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Fighting to Stay
Just when you are ready to give up on Millennials as ignorant, selfish, and anarchistic snowflakes, along comes a story that gives you hope for the future. A young lady, Melody Yang, was a student at the university, Santa Clara, where I teach. I’ve only just become acquainted with her (I’m in the English Dept., she was in the B-school and taught herself computer science), but her story is so compelling that I had to share it.
Melody Yang is Taiwanese, here on an F1 student visa, and behaving like a true Silicon Valley entrepreneur taking control over her life and earning the right to stay here. She already has designed — as an undergraduate — a successful new product and earned a job at Apple (as you can imagine, not an easy task). Apple now is applying for her to stay as “an individual of extraordinary ability and achievement.” In other words, when many of American’s children seem to despise their country, this young lady is fighting to stay.
A lawyer told Melody it would help her case with immigration if she could show media coverage of her life and work in the US. With no experience, she pitched a Forbes.com writer on her story — and landed this profile.
It is a reminder that there are still young people in the world who love this country — and will fight with all of their energy and talent to be here.
Published in Immigration
“there are still young people in the world who love this country — and will fight with all of their energy and talent to be here.” And keep it free. Thank you for sharing this story.
Does she love the country, or the salary she can earn here?
I see nothing about any commitment to American ideals. She may be a great patriot, but it’s not mentioned in your post or in the Forbes article.
Does she take a knee at the anthem? Or put her hand over her heart? This is more important to me than the ability to code.
I share your skepticism. The Forbes piece was nice and kindly written, so props to her for getting it, but it was pretty superficial. The author got a non-controversial article for print in a magazine that supports wide immigration. I interviewed and worked with and around a lot of similarly situated new graduates – primarily Taiwanese but some mainland China – and no one doubted their drive or willingness to work hard. In particular, no one missed their determination to use any avenue available to stay in the USA and work it to their advantage. I didn’t ever note that the determination was based on civic principle- it was based on self interest, just like it is for most people. People generally leave their homes for somewhere new because it’s no longer comfortable there and likely more comfortable or more advantageous where they are going.
There’s an interesting contrast here with Anthony Esolen’s story about his Italian immigrant grandfather who worked in the coal mines of Pennsylvania:
https://www.crisismagazine.com/2020/the-poorest-of-the-poor
I think I prefer the immigrants willing to work hard, get dirty, live simply, and assimilate to those who aspire to wealth and status, but whose loyalties lie elsewhere.
Nifty neat. It’s good to hear.
Michael,
This is a great story. My father had graduate students from all over the world in the 1960s. When they first came they usually had intentions of getting their degree and going back. However, soon they fell in love with America and American freedom so they stayed.
Melody and other Taiwanese are likely soon to be in the spotlight. The Marxist Chinese regime is, as with all Marxist regimes, hegemonistic. They will attempt to dominate and absorb neighbors. Taiwan is especially a thorn in the side of Marxist China. They will try. However, Taiwan is prepared to resist and we must be prepared to support their resistance.
China military show of force near Taiwan has experts asking if the island could be the ‘next Hong Kong’
They shall not be the next Hong Kong. In fact, I don’t think we should give up hope for Hong Kong and simply accept Bejing’s ugly usurpation. Resistance is necessary.
Regards,
Jim
Encouraging story!
Minor bone to pick with you here; anyone *currently* in school is NOT, I repeat NOT a millennial. The youngest millennials are entering their late-twenties now.
I am a millennial (albeit an ‘elder millennial’ – read early 80’s child). My generation is busy raising our school aged kids, figuring out how to navigate schooling the kids from home during a pandemic, and working in our established careers at the same time, saving for retirement, and caring for aging and often ailing parents.
Gen Z are the one’s you have a beef with.