You visited us when we were a company of 10 people in a small office in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Inspire Medical Systems was just spun out of Medtronic in our mission to develop a new treatment for sleep apnea. You asked us why we felt we could accomplish what Medtronic had given up. I jumped on like a good student who felt I had the best answer. That was the same question that I asked our CEO, Tim Herbert, during the job interview a few months earlier. Tim pulled out a little book with the title of “The Little Engine that Could”, and asked me if I knew the book. I told him that I grew up in China, and had not read children’s books for some time. The story of “I think I can” from the book impressed me so much, I signed on shortly after. So I responded to you, “Congressman, have you ever read a book called The Little Engine that Could?”
“I think I can” is my story as an immigrant American. I left China in 1991 right after finishing college with the fresh memory of the student movement in 1989. My search for a better life was blessed by an opportunity to study in America, and the help from a caring sister, who was studying in California. My mentors in graduate schools shaped my skills as a biomedical engineer. They also formed my desire to improve lives. My job in the medical device industry is fulfilling as reflected in one of my employers’ motto “When you have the power to save lives, share it”. After eight years in America, I received one of the most treasured privileges in my life, a green card, the right to live in America permanently. I became a US citizen after 18 years in this country. I was attracted by our democracy and kindness and fairness of our people. I wanted to participate as a citizen.
Our recent immigration policy changes related to travel ban make me think about my fellow immigrant Americans. I think about my friend from Egypt. He is a VA doctor, who received the Chief of Staff Clinical Excellence award last year. I think about a collaborator in Detroit, who grew up in Syria and trained in the US. He is one of the most respected doctors in sleep medicine today. I think about a young surgeon, who was born in Iran. He lost his Dad last year, who worked until his last day in Minnesota, as a family doctor. I hear the story of a fellow engineer, who grew up in Ethiopia, and came to America when he was young. He tells me the fear of watching what happens after the recent policy and wondering his belonging.
The task of fighting terrorists is as hard as fighting other violent crimes. We need to be resolute and be determined. We cannot, however, harm innocent people in our response. Over the last two hundred years, people came to this country to search for better lives. It was not an easy journey for most of us, including the separation from the home country often with families behind. We travel back when there is a parent who needs care, or when there is a niece who gets married. The travel ban harms immigrants from the seven countries included. It also affected me because of the concern of our policy maker's willingness to overlook the harm for fellow immigrants. We cannot have policies that erode the principle of our country of immigrants.
When I am reflecting today on who we are, and what I want to be, I am reminded by a former coworker who told me to choose work that is life giving. I am reminded by my CEO, and his mentor, the late Dr. Glen Nelson, who told us to put patient first. I am reminded by our celebration of 1,200 treated lives at the recent holiday party of our company now of 80 employees, where Dr. Nelson’s widow, Marilyn Carlson Nelson told us to do work that is good and to help people. I am reminded by what my Dad taught us at his 80th birthday, to be kind, be sincere, be informed and think independently.
Congressman Paulsen, you have a great responsibility representing Minnesotans in Washington. There are complex issues about which you will make decisions that will impact lives in the coming days, months and years. I hope you will represent us with kindness to others, support work that to be life giving, be informed and think independently.
Quan Ni
An Immigrant American
Wow, Quan, so moving and so appropriate to this time and terrible administration. We are so many immigrant Americans and we have shown we can make a difference, stay out of trouble, make this country and this world a better place. To see this sort of treatment of our fellow immigrants and their erstwhile followers is just a disaster and an injury to us all.
ReplyDeleteLet's continue to stand together for the rights of us who came to this country and for those who wish to follow, especially the academics and engineers, who add so much to our lives.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob,
ReplyDeleteYou teach me well of how to fight for what we believe. We are fortunate to know many brilliant scientists and engineers who are affected by the travel ban for its harm in rejecting the sense of kindness and fairness to each other, the foundation for this immigrant country.
Quan, I don't know you. I saw the link you shared with the big north oaks group, and curiosity led me to your blog. I am moved by your sincere and heart felt letter. Unlike you I came to the states when I was a young boy. My family too left China shortly after the 89 student movement. We were well off in China. Even in the 80s we had our own family car, a great pride at the time. My dad decided to leave everything behind in search of a free, open and accepting environment where I can grow up. I saw the struggle he experienced and appreciate all the help we got from seemingly ordinary people here in the states. They shown me how kindness can bring people together and diversity can be cherished.
ReplyDeleteI love this country, and what's happening is not only upsetting but unamerican. I wish more people can see your blog and realize that diversity is what give this country strength.