Interview with Christina Vo
We recently did an interview with teen activist, speaker, and poet, Christina Vo.
Read the interview between Anna L. and Christina below!
Read the interview between Anna L. and Christina below!
Christina: I'm Christina Vo! A 16-year-old first generation Vietnamese American activist, speaker, poet from San Jose, California who's making her mark on this world. I'm full of curiosity and passion, fighting towards social justice through amplifying voices, speaking out, and creating change!
Question 1: How did you first become interested in being an activist? And when?
Christina: I became interested in activism when I was 7 years old, I always had this irresistable wonder for the world, but I found out the reality of the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, it can be dark and sullen. And I knew I had to do something, but whenever I spoke to people about it, they always said "you're too young to do anything, wait til "you are an adult." So like the rebel I am, I defied their opinions and pushed for the changes I wish to see in the world through community organizing, working with organizations on different social causes, like immigration, women's right, gun reform, et cetera.
Question 2: What do you think are important qualities to have as an activist?
Christina: I think it is so essential for an activist is to have passion in what they're doing, it's what strives us to do more, to strive far and beyond, to go the extra mile, because we genuinely care about it! It is also important to be reflective, because when talking about prevalent social issues, we need to have an intersection and inclusivity conversation and approach to fighting it! Not only that, but activism can be strenuous and tiring and an enduring fight, it is essential for an activist to take care of themselves, because how can you take care of other when you can’t take care for yourself.
Question 3: Can you clarify what you mean when you say you’re a first generation Vietnamese American activist?
Christina: Yeah of course! So first-generation is I am the only one from my family who is the first to
go to college!
Question 4: Did your family help support you, or help you reach that goal in any way?
Christina: Personally, I found all the opportunities that I have and worked in activism by myself! And it was hard, because with activism, I had to find out the knowledge on my own, because my family never really dived in on social activism. My parents specifically supported me, but could be hesitant, because they didn't want me to get hurt in anyway.
Question 5: What would you say the most difficult part of being an activist is?
Christina: For me, the difficult part of being an activist is forgetting to take time for yourselves. For me, when being involved in a social movement for change, I love to spend all my time and efforts into fighting against the Injustices and oppression. But this can leave me to be drained and stressed, and I truly forget to do take care of myself. Not only that, but feeling in a state of hopelessness and that you can't do anything, we see so much on the news what terrible tragedies are happening that we feel hopeless on what to do. But I think activism has given me that voice and opportunity to make that change and strive to fight against these oppression.
Question 6: Where would you say your area of activism is? What things do you like to focus on?
Christina: With not only learning the difficulties of immigration and refugee rights from my parents’ experiences, but seeing the news of inhumane actions against immigrants/refugees and the struggle immigrants integrating/participating in America’s society, I began working with SIREN, an non-profit dedicated to immigration and refugee rights, to empower low-income immigrants and refugees through community education and organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy, civic engagement and legal services. This became a stepping stone for me to dive into other political issues and social justice movements, such as reproductive rights/period poverty, human trafficking, and women’s rights!
Question 7:What is your favorite part about being an activist?
Christina: My favorite part about being an activist is the change and direct impact that I can make against social issues. Activism to me is bring change and Social movements, being the leaders we wish we had today and need more of, and empowering communities, but ourselves! It has given me a chance to roar my voice and stories to the world, push for the changes I wish to see in this world, challenge institutions that perpetuate oppression, spark intersectional conversations, empower POC and marginalized groups, and protest for human rights that have been overdue for way too long now.
Question 8: What made you get interested in being a speaker and poet?
Christina: As a child and teenager, I really had to learn and struggle through life by myself, such as balancing Asian and Western culture, sexism, mental health, and discrimination. Being insulted and racialized for my skin color, degraded for being a girl, and bullied for being just myself. And poetry acted as my outlet. I would spill onto paper my thoughts, feelings, and ideas as it was the only being that could ever comprehend the emotions I felt. It charged me with this source of confidence and passion, as I wrote and wrote and spoke, my words, stories, and experiences felt powerful and valuable. I connected my passion for poetry to my love for social justice, conveying and expressing the significance and need to challenge and rise against social issues, including our experiences with oppression.
Question 9:Who would you say is your biggest inspiration in either activism or poetry?
Christina: Deja Foxx and Nadya Okamoto are fearless and resilient activists! The projects and changes they both have brought to this world and the impact they had on people. Deja Foxx spoke up against Arizona senator about how planned parenthood was essential and needed to be kept! And continously is making that change and even started Gen girl gang, an incredible platform to learn from many different mentors and influences. Nadya Okamoto started PERIOD and has grown ever since, fighting against period poverty! She is continously working towards social and legal change around menstrual equity, like getting rid of the tampon tax.
Question 10: What would you ask them if you had the chance?
Christina: Can you both adopt me? Just kidding, okay totally not kidding. But I would ask them "what is the biggest challenge you came across and how did you handle yourself mentally? And what I can do more to mobilize more to strive for more change? "
Question 11: Do you find writing poetry easy?
Christina: I feel like at times it depends, writing poetry can depend on the mood and setting and the emotions you are feeling. But I don't think it's the easiest thing in the world for me, since I am like a harsh critic on myself and have this insecurity if my poetry is good.
Question 12: What do you think the key to writing good poetry is?
Christina: I think the key to writing good poetry is tapping into your own feelings, poetry is powerful and an emotional art form, and can be engaging to people. Write about subjects that truly matter to you and truly getting into it! Poetry is very flexible and free to how you want to phrase it to the what you want to convey to people.
Question 13: What advice would you give to a young person who is getting into activism?
Christina: Advice I would give to someone young getting into activism is that "Find what social causes you are most passionate about and reach out to organizations that strives in that cause and get involved! Whether that be helping behind the scenes or speaking out and protesting to talking to politicians on the changes that need to happen. You have the power and the voice to make change, don't ever let someone bring you down and say you are too young, because you are resilient and courageous and can truly make a difference."
Anna: Thank you for taking this interview! Do you have anything you would like to add?
Christina: Thank you so much for interviewing me!! And that is all I would like to add!
View Christina's Insta: @cvo101
Question 1: How did you first become interested in being an activist? And when?
Christina: I became interested in activism when I was 7 years old, I always had this irresistable wonder for the world, but I found out the reality of the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, it can be dark and sullen. And I knew I had to do something, but whenever I spoke to people about it, they always said "you're too young to do anything, wait til "you are an adult." So like the rebel I am, I defied their opinions and pushed for the changes I wish to see in the world through community organizing, working with organizations on different social causes, like immigration, women's right, gun reform, et cetera.
Question 2: What do you think are important qualities to have as an activist?
Christina: I think it is so essential for an activist is to have passion in what they're doing, it's what strives us to do more, to strive far and beyond, to go the extra mile, because we genuinely care about it! It is also important to be reflective, because when talking about prevalent social issues, we need to have an intersection and inclusivity conversation and approach to fighting it! Not only that, but activism can be strenuous and tiring and an enduring fight, it is essential for an activist to take care of themselves, because how can you take care of other when you can’t take care for yourself.
Question 3: Can you clarify what you mean when you say you’re a first generation Vietnamese American activist?
Christina: Yeah of course! So first-generation is I am the only one from my family who is the first to
go to college!
Question 4: Did your family help support you, or help you reach that goal in any way?
Christina: Personally, I found all the opportunities that I have and worked in activism by myself! And it was hard, because with activism, I had to find out the knowledge on my own, because my family never really dived in on social activism. My parents specifically supported me, but could be hesitant, because they didn't want me to get hurt in anyway.
Question 5: What would you say the most difficult part of being an activist is?
Christina: For me, the difficult part of being an activist is forgetting to take time for yourselves. For me, when being involved in a social movement for change, I love to spend all my time and efforts into fighting against the Injustices and oppression. But this can leave me to be drained and stressed, and I truly forget to do take care of myself. Not only that, but feeling in a state of hopelessness and that you can't do anything, we see so much on the news what terrible tragedies are happening that we feel hopeless on what to do. But I think activism has given me that voice and opportunity to make that change and strive to fight against these oppression.
Question 6: Where would you say your area of activism is? What things do you like to focus on?
Christina: With not only learning the difficulties of immigration and refugee rights from my parents’ experiences, but seeing the news of inhumane actions against immigrants/refugees and the struggle immigrants integrating/participating in America’s society, I began working with SIREN, an non-profit dedicated to immigration and refugee rights, to empower low-income immigrants and refugees through community education and organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy, civic engagement and legal services. This became a stepping stone for me to dive into other political issues and social justice movements, such as reproductive rights/period poverty, human trafficking, and women’s rights!
Question 7:What is your favorite part about being an activist?
Christina: My favorite part about being an activist is the change and direct impact that I can make against social issues. Activism to me is bring change and Social movements, being the leaders we wish we had today and need more of, and empowering communities, but ourselves! It has given me a chance to roar my voice and stories to the world, push for the changes I wish to see in this world, challenge institutions that perpetuate oppression, spark intersectional conversations, empower POC and marginalized groups, and protest for human rights that have been overdue for way too long now.
Question 8: What made you get interested in being a speaker and poet?
Christina: As a child and teenager, I really had to learn and struggle through life by myself, such as balancing Asian and Western culture, sexism, mental health, and discrimination. Being insulted and racialized for my skin color, degraded for being a girl, and bullied for being just myself. And poetry acted as my outlet. I would spill onto paper my thoughts, feelings, and ideas as it was the only being that could ever comprehend the emotions I felt. It charged me with this source of confidence and passion, as I wrote and wrote and spoke, my words, stories, and experiences felt powerful and valuable. I connected my passion for poetry to my love for social justice, conveying and expressing the significance and need to challenge and rise against social issues, including our experiences with oppression.
Question 9:Who would you say is your biggest inspiration in either activism or poetry?
Christina: Deja Foxx and Nadya Okamoto are fearless and resilient activists! The projects and changes they both have brought to this world and the impact they had on people. Deja Foxx spoke up against Arizona senator about how planned parenthood was essential and needed to be kept! And continously is making that change and even started Gen girl gang, an incredible platform to learn from many different mentors and influences. Nadya Okamoto started PERIOD and has grown ever since, fighting against period poverty! She is continously working towards social and legal change around menstrual equity, like getting rid of the tampon tax.
Question 10: What would you ask them if you had the chance?
Christina: Can you both adopt me? Just kidding, okay totally not kidding. But I would ask them "what is the biggest challenge you came across and how did you handle yourself mentally? And what I can do more to mobilize more to strive for more change? "
Question 11: Do you find writing poetry easy?
Christina: I feel like at times it depends, writing poetry can depend on the mood and setting and the emotions you are feeling. But I don't think it's the easiest thing in the world for me, since I am like a harsh critic on myself and have this insecurity if my poetry is good.
Question 12: What do you think the key to writing good poetry is?
Christina: I think the key to writing good poetry is tapping into your own feelings, poetry is powerful and an emotional art form, and can be engaging to people. Write about subjects that truly matter to you and truly getting into it! Poetry is very flexible and free to how you want to phrase it to the what you want to convey to people.
Question 13: What advice would you give to a young person who is getting into activism?
Christina: Advice I would give to someone young getting into activism is that "Find what social causes you are most passionate about and reach out to organizations that strives in that cause and get involved! Whether that be helping behind the scenes or speaking out and protesting to talking to politicians on the changes that need to happen. You have the power and the voice to make change, don't ever let someone bring you down and say you are too young, because you are resilient and courageous and can truly make a difference."
Anna: Thank you for taking this interview! Do you have anything you would like to add?
Christina: Thank you so much for interviewing me!! And that is all I would like to add!
View Christina's Insta: @cvo101