Anthony Luu came to the United States from Vietnam in 1987 at age 15. He left his family and his county to come to America. He told his mother before he left, “I would rather die in oceans than live without independence in Vietnam.” Before he left, he promised his mother and brother that he would bring them to the United States. Although disabled, when Anthony embarked on his exodus, he had no wheelchair. Traveling alone, he endured extraordinary hardships. He had no money and he had to beg strangers who were also escaping Vietnam to carry him from boat to boat. Anthony persevered because of one hope – to be happy.
When Anthony arrived in the US, he could not speak English. Through hard work, he earned a Computer Science Certificate from the College of Marin and a Bachelor of Sciences in Computer Science from San Francisco State University. Ten years after leaving Vietnam, Anthony was able to sponsor his mother and brother to be able to enter the United States. Since 2002, he has worked as an Attendant Referral Specialist screening and referring care workers to seniors and people with disabilities at Marin Center for Independent Living (Marin CIL).
Anthony became interested in the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Public Authority Governing Board through the recommendation of Bob Roberts, the Executive Director of Marin CIL. Bob was a member of the IHSS Public Authority of Marin Governing Board and observed that Anthony had a lot to offer the Public Athority. Anthony decided to apply and was accepted.
In addition to “hands on” experience being a recipient of IHSS and working as an Attendant Referral Specialist for Marin CIL, Anthony believes that educating the community about the needs of seniors and people with disabilities is his ultimate purpose in life. He has unique life experience and an understanding of what independence really means. His irrepressible effervesce with life makes him a joyful man, who says, “I have no problems.”