We introduce to you one of Asian-Central’s newly-appointed staff members Debby Le, aka “kepi”. Her commitment to promoting the growth of the AC community and active participation within the site has earned her a lot of respect from other staff members.

Debby joined the Asian-Central family earlier this month through meeting one of the AC administrators. She has already contributed many of the anime links in AC anime, as well as sharing many of her blunt, witty, and hilarious comments with each of the members in the new AC chat box. She has also been very active in the site contests, winning many of Shakiro214’s caption contests and has recently found her potential soul mate on the site, “jiamei.”

The name “kepi” was inspired by “the Hawaiian variation of Debby” when her and her “church youth group went through a Hawaiian faze and everyone decided [that] they wanted to go by their Hawaiian names.” Even though her username is Hawaiian inspired, she is in fact Vietnamese-American.

Debby graduated as valedictorian at her high school and attended the University of Washington graduating with a major in history. She now works as a preschool teacher in Washington. As well as being a teacher, she is the middle child and has two brothers David and Jonathan.

Debby’s interests include; “anime, manga, Japanese culture, reading, dancing badly, singing badly, food, sleeping, eating, and chatting”. Debby’s passion for Japanese culture was inspired by the history and her love for learning about different cultures. She’s also taken two years of Japanese in high school, and speaks English as well as Vietnamese.

Interviewers:
solong2010 (Sophia)
jiamei (Brenda)

Sophia: So, were you surprised about becoming a staff member?
Debby: Umm I was more worried about how much time I’m going to have to put into this. Mainly, Nancy said I can just do what I was already doing so that’s fine with me.

Sophia: So how often are you on here then?
Debby: Haha, well…I am currently on whenever I have free time. XD I just love you guys that much.
Sophia: Awww, another sweet staffie.
Brenda: ;___; KEPI WE LOVE YOUUUUUU!!!!
Sophia: A preschool teacher on a social network. xD

Brenda: So you work as a preschool teacher? How did that start?
Debby: I did work-study my senior year at the University of WA, working as a volunteer in the preschool. I came in more hours than I was required to, because I love it there and the staff like me so they offered me a position.

Brenda: What is your major?
Debby: History. Has nothing to do with preschool. XD

Brenda: Besides being valedictorian, do you have any other accomplishments that you’d like to mention?
Debby: Umm, I’m not big on remembering useless awards. How you live your life is more important than a piece of paper or title.
Sophia: Oooh, NICE.

Debby: I guess, ummm…I’m a yellow belt in Karate?
Sophia: OH COOL!
Debby: That was back in high school though. I took it the summer before freshman year, so I could protect myself from high school bullies and high school guys.
Sophia: Do you still have it in you?
Debby: I don’t know, attack me and you’ll find out.
Sophia: *throws rock at you*
Debby: *catches rock and puts it in her pocket* OoOo purdy rock *_*

Sophia: Have you ever wished that you had a sister?
Debby: All the time. I use to make my little brother play Barbie’s with me.
Sophia: LOL!! Was he Ken?
Debby: He had his own Ken doll that got stars in its hair when it got wet. O.o

Sophia: How do you think Asian-Americans are viewed in society?
Debby: Well being a history major that can be a really long answer. I guess in short they were treated horribly in the past, and nowadays they are put in boxes, and expected to art certain ways. Of course, the U.S. in particular still has many people who treat Asians badly…
Brenda: Yeah, I have a story for that one. =___=

Sophia: What do you hope to accomplish in your life? What is your idea of success?
Debby: I hope to teach my kids enough for them to have a successful and happy life in school and as social beings in this world. I think it’s much easier to teach them how to succeed in school work then how to be well-rounded people. You can know a lot of things and have all the right answers, but if you can’t talk with other people and share what you know, what’s the point?
Sophia: Ohhhh. Nice.

Brenda: What are some of your childhood memories?
Debby: Mainly, me trying to learn basic things like, wash your hands, sit down, stop, don’t hit. In preschool I fell out of my dad’s car when it was still moving, he had slowed down through so I just fell onto the sidewalk.
Sophia: Awww.
Brenda: O_O
Sophia: Why was the door open?
Debby: I opened it because I thought he had stopped. Umm, same day, I got attacked by a black cat when I was trying to get the preschool door open. And then I lost my Rainbow Brite doll and was very sad, but my teacher found it for my (I had left it in the coat closet) and she made me show-and-tell it. ~_~’

Sophia: Anything people consider weird about you?
Debby: Umm, not in particular…I’m just weird in general.

Sophia: Kepi is my sunshine.
Debby: <3
Brenda: See, she’s trying to seduce you Kepi, beware. Sophia’s a big heartbreaker.
Sophia: Don’t ruin my plans. If I sing to her, I’ll win her over. XDDDD
Debby: You definitely would.

Brenda: What are some of your favorite artists, dramas?
Debby: Utada Hikaru, Megumi, NEWS, Yamashita Tomohisa, Switchfoot, and Sanctus Real…oh my gosh, I should just copy and paste my profile. ~_~’

Sophia: Have you ever gotten into Korean culture?
Brenda: She’s trying to drag you into her again. XD
Sophia: LOL whaaat?
Brenda: Sophia says: “Really you haven’t? Try Big Bang, 1TYM, Se7en etc…” tehehe.
Debby: I tried Big Bang, but it was a no go *shakes head* sorry. I’ll try again another time. XD

Sophia has left the conversation.

Brenda: O_O You upset her. Sophia is a big Big Bang fan.

Sophia has been added to the conversation.

Debby: I can tell.
Brenda: Did you leave because Kepi said that she wasn’t too into Big Bang? XD It was like right after she said it.
Debby: GOMEN SOPHIA!!! [sorry] DON’T HATE ME!
Sophia: No my msn is messed up. LOL, I was like “oh great timing.” I LOVE YOU KEPI!
Debby: <3
Brenda: I LOVE HER MOAR!

Brenda: Anyway, any struggles that you’ve been through in life?
Debby: Life IS a struggle.
Brenda. Yes I know that, but anything specific that you’ve had to fight against?
Debby: Well, even in today’s society being anything but white always puts you at a disadvantage. People treat you differently, although not always consciously. And of course, you have the racist people who yell things like “Go home!” out their car windows. I guess you can say I struggle against stereotypes that people have of me as an Asian, as a Vietnamese in particular, and as a Christian, as a capable teacher…
Brenda: Awww. I’ve had that said to me before.
Them: “GO HOME!”
Me: “I AM HOME!”

Debby: I mean I’m born here, this IS my home. There isn’t anywhere else for me to go home to. I guess racist people are my pet peeve too, and stupid drunks…
Brenda: People in Asia call you American; people in America call you Asian.
Debby: YEAH! Identity crisis much?
Brenda: I don’t let racist comments affect my emotions; I just like to think that those people are just ignorant.
Debby: Yeah I know, but it still annoys me that there are people like that roaming the streets.

Brenda: Well now that you’re already a college graduate, what advice would you give to others younger than you?
Debby: I’d tell them as long as you can back yourself up, you can pretty much BS your way through a lot of things. XD
Brenda: omg. HAHAHAHA.

Brenda: o_O Shakiro is trying to take TeaLeaf away from us.
Debby: What?!

After the interview, Kepi and jiamei ran off to the AC chat box to defend our TeaLeaf from falling into the clutches of Shakiro214. They fought bravely against Shakiro214, and in the end TeaLeaf decided to come back home to jiamei after months of separation. Kepi returns home and ponders how to recapture TeaLeaf from jiamei and the story continues…but at another time.

Comments are very much appreciated.

Kepi’s AC Page

AC Kepi Fanclub