May is Asian Heritage Month and I'm a proud Asian-American born and raised in Wisconsin. In a time of rising hate crimes against Asian Americans, it’s important to note our community exists here and honor their contributions.

Tom and my father grew up miles away from each other. Tom's grandpa and my dad's father were both patent inventors in Milwaukee. Both have laid down roots in Wisconsin and call the Badger state home.

But, contrary to Tom, my father's family came to America only decades ago. As Korean immigrants, my dad's family settled in small town Wisconsin, eventually spending a good chunk of time in Appleton. They left a war-torn Korea in search of the "American Dream." (I laugh at my family for their strange choice to have landed in Wisconsin. Maybe they threw a dart at a map?) As you'd expect, they were the only Asian family for miles around, and they faced adversity and racism like any immigrant family must battle.

As kids, my sister and I faced adversity, both in subtle comments on our strange last name to outright bullying. This, among many things, politicized me. We faced hardship as immigrants and as a biracial family, but we also built our lives in Wisconsin and found and built a community in this state.

Wisconsin was our home, but I soon realized that our elected officials weren't protecting our families. Politicians like Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, and Ron Johnson were holding my state hostage to right-wing and corporate interests that harmed families like mine. Since then, I knew I wanted to work in politics and to fight for the people of Wisconsin, the people like my family. My superpower is my foot in both worlds - where half of my family is 4th, 5th, or 6th generation Wisconsinite and the other half, a Wisconsin-Korean immigrant family. From this, I've realized that the best solutions for families like mine are those rooted in progressive mores.

So, when it comes to finding a Senator who can finally replace Ron Johnson, I completely support Tom Nelson. He's the candidate who will fight for policies that will improve Wisconsinites' lives, like Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and social, racial, and economic justice. I trust Tom because I know he'll fight for families like mine. I'm proud of my family for contributing to the beauty and diversity of Wisconsin and know we deserve better representation than Ron Johnson.

Gabbi Chwae