My wife and I recently attended a moving memorial service for Norman Mark, the journalist, author, TV anchor, film critic and wine aficionado. Norman died suddenly at the age of 72 in Palm Desert, California, his home for the past decade. I can’t really say that I knew Norman well or was a close friend of his.  He was born and raised in Chicago, and I had met him in the mid-1990s when I was Chairman of the Chicago International Film Festival. He was the MC for our Gala event in 1995, when the honoree for the evening was the actress Faye Dunaway. To say that Ms. Dunaway had been difficult, was an understatement. Changing limos and hotel suites was the tip of the iceberg, and so I was anxious about the highlight of our event and how things would turn out. I remember explaining to Norman the difficult couple of days we’d had, and expressing my concern as to how the honoring ceremony and speeches would go for that evening.  He put his hand on my shoulder clearly seeing my concern and said, “Don’t worry.  She’s just a big pain in the —.”  He then laughed, making me feel comfortable and less anxious, and of course the evening and his introduction of Ms. Dunaway went very smoothly.

Although we saw each other from time-to-time when he relocated to Palm Springs, my wife and I found ourselves seated next to Norman and his lovely wife Grace at the opening night event of the 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival, where our movie “Mulberry Child,” of which I am the executive producer, was being screened. He promised to see the film and expressed much interest in the subject matter of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and the impact even today on families that went through that trauma. As it happened, he gave the Movie a great review, and named it one of the 5 best “must-see” movies of the Festival.

My wife and I were leaving for Europe, and would not return to the Palm Springs area until April. We agreed that we would phone upon our return and make a date for dinner. What a lesson! In our daily lives we all assume, that we can make simple arrangements like dinner dates weeks or months into the future, without of course, ever giving a thought that fate might take a hand. We were shocked to hear of Norman’s sudden passing, and found ourselves with our good friend Chaz Ebert, attending his memorial service in Palm Desert, instead of arranging to have dinner together.

The memorial was held in the pretty garden of the Mark’s delightful home, and was attended by close friends and family. It was a celebration of Norman’s life, with commentary from his dearest friends and his children. I learned that Norman was first and foremost a man of humor. A person who throughout his career had endeared himself to all that had worked and socialized with him. He loved his work, and found humor in everything. He had a passion for show business from his boyhood years and following his education at Northwestern, he pursued a full and enjoyable career in TV and journalism. Speaker after speaker told stories and anecdotes, about his pranks, jokes and sense of humor. A person who always saw the glass half full, and went through life with a perpetual smile on his face. It was a wonderful sendoff from those that loved him the most. I was deeply conscious, that leaving a footprint on this Earth, based upon humor and a love of life to the full is probably the most rewarding thing we can do. Norman’s Memorial in Palm Desert was repeated in Chicago a couple of weeks later, with a large crowd of friends, former colleagues, and admirers.

My wife and I were so sorry, that we had not made it to that restaurant date, which would have led to a closer friendship with Norman and his wife Grace, two people that we and many others would have liked to have known better.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

Notre Dame

The weeklong vacation in France passed too quickly!

I’ve been to Paris four or five times before, but never visited southern France. The three of us, Mary, a close friend, my husband Francis, and I walked over to Notre Dame near our hotel the day we arrived, and checked out the Latin Quarter. Whenever we felt thirsty or tired, we sat down at a corner café to relax and gaze at all these smart-looking people passing by in the street. The cafes, or brasseries, seemed to pop up at every street corner, and each of them has a line or two of small tables in the front, with all the chairs facing one direction: toward the street. No matter what time of the day, there are plenty of people sitting these places, chatting, reading, smoking, drinking a cup of coffee. Sitting among them, drinking a bottle of water (me) and sharing a pitcher of wine (Mary and Francis), we let the relaxed feeling wash over us.

Children racing in Luxembourg Garden

The following day, we walked all over Paris—we must have covered 8 or 10 miles. The interesting part, aside from the impressive churches, old statues and buildings, the beautiful Luxembourg garden, the lively Avenue des Champs-Elysees, was the first time experience of using an iPad or iPhone to guide us when we got lost in the maze of Paris streets that spread to all directions at all angles. It felt funny to hold an iPad and watch the small dot indicating our location moving in the right direction or off the high-lighted route, but it sure gave me a sense of comfort and relief that paper map never did. With my sense of direction, even when I stood in front of a large map that showed “You are here” with a red circle, I couldn’t figure out which direction I should turn. Fearful as it was realizing the “big brother” could locate my exact spot no matter where I was on this planet, I was glad to have this modern gadget to find our way whenever we needed it.

Mary and Francis navigating Paris with a map and an iPad

Paris was chilly when we got there, but we were grateful it didn’t rain as forecasted. We spent a long time in Luxembourg Garden where tulips of various colors were still in full bloom, people were jogging or playing tennis or walking their dogs, children were playing, and at one corner, a few musicians and singers were giving a performance on a “stage”. A lovely sight every direction we turned.

Our two-day stay in Paris finished with a nice meal each day, accompanied with plenty of wine, which was cheaper than bottled water.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

Carla Harris

At the invitation of my friend Jing, I attended the women’s network conference “Power: Opening Doors for Women” at the Merchandise Mart on May 3rd. It was the 8^th Power Chicago meeting, but the first for me.

It took a while for the attendees to get their nametags and locate the room where their registered session was held on the vast space on the 15^th floor. But once settled, I found the dynamics of the speakers and their talks, at least for all the sessions I attended, powerful and inspiring.

Ginny Clarke

Four sessions went on simultaneously in the afternoon, with topics from leadership, resilience, negotiation to global career. I attended the negotiation session, hoping to get some tips in business deal negotiations. Ginny Clarke, a career consultant, focused her talk on women’s negotiation for jobs, compensations, and promotion in corporate America. A roomful of women were fully engaged and resonated with her tips. I was expecting a different type of negotiation, but found myself drawn to her talk. “Define your competencies,” she emphasized. The information and approaches she covered were quite practical and helpful. The audience gave her a hearty applause when she was done.

We rushed to Carla Harris’ keynote speaking session. I must say Carla was one of the most dynamic and inspiring speakers I had ever met. She paced on the stage as if it were her living room, her voice booming and eyes engaging. She asked the audience to use three adjectives to describe who they are, gave tips on how to change your image, and encouraged women to get an advisor, a mentor, and a sponsor in their career. She shared three of her ten “Carla pearls”, which were addressed in her book Expect to Win: 10 proven strategies for thriving in the workplace. She left the stage with a loud statement: “If you expect to win, you will.”

Merchandise Mart. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was an hourlong reception/networking after the keynote speech, which passed too quickly. I soon found myself on a trolley to Baker & McKenzie where dinner and a panel discussion titled “Women in the C-Suite” would take place. I watched five other trolleys fill up and pull away, realizing at the last moment that my friend Jing was a speaker at a different dinner! I had no idea about the format and agenda in advance.

The new Baker & McKenzie’s offices on the higher levels of the Blue Cross Blue Shield building were spectacular. Regine Corrado and Sarah Harris, hostesses from the law firm, were both gracious and smart. There were more than 30 women in our group. We introduced ourselves and chatted over dinner at four large tables. When dinner was over, we listened to three top women executives, Julie Howard, CEO of Navigant, Michele Colemand Mayes, Executive VP and General Counsel, Allstate Insurance, and Ann Ziegler, Senior VP and Financial Officer, talk about their experiences—steps/risks they took, and advices they had for other women. It was a wonderful session, well orchestrated by Regine and Sarah. The top executives were down to earth, eloquent, straightforward in addressing all the questions from the audience.

I walked away at 9 p.m., feeling empowered and inspired. Thank you, Jing and a big thank you to all who organized and supported the networking event.

Learn more about Power Chicago at http://www.womensnetworkingcommunity.org/chicago.html

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

Lisa and I share a moment with Yiyun Li at the reception for her at HWLC

Chicago Public Library‘s One Book, One Chicago (OBOC) program this spring has selected Chinese author Yiyun Li’s Gold Boy, Emerald Girl, a collection of short stories. Li came to Chicago to conduct a “conversation” with Achy Obejas, a Chicago author, to discuss about her book and meet with readers in the city at the Harold Washington Library Center on Thursday, April 19.

Since its inception in 2001, OBOC has featured 21 authors, including Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice), Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird), and Saul Below (The Adventures of Augie March).

Li is the first Chinese author being featured in the OBOC program.

“It’s a great honor,” Li said in our conversation.

I asked her about her experience of writing in English, Li said writing was all about telling stories, no matter in what language. “I started writing in English. In a way, English is my first language in writing,” she said.

Born in 1972 in Beijing, Li moved to the U.S. 1996. She graduated from the famed Iowa Writers’ workshop with M.F.A. in 2005 and has published many short stories in major magazines in the West. She has received numerous awards, including the Guardian First Book Award, the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. In 2010, Li was named by The New Yorker as one of the top 20 writers under 40.

A bus shelter ad for One Book One Chicago on Michigan Ave.

“Li’s book is one of the more contemporary stories set in modern China,” Susan Huizinga, a friend in my book reading group commented. “What struck me most in her stories is the sadness as a common thread. Listening to her talking tonight helped me understand better,” she continued.

Annie Tully, director of Chicago Public Library’s OBOC program said the selection of Li’s book was appealing to Chicago readers. “Everyone wants to know more about China right now…. More people are drawn to it because it’s a Chinese author and the stories are set in China.”

OBOC runs twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. This spring’s program will continue to the end of April. In addition to Li’s book, the program has also included film screening, performances, lectures, and discussions throughout the city. It’s one of Chicago’s major cultural events. There is still a few days and programs left before the end of the month. Read the book and check out the programs!

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset.

The new exhibition “My Chinatown: Stories From Within” features the life stories of many Chinese in Chicago. The preview reception and celebration held at the museum last night drew a large crowd of community leaders and supporters, including Soo Lon Moy, Exhibition Committee Chair; Kim Tee, President of the Museum; Gary Johnson, President of the Chicago History Museum; and Terry Mazany, President of the Chicago Community Trust.

The joy and excitement of Moy and Tee were contagious. The new museum and new exhibition are the result of years of hard work and dedication.

“We re-did everything in the building,” Tee said with pride.

Mazany joked about Chicago’s history of getting “something good from devastating fires”, comparing the rebirth of this beautiful city from the fire in 1871 to the nicer Museum we have today.

In addition to My Chinatown, other exhibitions include “Great Wall to Great Lakes: Chinese Immigration to the Midwest” and “MAPPING”–An exhibit of works by students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago that explore Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood and its importance within the Chinese and Chicagoland communities.

Visit the Museum if you are in the vicinity. It is located at 238 West 23rd Street, 
Chicago, IL 60616. Phone: 312-949-1000. Check out more information at http://www.ccamuseum.org/index.php/en/home

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary movie.

Having spent a few days in New York with my wife recently, which unusually was for pleasure purposes and not one of the many business trips that I’ve made over the years, I was able to observe Manhattan from a new perspective.  New York is undoubtedly a unique city.   The frantic pace and excitement pervades every corner of the City.  The elegant shops, hotels, offices and theaters crammed onto the rock that is Manhattan, gives the impression of one area after another overflowing into the next. 

The Broadway Theaters are some of the best in the world, as are the many museums and art galleries.  The Symphony Orchestra, Opera and Ballet are all represented in magnificent buildings, and sight-seeing opportunities abound from the Statue of Liberty, to Ellis Island, to the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center. 

It is at once exhilarating and exhausting.  However the City clearly has many outdoor attributes.  Central Park – described as the lungs of New York – is truly one of the greatest parks in the world.  Its weaving paths and roads, soaring rock formations, cafés and of course the zoo provides something for everyone.  The joggers, walkers and cyclists, particularly on a Sunday, flood the Park, keeping up the frantic pace that is New York City.  It is only the tourists’ carriages with their boldly-dressed drivers and the clip clop of the slow-moving horses that brings the pace of the City down to earth.  On the sidewalks, the populace aggressively rushes up and down the street. Open air cafés abound and there’s every type of food you can possibly think of.  Every ethnic background and nationality is represented in New York, and it clearly shows in its restaurants.

One of the things I find fascinating however is the thought of the children growing up in the elegant streets of Manhattan.  Very expensive private schools find themselves squeezed between elegant homes and corporate offices.  You see beautifully dressed children with their Tod’s Shoes and Polo outfits, walking home with their nannies or being pushed frantically at an alarming pace in strollers by their super-fit, glittering white-smiling mothers.  Where else in the world do children come home from school through such clutter and clatter?  It’s an amazing sight.

New York however is a hassle as well.  The traffic congestion is impossible.  You never know how long it’s going to take to go from one place to the other.  You’re either 20 minutes early, or 20 minutes late.  I don’t think there is another city in the world which has so many limos.  They’re lined up, doubled-parked outside of every hotel, restaurant and office building.  Their customers include business tycoons, celebrities and tourists from every corner of the world.  Limo or no, they’re still going to get stuck in the traffic!

For me a few days in New York is exhilarating, exciting and quite enough.  I’m always quite happy to come home to the relative calm and hassle-free Chicago.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

My wife and I have just returned from a fun few days in New York.  We were invited to the Opening Night of End of the Rainbow at the Belasco Theater on Broadway.  End of the Rainbow is a play with music set in 1968 in a London hotel suite and a nightclub, where a shaky Judy Garland has arrived for yet another of her fabled comeback engagements.  Within a few months of that visit, she had passed away at the age of 47 from an overdose of drugs.

This harrowing story is interspersed with an incredible performance by the English Actress Tracie Bennett who won the Olivier Award in London where End of the Rainbow was a smash hit.  Her intense and electrifying interpretation of Judy Garland left us feeling exhausted, but my hair was standing on end as I watched Tracie Bennett turn into Garland in every possible way.  This petite English actress looked the part, sounded the part and had the Judy Garland movements to a tee.  This was a sensational performance which left the audience exhilarated and giving a standing ovation that lasted for minutes.

Ben Brantley of The New York Times said that Tracie Bennett gave one of the most complete portraits of an artist that he had ever seen and went on to say, “Touch this woman at your own risk – she burns.”

You can imagine the excitement and tension in the air at the end of this performance.  It was our first “first night,” and the black-tie red carpet event at the theatre was exciting and exhilarating as we were conscious that we were witnessing a unique moment in the theatre which would surely garner a Tony Award for the delightful Ms. Bennett.

However the evening wasn’t over.  We were also invited to the after-show party at the Plaza Hotel.  Drinks and abundant food added to the buzz when Tracie Bennett and the rest of the cast arrived. 

The Director and Producers were on edge, awaiting the reviews.  The old days of waiting for the newspapers to “hit the sidewalk” no longer apply, in this age of iPhones and iPads.  Within an hour or so of the closing, the word rippled through the crowd that The New York Times and others had given outstanding reviews to the show.  The champagne was flowing, hugs and celebrations were in the air. 

 We didn’t leave the party until after midnight, but End of the Rainbow and our Opening Night experiences were something never to be forgotten.

Ellis M. Goodman, author of Bear Any Burden: www.bearanyburden.com

Sold Out Screening at the Gene Siskel Film Center

Mulberry Child finished its second run at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago last Thursday, with 11 screenings over a period of one week. Most of the shows were sold out, and each of the Q & A sessions lasted 45 minutes or more. I was and still am very touched and honored.

I was pleased to see some friends and friends’ friends come to the screenings; and more Asians, including many Chinese, in the audience this time. I was thrilled, like I was at the first round of screenings, that the audiences connected with the themes of Mulberry Child from various levels regardless of their backgrounds. When I saw several friends/viewers who had watched the film in January came back again, this time with their friends and family members, I was moved beyond words. Many members of

Jian Ping talking with audience after screening

book clubs, Women of the World, and the Asian Group of IWA that I had met and given talks to before also came to the screenings, some coming as far as Crystal Lake, more than 50 miles away!

Meanwhile, Nina Metz’ at the Chicago Tribune released a coverage on Mulberry Child the day the film opened its screening. The half-page write up was accompanied with a large photo of my daughter, Lisa, and me and gave a very good idea of what the film is about.

Many heartfelt thanks to you all for your interest and support!

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China, which has been developed into a feature-length documentary film by Susan Morgan Cooper and is narrated by Jacqueline Bisset. The film just finished its second run for a week at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago.

Mildred and Richard Loving (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not all that long ago, in 1958, Virginia authorities arrested Mildred and Richard Loving and banished them from the state. Their crime: she was black; he was white. “Almighty God,” the judge said, “created races white, black, yellow, malay, and red, and he placed them on separate continents….The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.”

The first law preventing marriage between races was established in 1664 by the Maryland colony, which was concerned about the number of white servant women marrying slave men. Would their offspring be slave or free? Over time forty states banned some form of interracial marriage. Lower courts upheld these antimiscegenation decrees on grounds that making laws about marriage is a prerogative of the state; natural law dictates that the races not intermarry; non-whites are physically and mentally inferior; and marriage between people of different races threatens the order and peace of the community.

Not until 1967, in Loving v. Virginia, did the Supreme Court strike down (unanimously) these statutes. “The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men,” the court opinion stated.

Today few Americans oppose interracial marriage on the basis of God’s disapproval. Did we decide that God is more tolerant than we thought? Or did we misunderstand God’s intent?

Now the target is gays and lesbians. Scriptures against homosexuality are not as clear as many claim. I’ll let theologians argue that point and hope they cite other scriptures, such as ones saying we are to stone rebellious sons to death (Deut. 21:18-21).

For those of us who are straight, our lives daily intersect with gay women and men. They are our sons, our daughters, our colleagues, our neighbors, our friends. We know them to be active citizens, hard workers, conscientious parents, devout Christians. Many in long-term loving relationships want not just the legitimacy of their relationship to be recognized by the state but also the same legal protections heterosexuals take for granted. These include property rights, inheritance, insurance coverage, parenting rights, and life and death decisions.

It is time to grant our fellow citizens full legal rights. Including the right to marry.

Nancy Werking Poling is author of Had Eve Come First and Jonah Been a Woman. Currently she is seeking a publisher for Before it was Legal: a black-white marriage, 1945-1986.

Live interview with Katy Hogan and Michael James

A last minute request for an interview with Katy Hogan and Michael James at WLUW, 88.7 FM brought me to the live program at Heartland Cafe early yesterday morning. Most of the tables at the Café were taken by diners when I arrived. Lisa Smith, producer of the program, was busy solving some technical problems before the one-hour program went live.

The setting was casual, and the sound of conversations among the diners, accelerated by the noises made by small children, made the place full of life.

“How can you get all the side ‘sound track‘ out?” I asked. I have done many radio interviews about my book and the film based on my book. But I had never been in a place that the surrounding sound appeared louder than what came out on a stage when interviews would be conducted.

“No problem,” Michael said. “We use sound filters.”

I watched diners eat or chat when the first person talking about local elections was being interviewed. I was a little concerned when my turn was up.

The Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago. Taken by Douglas Kaye, 2005. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since it was a “last minute request,” Katy and Michael had not had any time looking into the film, which, in a way, served well in giving me a chance to give a brief introduction about the film and the book Mulberry Child. The interview felt like a chat, and we went on to cover the upcoming screenings of Mulberry Child at the Gene Siskel Film Center from March 30 to April 5. I was proud to announce the partnership of the Film Center with the upcoming Chicago Public Library‘s One Book, One Chicago program in showcasing the film. Toward the end, Michael even brought up the film website.

“www.mulberrychildmovie.com, ” Michael repeated after me, so listeners could take it down and check out all the information on the film.

Lisa Smith was motioning to us that our time was running out. We brought the conversation to an end. I was surprised to hear the loud applause from the diners. I turned to look at the room and was touched to see so many people were clapping their hands while looking at us. I was worried no one was going to pay much attention when I walked on to the stage.

I passed a few postcards of the film to the people sitting in the front. I said goodbye to Lisa Smith before the finish of the program, as I had to rush to an 11 a.m. appointment.

A woman with a small child in her arms stopped me at the door.

“Thank you for sharing your story,” she said. “Could I have a postcard?” she asked. “I’d like to share it with my friends.”

I walked away, feeling glad I had come to the interview.