Helen's speech was subtly humorous, yet quite thought provoking and mobilizing as she highlighted the challenges and opportunities facing the Asian/Pacific people in America. She spoke about the vast population growth of the Asian/Pacific American communities in America. She talked about what it was like, and still is, growing up "different" in her traditional Chinese culture. From her book, "Asian American Dream, the Emergence of a People," she read excerpts about her own family relations. She spoke of the passiveness that overshadowed her people. She cited her own experience of growing up passive and quiet. She said that for ten years as young student she passively let a schoolteacher pronounce her last name incorrectly until another student corrected the teacher. Helen pointed people to look at the demographics to see how far they have come as a people. She recalled that as a child, that there was just a small handful of Asian/Pacific people living in the United States, and they were not given the opportunity to be on American's social and entertainment spectrum. Therefore, members of her family had a special, joyous ritual each time there was an "Asian/Pacific sighting" on TV or some national spotlight. Today, however, the Asian/Pacific American population has increased from 400,000 to over 10 million. She urged listeners to take note of the fact that today, "Asian/Pacific Americans are everywhere and in every fabric of the American society." That is why Helen called on the Asian/Pacific American community to work together to help dispel the stereotypical political and social perceptions that the American society holds of Asian/Pacific people.

Helen also alluded to the fact that even in this modern and diversity age most Chinese and other Asian/Pacific Americans are treated as refugees in the land of their birth -- America. She spoke of the air of suspicion that often surrounds her people, a classic example being Wen Ho Lee, the Chinese American scientist who was accused of spying for China. However, she spoke of some of the great efforts and contributions that Chinese and other Asian/Pacific Americans have given to make America what it is today. The most lasting phrase that Helen left on my mind is her trade mark phrase, "MIH," which mean "Missing In History." MIH, she said, is what has happened to the positive history, the rich heritage, and the contributions of her Asian/Pacific forefathers who were also American pioneers. Helen told the audience that it was very surprising and upsetting at the same time to have recently found out some of the positive contributions the Asian/Pacific people have given to our society. She found out that it was Chinese Americans that invented the freeze resistant orange that gave rise to the Florida's citrus industry; that it was a Philippine American who introduced sun-dried shrimp to Louisiana in the 1700's; that it was a Vietnamese American who revived the fishing and shrimp business in the South; that it was Korean brothers who invented the nectarine as the perfect fuzz-less peach; that it was Japanese and East Indian American farmers that drained the California swamps and developed the whole area there into the breadbasket of America. Additionally, there are many other modern contributions especially in the field of science and technology. She said even though Asian/Pacific Americans has reached a critical mass in terms of population, that growth has not become a reality in the mind and psyche of most of the people. She called on her listeners to help change the one dimensional, stereotypical notion that the American society has of the Asian/Pacific people. Therefore, she called on the members of 4A to show that they being Asian/Pacific can provide leadership in their relationship with others. She called on them to let go of old limitations, to publicly express their feeling about issues that affect them as a people and to raise their voices for civil rights and for peace.