In this episode of the Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Dai Le, a Vietnamese-born Australian politician currently serving as the federal member for Fowler and councillor for Fairfield/Cabravale Ward.
Dai shares her harrowing experience of escaping on a boat at age seven during the fall of Saigon, getting stranded at sea multiple times, and ending up in refugee camps for months before being resettled in Australia.
She also talks about the intergenerational trauma of the refugee experience, the challenges Dai's mother faced adjusting to life in Australia, and the painful realisation that gambling had become an unhealthy coping mechanism for many Vietnamese refugees.
00:00 - Intro
02:55 - Dai Le’s Refugee Story
15:02 - Davie’s Parents’ Refugee Story + The Second Exodus
32:42 - Understanding the Stories of Immigrant Families, Migrating to Fairy Meadow, Dai Le’s Mother’s Struggle with Gambling
32:42 - Telling Your Asian Parents, “I Love You.”
36:06 - Asian Community Struggle with Financial Literacy & Personal Responsibilities
40:11 - The Meaning of Filial Piety
45:05 - The Story of Chau Van Kham
49:30 - Dai Le’s Story Going Back to Vietnam, Reconnecting with Her Grandma, and Taking Her Mum to Vietnam for the Last Time
57:37 - Dai Le’s Breast Cancer Journey
01:08:26 - Asian Female Leadership & Crafting an Optimistic Mindset + The Gratitude Jar
01:17:12 - The Importance of Building Mental Resilience
01:22:00 - Dai Le’s Final Advice
01:24:32 - Outro
Drop us your email for updates about the show and community we’re building!