Yin

I was born and raised in a small village in Cambodia. Both of my parents came from a long line of wealthy business families, but they lost their fortune with the Cambodian Civil War in 1975. When the war erupted, my parents were forced out of their homes and were not allowed to take anything with them. When the war ended, my parents strove to rebuild their lives. Unfortunately, nothing worked, and my father and mother could not get good jobs because neither had finished high school. Because of their personal experience, my parents tried to save as much money as possible to pay for my education.

My parents once told me that people can rob me of my material goods, but no one can rob me of my knowledge. As I reflect on my parents’ life experience, I realize that their loss of wealth shaped who I am today. If my parents were still rich, I probably never would have seen what an unjust society I was born into, understood the true value of education, or made such a commitment to school. I can vividly imagine the injustice of Cambodian society. Having lived there for 14 years, I learned that we existed under the rule of money rather than the rule of law. I was inspired by Cambodia’s weak legal system to pursue a career in law, perhaps in criminal law. Over the next 20 years, I also hope to learn seven languages, travel the world, and establish programs to tutor struggling students. 

In order to pursue a career as an attorney, I must possess strong communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. NYNY will help me achieve my goals by developing these abilities and by providing me with valuable advice on how to seek and secure a job.