Who Holds up Half the Sky” is an investigative podcast discussing the possibilities of advancing feminist activism in China under censorship and lack of free speech. Influential activist figures appear in China’s history from the Qing dynasty to the Maoist era with its famous quote: “Women Hold up Half the Sky”. But Chinese women have undergone much pressure from foot binding and arranged marriages to unequal pay and domestic violence. Over the years, I have dived deeper into issues of multiculturalism, social activism, and gender identities. This work defines my curiosity which stems from a continuous movement through distinct cultural spaces, which started in China.
The event will be a panel discussion with the creator, Andreea Coscai, and her guests: activist & writer Lisa Li, and author & scholar Ann Feldman. There will be an opportunity to ask questions to the interviewees and collectively discuss the issue of feminist activism in China, censorship, and international collaboration.
The full podcast is available on SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
Watch a clip from the podcast below:
Unbreakable Spirits, the 12-part radio series produced by artistic circles and showcasing China’s emerging women musical and performance artists, reached thousands of listeners throughout the world in 1999 and 2000. Not only did the series garner praise and awards for its portrayal of the changing roles of women, but its influence and outreach continues in the new millennium.
First aired on WBEZ’s program Eight Forty Eight in March, 1999, the station “received more phone calls and e-mails from listeners than we have for any other single segment so far ” said Tish Valva, Executive Producer, Eight Forty Eight, WBEZ-FM Chicago.
The series, which combined narrative with musical performances ranging from “Pop and Rock in China”, an interview with a female Buddhist Monk discussing Chinese Buddhist chant, and “Bridging China and Japan”, continued to elicit excellent reviews and praise. Scott Moore wrote that “the combination of political introspection over music is sending chills up my spine”, while another who listened the “Anti-Japanese Protest Songs” called it “an illuminating and effectively integrated mixture of music, terrible personal memories and scholarly context”.
Listen to a clip of the radio series below:
