First Vietnamese woman to fly into space: 'I'm proud of myself'

(Dan Tri) - Amanda Ngoc Nguyen shares how she discovered herself, persistently pursued her passion for being an astronaut, and the process of fighting for justice after a sexual assault case.

The talk show Breaking boundaries: Everest, space and the journey of breaking the limits of two Vietnamese women took place in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of May 8 with the participation of two speakers: astronaut Amanda Ngoc Nguyen and lawyer, mountaineer Celine Nha Nguyen. Celine Nha Nguyen and Amanda Ngoc Nguyen are 2 of 19 Dragon Ladies of the Women of Our Time 2024 award. This is an annual award honoring successful, inspirational women from many fields.

Amanda Ngoc Nguyen (left) and Celine Nha Nguyen at the talk show (Photo: Bich Phuong).

In the talk show, two women shared how they broke through prejudices and limitations to reach their goals and dreams in life. According to Amanda Ngoc Nguyen - the first Vietnamese woman about to fly into space - she is proud of herself for overcoming limitations and barriers when conquering her dream of becoming an astronaut and trying to find justice for herself after the sexual assault 10 years ago. The important thing she wants to convey to today's generation of young women is "to determine what you want to do": "The biggest boundary is how bravely we face the things we want."

Astronaut Amanda Ngoc Nguyen shared in the program (Photo: Organizing Committee).

The female astronaut said that gender bias still exists in many countries, especially in Vietnam. As someone who changed the way the US handles sexual assault cases, she believes that things will improve when girls and women dare to speak up. "I believe that each of us has the power of words. I want to speak up, to fight for my dreams even though people say it is impossible. To women who have been sexually harassed, I want to tell them that you are not alone. Your dreams are important, there is nothing wrong with taking the time to heal yourself, to do what you need to in finding your own justice. However, it is also important to remember that justice comes in many different forms. I want to say that I am by your side. You have me and other women accompanying you on your journey to find justice. You do not have to face every difficulty alone. I believe that you can overcome it," Amanda Ngoc Nguyen shared.

Amanda Ngoc Nguyen is the first Vietnamese-American girl about to fly into space (Photo: Facebook character).

For Celine Nha Nguyen - the first Vietnamese woman to conquer Mount Everest - she said that in her journey to conquer her passion for mountain climbing, she also faced many prejudices. "People used to say that mountain climbing is only suitable for men, for strong and resilient people. Nowadays, social thinking is more open, but there are still gender inequalities in work and life. When women become victims of prejudice, remember that we are not alone. In the past, when being harassed or violated, many people did not dare to speak up. But now women have to stand up for themselves, other women will be by their side," said the female lawyer.

Female lawyer Celine Nha Nguyen (Photo: Organizing Committee).

Celine Nha Nguyen said that women today also shoulder many responsibilities and pressures, from maintaining a beautiful appearance, cultivating a successful career, financial independence, taking care of family, children... She believes that women should know how to liberate, balance, and not try too hard to become exhausted and collapse. "For me, the most successful thing is to live the life you want, to become the person you want to be. After conquering Mount Everest, someone asked me which other high mountain I would conquer. I think the mountain should be an invisible concept. We have many other Mount Everests to overcome, in work and life. I want to contribute my voice, a part of my strength, to help light up the dreams of women. Who knows, maybe one day there will be the first Vietnamese woman to land on the Moon," Celine Nha Nguyen expressed. At the talk show, MC Luong Thuy Linh also shared that she often receives questions about women's beauty. Miss Gen Z believes that there is no definition of beauty, what is important is that women know how to love themselves and love imperfections: "The biggest barrier does not come from outside words but from one's own mind."

Amanda Ngoc Nguyen was born in 1991, her mother's hometown is Bac Lieu, and she grew up in the US. She studied at Harvard University, interned at NASA, and held the position of Deputy White House Liaison at the US State Department. She participated in drafting the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, which was passed by the US Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2016. In addition, she is also the first Vietnamese woman about to step into space. Celine Nha Nguyen was born in 1987, has two master's degrees in law from Sorbonne University and Panthenon Assas University (France). The female lawyer and mountaineer currently living in Ho Chi Minh City is known as the first Vietnamese woman to set foot on Mount Everest. She is training to become the first Vietnamese woman to conquer all Seven Summits of the world (the 7 highest peaks on the 7 continents of the world).

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/van-hoa/nguoi-phu-nu-goc-viet-dau-tien-bay-vao-vu-tru-toi-tu-hao-ve-ban-than-20240511082833920.htm