A New Yorker’s Story: Karen Lim

“Everything that I do, I try to do more”

“As an Asian woman I have felt looked down on before I do anything else. Just by my outward appearance because I’m short it might give people the perception that I can’t handle myself or that I might be a burden. I have felt and noticed a common misconception that all Asians are smart and are good in math. I feel that my culture is underrepresented, when I watched Crazy Rich Asians I literally cried. I didn’t realize that I have never seen my people on the big screen in a movie that is available worldwide, it was kind of phenomenal. Obviously there is still so much work to be done. The South-East Asian community are still misrepresented in movies, but I’m hoping this is like a step forward. Everything that I do, I try to do more…I try to not be looked down on and there are people that can look up to me.”

“Having a role model that happens to be Asian goes a long way”

“I’m a Marine, my recruiter is an Asian woman. Having a role model that happens to be Asian goes a long way. You can see yourself in them, and what she told me was that she saw herself in my shoes. You don’t have to have race or have the same ethnicity to help each other out, but being able to relate is something that is valuable.”

“Most of my life I have lived here in New York City, I love it here. I like the city life, maybe because this is the only place that I have known, but I love the bustle, like the ‘let’s get moving’. I’m a real impatient person, I like to get things done. So [NYC] matches my pace. You know what I mean?”

“[NYC] matches my pace”

- as told by Karen Lim -