28. Building Resiliency and Tearing Down Facades ft. Steven Ngo

Steve describes a low point in his life and reveals his story of coming around in a full circle, from jet-setting, big-law life to a humble counsel in his hometown serving his community. We sat down with a much-admired community leader, Steve Ngo, a lawyer, social entrepreneur, husband, son, and dear friend. We discuss our external facades, the labels we put on ourselves, and what this all means for our mental health.

Highlights:

• Steve’s encounter with hate crime against Asians during the COVD-19 pandemic
• How Steve’s burnout led to him creating a space for mental health awareness in the legal profession
• Angie’s rant about how self-help books need a rebrand
• Steve’s relationship strategy on avoiding fights and focusing on each other’s strength
• Steve growing up poor, achieved external success, but ultimately came back to serve the community

Takeaways:

• We all have a facade, but it’s not fake, it’s one of many parts of who we are
• Personal development and growth keeps us at an advantage
• The darkest moments are when you and your partner learn the most about each other
• Unlearn the implicit communication style of our upbringing 
• Keep the friends that bring you energy. Do the things that bring you energy.

Mentions & Resources:

• Asian-Canadian Community Tackle Hate Crime Reporting
• VPD adds forms in various languages for reporting anti-Asian racism
• Fix Police Reporting (Removing barriers to report anti-Asian hate crimes)
• Beyond the A
• Living Room Series Global

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