Bi Jae

Bi Jae was born in 2003 in Mon State, Myanmar. His earliest memories are filled with mundane yet precious moments of childhood: walking to the market with his family in the mornings, buying fresh fish and produce, playing on the farm during the rainy season, walking to school with his friends, and wandering through the forest in search of waterfalls. Sometimes, he and his family would make their way to a river, set up camp, and cook food. They would spend the night surrounded by the vast and brilliant stars while listening to the sound of water lull them to sleep. These childhood memories hold a special place in his heart because it was right before he had to grow up.

When he turned seven years old, Bi Jae left Myanmar with his family and moved to Malaysia. They made this decision to find more opportunities abroad. His family spent two years there as they worked through the UNHCR resettlement process. A Mon organization helped families obtain identification cards, which allowed his parents to have a car and work in the city. While Bi Jae’s parents worked, he was sent to a boarding school. For a young child, boarding school became a world of its own. He would sometimes visit his parents when their work slowed, but he spent most of his time in boarding school. He made friends who would eventually scatter across the United States, from Wisconsin to Washington and Colorado. Those years taught him something that he would carry for the rest of his life: how to stand on his own.

In January 2013, at ten years old, Bi Jae arrived in Minnesota. His first memory was the snow. Coming from Myanmar and Malaysia, he had never experienced anything like a Minnesota winter. He remembers stepping onto ice and immediately slipping. 

Then came the lesson in independence. During his first month in America, the stove in their apartment started smoking. He had to call 911. He was not sure whether the person on the other end of the phone could understand him as he struggled to speak English, but eventually emergency responders found him and put out the smoke. He laughs wondering how they managed to find him since he did not learn his address yet. 

Growing up in America presented a different kind of challenge. At school, he was expected to be independent, to make decisions for himself, speak for himself, and navigate a new culture. But when he came home, his family operated collectively, relying on one another. Bi Jaw often felt caught between these two contradictions. 

Over time, however, he learned that he did not have to choose between them. He could be both independent and in community. He could carry his Mon identity while still embracing the diversity around him. He could learn from people who came from different backgrounds without giving up the culture he came from.

As he grew older, Bi Jae became increasingly aware that the traditional path through college was not for him. He did not enjoy school and did not want to attend college. His parents gave him a choice: if he was not going to college, he needed to work. So he joined the National Guard. He went through boot camp and then afterward, began looking for a career. At nineteen, he found himself searching for work and eventually landed a job in retail. But he knew he wanted something more. He asked a man he met at work about getting into the trades. The man pointed him toward the union hall, where he received a thick handbook filled with phone numbers. The man helped him pick a few numbers. Bi Jae started calling. Company after company. Until finally, someone gave him a chance. 

He became an apprentice and began working toward becoming a skilled tradesman. It was not easy; he had to prove that he deserved the opportunity and that he was willing to put in the work. His hands became calloused from the job, but he does not see those marks as something to be ashamed of. “My hand is bad, but I’m making that money,” he chuckles. For Bi Jae, the scars on his hands represent progress. 

His philosophy is straightforward: “You have to work for it to get it. You gotta keep going.” During his apprenticeship, he kept himself motivated by setting goals. At the time, one of those goals was an Audi car. Having something to work toward gave him a reason to keep pushing. His experience in the trades also changed the way he thought about education. “You don’t need college to be educated,” he says. “You just need a career.” 

For Bi Jae, education happens everywhere. When his mother wanted jewelry, he knew nothing about diamonds or metals. Instead of pretending to know, he went to a jeweler and asked questions. Within minutes, he was learning about different types of diamonds and metals. That experience reinforced that learning does not always happen in a classroom. He remarks, “you’re learning all these different skills. It’s cool, I love it!” He deliberately pushes himself toward things that make him uncomfortable, including rock climbing. Rather than seeing an unfamiliar experience as something to fear, he tries to “look at it as a new way of learning.”

The independence he learned as a child has now become responsibility. As a child at boarding school, he remembers thinking about what he would do if his parents were not there. Now, he has become someone his parents can rely on. They call him when they need help with their house, and he enjoys being able to show up for them. His parents, in return, have become more understanding of his career as they have watched him build a life for himself. He prides himself in being useful. His responsibilities extend beyond his family. When people in his community call and ask for help, Bi Jae shows up. 

The Mon community in Minnesota is close-knit. Many families came from the same villages in Myanmar, and when they encounter one another, there is a sense of kinship and celebration. When Bi Jae was hospitalized, for instance, the community came together for him. That experience reminded him of the connection he feels to the people who share his heritage. For Bi Jae, being Mon means remembering that his people exist and that they are part of the many cultures that make up Myanmar. He recognizes the beauty in that diversity. 

When he was younger, his parents constantly reminded him, “Don’t ever forget you are Mon.” At the time, those reminders had felt like another responsibility placed on his shoulders. But as he grew older, he began to understand where they were coming from. His parents were trying to make sure that the culture they carried with them would not disappear in a new country. Bi Jae no longer sees his American and Mon identities as competing sides of himself. He has found a way to honor both. He can build a career, pursue his own goals, and create an independent lifestyle while still showing up for his family and community. 

Bi Jae’s story began with a boy who learned to be independent because circumstances required it. He crossed oceans, learned new languages and cultures, navigated new places, and eventually found his way into a career that rewards persistence and skill. The independence he once needed for survival has become a way for him to give back. For Bi Jae, finding his own footing has never meant standing alone. It means becoming strong enough to stand on his own and then turning around to help the people who stood beside him.