Smeared Type

by Nancy Werking Poling

author of OUT OF THE PUMPKIN SHELL

I’m only 58 pages into Half the Sky (Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Knopf). Even though it’s only January I’m convinced this is the most important book I’ll read this year.

Its theme relates to my last entry on the Comfort Women survivors of Korea. The authors explore the oppression of women and girls in developing nations, “focusing on three particular abuses: sex trafficking and forced prostitution, gender-based violence…and maternal mortality.” We read of the abuses, then of how women are resisting, and finally of how those of us in developed countries can support their efforts.

Time to make a cup of coffee and return to my reading.

Jian Ping (2nd right) with IWA Members, photo taken by Susan Hanes

  It was in late 2008 when I first received an e-mail from Kuri Shea, Chair of the Asian Culture Group of the International Women Associates (IWA), an organization founded 31 years ago for women who were either born in foreign countries or worked abroad or did (doing) international business. A mutual friend mentioned my book Mulberry Child to Kuri and she invited me to talk the Asian Culture Group. We’ve maintained contact since then, and today, March 24, was the date we selected for the talk. I took the day off from work and was eager to meet Kuri and her group.   

Heather hosted the meeting at her residency, a spacious, high-ceilinged apartment on the 1^st floor of a well maintained building at Hyde Park. Kuri had informed me that Heather came from Britain and was very interested in Asian cultures. I thought I was early, but was pleasantly surprised to see more than a dozen women in the room as I walked through the door. More, trays of fruits and pastries had covered the counters in the kitchen. The setting was warm and cozy.

Kuri, a Japanese descent, and I shook hands. Her brilliant smile and friendly remark made me feel I was meeting an old friend. Kuri wasted no time to introduce me to Marilyn Clancy, President of IWA, Heather, our hostess, Juling from Taiwan, and a number of others. As I greeted each of them, I realized the majority of the women present were not Asians, but Westerners who were interested in Asian cultures. Interestingly, half a dozen of them were wearing the wide-sleeve, elegant kimonos and they looked natural and beautiful in them. 

Nearly everyone raised her hand when I asked if they had heard of the Cultural Revolution. Seeing this, I optioned to focus on my family experiences during this chaotic era and skipped the introduction on recent Chinese history. Soon I found myself in deep discussions with them about the metaphor of mulberry trees and the resilience of people, the physical abuse rampant during the Cultural Revolution, and the changes taking place in China today. An hour and a half quickly flew by.

We continued to chat after the group session and I was pleased to hear they found my talk informative.

“I hope my accent didn’t hinder you from understanding me,” I said, conscious of my soft voice and Chinese accent.

“Not at all,” one woman said firmly. “You are clear and eloquent,” she moved closer. “You should always keep a touch of that accent. It has character,” she continued.

In the end, Marilyn presented me with book on Chicago titled Our Chicago. She wrote the text for the book. “Thank you for sharing your story with us,” she said. “Please share Chicago with your family next time you visit China.”  

I didn’t know the background of each of the women present, but I felt their genuine interest and open-mindedness—they certainly lived up to the name of their organization.  

With the click of a camera, we registered our shared moment and connection in a frame.  

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com

Last Sunday, I attended the round table talk on diversity organized by the Center of Asian Arts and Media. Nancy Tom, Executive Director of the Center and a close friend, invited me to the event. Nancy, as always, dressed elegantly and greeted everyone going through the door with a warm smile and friendly handshake. Petite but full energy and enthusiasm, Nancy wasted no time in introducing me to the people around her. Lily Zhang, from the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago, Yuchia, Director of the Center of Asian Arts and Media, Erikka, partner of Akira clothing store… Nancy was proud to bring a group of people together.

We soon sat around a circle at the studio of Earnest, a city planner and chatted. As we munched on cheese, fruits and nuts and sipped wine, we covered many areas on diversity—from Nancy’s experience of being openly discriminated as a Chinese growing up in the US, to Erikka’s success as a young, successful entrepreneur in clothing business, to Lily serving as a bridge between the West and East, and Peter, a professor at the Audio Arts and Acoustic at Columbia College, teaching students in Acoustics, we shared our stories and learned about the importance of persistence and reaching out.

We were a group of diversified people, from ABC (American Born Chinese), to FOB (fresh off the boat, or rather first generation Chinese immigrants), to Hispanic descendent and Eastern European origin, we marveled at the melting pot that brought us together and talked about the opportunities and challenges we face today. It was wonderful to learn the stories of persistence by new immigrants and the importance of us playing an active role in improving the presence and equalities of Asians and other minorities in this country we now all call home.

Nancy Tom eventually turned to me to talk about my perspective. As always, she gave me a big plug by introducing Mulberry Child, my latest book. I talked about reaching out to others in corporate America, playing an active role in enhancing the communication and understanding between the West and East… By the end of the two-hour meeting, I was full of pride and elation. I know we are lucky to live in an era when various voices are heard and faces accepted.

Jian Ping, author of Mulberry Child: A Memoir of China. www.mulberrychild.com