LONG-FORM 9/10

Vote (it's your power)

I still remember vividly four years ago, I was having lunch at a Thai restaurant in New York when a man walked by and suddenly screamed...

ZIP NGUYEN

Dear two-year-old Zippy Zip

Dear two-year-old Zippy Zip, "You could never sit still," your mom said. You sang and danced around all the time, but you also loved...

ZIP NGUYEN

On creating a healthy relationship with social media

Oh, how I miss blogging! Two weeks ago, I created a poll on Instagram to ask you guys what you’d like me to write about in my next post,...

ZIP NGUYEN

On finding... scratch It, creating yourself

"So tell me, who is Diep Anh?" That's my name in Vietnamese, though most people usually just called me Diep (pronounced 'Zip,' hence the...

SELF-TALK

Que sera sera (what will be will be)

Twenty years ago, I thought I would be married and have my first child by now. You know, it’s common (and expected) that most women in...

SOUL

Tales of the bitches

I was a bitch. I was blessed, fearless, and unstoppable (or so I thought). If you think I’m fierce now, oh, you didn’t know me then. In...

DE&I

Why I chose America

Last Tuesday marked my ninth year of having lived in America, and you are looking at a screenshot of my first personal website that I...

ZIP NGUYEN

Self-love is a journey, not a destination

We all know the importance of self-love. It has been one of the most trendy themes on social media and the self-help industry capitalizes...

ZIP NGUYEN

Long-distance love (I love Vietnam <3)

(My blog post this week is in Vietnamese as I want to dedicate it to my Vietnamese community ♥️) Lâu lâu rồi mình mới lại viết lách bằng...

ZIP NGUYEN

Women are like water

Women are like Water. Some of us look like a glass of milk, a cup of tea, or a mug of coffee. Some glasses are bigger, some cups are...

ZIP NGUYEN

Three important lessons my dad taught me (happy birthday, daddy!)

If you read my last blog post, you may recall that I mentioned my dad and the significant influence he's had on me since I was a little...

ZIP NGUYEN

Why I never identified myself as a feminist and why I do now

Being a woman has always been my core identity. I grew up first as a native Vietnamese woman in Vietnam before I grew up as a foreign...

ZIP NGUYEN

We, all of us, are influencers

If you followed the news on how the lawsuit brought by Harvard University and MIT was able to bring success home for more than one...

ZIP NGUYEN

An open letter to my fellow Americans (from an international student graduate now work visa holder)

Dear My Fellow Americans, I know that you are dealing with many issues during this time, but there are critical issues underrepresented...

ZIP NGUYEN

What is 'free' in 'freedom'?

If you ask me how America's Independence Day makes me feel, well, it doesn't mean much to me other than the joy of having a long weekend....

DE&I

Why does America need immigrants in the workforce?

(I promise I have more to say than just 'America is built on the backs of immigrants', which everyone should already know by the way.) So...

ZIP NGUYEN

If I were a Black dad #HappyFathersDay

(Artwork credit: Nikkolas Smith) If I were a Black dad, I would make sure the world knew that I was held to not only a double standard,...

ZIP NGUYEN

"You are on the right side of history."

When I first started my blog back in March, my intention was simply to share what I’d learned in life that helped me power through my...

DE&I

“Nobody's free until everybody's free.” #HappyJuneteenth

Just as love shouldn't be celebrated only on Valentine's day, Black lives and freedom shouldn't be celebrated only on Juneteenth. We all...

DE&I

BLACK LIVES MATTER THROUGH AN ASIAN EXPAT’S LENS: I want to be a good mom

Like many of us, my heart has been very heavy these past two weeks. I find myself journaling a lot as there are too many thoughts and...

DE&I

Dear my Black homie

Dear my Black homie, I may or may not know you, but if you come across my post, I want to say hi to you. I want you to know that when I...

DE&I

BLACK LIVES MATTER THROUGH AN ASIAN EXPAT’S LENS: a personal chat with white folks

Hi white folks, Do you have 10 minutes? I know you have a lot to process over the past week, so I want to have a personal chat with you...

DE&I

BLACK LIVES MATTER THROUGH AN ASIAN EXPAT'S LENS: a conversation on how we deal with fire

I believe that sustainable change comes from thoughtful conversations. Even though actions speak louder than words, in order for us to...

ZIP NGUYEN

America, you're confusing me #BlackLivesMatter

Not long ago I wrote a blog post on racism against the Asian community because of the pandemic; and to be honest, I have no idea why I’m...