Sherry Chen's Letter to Supporters
September 2015
Dear Friends,
I grew up in Beijing, China with a very loving family consisting of my parents and three brothers. I knew how hard it was for my parents to raise four kids and work at the same time. In order not to have my parents and brothers worry about the only girl in the family, I was well behaved. I helped my parents doing chores and got good grades from schools and then went to Tsinghua University. After I came to the United States and started working in the water resources field for US government agencies as a good worker year after year for over two decades. I have been working with dedication and faith for my agencies and the country. However, on October 20, 2014, my life was flipped upside-down after I was indicted for four counts of felony charges. I faced a penalty of life in prison and a fine of $1 million for something I didn’t do. To fight for life, my brothers had to put everything down to find ways to borrow money for my legal fees while at the same time making sure not to let my mom know. We knew she just could not bear this. One week prior to trial, after a comprehensive presentation by my counsel, government prosecutors finally realized that there was no evidence to support the charges against me, and dropped the case. I thought the nightmare was over after five long months of the darkest days in my life, and I was hoping to put the tragedy behind me and move on with my life. However, despite being cleared of all charges, the Department of Commerce -- the agency I work for -- terminate my employment based on the same conduct that I was originally alleged for. I have no choice but to save my job and my life once again. However, I am heavily burdened from the loss of income and the legal fees defending my previous case. Now I have to raise a legal defense fund for my current case. I sincerely ask for your help so that I could have my legal counsel represent me in order to respond to the situation. I decided to do this not just for myself, but also for every American citizens and our future generations to live in a fair, equal society without discrimination so that people can lead a happy life on this beautiful land. Many people know that I like Christmas very much, especially Christmas lights. Every year, I would go to places to see colorful Christmas lights -- red, green, yellow and other sparkling lights. They seem like brilliant gemstone inlaid with night, forming a colorful, wonderful, and dream-like world. However, it was not the same for the 2014 holiday season. I was under arrest. Just three days before Thanksgiving, the National Weather Service suspended my pay, the only income we had. On that Christmas night, my husband and I walked on a silent road in our neighborhood. It seemed so cold and so dark even though the colorful lights were still frequently flashing in the dark night. I knew I did not commit any crime and had done nothing wrong. Over the 20 years, I've been working so hard and have given my best to the American people and this country. I didn’t understand why my government treated me like this. I was shaking and couldn’t control my tears. I didn’t know if this might be my last time to see the Christmas lights. I was so sad and felt so lonely and chilly with winds blowing at me from all directions. . . Since the New York Time reported my story in May 2015, I have received tremendous support and donations from many Chinese American organizations and our community people all over the country. Your support has encouraged me and kept my spirit high during my fight for justice. On behalf of my family, I like to thank each and every one of you for your care and support. I don’t feel alone anymore. Thank you so much. |
亲爱的朋友:
我从小在中国北京的一个温暖的家庭长大,有我和我的父母及三个兄弟。我知道,我的父母一边工作一边养育我们4个孩子非常辛苦。为了不让我的父母和兄弟担心,做为家里唯一的女孩,我很乖。我不仅帮父母做家务,还在学校取得了良好的学习成绩,并经过自己的努力考进了清华大学。来美国后,我在水资源领域,为美国政府机构辛勤工作了超过20年,并且因工作出色年年收到领导的好评。 我一直在尽心尽力地和忠实地为我们的机构和国家努力地工作。然而,2014年10月20日,一声晴天霹雳,我平静的生活被彻底摧毁了。政府向我提出了四项重罪指控。我面临终身监禁,和罚款$100万美元的惩罚。虽然我什么都没做错。为了争取生存,我的弟兄们不得不想尽一切办法借钱为我筹备律师费,并且在此期间,想尽一切办法一定保证不让我母亲知道。我们都清楚地知道,她人已高龄,根本无法承受失女之痛。 就在开庭的前的一个星期,经过我的律师们的全面讲解,辩护。政府检察官终于意识到,没有证据能支持这些对我的指控。并且最后终于做出了撤诉的决定。我以为,经过在我一生中最黑暗的五个月后,噩梦终于已经结束。我希望把悲剧抛在身后,重新开始我的生活。然而,尽管清除了所有对我的指控。商务部,我工作单位的上级机构,还是要基于起诉我时的同样的理由解除我的公职。我别无选择,只能再次为拯救我的工作和我的生活而奋争。然而,由于前一个案子的巨额消耗,和停发工资的损失,耗尽了我全部的存款,和借款能力。我真诚地请求你们的帮助,这样我才可以请我的律师来代表我,以挽救我的工作. 我这决定,不只是为了我,也为了每一个美国公民和我们的下一代,将来都能在一个正义的,公平的,没有歧视的,美好的国土上幸福地生活。 很多人都知道我非常喜欢圣诞节,尤其是圣诞夜的彩灯。每到圣诞夜我都要去看那五彩缤纷的彩灯。那红的,绿的,黄的亮闪闪的绚丽的彩灯。像灿烂的宝石镶嵌在蓝蓝的夜幕上,组成了一个缤纷的,美好的,像梦一般的世界。家家都团聚在一起,围坐在壁炉旁,是那样的美好,那样的温馨 ... 然而,2014年的圣诞节是这样的不同。我被捕了。而且就在感恩节的前三天,国家气象局停发了我的工资,无情的切断了我的生活来源。在那个圣诞夜,即使暗淡的灯光仍然闪动在漆黑的夜晚。我和我的丈夫一起走在那无声的夜路上。周围是那样的黑,天气是那样的冷。我知道我没有犯任何罪,也没有任何错。在这20多年里,我一直在辛勤地工作,为美国人民和这个国家做贡献。我感觉全身都在颤抖。想到这也许是我最后一次看圣诞节的彩灯了,泪水充满了我的眼眶。我的内心是那样的委屈,那样的孤独,寒风从四面八方袭向我,我感到刺骨的寒冷。 但是自从纽约时报于2015 五月报道了我的故事以后, 我得到了来自全国各地华人组织和个人同情,鼓励,和捐款。 你们的努力让我感到无比温暖。 我代表我的家人衷心地感谢你们每一个人! 你们的每一份捐助对我都如同圣诞夜空中闪烁的彩灯. 有了你们的帮助, 我不再孤独。 谢谢大家。 |