This January, Karen’s article about community-based public-private partnerships (CBP3) in stormwater management is published. She interviewed a number of sustainability professionals among her peers at Virginia Tech and former stakeholders of a class project about CBP3 approach. This is a reportage filled with information about how to build climate resilience in communities. Check it out (click here) in the school’s online newsletter.
Published!
It is the one-year anniversary for Karen to celebrate her second Master’s degree in natural resources and global sustainability. In November, she attended the first virtual alumni event in her alma mater, Virginia Tech. She was the writer of the event. And her write-up is just off the press. Check it out (click here) in the school’s online newsletter.
Published!
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought Wi-Fi communities together. By coincidence, Karen attended a virtual webinar in 2020 in which former President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, was the keynote speaker. His down-to-earth climate leadership impressed Karen and he even answered Karen’s question about climate adaptation strategies for his beloved country. Karen decided to give voice to those who cannot access the World Wide Web like the residents in Kiribati, a Pacific island nation. She conducted an in-depth research project about effects of climate change on Kiribati. Click here for the four-episode close-up profile. This April, one of the essays titled “The Migraine of Migration” reappears in Virginia Tech’s online magazine. With greater and longer impact, global warming is a threat akin to a pandemic to human existence.
Published!
This March, Karen’s environmental essay “Vertical Forest City” reappears in Virginia Tech’s online magazine. The essay explores China’s ambition to promote environmentally sustainable urbanization. Green infrastructure means better living through nature-based solutions. The original piece was published last October in her op-ed column “Karen in America.” Happy reading!
Congratulations! Class of 2020
This December, Karen was graduated from Virginia Tech, earning her second Master’s degree in natural resources and global sustainability. In the Year of Pandemic, VT held its online commencement here. Nikki Giovanni, American poet and notable Hokie, gave her inspirational presentation of her poem “Graduation Poem.” Click here for the Transcript of the commencement.
Graduation Poem
By Nikki Giovanni
I join—in gentle sadness and silent tears the pride of the class
of Twenty Twenty in accepting their duty
I join—the unheard steps across the stage
And the shouts when that diploma is put in their hands
I join—the bravery of the class of Twenty Twenty in understanding:
some gave their health; some gave their lives; some gave their possibility
of kindness because of the selfishness of others
I join—the understanding of forgiveness
I join—my students in writing about their first kiss and
I join—them in the heartbreak when he is gone
I join—the laughter after a winning football game
And the pouts when UVA finally almost evened the score
I join—our parents who struggled to make this day a possibility that is not possible that will always be possible because The Hokie Nation is the possibility
I join—us all in the struggle to be a better nation through the betterment of ourselves
I join—those who hope our campus will find room for a monument to celebrate these youngsters. Most of our monuments honor those who cannot know how we praise them.
I join—those who praise the living
I join—all of the Hokie family who welcome the newest Hokie members
Who one day will bring their grandchildren to show “See? I was a different soldier in a different war.”
I join—the pride we take in the Hokie family
The Class of Twenty Twenty has been gracious and brave
I join—all of us all over the globe who applaud their sacrifice
I join—the sun shining for your warmth and the rain for quenching your thirst
Spring will come and winter will be embraced
I join—all people of goodwill wishing you congratulations
A Thinker’s Discovery
The year of 2020 is coming to an end, and yet we are still feeling so unprepared, uncertain, and vulnerable. In her way of sharing her magical thinking during this unprecedented period of the Anthropocene, Karen presented her first ever DIY video–from script to presentation and from production to promotion all done by her. Full script in the form of a prose poem is available following the video. If you like it, don’t forget to give a “LIKE” on the website.
A Thinker’s Discovery
by Karen Zhang
Hi! I hope you don’t mind my recycling of my own writing
as we’re promoting zero waste.
During this process of giving what I deem as waste a second lifetime,
I also discover something that is lesser known and unknown.
I discover my interest in environmental history is no less than
my passion for language and travel.
I discover a new dimension of being a translator is more than
linguistic transfer.
I can build bridges between professional silos and a wider audience.
I discover sustainable development enables me to
travel through time into the future,
reshaping my thoughts about the world of science fiction, where
I could experiment with ideas on urban rewilding or climate adaptation.
I discover in the year of 2020 I am living in mindfulness, witnessing
crises unfolding one after another.
I discover being a virtual tourist with mindfulness
cannot replace a real life experience, but
it does empower me to think more sharply with empathy.
Yes, I discover I am a thinker.
A serious thinker,
A sentimental thinker,
A systems thinker.
Cogito ergo sum—I think, therefore I am.
If action speaks louder than words, then
thinking determines our action.
So, my fellow classmates,
if you outspent your timebudget like I did for
our cohort assignments in the past months,
you’re a thinker, too.
I cannot say a thinker will lead to a leadership role, but
a good leader is a prudent thinker.
Writing is a solitary activity. So is thinking.
Reflection is part of my thinking and learning.
I’ve indulged myself into my own reflection,
letting my mind roam free, and
rekindle my curiosity about the past, present and
future of the Anthropocene.
The social distancing and lockdowns in 2020 have given me
a rare opportunity to observe and
be part of humanity’s craving for connectivity.
Connectivity is what our business-as-usual world yearns,
but not every global citizen is able to connect and be connected.
I’m thankful that I am connected with those disconnected virtually,
I’m thankful that I get to know many teachers this year,
both from the cohort fellows and faculty, and
from the World Wide Web. My heartfelt thanks to all of you!
You and Rodin’s the Thinker have inspired me to think
before I speak, before I write, and before I act:
How can I translate sustainability ideas into action?
And why now?
Thank you!
World Tour South Africa Presentation
This fall, Karen collaborated with a team of sustainability professionals to produce a multimedia presentation about South Africa. If you like it, don’t forget to give a “LIKE” on the website.
Published!
It’s online now! Karen’s personal essay “Retrace Our Path in Yellowstone” appears in the Spring 2020 issue of Flyway, a prominent American literary journal of writing and environment. The essay was published on June 15 to mark the second anniversary of the shared memory of Karen and her late father. What a significant date!
If you like the essay, don’t forget to click the heart under the title on the journal’s web page.
Book Signing
When: 1PM–3PM, 12 JAN 2020
Where: Barnes & Noble Booksellers @ Westgate Plaza Store, Manassas VA
Karen Zhang met her potential readers in the new year of 2020 at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Manassas VA on Sunday, January 12. As you see in above photos, she reached out to almost all the customers from her table right by the front door of the store. One Barnes & Noble sign next to her table urged customers to meet Karen. The store also broadcast an announcement of her presence over the store’s public address system. Karen set up a second sign about the Chinese New Year of the Rat which begins on January 25. In front of the sign was a plate of new year candies wrapped in gold and crimson foil, all free for the taking, as many customers did.
During Karen Zhang’s two-hour stint promoting her memoir, Golden Orchid—The True Story of An Only Child in Contemporary China, a few customers were interested in China’s abolished one-child policy and the rapid development taken place in her native country.
One of the early buyers was a woman who had been to Guangzhou, Karen’s hometown, in 1994 making final arrangements at the U.S. consulate there to adopt two Chinese girl babies. She shared her adoption experience with Karen. Both girls are now in college in the U.S., she said. She plans to take one of them back to China on a tour in May. Karen also shared her views about adoption in China which was a seed in her current book-length writing project.
A couple came to the table to share their knowledge about religious repression in China. An Indian customer compared China’s one-child policy with the family planning program in India. Both are neighboring countries with one of the largest population in the world. Topics ranging from China’s health care system and welfare safety net to urbanization and environmental issues were all touched upon during Karen’s introduction of her memoir.
An African American woman who claimed herself an author came to the table and advised Karen to put up a sign front and center on the table, the sign should “grab customers’ attention as soon as they enter the store,” she said. Her remark got Karen thinking and come up with one idea—How China Impacts You—which actually sounds like the title of a useful book about China’s influence.
Indeed, China is influencing the world but the voice from inside is yet to be amplified in English-language literature. Karen’s memoir, Golden Orchid—The True Story of An Only Child in Contemporary China, gives you a peek in an ordinary Cantonese-speaking Chinese family from Guangzhou, which is uniquely different from the Beijing-dominated narrative about China.
The author would like to express thanks to Winnie Delle and Arnold Zeitlin for above photos.
Happy Holidays 2019
Thank you for your support throughout the year. Wishing you–
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
If you can’t wait to see my DIY holiday video, please click here.
I’m crafting my debut novel. Your support for Golden Orchid will help me financially during these creative months. (Where to find my book? Click here and scroll down for booksellers.) While doing research for my novel, I have learned that there are not many English books written by a Cantonese native like me. I wrote my memoir for the cancer support community. So if you can recommend my book to a wider audience, more people will join the fight against cancer in the Year of the Rat in 2020. Happy reading!
Local Author Event
When: 1pm-3pm, 12 Oct 2019
Where: Centreville Public Library, Fairfax County, VA
Combating her jet leg from the month-long adventure in China and New Zealand, Karen participates in the local author event at Centreville Public Library on Saturday afternoon (Oct 12)–two days after her return to the United States. Visitors to her table ask these questions:
——-What is your book about?
——-Did you grow up in China and come to America in your adulthood?
——-Is the One-Child Policy still in force? When did it end?
——-Is international adoption part of the One-Child Policy?
——-When did your story happen? Where is Guangzhou?
——-What is your next writing project?
If you are interested in Karen’s book “Golden Orchid,” you can find it through these booksellers (click here). Her book is also in the collection of Fairfax County Public Library.
If you purchase Karen’s book, you’re not only supporting an emerging writer, but also supporting our reading community. You may share your copy with your family and friends, or donate your copy to your library. We need our public library to grow. Our library needs our support, too.
If you have questions and want to know more about Karen’s writing, feel free to leave a message here. And stay tuned for Karen’s column “Karen in America” and her updates. Thank you for your support!
TV Appearance
When: 8PM, Thursday, September 12
Where: Comcast Channel 69 and Verizon Channel 38 in Arlington, VA
On the Web: the website of The Bookman’s Corner and on Youtube.
(Don’t forget to give your LIKE on Youtube. Spread the word. Thank you!)
Rerun schedule:
9:30AM, Tuesday, September 17, 24, October 1, 8
8PM, Thursday, September 19, 26, October 3
on Comcast Channel 69 and Verizon Channel 38 in Arlington, VA
Karen Zhang is the guest author at The Bookman’s Corner TV program this September. She has a genuine one-on-one conversation with the program host Lois Lindstrom about her book Golden Orchid and her upbringing as an example of China’s one-child generation.
Stay tuned!
Author Talk
When: 7pm, 1 JUL 2019
Where: Corinth Free Library, 89 Main St, Corinth NY 12822
On Monday night (July 1), Karen delivered a smash hit at the discussion of her memoir, Golden Orchid—The True Story of An Only Child in Contemporary China, at the public library in Corinth, New York. She had the full-house audience chuckling as she read a portion from her memoir about the first foreigner to be a guest at her apartment home in Guangzhou, China (pg. 123). That guest was Frank Clark, whose hometown is Corinth and he was in the library audience. Frank was a well-known math teacher in the local high school and Skidmore College in nearby Saratoga Springs over a 42-year period.
As Karen wrote, her mom had prepared a sumptuous meal–fried wonton, sweet tomato with eggs, steamed fish and white-cut poached chicken. Frank ate and drank sparingly. He had discovered the apartment was equipped only with a squat toilet. Foreigners were not trained to squat, Karen was advised.
The laughs were a high point in the hour-long discussion, during which she read portions about China’s one-child policy and about the migrant workers who crowded Guangzhou’s huge railway terminal on their way home for the Chinese New Year holiday.
More than half of the event was devoted to audience questions, mostly about the one-child policy and China today, such as–
—–What happens if a woman gives birth to twins?
—–From when to when was the one-child policy enforced?
—–Do you still keep in touch with your childhood friends who are only children?
—–If a family knew a second child to be born, did they pay a fine beforehand or after the child was born?
—–Why did the Chinese government end one-child policy?
—–Does China have social security?
—–Do rural Chinese receive pension and healthcare benefits?
and so many more. . .
The event coincided with the appearance online of Karen’s new website: karenszhang.com
Librarian Becky Fasulo and her assistant Michael gave Karen tremendous support during the event. Some of the photos above are with the courtesy of the library. The event ended with Karen selling and signing a batch of her books for audience members.
Her memoir is still on sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at the Politics and Prose bookshop online and in Washington DC. Thank you in advance for buying a copy of Karen’s book to show your support. Your support means a lot to an emerging writer to continue to pursue writing.
Book Signing
When: 3PM, 27 APR 2019
Where: Barnes & Noble Bookseller @ Chesterfield Town Center, Richmond, VA
As you can see from the photos, Karen’s memoir, Golden Orchid: The True Story of an Only Child in Contemporary China, is still attracting buyers’ attention. Not only that, its compelling story of a young woman and her relationship with her mother makes it an intriguing and ideal gift if you are looking forward to the next Mother’s Day, birthdays, Christmas and World Cancer Day.
The sign in the photo was in the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in the Chesterfield Towne Center mall in Richmond, Virginia, where Karen was one of five authors invited to meet the book-buying public. See the photos of Karen and her customers.
Karen sold a batch of signed copies of her memoir and had the opportunity to greet prospective buyers at the Barnes & Noble store in Richmond. She was seated for four hours by the store entrance at a table.
One copy of Golden Orchid went to a woman who said her name also was Karen. After Karen mentioned that sterilization was used to curb births in China under its one-child policy. The woman bought the book to give as a gift to her mother, who, she said, was pro-life.
Even people who did not buy were interested in a book about China and about China’s social problems. When Karen spoke about China’s ageing population and its shortage of labor, one man reckoned the United States had a similar problem.
Published!
Karen’s essay titled “I’m Proud to be a Southerner” has been selected for the travel anthology Secret Destinations to celebrate 15 years of Chatham University’s MFA Field Seminars all around the world. With a 400+ page collection of travel writing, the anthology was launched on March 22, 2019. And Karen’s essay is the last piece of the anthology in alphabetical order. Does the best come last? Get a copy and find out!
Featured Alum
Karen Zhang is featured in Chatham University MFA Newsletter October 2018. She talks about her fond memory as an MFA student at Chatham University, her writing career after graduation and authors and works that inspire her. Check it out!
A snippet:
For the complete Newsletter, click here.
Where to get Golden Orchid?
Karen Zhang’s memoir, Golden Orchid: The True Story of an Only Child in Contemporary China, has expanded its presence with readers in the US and the UK.
“Golden Orchid” is added to the public library collections including but not limited to the following:
—–Southern Adirondack Library (in upstate New York, US)
—–Fairfax County Public Library (in northern Virginia, US)
—–Chipping Barnet Library (in Barnet Council, UK)
“Golden Orchid” paperback and e-book are copyrighted in the British Library and the Library of Congress collection.
“Golden Orchid” is also available both in store and online at the well-known indie bookstore Politics & Prose in Washington DC, US.
On Amazon global sites, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia.
On the Barnes and Nobel site and the Waterstones site