Phi ThachPhi T. Thach was born in the Philippines. Her mother is from Cambodia, and her father is from Vietnam. After Phi's mother escaped Cambodia and her father escaped as a prisoner of war from Vietnam, Phi's parents met in Thailand and later moved to the hilippines, where they had Phi. They then immigrated to the United States and settled in Silver Spring, Maryland, where Phi grew up. She remembers watching her father advocate for the people in his community, which initiated her journey to find her purpose in life. Phi received her associate's degree in business administration, her bachelor's degree in social work, and a master's degree in early childhood education. She's continuing her education and working towards her doctorate degree in human services, specializing in leadership and organizational management. Phi currently works as a community schools coordinator. In this role, Phi is able to work on creating promising partnerships, securing grants and sponsorships, and advocating for mental health services, efficient housing, healthier food, and employment for newly migrated families. Phi is dedicated and committed to improving behavioral and academic needs for youth, families, and communities by providing resources and support, addressing and capitalizing on individual strengths, and guiding families in their development and achievement of academic and personal goals. Phi visualizes a world filled with youth who truly believe they can achieve anything, and she has dedicated her career to ensuring they have the tools to do so. In August 2015, Phi was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer and went through chemo and radiation therapy. Doctors told her it was possible that she would be unable to have children. This news was devastating for her, as she loves to work with children and always wanted her own. When she found out she was pregnant in January 2019, she was so excited! Her son, Jhilyn, inspired her to write Momma Has Cancer. She wants to share with her son the emotions that she endured and the strength she had to discover to overcome them. Read More Read Less
