American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (1982) Winner
Genny Lim
ジェニー・リム
Genny Lim
Aliases:
Genevieve Lim
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1946-12-15 （San Francisco, California, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- San Francisco, California, United States
Career
- Occupations
- poet, playwright, performer, educator
- Active Years
- 1970-
- Affiliations
- California Institute of Integral Studies (faculty), San Francisco Writers Corps (Advisory Board Chair, Community Arts and Education Committee)
- Influenced By
- Him Mark Lai (collaborator and historian of Chinese American history), Writers from the Asian American feminist movement
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco State University | — | — | BA / MA | — | United States |
| Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism | — | — | Certificate (Broadcast Journalism) | — | United States |
San Francisco State University
Degree:
BA / MA
Country:
United States
Received BA and MA
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Degree:
Certificate (Broadcast Journalism)
Year of Graduation:
1973
Country:
United States
Certificate in broadcast journalism (1973)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | American Book Award | — | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| — | Bay Guardian Goldie | Songline: The Spiritual Tributary of Paul Robeson Jr. and Mei Lanfang (collaboration) | — | The Bay Guardian | 受賞 |
| 2000 | James Wong Howe Award | Paper Angels | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2022 | Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award | — | — | PEN Oakland | 受賞（生涯業績賞） |
American Book Award
1981
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Bay Guardian Goldie
Work:
Songline: The Spiritual Tributary of Paul Robeson Jr. and Mei Lanfang (collaboration)
Organization:
The Bay Guardian
Result:
受賞
James Wong Howe Award
2000
Work:
Paper Angels
Result:
受賞
Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award
2022
Organization:
PEN Oakland
Result:
受賞（生涯業績賞）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Wings of Lai Ho
1982 Poetry / Translation (translated work)A translated and illustrated presentation of Lai Ho's work, engaging themes of cultural transmission and memory.
immigrationcultural transmissionmemory
Winter Place
1989 PoetryA collection of poems that explores personal memory, family history, and immigrant experience.
familymemoryimmigration
Child of War
2003 PoetryA poetry collection reflecting on war and its effects on subsequent generations, exploring links between history and the individual.
warintergenerationalhistory
Paper Gods and Rebels
2013 PoetryA collection containing poems that engage social and cultural themes, blending political and personal perspectives.
politicscultureidentity
Paper Angels and Bitter Cane (Two Plays)
1991 Plays / DramaA volume of plays addressing immigrant experience, family ties, and historical weight; one of her notable staged works.
immigrationfamilyhistory
Adaptations
- [Stage] Paper Angels (stage production) (2000)
Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island (editor, with Him Mark Lai and Judy Yung)
1999 Poetry / Historical anthologyAn important compilation of poetry and records from Angel Island, making visible the history of Chinese immigration.
immigration historydocumentationcommunity
Bibliography
- Wings of Lai Ho (translation, 1982)
- This Bridge Called My Back (contributor, 1981)
- Winter Place (poetry, 1989)
- Paper Angels and Bitter Cane (plays, 1991)
- Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island (editor, 1999)
- Child of War (poetry, 2003)
- Paper Gods and Rebels (poetry, 2013)
- Window: glimpses of our storied past (editor, 2020)
Adaptations
- Paper Angels (stage production, e.g., UC Zellerbach Playhouse premiere 2000)
- Songline (music-stage collaboration with Jon Jang, James Newton, etc.)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Rooted in Asian American literary traditionsBlend of colloquial and experimental poetic expressionPerformance-oriented works often integrating music
- Recurring Motifs
- immigrant memoryfamily historycultural inheritancemusic and performance
Legacy
As a San Francisco–based poet and playwright, she has contributed to making Asian American memory and culture visible. She serves as San Francisco's ninth Poet Laureate and is the first Chinese American in that role. She is also active in education and community arts programs.
Archives
- University of California, Santa Barbara (Guide to the Genny Lim Papers)
In Popular Culture
- Participation and readings at international poetry festivals (Venezuela, Sarajevo, Italy, etc.)
Trivia
- Named the ninth Poet Laureate of San Francisco and the first Chinese American to hold the role.
- Has performed with musicians such as Max Roach, Herbie Lewis, Francis Wong, and Jon Jang.
- Her papers are held at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- She has two daughters (Colette and Danielle) and lives in San Francisco.