"You are the lotus flower unfurling -
triumphant and bright - in the darkest
water. You are the first bamboo stalk,
piercing the soil, that will overtake
the sky.
Your voice is the call of the magpie,
joyful and unapologetic."
In celebrarion of Asian Awareness month, today I share another triumph of Chinese identity. Eva Chen writes the text as a letter from two loving parents to their daughter. They tell her that her name Mei translates as beautiful, like their new country Mei Guo - America. They ask her what she sees when she looks in a mirror, and let her know what they see as well. They talk about her warm eyes, her black hair, her golden skin.
"You carry a golden flame... and it’s always with you.”
Their move to New York City from China has been made easier because of their Mei. They see a new path for her in the future. While they cannot protect her from all disappointments and hurts, they allow that being different can be a powerful thing. They are honest with her when they speak of the racism and hate she will face, and assure her that she has everything she needs to find her way in the world.
"It’s a strange world we live in—people will call you different with one breath and then say that we all look the same with the next angry breath.”
Their belief in and love for their daughter is evident in every word they speak. Most words are so lovely and uplifting that I just want to keep adding quotes. Then, there would be no need for you to check it out at the library, or to buy it for your school library or classroom.
Perfectly matching the text's rich imagery are Sophie Diao's lustrous digital images of family love, new experiences, Chinese history, mythology, and culture. Powerful and stunning, it's a first collaboration for this team. One can only hope that there will be another.
In the backmatter, Chen and Diao relay their own family stories of immigration, accompanied by family photos.
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