Giving Tuesday - OneAmerica

On Election Day 2024, I had just arrived in Seoul, South Korea for two weeks of vacation, before I would travel onto Manila for another two weeks. A friend and I spent the day exploring the city, eating great food, and immersing ourselves in the beautifully rich culture of Korea. And we were anxious. We knew the presidential race was close and all we could do was watch from the other side of the world. I was in the Myeongdong shopping district having a street food dinner when the results showed what we had feared. On a bustling, lively street during what should have been a joyfully fun day, the world froze for a moment and a familiar numbness took over. How are we here again?

Over the next few weeks, I continued to explore Seoul before heading to the Philippines to meet up with my mom and dad. It felt so dissonant to be so far from the chaos while also having a hyperawareness that we would be going back to a mess. But here we were in the Philippines - my dad's homeland, the place his family left to pursue a better life in America. How ironic and poetic to be here for the first time as a family while my own home country processes the reality of what has happened. I thought a lot about my family's immigration journey. My father, a young teenager with his family, coming from the Philippines in 1972; my mother, beginning her young adult life in 1986, from Malaysia. How they left everything familiar for the possibility of something better. 

Today we are faced with the challenge of how we are going to create this "something better". The world as it should be. There is fear, confusion, and discord. There is uncertainty. There is fatigue. But there's also a lot of hope. There are good people across Washington the nation that want to help move this world toward where we should be. The nation has spoken, democracy has flexed its muscle, and we have a president. But we stay resolute in our mission. We hold strong to the vision we have for a thriving home for all. 

Join us in this fight through a financial contribution to OneAmerica today! Together we have the power to make a real impact—from advocating for policies that protect our communities to expanding access to essential services. Every donation supports these efforts and helps us stand up for justice and equity. Let’s build power together this Giving Tuesday and through the end of this year!