Meet Judy Tzu-Chun Wu

We recently connected with Judy Tzu-Chun Wu and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Judy Tzu-Chun, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.
As a scholar and historian, I tend to engage in long-term projects. All of my books thus far have taken 10 years to complete, starting from when I begin conceiving a project, conducting research, writing the manuscript, to when the work is published. Along the way, I have definitely faced both nay-sayers and self-doubt. Am I working on something worthwhile? Am I telling the story in a compelling way? Why can’t I find the time to focus on this project? Why is the computer screen so blank when I do?

I think five main things light a spark in me to keep going.

First, even though I tend to think of myself as an accidental biographer, all my projects thus far have focused on people. My first book was on the first American-born Chinese female physician, Dr. Margaret Jessie Chung (https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520245280/doctor-mom-chung-of-the-fair-haired-bastards). For a terrific short documentary about her life, please see Unladylike 2020 (https://youtu.be/mPG5ZKbTPG8). My second focused on U.S. anti-war activists of varying racial and gender backgrounds and how their international travels shaped their politics and identities (https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9780801478901/radicals-on-the-road/#bookTabs=1). My third book, which just received a prize for the best work in U.S. Women’s/Gender History, is a collaboration with Gwendolyn Mink on her mother, Patsy Takemoto Mink, First Woman of Color in Congress (https://nyupress.org/9781479831920/fierce-and-fearless/). When I think of quitting, I consider how these individuals might be lost to history, if I give up. I have the incredible opportunity and responsibility to shine light on their lives.

Second, I try to give myself permission to start with what most interests me and to begin small. Instead of being overwhelmed by the entirety of the project, I focus on what I’m most intrigued by and how I can build on these insights.

Third, I used to be an episodic writers, and my schedule frequently pushes me in that direction. However, I have come to appreciate and think it is more effective to have a regular practice of working on a project, crafting and molding it into being. I especially appreciate the writing approach that Professor Barbara Sarnecka at the University of California, Irvine, has developed to cultivate a daily practice of positivity or as she puts it, “write more, write better, and be happier in academia.” (https://osf.io/n8pc3/)

Fourth, I have acquired more tools to becoming a better storyteller. I’ve enjoyed learning how to create digital narratives, which utilizes narration, visual and moving images, and music (https://www.storycenter.org/). During the pandemic, I became a photographer and also learned the methodology of photovoice (https://www.instagram.com/voiceatuci/?hl=en), which uses pictures and storytelling to create social change. Now, I am in collaboration to create a comic history. These approaches (both creative and collective) have expanded my ability to tell stories of the past and the present.

Finally, I think about the impact of my work on my readers/audience. I am no where near being a bestselling author. Nevertheless, I have been greatly touched by students, other professors, and community members who found my work meaningful to them. Writing/creating is about communicating. To know that I can have an impact and potentially inspire others to see the world differently, and/or perhaps to validate what they have experienced and felt, motivates me to keep going.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a professor and associate dean in the School of Humanities at the University of California, Irvine.

I am a scholar, just finishing a book on Asian American and Pacific Islander women who participate in the 1977 National Women’s Conference, the first and only time the federal government gave funding to create a national agenda for women. Inspired by the 1975 United Nations International Women’s Year Conference that was held in Mexico City, the 1977 NWC in Houston was pre-ceded by 56 conferences, one in each state and also in six territories. I’m also working on another project on Edith Yang, a Chinese American female architect based in Oregon. She was on the organizing team for the 1977 NWC in her home state, and she began designing residences, businesses, and community structures in the early 1950s.

I am also a teacher. Because of my administrative commitments, I have tended to work with students on research and creative projects, either individually or collectively. In fact, students at UCI, UCD, UCSD, and beyond have created a website on the California meeting of the 1977 NWC and the delegates who were selected to represent our state in Houston (https://bit.ly/NothingLessThanJusticeNWC). We are also contributing to a national digital resources for the entire conference, sponsored by the University of Houston (https://sharingstories1977.uh.edu/).

I am an intellectual community builder. I do this work by directing the UCI Humanities Center (https://www.humanities.uci.edu/humanitiescenter) and establishing a Center for Liberation, Anti-Racism, and Belonging (https://www.humanities.uci.edu/CLAB). I seek to foster collaboration and highlight how our work in the university can create positive change in our society.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Taking risks: I’ve become a fan of the phrase, “building as we fly.” I try my best to anticipate and plan, but often times, it’s important to go forward with what you believe in, experimenting and trouble-shooting as we go along.

2. Working in collaboration: I’ve tended to be drawn to individually-oriented projects, such as playing piano, preferring singles in tennis, as well as conducting research and writing on my own. But, it is so much more meaningful and enjoyable to work with others, even if we have different approaches and skills. That’s the challenge and fun to find ways that we can support one another.

3. Giving ourselves grace: I’m learning that it’s not always about arriving at the destination (no matter the cost). More importantly, it is about the journey that we take to get there. Sometimes we need rest; sometimes we need to backtrack; sometimes we need to set new goals and find alternate routes. I am learning how to assess both myself and other people’s capacities, to better communicate, and to recognize when we might need to find another way.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents immigrated from Taiwan. They had both been dislocated by war, the Civil War in China, the Sino-Japanese War, World War II, and the Cold War. They thought our family of four (including my brother and me) would have a better life here in the U.S. My parents endured racism and economic hardships for us. I do not always agree with their choices, but I am grateful for their resilience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.faculty.uci.edu/profile/?facultyId=6123
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judytzwu/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-wu-8aa924193/
• Twitter: @JudyWu68732429

Image Credits
University of California Press (for Margaret Chung book) Cornell University Press (for Radicals on the Road book) New York University Press (for Fierce and Fearless book) UCI Media (for picture of Judy Wu) Other images taken by Judy Tzu-Chun Wu