What's in a Name?
My Chinese name is 李光卉 (Lǐ guāng huì). 李 (lǐ) is my family name and it comes from my dad. It also means plum and is one of the most common Chinese last names. 光 (guāng) is a generation name, which means each member of a generation shares that character. For example, my sister and I have names that both start with 李光. 光 means light, as in a ray of light. 卉 (huì) means grass and is meant to represent vitality, because grass can grow anywhere, even if there is little water or sun. My parents chose that character so that I can be resilient. My sister has a similar plant themed character in her Chinese name. 卉 is also used for my nickname; my family calls me 卉卉.My English name comes from the hospital I was born in: Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. When I was younger, I went by Vicky since it was easier to pronounce and spell! I'm proud that I can display my Chinese heritage in my full name since my middle name is Guanghui, for my Chinese name.
Hello! My name is Victoria Li (李光卉). I graduated from Dartmouth College and work at a consulting firm in learning & development. I’m so proud that Miss Chinese Chicago is breaking barriers by allowing married women to compete. I hope to also break barriers by being a contestant with a curvier physique. I grew up chubby and it was difficult for me to embrace my femininity. I’ve admired pageants from afar but did not feel beautiful enough to compete. 10 years ago, I wrote an essay sharing my relationship with my body. In 2022, I want to be the role model that my younger self wished for and show that all shapes and sizes are beautiful.