Lucy Zhang

As a second-generation Asian American and eldest daughter whose first language was Mandarin, and who only began learning English on my first day of preschool, I know what it feels like to move between the family culture you were born into, the wider culture you are growing into, and generations' ideas about what is expected of you. There is the complexity of loving your family & honoring your roots while also making room for your individuality, autonomy, and a life that may not follow a prescribed path. We can talk about family roles, cultural expectations, inherited survival strategies, scarcity beliefs, intergenerational trauma, sensitivity, and the times you have felt confused, misunderstood, or “too much.” I also understand how sensory differences and invisible disabilities can shape daily life in ways others may not see, including navigating overstimulating environments or having needs that are misread as avoidance, defiance, lack of effort, or being “too sensitive.”