Nina Chung, 27
“I’m with my significant other on a bench in the thick, dark quiet of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, wondering which planet that bright dot in the sky is. It’s one of the things we enjoy doing these days. We met at church and started dating this year. It’s great that even though New York is so urban, there are green spaces we can escape to. I’ve noticed that planting community gardens and street-side trees across the boroughs has become a priority for city authorities. Nature reminds us that there’s so much beauty beyond our busy schedules, and in a place like New York City – which can overwhelm with its frenetic pace, green spaces are crucial.
I was born in California, but moved to New York two years ago to take up a communications role at a charitable foundation. My job involves communicating with specific groups and partners about the work of our incredible grantees, the strategies by which
we choose to fund them, and how we can further our goals. The work is highly rewarding, and I’ve found myself more committed to it than to any other job I’ve held before.
Whereas many people my age are constantly searching for the next job or country to move on to, I’m committed to a city that is famous for its shape-shifting nature. The ‘city that never sleeps’ is a place that reminds you your life today may not be the same tomorrow — even the subway schedules are always shifting. It’s hard to pin down the essence of this incredible place, though sometimes, I wish things would move a little slower.
New York City welcomes people from all backgrounds and accommodates all lifestyles, even in President Donald Trump’s era. Still, my friends who work with immigrant families say there is a lot of fear and anxiety.
I hope to see the blossoming of the seeds I’ve sown here – in my church community, my volunteer work, and in the organisation I work for. It’d be a dream to become someone who can remain hopeful, despite the modern world telling me to run at the first taste of discontentment. Even when it’s scary to keep at the same thing for the long haul, I’d like to be the person who dares to stay.”