By Assunta Ng
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Kimberly and close friend implement tar paper to the roof of the little home. (Picture presented by Winston Yeung)
At 16, Rebecca Yeung has already developed two properties for the bad.
Over and above her compassion, Yeung’s tale has lessons on the pursuit of science, breaking stereotypes for ladies, nurturing passions in unconventional hobbies, which include making a home made spacecraft, and much more.
A 10th grader at Lakeside Significant University and only 5 feet tall, Yeung is also the coxswain of her varsity rowing staff. She “calls and instructions the crew what to do,” Yeung mentioned, even however numerous teammates are a great deal even bigger and taller than her.
Yeung hammers, nails, and navigates a energy noticed like a pro. The to start with tiny household she and her young sister, Kimberly, developed was three several years back for Lower Money Housing Institute (LIHI). Kimberly not long ago turned 14 many years old.
“We were being blown away to discover out how younger they are,” explained Sharon Lee, CEO of LIHI.
“It was excellent to see their use of hand and electric power resources. I adore the photos of them on the roof placing the shingles on!”
What steered the Yeung women to take part in LIHI’s Tiny Houses? Their curiosity led to inquiring inquiries. And more questioning ignited their need to take a look at and be a section of the resolution for the homeless.
Four decades back, Yeung’s father, Winston, drove them to their common weekend martial arts class in Chinatown-Worldwide District. They noticed Nickelsville’s Very small Homes. Yeung began inquiring thoughts about the task. Winston linked the women with LIHI.
So commenced their involvement in setting up little residences. LIHI gives training to volunteers. From get started to end, the Yeungs realized how to style and design, examine blueprints, use the instruments, paint, and lay floors. Also, they uncovered how to employ COVID-19 safety methods, although completing construction.
The women “demonstrated their devotion,” explained Lee. “Their enthusiasm is unsurpassed. The properties turned out very well. They are gorgeous little residences!”
“Even minor young ones can assistance,” Yeung mentioned. “And if they can help at minimum one particular human being off the road, it is enjoyable.”
The Small Dwelling knowledge has been optimistic, not only for the Yeungs, but for their buddies and family members. The Yeungs finished up recruiting dozens of pals, which includes 9 family members customers, to aid construct far more residences. It was inspiring to view LIHI’s video clip demonstrating how the Yeungs and their pals assembled a single of the properties. Several of the volunteers had been adolescent girls.
Yeung explained creating one particular tiny household is a good deal of get the job done, but she learned a ton “and it’s a large amount of fun” simply because she bought to hangout with her good friends. All the construction was completed outdoors on weekends and soon after faculty.
“It’s guide labor and doesn’t demand considerably considering,” she claimed.
The Yeungs on elevating girls
Rebecca and Kimberly introduced in their pals to aid all through the different phases of the job. (Picture presented by Winston Yeung)
The Yeungs have experienced their share of fame from their science projects, like photographing the totality of a photo voltaic eclipse and launching a homemade craft to the edge of area. Significant networks interviewed them, and ABC’s “Good Early morning America” termed the Yeungs “the photo voltaic sisters.” They even acquired to go to the White House. The Gates Foundation also invited them to be panelists with other female experts.
What variety of parenting philosophy and style do the Yeung moms and dads have on increasing their daughters?
“I’m not positive what parenting design we have,” said Winston, an entrepreneur. “I assume we worth experiences over possessions, and emphasize effort and hard work above accomplishment.”
Winston was brief to place out that the women were the types to arrive up with most of the thoughts, including the spacecraft plan soon after seeing Youtube videos. While “they did not invent the balloon launch concept,” Winston explained, they confirmed curiosity in it. As mothers and fathers, he and his spouse did “what we could to support” their curiosity.
Both of those Winston and his wife, Jennifer, have bachelor of science degrees, and Jennifer has two master’s levels.
“We don’t actually have training” in the daughters’ initiatives, “but we do all take pleasure in executing family tasks.”
The family members doesn’t have sons. On the other hand, Winston stated, “We wouldn’t trade our daughters for nearly anything. Of study course boys and women in a natural way differ in specific techniques, but we think the two girls and boys really should be taught the very same values: self-assurance, regard, compassion, curiosity, inclusion. Aiding LIHI create a couple of very small homes was truly a wonderful way to stimulate the enhancement of these values!”
The couple’s intention is to raise “independent thinkers and have their possess minds! We just type of observe together and provide support when they need to have it.”
The tasks were being “really pushed by the women,” reported Winston. “It’s very awesome and I am proud of them,” he stated.
Though Winston did not choose any credit score in encouraging his daughters to take part in daunting assignments, he and his spouse have earned credit for supporting their daughters to go right after adventures and bold projects. The point is, his daughters are fearless when tackling not known territories, which even adults would take into account unthinkable.
The small residences have been built in the family’s garage. The garage was also the birthplace of quite a few jobs, such as a storage bench, canoe, and the spaceship (which flew 20,000 miles into space), 4 a long time ago. Their spaceship task manufactured it all the way to the White House’s once-a-year science good in 2016. It was President Obama’s beloved challenge, according to the White Property photographer Pete Souza’s Instagram submit. Winston mentioned his daughters did all the math calculations for the spacecraft.
How a lot of gals like me, numerous several years older, are weak in math and science, terrified to touch energy instruments, and nervous about anything that has to do with building? My trick is to delegate my partner or son to do the get the job done. I say, “Hey, deal with this,” when something goes incorrect at home. In hindsight, it is a poor strategy for gals to produce irrational fears and misconceptions about home repairs and heavy tools. The fact is, I am also lazy to find out. But the Yeung ladies are frequently hungry for new expertise and discovery.
Their achievement in turning tips into truth empowers them not only to be totally free and introspective thinkers, but it offers them assurance and skills that they require in true lifetime.
Some mother and father, myself integrated, are swift to assign gender roles also early in their kids’ life, specifically for people that have both sons and daughters. As a mum or dad who has daughters only, Winston could just disregard gender challenges at home. I was usually anticipated to do home chores when I was a minor woman, even though my brother was spared from them. It was also a diverse period again then.
There is no examine that shows male and feminine brains vary and that “men are biologically greater suited for math and science,” according to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a CNN commentator, neurologist, and creator of “Keep Sharp: Construct a Much better Mind at Any Age.” There is definitely no rule that states “girls should not do what boys do or vice versa.”
It reminds me of what writer Maya Angelou mentioned.
“I appreciate to see a young lady go out and seize the earth by the lapels…You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”
Rebecca and Kimberly are not seeking to kick ass. Their aim is not to establish someone improper. They just want to fulfill their curiosity, believe in on their own, and make a big difference. By accomplishing so, they have come to be position types for all to experiment with new items and make issues.
Like Yeung claimed on ABC, “Don’t give up simply because even if some persons inform you not to do this, even if a little something goes completely wrong, maintain likely and persevere.”
Assunta can be attained at [email protected].