Peter Hiep A shares about his upbringing in Marin County to an immigrant family and why he’s passionate about helping others from similar backgrounds.
I was born to refugees of the Vietnam War, the youngest of three kids. My parents came here with nothing. All they wanted was for us kids to be safe, have enough to eat and maybe do a little better than they did.
But things were tough. I grew up in the Canal — a low-income, mostly immigrant family neighborhood in Marin County. My sister was kicked out of our home. My brother dropped out of community college. By the time I was in high school, I figured I’d be next. My grades weren’t great, and I couldn’t imagine college being in the cards for me.
Around this time, I was accepted into a scholarship program that helped me navigate college applications. I didn’t fully grasp how it all worked, but I knew this was my shot. My chance to make a real difference, not just for me, but for my family. I went on to become the first in our family with a bachelor’s, and then a master’s. I’m proud to be leading by example for my older siblings who are aspiring to do more.
I found a career I love as a financial services professional. What drew me to this career was realizing that hardly anyone in my community had someone they could turn to for financial guidance. I wanted to change that. After earning my master’s, I knew I could use my voice and lived experience to help others like me — first-generation, immigrant families — understand money, build stability and create opportunities we never thought possible.