can only predict that that will result in a general sense of involvement with society as a whole.