Video Transcription

My experience growing up multicultural in Australia

My name is Lee Han, and I’m Chinese Australian. My Chinese culture plays a big part in my everyday life.

I grew up in Canberra, where I was often one of the only non-white people in my community. At school, I had an Australian identity, surrounded by friends from different cultures. But when I came home, I stepped into my Chinese identity. It was like living with two different sides of myself—a juxtaposed identity I navigated growing up.

I’ve always struggled with anxiety and various physical issues, which I later learned stemmed from undiagnosed neurodivergencies. In my Chinese culture, there’s this belief that if you work hard and persevere, things will always get better. So, I kept pushing myself, thinking that if I tried harder, I’d eventually succeed. But when my best effort didn’t translate into good grades or results, I felt shame and hesitated to seek help.

It reached a point where I thought, This shouldn’t be this hard. Something is wrong. I decided to do my own research and eventually went to a doctor. That experience helped me accept myself and start working toward improving my life.

In recent years, I’ve made more Australian-Chinese and Chinese friends. Having open conversations about mental health with them has been incredibly fulfilling. It’s important to know that what you’re feeling is valid—it’s not just in your head. You can seek help, and there are people who will support you in feeling your best again.

As a kid, it was hard to stand up for myself. If I could, I’d tell my younger self to love who I was and not worry about what others thought. Don’t give in to the social pressure to conform. Over time, I’ve grown to embrace and love all the different parts of my culture, and that’s been a powerful journey.

Video by headspace