Violeta Ii was born in Taiwan and was automatically considered a Taiwanese National while growing up. Growing up, I was always excited about being a Taiwanese girl but never really thought of following my nationality to the Asian country. The Taiwanese people are my very own people, same as National Chinese people, so how could I be a Taiwanese? Or how can I belong to the Taiwanese race when I am very much an American? I believed that by making me belong to an entire group, I wouldn’t lose any of my individuality.
While growing up, I always dreamed of becoming a doctor. She was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when she was very young and given only a handful of minutes to live. Since then, Violeta has fought tirelessly to beat this disease. After her father passed away, she wanted to become a doctor and repay her father’s last gift to her. Through hard work, determination, and the help of her supportive parents, Violeta has become a very successful and well-paid physician.
The problem is, Violeta Ii doesn’t fit into the category of “Taiwanese” at all. Instead, she is a woman from another country, with a strong identification as a woman of Chinese descent, and thus considered a foreigner by her own people. She desires to be a fully legitimate member of her birth nation, but because of her national origin, this can be difficult to accomplish. Luckily, the United States government recognizes individuals like Violeta Ii who has made tremendous sacrifices for their own advantages and are able to continue on their path to success, just as she has throughout her life.