Meet Emily (MLE) Dang

We recently connected with Emily (MLE) Dang and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily (MLE), appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I have my family to thank for my resilience. My family all immigrated to America from Vietnam so me being the first-born daughter, as well as a first-generation Asian American, contribute to my persistence. I was expected to be a straight A honor roll student and set an exceptional example for my younger cousins. In addition to the pressure of being the only child and raised as the first daughter, first niece, and first granddaughter, I also felt that I could never let opportunities go to waste because my family risked their lives to move here and offer me the chance to experience everything they could not for themselves. Growing up with my family and watching them learn from their mistakes/successes taught me everything I know about how to be strong-willed, determined, and tenacious. My mental resilience can also be attributed to the variety of honors programs I was in all throughout school – GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) in Elementary School, Honors in Middle School, AP (Advanced Placement) and MERITS (Math, Engineering, Arts, Technology, Science) in High School. Navigating the uncharted waters of being a first-generation scholar, athlete, and musician has helped me develop my ability to bounce back.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am currently focused on learning how to heal myself and others through music, therapy, and psychoactive plants.

My musical healing journey consists of songwriting, playing instruments, and learning more about sound bowls. My interest resides in how frequencies affect us mentally, physically, and spiritually. I enjoy making sounds that transcend barriers by offering ethereal experiences and evoking emotions. Being able to express myself through music and connect with crowds when I perform is a healing experience for both me and my listeners who can relate or sympathize.

I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State University of Long Beach (CSULB) because I plan to pursue a career in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy. I believe that mental wellbeing is just as imperative as maintaining our physical and spiritual health. I support the explorations of psychoactive plants being used for medicinal and therapeutic purposes, such as cannabis and psilocybin. I am currently exploring this field by working in the cannabis industry as a budtender at a legal wellness dispensary where I often help medical patients, veterans, and the elderly find precise remedies for their particular needs.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three qualities that were most impactful in my musical journey have been Patience, Persistence, and Presence.

Everyone’s timeline is different and there is no expiration date on how long I intend to pursue this path because music is a lifelong passion of mine that I believe should flow naturally and not be forced. I never compare my progress with other artists because everyone’s journey is different and patience is key as I am certain that I attract abundance and what is meant for me, as well as what is good for me, will find me when the timing aligns. I do not rush anything because I am having fun learning as I develop my artistry and individuality, which will only make me more prepared to accept what is in store for my evolving talent.

Persistence has been another main component of this musical journey because it is easy to let life distract you from pursuing your dreams. I set goals to stay consistent by aiming to get booked for a performance at least once a month, get interviewed by a podcast or magazine once every 2-3 months, and release or write a new song every 3-4 months. I do not get overwhelmed when getting double booked, promoting for a plethora of events, and networking with various individuals because I am intentional and diligent with my time and energy. This persistence has helped me practice my creating and performing abilities, which have helped me improve as an artist. Since music is my hobby and not a path I am pursuing for superficial gain, it is easy for me to remain consistent and balance it with my personal and work life. However, when people are pursuing this journey for extrinsic rather than intrinsic motivation, it is easy to experience burnout and falter.

That brings me to my third most impactful quality throughout pursuing my passions which is presence. Showing up is the best thing you can do for yourself. Some days you may experience writer’s block but simply being present at your computer may induce productivity whether it is revising old songs, finding new beats, or finishing lingering drafts. Some weekends you may feel like staying in to rest, but simply being present at events can allow you to make useful connections and gain access to opportunities. Some nights you may not be in the right mindset to perform but being present while on stage is beneficial to recollect yourself and connect with the music as well as the audience. You do not always have to show out, but you should always show up. Be mindful of where you dedicate yourself, as you should prioritize quality over quantity, but also keep an open mind because you would be surprised who you might meet or what opportunity may present itself.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My mother has always been the biggest role model in my life. She is a single mother who immigrated from Vietnam and is the middle child who bears the weight of our entire family on her shoulders. Since she practically raised me on her own, my mom taught me mostly everything I know and she was young when she had me so in a sense we were growing up together while she was figuring out how to navigate life.

My mom grew up in Michigan and Chicago where she used to be involved with some illegal activities, so I learned my street smarts and knew the lifestyle that I should avoid. However, she still got her degree and has always been a working woman as well as an entrepreneur and inventor, so her business-driven mindset of always wanting to climb the ranks and elevate her abilities was ingrained into me. Being raised in an Asian household and being a first-generation daughter, I was expected to excel in my education so I also obtained book smarts. My maturity and communication skills developed through interacting with my mother’s adult friends as I grew up with no siblings. Seeing my mother deal with hardships in her personal life regarding friends and family also helped me learn patience, compassion, and persistence. Witnessing her go through job losses, breakups, and other obstacles taught me how to be resilient and determined.

Through my experiences and hers, she guided me into being street-smart, book-smart, strong-willed, self-sustaining, perspicacious, respectful, and considerate. These qualities are essential in my evolution to becoming the best individual, daughter, friend, student, leader, artist and therapist that I can be.

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Image Credits

Emily Dang
Tanairy Robles
Courtney Tyler

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