#78. Yi Ding, My Gift to America
Yi Ding defines her gift to America as a daily practice of American hope—rooted not in individual success, as often emphasized by the American Dream, but in shared care. The daughter of a single mother battling cancer and disabilities, Ding once believed the American Dream meant powering through adversity alone. But during the pandemic, as anti-Asian hate surged, she found a new definition of hope: one built through connection. Ding co-founded CHEER (Community for Holistic Education and Empowerment of Civic Responsibilities), a grassroots group turning neighborhood division into unity through service—community cleanups, tutoring, and donation drives. In this video, Ding shares how co-creating care across differences can heal fear and build hope. What began with ice cream socials and health kits grew into a cross-cultural movement of immigrant families reclaiming belonging and civic purpose.
