I was born in Vietnam and grew up on Phu Quoc island before my family moved to America.

Watching my parents figure out everything from banking apps to school registration systems - often struggling with interfaces that weren't designed with non-native speakers in mind - really shaped how I think about design.

I remember being the translator for digital things, helping them navigate websites or apps that seemed straightforward to me but were confusing to them. It made me realize how many assumptions we build into design, and how small changes can make a huge difference in whether someone can actually use something successfully.

That's probably why I got so interested in studying design in different cultural contexts, like when I went to South Korea. I wanted to understand how design decisions that feel 'obvious' to one group might not work at all for someone else.

To me, good design should work for people regardless of their background or experience level. It's not just about making things look nice - it's about making sure everyone can actually accomplish what they need to do.