Today we’d like to introduce you to Calli Nguyen.
Hi Calli, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Yes, absolutely! I’m Calli Nguyen, and I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. I’m currently a full-time graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as an actress, model, and social media content creator. Growing up in a low-income, Vietnamese immigrant family and being a first-generation student, I was always ambitious and driven by the pursuit of the American Dream. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college in hopes to attend medical school thereafter. I graduated from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) with a dual degree in Biological Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies with three minors in Kinesiology, Psychology, and Business Administration.
During my undergraduate experience, I did years of research as a Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Scholar with the Rivas Research Group. I also spent a Summer as an LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans research intern with Dr. Bolin Liu’s Research Group at the Louisiana Cancer Research Center. I further explored the world of healthcare by working at The Urgent Care facilities in my hometown, where I enhanced my intrapersonal skills and hands-on patient care. Being a physician has always been my top life goal. Louisiana continues to be ranked one of the lowest in health and education and I have witnessed first-hand the difficulties that come from disadvantaged backgrounds. I hope to advocate for better healthcare and lifestyles for low-income families and other marginalized groups.
Although I love being a woman in STEM, I believe it’s crucial to enjoy other interests outside of medicine to allow yourself a break from studying and clinical/lab experiences. I opened up the door to acting after one night of taking a break from studying for final exams and scrolling on TikTok to Disney Channel actor David Deluise, encouraging people to sign up for his celebrity-based acting program, Actors Giving Back (AGB) Studios. I had no prior acting experience whatsoever and purely continued this journey off of vibes. It turned out that I was really good at acting, as I received the most callbacks from different agencies and now, I am signed to one of the top agencies in Los Angeles – AEFH Talent Agency. My love for acting immensely grew as it was such a versatile world – I was able to leave behind who I was and have a new life for 2 minutes, or I could utilize the excitement, happiness, hurt, or pain I felt at that moment in my life and reflect those expressions into this new character.
On a production set I worked on in New Orleans, I caught the attention of one of the photographers, who later asked me to be a model for one of his photoshoots. Like acting, I loved being in front of the camera then seeing myself portrayed in this beautiful and new light. Modeling helped me to feel more empowered and self-confident in a society where women often struggle to love themselves.
Social media content creation came into play because I’m practically glued to my phone and film anything and everything. With just my iPhone and iMovie at the age of 10, I ventured into the world of content creation producing travel vlogs, makeup hauls, get-ready-with-me videos, and mukbangs. I didn’t start consistently posting on social media until about a year ago in June 2022. It wasn’t until October 2023 that I decided to take content creation seriously. Since then, my TikTok and Instagram accounts have experienced significant growth with my followers increasing from a mere 600 and 1,600 to an impressive 25K+ and 2K+, respectively.
My platforms showcase my unapologetic self as I navigate through life in my 20s, pursuing multiple academic and creative passions as well as exploring popular loves and hidden gems in New Orleans and Houston. It’s important for me to show my true and genuine self on my platforms, as social media can heavily be the opposite. I am proud to be a representative of first-generation AAPIs. I’m also not afraid to publicly share my breakdowns and details of me struggling with my mental health because I know many others can relate. I aim to normalize mental health on my platforms rather than ostracizing it in hopes that I can help at least one person feel understood.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wish I could say it has been a smooth road (wouldn’t that be nice haha). Being a first-generation student from a low-income family, I witnessed many difficulties from an early age and continue to face these hardships as a young adult. The oldest event I can remember was when I was in elementary school, and my mom came home from work sobbing to my dad because they were struggling to earn enough money for my brother’s and mine’s school tuition. My mom had reached out to her siblings for assistance, and one of them called her a bad mom. I was exposed to how financial burdens can strain family relationships and cause anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. Because of this situation and many more that our immediate family experienced, we were afraid to ask for help. This problem persisted as I was constantly bullied for years at an all-girls high school. I would wake up for school, dreading to go and fearing for what petty conflict would happen – ranging from a mean tweet to a death threat. I had little to no friends and found my self-love and worth depleted. I painfully sobbed every night to my parents and often to the school’s administration, yet I received no help and endured the bullying. College was my escape to a better future, but I had to learn everything on my own and find my own resources when applying to different colleges, scholarships, and loans. During my first year of LSU, it was a sh*t show transitioning from a high school to college-leveled curriculum. I struggled with studying methods, financial burdens, and mental health. There was a great deal of pressure and the constant thought of “Am I smart enough?” During my senior year and only three months before graduating, I lost my grandmother from post-op complications. Merely 16 days later, my uncle passed away from a drug overdose. This was the darkest time of my life – it was a struggle to get out of bed after sobbing myself to sleep the night before, I barely put anything into my body, and I was seeking virtual emergency therapy appointments almost every other day.
Despite all of this, I use my grandma and uncle as my motivation for everything I do and wish to achieve – my grandmother’s last words to me were, “That’s my granddaughter, my doctor,” and my uncle always told me, “There’s my niece! The doctor of the family!” Being a first-gen has allowed me to have a true understanding of hard work and resilience in the face of adversity. As I pursue my career as a physician, I aim to embody and exemplify these traits even more.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Firstly, I am a graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in the Biomedical Sciences and Health Equity (BSHEq) program. I am also a working actress, which entails advancing my acting skills and auditioning for roles – I was recently featured on the Disney+ series, The Crossover as Addyson. Because of my unique journey into acting, I work with my acting program, AGB Studios, to promote the business and bring in more clients. I am also a freelance model for brands and photographers’ creative outlets. I am a content creator covering lifestyle, beauty, and dining experiences. I wanted to further gauge my social media career in a more professional setting; thus, in addition to creating content for myself, I also help run the TikTok accounts for The Creative Concepts Agency based in Houston, TX. I am most proud of being able to represent the AAPI community in a profound and impactful way. In the past year of doing social media, I have received hundreds of messages from members of the AAPI community giving their love and support for a fellow Vietnamese first-gen that is pursuing multiple passions. It’s been extremely rewarding hearing from others that they are excited to see more Vietnamese representation on screens. I also shared my dad making his charbroiled oysters, and he has become known to my supporters and many others around the world as “King Khang.” Business has increased for him at his workplace, Drago’s Seafood at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, as customers from my social media have visited him for his Viet-Cajun demeanor and cooking!
What sets me apart from others is my mindset to never quit and to continue pushing onward. I believe that once you’ve been pushed to your limits, see how much further you can truly go, what more you’re capable of, and how strong you really are.
What do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck, but rather destiny or fate. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and life unfolds in the way that it should. What is meant to be will always find its way. Any time you stray away from the path you’re meant to be on or if you fail along the way, you will inevitably be where you were meant to be. Thus, every struggle I’ve had in my life was a key piece to being where I am today with my successes and aspirations. Manifesting has also been a powerful tool to attain my goals. By maintaining this positive attitude and mindset that I am already destined for greatness, it helps me to worry less about my future. I am able to open the doors to limitless opportunities and passions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://callinguyen.weebly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calli_nguyen/?hl=en
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calli_nguyen
Image Credits
Johnny Ngo
Harrison Wright
Francis Panes
