Views From The Edge: Constance Wu

Showing posts with label Constance Wu. Show all posts

Friday, July 15, 2022

Breaking the Silence: Constance Wu returns to social media after battling thoughts of suicide

Actress Constance Wu put her mental health before her career.

Few of Constance Wu's fans knew how deeply she was affected by the social media storm that followed her controversial tweet after her show, Fresh Off the Boat, was renewed for another season.

She was so distraught, she left social media for three years and contemplated suicide.

“Looking back, it’s surreal a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened,” Wu wrote in a tweet today (Thursday, July 14). It was the first tweet from the Asian American actress in three years in what she called a slow return to social media.

Based on the roles she plays and her earlier social media posts, the image Wu presented to the public was one of a self-assured, feisty woman overcoming the racist and sexist environment of her industry.

As we later learned, that image was a cover for a sensitive, vulnerable actress, who like many others in her field, wore her emotions on her sleeve at the ready, in case those feelings are needed for a character she was playing.

In 2019, Wu tweeted her disappointment that the show that boosted her career, Fresh Off The Boat, was given a sixth season, writing, “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. Fuck.”

The backlash was immediate and vicious, portraying her as "selfish" and "ungrateful" and not thinking about the hundreds of other workers and actors employed by the series.

In an attempt to calm the waters from her fans and fellow actors, she later said that she “was temporarily upset” because the renewal meant she “had to give up another project that I was really passionate about,” and her apparent displeasure had nothing to do with her show.

Still, her comments went viral, with many people in the entertainment business inferred that she was ungrateful for the opportunity the show had given her.

Wu said that she felt that she had become "a blight on the Asian American community. I started feeling like I didn't deserve to live anymore.

"Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER,: she continued. It was after that scary event that she decided to reassess her life. Just as she was getting momentum in Hollywood, for the next few years, Wu decided to put her mental health ahead of her career.

After the roaring success of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, she disappeared from social media and foregoing the publicity circuit of talk shows and media interviews for her 2019 movie Hustlers with megastar Jennifer Lopez and The Terminal List, the Netflix film that debuted earlier this month.

Last Tuesday, July 12, she made a cautious return to social media explaining her absence from the public eye. It was in this post that she revealed that she made an attempt to take her own life.

She decided to use her "scary moment" as a teaching device and to reach out to others who are in a similar situation. Instead of being ashamed of the low point in her mental health and keep it to herself, she wrote a book and began taking small steps in returning to social media.

"Even though I'm scared, I've decided I owe it to the me-of-three -years-ago, to be brave and share my story so it might help someone with theirs," Wu concluded.

Following is Constance Wu's initial tweet upon returning to social media.

And then, this morning, (July 16) Wu followed up with this information:

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Friday, February 21, 2020

'Fresh Off the Boat' to bid viewers a fond farewell Friday after six seasons

ABC

Behind the scenes of 'Fresh Off the Boat,' Hudson Yang and Randall Park go over their lines.

By Louis Chan

ASAM NEWS

The Asian American community is reacting with both sadness and appreciation in anticipation of the series finale of Fresh Off the Boat airing Friday night (February 21) at 8/7 Central on ABC.

Sixteen-year-old Hudson Yang who plays Eddie on the program debuted with the rest of the cast at the age of 11. The thought of life without the program is hitting him hard.

“It’s weird—it’s kind of like waking up and not knowing who you’re going to be next week! I know I’m going to miss it, I miss it already!” he told AsAmNews.

He isn’t the only one who will miss it.

“It’s really difficult knowing Fresh Off the Boat will leave the airwaves after Friday night,” said Guy Aoki, founding member of both the Media Action Network for Asian Americans and founding member of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition.

Aoki told AsAmNews he saw the pilot script back in 2014, a year before the program premiered. The network wanted APAMC’s feedback.

“Was the title of the show offensive? One of the characters uses a racial slur. Is that OK? I gave two pages of notes and all of the scenes that I felt didn’t work, were excised. When I saw the filmed pilot months ahead of its broadcast, I knew this was something I could get behind,” Aoki said.

Asians Americans took over social media the night FOTB premiered in February 2015. They held Twitter parties quoting from the script, applauding the performances and even shedding happy tears over the story line. The show network executives likely debuted nervously was trending.

“Fresh Off The Boat was a truly groundbreaking television series in several ways,” said Daniel Mayeda Chair, Asian Pacific American Media Coalition. “FOTB told a very specific and authentic story of Taiwanese American immigrants. And it was told from the perspective of Asian Americans, as reflected in the pilot episode when Eddie Huang, trying to fit in, asked his mother to take him to the market so he could buy “White people lunch” to take to school. Asian Americans had never seen such an unapologetic portrayal of ourselves on network TV and we reveled in it.”

The show also proved a national audience would watch a show starring and centered around an Asian American family with a predominantly Asian American cast.

According to Aoki, FOTB indexed at 100 percent among White audiences. In other words, 60 percent of the nation is White. 60 percent of FOTB’s audience was also White. Blacks indexed at 105%. Asian Americans also over indexed.

ABC

Part of the final episode of FOTB is the graduation of Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang)

The show catapulted stars Constance Wu (Jessica Huang) and Randall Park (Louis Huang) into stardom. Wu went onto to star in Crazy Rich Asians and Hustlers. Park is seen frequently in both the Marvel and DC comic universe. Most recently he starred alongside Ali Wong in Always be My Maybe. He also made his directing debut for the series finale of Fresh Off the Boat.

Eight months after FOTB debut, ABC also premiered Dr. Ken starring Ken Jeong. Quantico, Andi Mack and Killing Eve would follow.

“I started at CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) in March 2015, right after Fresh off the Boat premiered, so the show has always been a clear demarcation for me,” Michelle K. Sugihara, CAPE Executive Director, said to AsAmNews. “It’s amazing how much has happened since then in terms of representation in media, but we still have further to go. I’m excited to see what this pilot season brings.”

The show will end Friday night with an hour-long double episode.

“I wish we were still going on because there are a lot more stories to tell, but the good thing is … it feels like we have a lot more of us telling them now, not just one show,” said Hudson Yang.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

TGIF Feature: ABC says Fresh Off the Boat ending has nothing to do with Constance Wu

Constance Wu was a breakout star of the series 'Fresh Off the Boat.'

ASAM NEWS

ABC entertainment president Karey Burke denied to the media at the ABC Winter Television Critics Association tour that actress Constance Wu had anything to do with the cancellation of Fresh Off the Boat.

Wu caused a stir on social media last year when she expressed her dismay that the show had been renewed a fifth season. The Golden Globe nominated actress tweeted back then “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. F*ck.” She later added, “F*cking hell.”

She would later explain it was a momentary reaction to losing an opportunity to work on a coveted project due to a scheduling conflict presented when ABC renewed FOTB in 2018.

In a tweet she explained that her initial reaction was because the show's renewal meant she would have to give up a project she was looking forward to doing.

"People 'assumed' that I meant I don't love and enjoy FOTB. But I do love and enjoy it. I hope you believe me," she wrote.

"These words are my truth. I hope you hear them."

After that controversy, late last year, ABC announced Fresh Off the Boat would be ending after its series finale in February.

Wednesday (Jan. 8), Burke made it clear the network holds no grudges against Wu.

“No, none whatsoever,” the Cheat Sheet reported Burke said at the TCA tour.

“Constance actually was incredible this season on the show, and we were thrilled to have her there,” said Burke, according to TV LIne.

(Ending the series) "really was a joint decision between us and [20th Century Fox] and the creators. [We all felt] that, given the life of these characters, it was time to move on. Eddie’s graduating from high school and moving out of the house. It just felt like it’s coming to its natural story conclusion.”

The network is developing a possible spin off to Fresh Off the Boat. It will focus on an Indian American family whose daughter attends school with Eddie. The characters will be introduced in an upcoming FOTB episode and will star Vir Das as father DC and Preity G. Zinta as the mother, Meena.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

2019 Review: Hollywood 'discovers' Asians

Left to right: Always be My Maybe, The Farewell and The Terror: Infamy.

This is the fourth and last installment of a four-part series: 2019 Review

The ripples of the big splash caused by 2018's Asian August is still being felt in Hollywood. It’s hard to tell if this is a temporary phase or a permanent direction but AAPI actors, directors and other creatives are making the most of Hollywood’s discovery of Asian talent sitting right under its nose.

(Editor's Note: Read headline with more than a hint of sarcasm.)

The crazy success of Asian led movies Crazy Rich Asians, To All the Boys I Ever Loved and Searching made Hollywood sit up and take notice of the diverse audience and Asian talent sitting right under tis nose.

An argument could be made that if not for the success of Asian August paved the way for the 2019 movies such as Ali Wong's and Randall Park's Always Be My Maybe, Mindy Kaling's Late Night, Stuber with Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista, The Sun is Also A Star with Charles Melton as the romantic lead, and the Lulu Wang-directed and critically acclaimed The Farewell, which featured an all-Asian cast including CRA star Awkwafina.

Other cast members cashed in the hit status of Crazy Rich Asian with new roles: Henry Golding starred in thriller A Simple Favor and the romcom Last Christmas, Michelle Yeoh got a recurring role in Star Trek spinoff Star Trek: Discovery and joined Golding in Last Christmas, Gemma Chan got a small role in Captain Marvel and Bess of Harwick.

They were supported by movies by established stars: Aquaman starring Jason Momoa, Keanu Reeves starred in John Wick 3 and Dwayne Johnson was busy in 2019 with three flicks, Hobbs & Shaw, Fighting With My Family, Jumanji: The Next Level.

From Great Britain came the sleeper hits, Yesterday, starring Himesh Patel and Blinded by the Light with Viveik Kalra.

Filipino American actor Darren Criss at the SAG awards.

Television breakthroughs

On the small screen there were more Asian American faces on traditional and streaming networks in what feels to be a Golden Age in Hollywood (and Canada) for AAPI actors.

Filipino American actor Darren Criss followed up his 2018 Emmy for acting with 2019's Golden Globe, SAG award and a Critics Choice award for his amazing portrayal of mass killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

Asian Canadian Sandra Oh won Best Actress for a Golden Globe and Critic's Choice for her role in the BBC's Killing Eve, becoming the first actor of Asian heritage to win in that category.

Kim's Convenience and Fresh Off the Boat are centered around Asian American families and the issues they face adjusting to North American culture.

AMC's The Terror: Infamy brought the horror of the Japanese Americans internment camps during WWII into American living rooms while at the same time, scaring the bejeebers out of viewers.

A new television series, Warrior, was introduced last year which mostly takes place in mid-1800s San Francisco's Chinatown starring a largely Asian cast. Historical racial attitudes meet Chinese martial arts made for entertaining fare.

Lilly Singh debuted as the first Asian American host of A Little Late with Lilly, a late night talk show on NBC.

Hasan Minhaj in 'Patriot Act.'

Hasan Minhaj launched his hour-long weekly comedy show, Patriot Act, on Netflix. The streaming network also featured comedy specials from several other comedians, including Jo Koy, Ali Wong and Ronny Chieng.

Other AAPI actors were included in shows with ensemble casts such as Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor, Legends of Tomorrow, 9-1-1, Silicon Valley and Hawaii Five-O and a dozen other shows. Despite the increased presence of AAPI actors in television and movies, their numbers are still lagging considering the hundreds of projects being produced and under development, according to annual diversity reports from USC and UCLA.

The presence of AAPI actors in entertainment is a form of "soft power" in helping form a picture of what an "American" looks like by giving US viewers and audiences -- in a nonthreatening way -- a different perspective as they become familiar with AAPI issues and accustomed to Asian and Pacific Islander images.

To make sure this "Golden Age" is more than a passing trend, some artists have taking to producing products themselves rather than waiting for roles to audition for. CRA stars Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan and Awkwafina have all started their own production companies.

“I know what I want, and that’s to tell stories that make (an) impact on people, to tell good stories,” Awkwafina tells Variety. “That’s what I have control over.”

2019 REVIEW
Part 1: AAPI political visibility explodes on nat'l scene
Part 2: Affirmative action debate exposes schism in Asian American community
Part 3: Trump immigration policies shake up, wake up AAPI communities

UPDATED Jan. 4 11 a.m for clarity, fix typos & to include additional art. Oh hell! Post was rewritten to make it better.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Its a wrap for 'Fresh Off the Boat'

The groundbreaking show Fresh Off the Boat finished taping it's last episode Dec. 20.

It was an emotional moment for the cast members, who have been together the last six years, especially for Hudson Yang, who played Eddie Huang. "I'm not afraid to say I cried," Yang posted in a tweet along with photo of him crying as he said goodbye.

"I love my #Freshofftheboat family," he continued. "I always will."

The show was historic in that it centered on an Asian American family as they adjusted to life in suburban Florida in the decade of the 1990s. It was originally based on the memoirs of restaurateur Eddie Huang,

“We couldn’t be prouder of this game-changing show and the impact it has had on our cultural landscape. The success of ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ has helped pave the way for inclusion throughout the industry,” said ABC entertainment president Karey Burke.

“Nahnatchka Khan and her brilliant creative team have created an unforgettable series with an Asian-American family front and center, something that hadn’t been done in two decades. The cast, led by Randall Park and Constance Wu, is one of the finest and funniest on television. We’ll miss the Huang family and are eternally grateful for the incredibly heartfelt stories they have told these past six seasons.”
It made Constance Wu and Randall Park recognizable names and faces in America's living rooms. It opened the doors for other shows to star Asian American actors or to have them play prominent roles in ensemble dramas.

Besides Yang, Wu and Park, the rest of the cast included: Forrest Wheeler, Ian Chen, Lucille Soong, Chesley Crisp and Ray Wise.
Most importantly, it showed that the immigrant experience was an American story and depicted Asian Americans as human beings.

The last episode will air on ABC on Feb. 21.

Monday, December 16, 2019

AAPI stars shine bright at Hollywood's Unforgettable Gala

The cast of 'Fresh Off the Boat' was honored with The Legacy Award at the Unforgettable Gala.

ASAM NEWS

Asian Americans in Hollywood gathered to honor their own at the 18th annual Unforgettable Gala last weekend in Beverly Hills.

Put on by Character Media (formerly Kore Asian Media ), a who’s who of Asian American and Pacific Islander entertainers featured in 2019 came together to celebrate the icons in the entertainment industry.

Awkwafina won the best actor/actress award for The Farewell, the film’s Lulu Wang won in the director category and its entire cast received the Vanguard Award, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

“It’s almost rebirth time,” said Tzi Ma who played Awkwafina’s father in The Farewell. “We’re not stuck with all the flash and the special effects. To be able to tell a story with no thrills and just people talking, and 80 percent in a foreign language, something’s going on.”

Other winners, according to Deadline, included NBC Superstore's Nico Santos for TV actor, Charles Melton as breakout star for The Sun is Also a Star, Maya Erskine as breakout star in TV for Hulu’s Pen 15, Ali Wong for comic performance in Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe, and Bobby Hundreds as digital influencer.

The entire cast of Fresh Off the Boat won the Legacy Award which wraps up its sixth and final season February 21. The show's stars Randall Park, Constance Wu, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler, Ian Chen, Chelsey Crisp and Lucille Soong were all on hand to accept the award from Ken Jeong and Ming-Na Wen.

“It seems to have inspired other people to tell their stories, one story can’t represent a whole,” Constance Wu of Fresh Off the Boat said to The Hollywood Reporter. Wu said she felt a mixture of sadness that the show was ending, but also happiness that it inspired other stories to be told.

The cast of 'The Farewell' won the Vanguard Award and Awkwafina (left, front) was named Best Actor/Actress at the Unforgettable Gala last Saturday.

The Unforgettable Gala through its 18 years has become the AAPI equivalent to the entertainment industry's awards shows that often overlook the work of AAPI artists.

"This year, we have seen more Asian American faces on screen and more Asian American projects green-lit than in the decades past. It is more important now than ever that we take this moment to award these individuals who are paving the way, because of course – we still have a long way to go," states the evening's program.

Simu Liu, who emceed the show with singer/rapper/songwriter Amber Liu (no relation) included a zinger aimed at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, according to Variety. The actor, set to star in Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” noted that the voting body of the Golden Globe Awards nominated Awkwafina for best actress in a motion picture musical or comedy for her performance in “The Farewell” and the film itself for best foreign language film.

“Awkwafina is also having a really good year. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in The Farewell, or as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association calls it, ‘That movie with all the foreign people that speak Asian,'” Liu cracked, echoing a criticism that the film — while mostly in Mandarin Chinese — is an Asian American story, written and directed by an Asian American and starring an Asian American.

Writer Adele Lim who won for Crazy Rich Asians last year reminded people what the night is all about.

“We have all these stories that we’ve been sitting on and burying because we’ve been told over decades that it’s not gonna sell. We’ve seen over the few years that it’s simply not true. That’s a bigger truism we can take to the bank.”

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Say goodbye to the Huang family; 'Fresh Off the Boat' cancelled

Groundbreaking ABC comedy Fresh Off the Boat will conclude its critically acclaimed six-season run on ABC, Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment, announced Friday.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the situation comedy's producers requested the show’s cancelation so that they could end it on their own terms. ABC's hour-long series finale will air next year on February 21, 8-9 p.m. EST.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this game-changing show and the impact it has had on our cultural landscape. The success of Fresh Off the Boat has helped pave the way for inclusion throughout the industry.

"Nahnatchka Khan and her brilliant creative team have created an unforgettable series with an Asian American family front and center, something that hadn’t been done in two decades. The cast, led by Randall Park and Constance Wu, is one of the finest and funniest on television. We’ll miss the Huang family and are eternally grateful for the incredibly heartfelt stories they have told these past six seasons,” Burke said.

“I’m so proud of the show and what we’ve accomplished over the past six seasons,” said series creator Khan. “Thank you to everyone at ABC and 20th Century Fox Television for going on this ride with us. It was truly a special experience and hopefully will forever be a reminder of all the stories out there that deserve to be told. Like B.I.G. said, ‘And if you don’t know, now you know.’”

Originally based on the memoir of Eddie Huang growing up in the Orlando suburbs. FOB stars Randall Park as Louis Huang, Constance Wu as his wife Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan, Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang, Chelsey Crisp and Ray Wise as neighbors Honey and Marvin.

Set in the 1990s, the series follows the experiences of hip-hop-loving Eddie Huang and his family. In this final season, the Huang family is at a crossroads. Jessica is becoming an educator (teacher boss); Louis is trying to expand himself outside running the restaurant by becoming a business consultant; Eddie is weighing whether to attend college or to take a different path; Emery is trying acting; and even Evan tries out pukka shells and a new nickname!

When FOB debuted six years ago the show was hailed as the first sitcom to ffocus on an Asian American family since All American Girl with Margaret Cho 25 years earlier. The real Eddie Huang served as the off-camera narrator in the series' first season. The second season saw his role reduced as a consultant. He left the show over creative difference

The show began to evolve around the entire family as the role of Eddie became less of the focus. Chu and Park as the Huang parents took on a bigger part of the show.

It can be argued that the critical success of FOB spawned a whole bevy of shows that featured Asian Americans in nontraditional roles and opened the minds of networks about the possibilities of diversifying its fare of dramas and sitcoms.

FOB could very well have a spinoff in the works in an episode due to air later this month about an Indian American immigrant family.

Fresh Off the Boat was not the first AAPI family leading a show on American television, but because of its historic role, there's reason to believe -- and, hope and pray -- that it won't be the last.

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Saturday, August 31, 2019

Constance Wu gets real about Twitter storm

CONSTANCE WU

ASAM NEWS

Riding high after the success of Crazy Rich Asians, Constance Wu came crashing back down to earth following social media backlash over her negative comments about the renewal of Fresh Off the Boat.
She opened up about what she learned from the incident in an interview with the Los Angeles Times and admitted her initial reaction to possibly losing a movie role she had coveted was overdramatic

“I had this moment of heat where I got upset because I had to give up a job I had been looking forward to and had been chasing for a while,” she said to the Times.

Wu revealed for the first time that the role she had to give up because of her commitments to Fresh Off the Boat was a “not Asian-specific” part in a play, not in a movie as many had wrongly assumed.

Even though her social media following has grown to 1 million, she admits she didn’t realize the enormous power and responsibility that comes with that.

“I’m not beating myself up for it, because I know me,” said Wu. “But I don’t think I realized that people were paying so much attention to my Twitter.”

The self-described “fiasco” propped up rumors that Wu acted like a diva on the set. She says her fellow actors have come to her support.

“It was moving to me how many people from the show reached out to me, and even on set … to say, ‘Just so you know, we love you and we know who you are, and you didn’t deserve any of that stuff.’ Because they also know that I’m an actress — I can be dramatic.

Wu will co-star with Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B in Hustlers, which hits the screens Sept.13.

“I know some people were like, ‘Constance demanded top billing.’ No, the script had me as the lead. But it’s a juicier story to say the other stuff.

“I am grateful for my entire career,” she said. “But the fact that my career has been historic shouldn’t necessarily be a call (to say to) me, ‘You should be so lucky’ — it should be a call to pay attention to the fact that this kind of thing shouldn’t have been historic. Me getting to play a fully human experience as an Asian American, that shouldn’t be historic. But it is.

"Let’s talk about the system, not whether or not I deserve to be in it and how I need to feel about it.”

Wu says she’s learned and predicted there will be no further social media “blow ups” from her.

_____________________________________________________________________

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Constance Wu responds to allegations of being a diva

Jennifer Lopez, lef and Constance Wu on the set of 'Hustlers.'

ASAM NEWS

Constance Wu isn’t taking it anymore. She’s denying the latest in a seemingly series of negative reports characterizing her as a diva.

The latest came from Page Six which reported that she insisted that she get top billing over Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B for her upcoming movie, Hustlers.

The studio has reportedly contacted media outlets to make sure that happens.

“Constance is the most hated person on set. She is rude to everybody, but most of all the crew,” said an unnamed source who worked on the set.

“She’s a total piece of work. She thinks it’s OK to treat people badly and say out loud whatever comes to her,” Page Six quoted an anonymous source as saying.

Wu is firing back through a statement from her publicist to ET.

“While Constance’s character in Hustlers is the key protagonist, any reporting that implies or indicates that she demanded or directed this recently reported initiative is patently untrue and a clear manipulation of facts,” her rep says in a statement to ET. “She has always been and remains a proud supporter of all her fellow castmates inclusion in the celebration of this film and telling of this story.”

The negative reports followed Wu’s ill-timed profanity-laced tweets in which she expressed anger at the renewal of season six of Fresh Off the Boat. She later apologized to her fans and fellow cast mates, saying the production of season six would prevent her from taking a project she was really passionate about.

Hustlers is due out September 13.

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Tuesday, May 21, 2019

#IAm profiles for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) has teamed up with US Bank to observe Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the #IAm Campaign, a series of video interviews of Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

The question asked of the interviewees is: How did you become successful? The journey to success has been tough for many of the subjects, only made hopeful by those who supported them along the way.

As they received encouragement along they way, the subjects have broken barriers and opened doors for others to follow.

This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, let us not only remember those that have opened doors for us, but that our unique stories are also opening doors for others. Let us celebrate the success and the support, and most importantly, celebrate what’s possible.

Drawn mainly from the world of entertainment, it also lists a few journalists, writers and sports. Among the AAPI personalities spotlighted are George Takei, Jeremy Lin, Lisa Ling, Ming-Na Wen and Apolo Ono. Start with actor George Takei's #IAm story:

There are a ton of other videos and profiles so check them out for yourself, and participate: “Share YOUR #IAm story. Join the conversation and share what inspires you the most and express your I Am_ aspiration via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram with the hashtag #IAm. Or simply share this campaign with your friends and family.”

More links provided below. If they don't work, click here.