Meet Xuezhu Jenny Wang

We recently connected with Xuezhu Jenny Wang and have shared our conversation below.

Xuezhu Jenny, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My parents are incredibly hardworking people. When I was in elementary school, they quit their jobs to start a business together. The first few years were really challenging, and I’d see them get up at 5 am, start working early in the morning, and come home around 9 pm or even later. They’d brainstorm business plans and talk about what happened at work. They have always been really hands-on: I remember seeing my mom mopping the office floor and my dad scrubbing toilets at their office. Witnessing the whole process, I quickly learned not to take anything for granted and to be diligent and proactive.
Also, I recently adopted a kitten, which gave me a level of motivation I never knew existed. She’s growing every day, and I want to buy her more toys and move into a bigger space where she has more to explore. I feel as if I’m working hard not just for myself but also for my cat—it’s the best feeling.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m an arts writer and editor. When I was freelancing as an art critic for publications such as ArteFuse, Cultbytes, and Art Spiel, I wrote exhibition reviews for commercial galleries and interviewed a lot of contemporary artists. As time went on, I became increasingly interested in two topics specifically: gender rights and global migration/displacement. I really wanted to create a platform dedicated to spotlighting artists whose practice is socially informed.
This summer, I started IMPULSE Magazine to highlight international talents and their stories. We cover arts and culture through a global point of view, dissecting the intricacies of different artistic disciplines as they relate to creative labor, LGBTQ+ activism, feminism, sustainability, and human rights in general. We are gradually expanding to feature more alternative spaces and artist-run galleries in the US and beyond. We will soon be sponsoring exhibitions and hosting panel talks—please keep an eye out for our upcoming events.

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?

As a writer, I will definitely say that writing has been the most important skill for me. Developing the skill, however, has been quite a long journey. Back in college, the writing center was my #1 resource whenever I needed another pair of eyes. It’s about being very receptive to constructive criticism and always keeping an open mind. I find it especially helpful when I can detach myself from any particular turn of phrase—being able to “kill your darlings,” as they say. After I graduated, it was harder to access writing resources or have mentors who would critique my writing honestly and openly. It took me a long time, but I was eventually able to become close friends with some highly opinionated writers and editors; they have helped me grow so much and find my voice.
The second most important skill is research. Fact-checking and delving deep into unfamiliar fields are fundamental to becoming a good journalist. I live very close to a public library and also love digging through online databases.
Another aspect is having lots of different interests and an open mind. I try to make friends with people interested in different things: Admittedly, most of my friends are artists, writers, and editors, but I also keep in touch with my friends who are software engineers, healthcare professionals, physicists, mathematicians, and so on. They always tell me fascinating things I’ve never heard of and challenge me to think outside the box.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I always love to organize my personal space whenever I feel overwhelmed. This includes not only my desk and my apartment, but also digital spaces such as my computer desktop. I like to play with my cat, and she always makes me feel so happy. If the feeling of overwhelm lasts longer than a few hours or even a few days, however, it’s really important to take a step back and assess the situation. I have to ask myself: Am I as productive as I can be? Have I overpromised and taken on more than I can handle? Are there any efficiency tools that I can try? Should I ask someone for help?
As time went on, I came to the realization that stress or being overwhelmed isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s important to keep these stressful feelings at a manageable level so that they are not paralyzing or detrimental to your long-term plans.

Contact Info:

• Website: jennywang.org | impulsemagazine.com
• Instagram: @x_jenny_wang

Image Credits

Eris Spirollari