a name
a migration story and filial love
I am the first-born daughter of refugees from China to the US. Guided by the many stories within my given name(s), I honor the lives and legacies of those who have come before. My work is inspired by the difficult and complex journeys of my grandmothers who navigated the changing meanings of tradition, filial piety, survival and broken dreams.
unearth, re-ferment, reclaim
PEERING INTO THE SILENCES AND WHISPERS to UNEARTh heartache and WISDOMS
My work is personal, dedicated to unearthing and illuminating the stories of my female ancestors…I look into the silence and at what and who has silenced their voices.
Carole Hsi Lin Hsiao
artist and community educator
From a young age I struggled with speaking up and being heard. My life’s work is dedicated to identifying and creating spaces for those in the margins to find their voice in traditional classrooms and elsewhere. I aim to cultivate peace within myself, for my lineage and the greater community.
In “They Schools: The Price and Color of Popular Culture and Arts in Public Education,” I looked at the arts are a powerful vehicle for students to preserve their culture and succeed. I earned my PhD in Education at UW-Madison in 2005.
My mixed media visual work, which is grounded in studies in traditional Chinese painting and reflects on themes of identity, and displacement, has been shown in various galleries and public spaces.
I am currently at work on a collection of essays about my family’s immigration journey entitled “Quiet Gems: On Evolving Filial Piety,” as an Anaphora Publishing Fellow with guidance from Chris Abani.