In becoming the first female to reach 1,000,000 subscribers on Youtube, I wanted to create a video thanking my supporters and re-capping my journey. Reaching this milestone also put several things in perspective. What does it mean to have one million subscribers? What responsibilities do I have to my viewers? People often tell me that I need a TV show on a cable network. Other people tell me that I am a cable network. In the past, I have tried not to think too much about the business side of what I do, but rather focus on the creative part of it, the part that I love. Over the course of my journey, from bedroom video blogger, to where I am now, I have realized how lucky I am to have the supporters I have. I owe so much to so many people, and while I still have lots of room to grow, I have come to terms with the platform that I have and how I can not only empower young women, but can also use my platform to spread messages of hope and goodwill. My video "A Beautiful Story," is a way for me to say "thank you" and give back to a cause that I am passionate about. I feel truly blessed.
Growing up as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, I am well aware of the adverse effects malaria can have on a nation. I will be visiting Vietnam for the first time this month, and while I do not know what to expect on my trip, I know that Vietnam is an under-developed country home to millions of beautiful people that do not enjoy the same medical care that we do here in the United States. While I am honored to be a Vietnamese-American, I still feel a very strong connection to my roots and to my family that I have never met. As my audience on Youtube has grown, so has the responsibility to use my network to create positive messages of self-beauty, and to raise awareness for causes such as the fight to #endmalaria.