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There is no doubt that 2020 is a year of political turmoil, especially with election day right around the corner. Liberals and conservatives alike hold increasingly contrasting views on various issues, and it is now more important than ever to be exposed to different perspectives. Gene Ho has one of those different perspectives— as well as an important message for the Asian American community.
Ho is a second-generation Chinese immigrant, born and raised in New York. He is now an accomplished high-profile photographer, best known for working as then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign photographer in 2016. Before his work with the campaign, Ho was already highly experienced in his field, holding online training classes with over a million views. Ho also wrote a book, Trumpography, detailing his experience with President Trump. While working as a photographer, Ho worked with numerous celebrities and famed athletes. Despite obstacles along the way, Ho was able to persevere through challenges and succeed in an atypical career for an Asian American.
One important lesson he learned was that family and faith are more important than accomplishments and accolades. When juggling his photography business and his job as a presidential campaign photographer, Ho found that there was more to the world than he previously thought: “One day I decided to take a break with my family and as we were biking around our backyard, I discovered a beautiful lake right by my house, in which I had lived for 15 years, that I had never seen.” Realizing that he was constantly living to be “happy when” instead of “happy now,” Ho refocused on his family relationships and Christian faith. Because of this shift in mindset, Ho now believes that he is truly happy. As an Asian American, he understands that his culture encourages a continuous work ethic and high standards, but asserts that one must not forget their faith and family. According to Ho, “Faith grows in darkness; people from the outside may seem happy and successful, but if you never enjoy life, you live in darkness.”
“Faith grows in darkness ..."
Like most Asian Americans, Ho also grew up in a family that strived for success and schooling. He says Asian Americans have, for a long time, been living “quietly in fame”, as a vast majority of Asian Americans earn and accomplish a great deal but are not in the spotlight. Although Asian Americans have been behind the scenes, Ho believes that we have an opportunity to “speak up and give back to our country”, asserting that it’s “almost necessary now” to have a voice. Ho grew up in an environment rife with racism and prejudice; he was often harassed for his race and his parents advised him to simply never discuss his beliefs. However, Ho sees a continuity of this expected silence, as society has now changed to the point where people are too scared to speak up for their views for fear of being seen as racist. As Asian Americans, Ho believes that we can speak with a unique perspective in a time of racial turmoil. He summarizes, “We have a great role: because we are not white nor black, we can speak on behalf of both parties to bring America together.”
"... we can speak on behalf of both parties to bring America together."
Additionally, it is no secret that Ho is well known for being President Trump’s campaign photographer in 2016. Early in the presidential race, he was hired to photograph an event with Trump, and his photography skills caught the eyes of campaign staff. Subsequently, Ho spent almost two years with Trump, working from the first day of the campaign to the last. Through his close work with the Trump campaign, Ho believes that he is well-informed about Trump’s personality and character. He believes that one of the most surprising things about Trump was that he was “very personable, and not racist”. He states, “I was very sensitive to racism and picked up on prejudice easily, as I was always surrounded with people acting nice at first but in reality extremely racist; I did not sense that in the least around Donald Trump.” This realization, along with his belief in speaking up for his perspective, led him to publish his book, Trumpography. In the end, Ho believes that it is most important to speak up on one’s beliefs, even if they are controversial.
Ho’s true lesson merits attention from all Americans, regardless of political affiliation or belief. Despite his achievements and accolades, Ho does not forget his identity but takes pride in his Chinese American heritage. He encourages Asian Americans to focus on their family and faith, rather than aimlessly chasing after accomplishments. Finally, for those on either side of the political spectrum, Ho’s message to the Asian American community remains the same: “For Asian Americans, is it our time to stand up and speak up, to no longer be silent in what we do.”
