From Refugee to Squid Game Winner with Mai Whelan
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Mai Whelan is a philanthropist, author, and the first winner of Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge, where she won the $4.56 million prize in 2023.
Mai was born in Vietnam and came to the U.S. as a refugee when she was eight years old. She served 20 years in the U.S. Navy before becoming an immigration adjudicator for the Department of Homeland Security.
After winning Squid Game: The Challenge, Mai decided to use her newfound platform to highlight non-profits through her YouTube series, “Mother Mai”, focusing on causes such as animal welfare and community support. She…
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