Chronicler of immigrant journeys
Genny Lim, who was recently named San Francisco's first Chinese American poet laureate, tells Mariella Radaelli that she will continue to uphold the legacy of her Guangdong-born parents and champion the cause of fellow Chinese American artists.
Guiding light
As a child, Lim was more into singing and dancing rather than poetry. She remembers listening to her mother singing or chanting spells. For example, the mending of a hole in a dress was accompanied by Lim's mother chanting a spell "to prevent negative spirits from entering the hole". When Lim had nightmares, her mother would sing another spell in her ear. "I grew up with all these protective chants and beliefs in their potency. It was very powerful."
"It's a celebration of our identity and a call to remember our roots as Lim's words dive deep into our experiences, connecting generations through the Hoisanwa dialect and the immigrant journey," says fellow poet Yang Jing Jing. "The Chinese American community looks to Genny Lim as a guiding light, knowing she will continue to amplify our voices and bring our shared histories to the forefront."
