Travis Chen, author of A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants, talks about how, when you’re a first-generation immigrant, a lot of things feel different from what you know.
Travis Chen, author of A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants, talks about how, when you’re a first-generation immigrant, a lot of things feel different from what you know.
A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants (view book)
Full Book Description:
A new place to live, a new school, new foods, new smells, new noises—when you’re a first-generation immigrant, a lot of things feel different from what you know. This author immigrated to a new country with his family when he was a kid. He has been there, understands, and wants you to know that all the experiences that make you who you are…are amazing!
About the Author:
Travis Chen (he/him) is a Gen Z, Taiwanese American first-generation immigrant who was 3 years old when his family moved to the United States to pursue the American dream. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in Arcadia, California, Travis is recognized across the world as a tech entrepreneur and champion for mental health, and has been named to the LinkedIn Top Voice program and Forbes “30 Under 30” list.
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A Kids Book About: The Podcast
Travis Talks About First-Generation Immigrants
[INTRODUCTION]
Matthew: What does it mean for someone to describe themself as a first-generation immigrant?
Jonah: That's not a term I've heard of before.
Travis: When we think about, uh, a first generation immigrant, it's not just to, um, you know, the United States of America, for example, uh, it's not just to, um, you know, a specific country. It can be anywhere, anywhere. Any place and, quite frankly, at any stage in your life.
In fact, there's people in this world that actually immigrate to a different country multiple different times in their in their lives and I wanted to keep this very broad because I was part of that. I immigrated with my family to the United States at the age of three and we were first generation immigrants into a new country, into a new setting, into a new life with nothing that we had in this new place that we moved to.
And then I did that again at the age of 18 when I moved to France for about a year and had to go through the same emotions that I talk about in my book. But it's these emotions that we experience as first generation immigrants.
So, when I say first generation immigrants, it's anyone that moves to a new place, a new country, a new city, a new state, starting their life all over with, quite frankly, nothing that is grounding them.
Matthew: Welcome to A Kids Book About: The Podcast! I’m Matthew. I’m a teacher, a librarian, and I’m your host.
The voices you heard just a moment ago were from Jonah and Travis.
Each week we talk about the big things going on in your world with a different author from our A Kids Book About series.
Travis: Travis Chen. I am a Gen Z tech enthusiast. Also a Taiwanese American first-generation immigrant at the age of three. And I am the author of A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants.
[TOPIC FOUNDATION]
Matthew: Hi, everyone! And welcome back to the podcast. I’ve missed you!
In our weeks off I’ve been resting and reading and connecting with my family, my friends, and with authors for future episodes of this show.
We’re kicking off the new year with a topic that I hope will help you see and understand the people in your classroom and in your community a little better. Many, many families have immigrated into your country or out of your country, no matter where in the world you’re listening. Maybe you yourself have been an immigrant. I wonder how your experience is the same or different from Travis’s experience.
Or if it’s something you’ve experienced at all.
Travis: You know, when I, when I think about, um, how someone who hasn't gone through the journey experiences that first generation immigrants do experience, I often, you know, ask people to imagine themselves moving into a new home, right?
When you move to a new home, you don't have your things that you belong, that you feel comfortable with, right? Let's say your bed or your couch or, you know that specific, you know, you're something in the kitchen that you're, that you're, that you're associated with or that you're comfortable with, or that's something that you see every single day walking into. And it's exactly that, but on a much larger scale.
And I write about this in my book where we moved from Taiwan to the United States when I was at the age of three, and I didn't have any of my toys, didn't have the food that I was used to. My parents didn't even know where to go shopping for groceries. We didn't even know, you know, that libraries, you know, were a common thing to go to, right? We didn't know that there was an immigration, you know, journey that we had to go down in order to get a green card and then to get our United States citizenship, right?
All these different things that we think of in our life where we basically had to just completely move from a different country, with different values, with different, um, economic situations, with different governmental agencies and practices, to a new country and be conformed by what they are and their values and their practices and almost act as if this is what you're used to and this is what you're normal.
And our psychological behavior tells us that that is not something that's easy for us as kids, but also as human beings, right? And so, and so when we're experiencing that change and that shift, not only is it hard, um, for, for you, yourself, but it's, it's hard for your family. And, those experiences are what brings us together as first generation immigrants.
And this is why, you know, we see it in many, many different places around the country, United States, for example, where you see a very, very densely populated community of, of similar races and similar backgrounds because they know that they can depend on each other, right?
But for those who haven't experienced, you know, being a first generation immigrant, I will often talk about, you know, you really are moving into a new house with nothing that you're used to. And not only is it just your house, but it's also your lifestyle, your, your lifestyle values, your, your, your educational experiences, your work experiences, etc.
Matthew: I live in the United States, and in 2023 the US welcomed a record number of immigrants, adding 1.6 million people to the country’s population, which is now 335 million people across these United States.
Our population makes up a collection of endless experiences and stories and traditions and beliefs and accomplishments and hardships. The wealth of this population collectively is incalculable, and you, listener, help to give it its value.
One thing Travis expresses in A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants is the value of being a global citizen.
Before I ask Travis to explain what it means to be a global citizen, let’s see if you can take it apart and predict the definition.
Global citizen. What’s a citizen? Is that a word you’ve heard before? What if I said that you are a citizen of your town, your city, your community, your state, your country?
The preceding word is “global”. When we use the word “global”, what location or area are we referring to?
A global citizen. A citizen of the globe.
Travis: For me, being a global citizen means that you're a citizen of the world. And when we say that, it means that you are able to relate with people that are different than you. You're able to break those echo chambers. You're able to know what's going on around the world, because a lot of people actually fear that thought of even thinking what's going on across the world. And it, for me, it means being able to, open up your eyes, and thoughts, and imagination of what it's like to live in a different country and across the world. And to your point, with different societal infrastructures, right? With different food, with different religion, with different political values, with different, you know, experiences and history. And that to me is truly what makes a person well rounded because you're able to understand what it's like to have those experiences, right?
And I actually have a family friend right now that's living across the world's first time ever. You know, never been to any other country. Decided that, um, she wanted to be a Fulbright scholar. So she did that. And she's really struggling as she's there. And I keep on telling her every single day that, you know, these thoughts are normal. And these, these feelings that you're experiencing are completely okay. And give yourself some grace as you go through that journey. But remember to embrace this experience and this opportunity because when you're able to talk to those locals, right? When you're able to talk to those local mom and pop shops and understand how they are, you know, setting up their shop and, and, you know, whether that's,, you know, a farmer that started a farm to table experience restaurant. Those things you're able to really learn from them.
And also realize that at the end of the day, we're all human beings. And I know this is cliche to say, but sometimes we're a lot similar than we are different. And that comes from a place of understanding and empathy. And where you're able to open up your heart like that, that's when you realize so many different things that you've never experienced before.
Matthew: Let’s take a quick break. And when we return, Travis will talk about how our values inform how we walk through the world. And how, often, those values are passed down from generation to generation.
Travis: These experiences that now I reflect on, I want to make sure that what I write about, other kids are able to relate to as well and to realize that they're not alone. And I, you know, give some stories in the kids book that are pretty simple and straightforward, like, you know, for example, bringing, you know, Asian food dumplings to school and people laughing at, and I'm sure many kids experience the same things today and have that fear of opening up their lunch boxes at school for lunch. And that makes me really sad, right? We all need nutrients, especially young kids.
And so I really wanted to make sure that I was able to highlight those experiences. And I think A Kids Co was truly the best partner to put this all together.
Matthew: We’ll be back in just a moment.
[BREAK]
Matthew: Welcome back.
Today on the podcast we’re talking about first-generation immigrants with A Kids Book About author Travis Chen.
Listeners, have you ever had a new student in your class whose family moved to your country from another country? People and families move for lots of different reasons. I asked Jonah how he felt about meeting someone who moved from another country. This is what he shared:
Jonah: I think it really depends on what their situation is and how they feel about moving. I personally accept that. I think it's really cool. I don't have friends that moved like that, but I think if I met someone I would definitely connect with them and be friends with them.
Matthew: You’re right, Jonah. You might feel a number of different things when meeting someone whose family has moved from another country or, really, from anywhere. Did they choose to move? And are they feeling any excitement about being in a new place? Were they forced to move? And are they still working through feelings around those circumstances? Or some combination of all of those feelings?
Making a welcoming space for all is certainly an important step to consider.
I wonder, listeners, if any of you are first-generation immigrants. And I wonder what that experience has been like for you.
It makes me think of a page in A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants where Travis writes, “The values that make me the person I am are things that have been passed down for generations.”
Moving to a new location can be really difficult, but among the things that travel with you, your values help to shape who you are and how you respond to the people and the things around you.
Here’s Travis with more on that thought.
[PERSONAL CONNECTION TO TOPIC]
Travis: Well, you know, as an Asian American, I've been in the United States, you know, very lucky to have been here for the past 21 years now. And, you know, to this day though, as an Asian American, there's a lot of stigma behind who we are and what we identify with and, you know, what it's like to be an Asian American, even, even in the workplace.
But also, you know, I, remember very vividly as a student, growing up and in college as well, where they often, you know, think of Asian Americans as that kind of hardworking, studious type that doesn't, you know, want to do anything more than studying.
And when I think about that, there's a lot to unpack there, but when, when I think about that and, you know, my hardworking nature, I reflect on, um, my grandparents, right? And Asian Americans as a whole. In fact, you know, think back to the 1800s, like who, who built those railroads in America, right? It was those Chinese settlers that came here, um, that were forced to, forced labor to you know, work on the railroads, right?
But, you know, going back to this, this, this thought of generation after generation, my grandparents, myself, and I'm very lucky to saw my grandparents around to this day, but they instilled in me this value of hard work, being humble, but also being and making sure that you Continue to be consistent with who you are, right?
And my hardworking nature actually comes from my grandpa, who, you know, is 91 now. And he, when he started his business, he really showed me what it's like to be resilient. I'll give you a story as an example. He started an import and export business in Taiwan. And he would import goods from Japan to Taiwan and sell to Taiwan to the Taiwanese. And, you know, he lived in this small town in the South of Taiwan. And because he lost his father at a young age, he was the sole, you know, male, you know, financial provider of the family. And so he needed to make sure that he was home every single day.
And so what did he do every single day? He would get up at 4 AM. He would bike an hour to the train station, take a three hour train ride to the biggest city that was closest to him, to sell his goods for the whole day in the sun and the heat, and then, you know, pack up all the goods and then go pick up more, more supplies and more inventory that just came from Japan. And then, you know, haul all that back to home and then do that all over again.
And he reminded me recently of something that's really interesting for me. He was like, “You know, Travis, when I was young, there was no such thing as weekends. We didn't have Saturdays or Sundays. We worked through those Saturdays and Sundays. We worked through our holidays.” Right?
And so it's this tenacity that I still have to this day, where I like to think that I'm a pretty hard worker, um, in the workplace. You know, growing up as well. And, um, I have that tenacity that many, many of my peers, you know, often lack. And I think that that really comes from these generational values that, you know, my grandparents gave me.
And this is not really a race, per se, issue, but it's more of a generational value that is passed down over time. And you know, even though my grandpa went on to starting, like, you know, some incredible businesses in his lifetime, he still remembered the the idea of making sure to be humble and to give back to the community.
And you know, I often look at look around my community and look for ways to get back to those around me to make sure that they, you know, have those experiences that I experienced as well.
And so I think it's so important for for grandparents or parents or families in general right to really reflect on your ethnic values and also your family values and pass those down to, you know, kids because they are the ones that are going to continue those traditions for you.
And for us, you know, on a, on a family, immediate family level, we've always been very, you know, taught the importance of family values and sticking together on not just American holidays, but also Taiwanese holidays, right? And so we have double the holidays that many Americans do. But it's so important because it bonds us, it brings us together, unites us, and reminds us how important our family values are.
Matthew: Our time’s almost up. I’m about to send you back out into the world. So let’s take a moment to consider how we can recognize the value in others and honor the values that they bring into the spaces we share.
Travis? Are there any actions we, the listeners, can take to be more welcoming, supportive, and inclusive to first-generation immigrants, whether they are in our class, our place of worship, or our community?
Travis: You know, I think with any experiences of not understanding how to relate or not understanding how to, you know, empathize it, number one, the first thing is showing that you care. And when I say that means listening and being there for those who are struggling. Right?
And, you know, I think back to when I was a little kid and there was a student that just came from Japan. And the teacher had assigned me to bring him around and basically be his first, you know, built in friend at school. I didn't know how to speak to him. I don't speak Japanese. I didn't know what his parents and family, you know, experienced moving over. But the first thing that I made sure that I did was that he was heard and that he felt comfortable and that he knew the routines of what it's like to be, you know, in school, but also that he had someone there for him.
I think that's so important, for kids who are, you know, or have a classmate that might be, you know, just freshly immigrated to their local community. It's showing that you care and lending that helping hand, right? And bringing them into the lunch table when they need someone to eat lunch with, or, you know, bringing them into your friend group to play on the playground. Or, you know, inviting them over for dinner with their family or inviting them to that birthday party.
Those small things really make a difference for a family that has no community, has no roots, doesn't know what it's like to, you know, live in a new country. And so I think it's, it's bringing everyone closer together, um, and having that open mind. And also listening to what they're experiencing as well and learning from them as well, because it truly is a two way street.
And when you're able to learn and listen and give back, but also take in, that's when you realize that there's so many interesting things in this world that we can all learn from, and so many interesting people that we can build incredible friendships with as well.
[CLOSING]
Matthew: Thank you to Travis Chen, author of A Kids Book About First-Generation Immigrants, for joining us today. And special thanks to Jonah for lending their voice to this episode.
Jonah: My name is Jonah. I'm 13 years old and I live in Ellicott City, Maryland. My favorite thing to do is to game on Fortnite with my friends.
Matthew: A Kids Book About: The Podcast is written, edited, and produced by me, Matthew Winner. Our executive producer is Jelani Memory.
And this show was brought to you by A Kids Co.
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