About Bo & Mei
My name is Mai (pronounced "my"), and I used to hate my name. Growing up Vietnamese American, I desperately wanted a name that sounded less foreign, that would just fit in. But it wasn’t just my name; it was the food I ate, the language I spoke at home, the shape of my eyes, the color of my skin; the list goes on. The world around me taught be to be ashamed of my Asianness.
I know I'm not alone. 1 in 3 US-born Asian Americans say they have hidden part of their heritage from those who are not Asian, according to a recent Pew study. Another study found that nearly 80% of Asian Americans feel they don't belong.
Now, as a mother raising two Asian American girls, I ask myself, “How can I make sure their Asian identity isn’t a source of shame and instead, a source of pride?”
But after decades hiding from my culture, I feel ill-equipped to carry on the traditions and customs of my heritage. I know others who feel similarly.
Naming this project after my girls, I decided to start Bo & Mei to strengthen cultural connection and appreciation.
We offer thoughtfully designed items and curated kits that make it easy to celebrate Asian culture with confidence.
Through our joy-filled kits, we hope to empower you to build the cultural bridges needed to create a world where everyone feels they belong.
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What do the names Bo & Mei mean?
My husband and I gave our children names from our Vietnamese and Chinese cultures as a way to reclaim and cultivate pride in the beauty of our cultures' names. In Chinese, Bo (寶) means "treasure," while Mei (美) means "beautiful," and together, they are our beautiful treasure, Bo & Mei.
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