In 2020, much of the world is grappling with issues of racial justice, equality, and identity, and Taipei is no exception.

Taipei Teen Tribune’s mission is to allow writers to explore their city, country, and world in deeper and more meaningful ways than they otherwise might get to. One way we have lived up to this mission recently was by attending a reading hosted by Spill Stories, where authors included in the anthology Black in Asia read their stories in their own voices.

Black in Asia: Taipei Reading

Black in Asia: Taipei Reading

The reading was on Saturday afternoon, 9/13. It was hosted by Ooh Cha Cha, a vegan restaurant close to Taipei Teen Tribune’s (and Englist’s) office. The venue was great fit and all of the speakers and everyone in attendance was welcoming and enthusiastic about so many writers from TTT coming to listen.

Spill Stories is an international storytelling platform that shares stories on culture and race among underrepresented women. The platform also builds communities through stories in the form of writers workshops, book launches, and other events..

Black in Asia is an anthology of short stories and personal essays composed by black writers  living in the Asia-Pacific region.

The stories and speakers

Authors Whitney Cele, Bernise Springer, and moderator Zee Dlamini

The event was expertly moderated by Zee Dlamini, a Eswatini national, who introduced the writers, led the discussion and Q&A, and offered her own insight into black experiences in this part of the world.

The first author who read was Bernise Springer. Coming from St. Lucia, Springer is a long-time Taiwan resident. She read two of her selections from the anthology; her first was about her touching relationship with her lunch box restaurant-owning neighbor who invited Springer to stay with her during Chinese New Year one year.

In another narrative, a souvenir shop owner in Jiufen offered to pray for Springer to help her in her search for a job. While the Taiwanese shop owner’s intentions were, hopefully, in the right place, her “execution” – asking for Springer to receive lighter skin and longer hair – left the author happy that not all prayers are answered.

The other author who read at the event was Whitney Cele, an English teacher from South Africa who has lived in Taiwan for a few years. Her story, titled “Black Hair is Black Pride” discusses encounters Cele has faced with locals, especially kids, responding less than positively to her hair when she began to wear it unbraided. Cele’s selection was more than just moving – it also allowed listeners to better understand the perspective of someone from a different background and gave them a chance to consider how their words and actions might affect those who are different from them.

After the authors read their narratives, there was plenty of time for Q&A. Hearing the speakers elaborate on their viewpoints regarding race, life in Asia, and everyone’s relationship to those concepts was at least as enlightening for TTT staff writers as the narratives themselves.

The event finished on a high note with a beautiful spoken word performance by American Angeline Ramírez Alcalá.

Why did TTT go to this event?

TTT writers following along as the author read her story.

Being concerned global citizens, TTT writers attended the Black Lives Matter rally in Taipei last semester. One thing our writers – all Taiwanese – were struck by was how many black people there were in Taipei. More importantly, they were moved by the plight of black people all over the world and in Asia.

Attending this reading was a way to better understand the experiences of this growing community. By listening to and reading about black experiences in Asia, TTT writers are exercising not only analytical and critical thinking mental muscles, but also growing their awareness of the world – and of their own hometown.

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The TTT staff, and all Englist students, will have access to the Black in Asia anthology at Englist. If you are interested in hearing more, check out Spill Stories or purchase a copy of the book for yourself.

Taipei Teen Tribune would like to thank Spil lStories and all of the speakers we met for sharing their stories and hosting this event.

*Disclaimer | This article, unlike all other TTT posts, was written by teaching staff to showcase a recent event.