Madison,
18
March
2021
|
14:34 PM
America/Chicago

The struggle for strength

Summary

American Family AVP Mingju Sun shares her journey from rural China to Madison, Wisconsin, and how she finds strength in a male-dominated field. 

Raised in Gaoqing, Shandong Province, a rural Chinese village, I was born a great disappointment to both my parents and grandparents. In China, birthing a son is celebrated, but a girl, well, we’re disappointments. My parents redeemed themselves by having my two brothers after I was born.

Increasing the pressure on me.

My parents are extremely hard working, but sorely undereducated. My mom is illiterate, and my dad completed middle school. I ended up in boarding school, where everything is provided, including meals, supplies and uniforms. It was my greatest opportunity, and I worked hard to be one of the top students out of 500.

Once I graduated middle school, my parents expected me to start working in a factory, so I could contribute to the family. They even signed a form indicating their intentions. Lucky for me, one of my teachers saw my potential and gave me a new form to fill out. I forged my parents’ signature, and while they were furious, I was able to continue my studies.

Read the rest of Ming's story on the ideas sharing site, Medium.

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About the American Family Insurance groupBased in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 254 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America. Across these companies the group has more than 13,200 employees nationwide