Women’s Eye Reflections for the New Year–#2

More ideas and wisdom from the 2010 EYE Interviews to reflect on for the New Year…

Cheryl Dorsey—

“I’ve always walked between two worlds–the inner city and the hallowed halls of Harvard;  my black and white friends;  Wall Street and the social entrepreneurs I give money to.  I try to bring strange bedfellows together to make things better for family and community.”   Photo: Tony Deifill

Amy Ernst—

“It’s chaos in every direction; I truly don’t know how these incredible women wake up every day and keep fighting to survive.  I can say I’m helping them, but in truth, despite being in the midst of such suffering and pain, they’re renewing my faith in the strength and spirit of humanity.”



Rebecca Traister—

“…when most women I know cry, it’s out of anger, frustration or exhaustion…It’s a way of expressing fury, and the reason that fury comes out in tears I’m sure has a lot to do with the way we’ve long been conditioned not to express our fury in other ways –not to yell or throw things.”



Angie Chau—

“Write and keep at it; as you never want to stop growing as a human being, never stop growing as a writer. Be patient with yourself. ..If a girl who arrived in this country with no English can prevail, so can you.”





Susan Burton—

“I never thought I would have ended up at Harvard or a ‘Top Ten Hero’ or have built an organization like ‘A New Way of Life.’  I just wanted to help.  I wanted at end of the day to have done something good.”

Interview: Angie Chau On Her Passion To Write About The Vietnamese Immigrant

Angie Chau is a writer born in Saigon, Vietnam,  whose new collection of short stories, “Quiet as They Come”,  describes the difficult existence of Vietnamese immigrants caught between two cultures.   She’s been called “an astonishing literary talent.”

When I read about Angie, I was taken by her determination to become a published writer no matter how long the journey.    She began this first book ten years ago.

“Write and keep at it, as you never want to stop growing as a human being, never stop growing as a writer…if a girl who arrived in this country with no English can prevail, so can you.”    Angie Chau

I wanted to find out how Angie had persevered over those many years to write this book  and whether she identifies with the experiences of the people in her stories.    Thanks,  Angie, for taking time to explain…