Nagpatibay para harapin ang matitinding pagsubok: MICHELLE at kapatid, naging biktima ng racism sa Amerika

“PEOPLE don’t know that me and my sister, we were the only two Asians in Utah, so we were subject to a lot of racism.

“We live in a very small paper town in Utah. So they really didn’t understand Asian culture, didn’t understand why do I have values, why do I say prayers, why do I have these routines of, I love eating with my hands growing up. Nobody understood the culture,” sey ni Michelle Dee.

Dahil sa mga naranasan ni Michelle, ito ang nagpatibay ng kanyang dibdib para harapin pa ang mga mas matitinding pagsubok sa buhay niya.

“Hindi pa uso ‘yung social media then. I don’t know if alam ng mga tao na my mom and my dad had a rough marriage. So kaya kami lumipat sa States, is to get away from that drama.

“That’s why I grew up in the States, ‘cause my mom wanted to protect us from the noise. But of course it’s marriage, laging nag-aaway ‘yung mom ko and my step dad. And I actually grew up with parent figures or people around me that will criticize every move that I make.”

Malaking bahagi raw ng kanyang pagiging matapang ay dahil sa kanyang inang si Melanie Marquez na isang survivor at hindi raw sila pinabayaang magkakapatid.

“I’m so grateful for my mom because she the one who really taught me how to stay strong. To believe in the goodness and your worth, and to show that to people.

“Just like my mom, I really just want to inspire people to achieve their best self and to take that struggle and turn it into your strength,” sey pa ni Michelle na bahagi ng cast ng Kapuso mega serye na ‘Mga Lihim Ni Urduja’.

(RUEL J. MENDOZA)