StoryBoards Oral Histories

An Artist's Journey : Patti Warashina on Tradition, Taboo, Resistance, and Perseverance

Internationally celebrated ceramic artist and UW Professor Emerita Patti Warashina reflects on a life shaped by powerful women, cultural expectations, and a deep creative drive. Born to Japanese American parents in Spokane, Washington, Patti's journey weaves together stories of arranged marriage, wartime surveillance, unspoken love, and generational sacrifice.
In this deeply personal oral history, Patti shares how her family's quiet strength—and her own subtle acts of resistance—fueled a lifelong career in the arts. From her mother's handmade ceramics to the influence of feminist mentors, Patti speaks candidly about navigating gender, culture, and creativity in a male-dominated art world.
🎧 A portrait of resilience, humor, and the transformative power of art.

From Child Mother to Children’s Mother: Mrs. Chen Lan Wen on Childhood, Immigration and Sacrifice.

Known as Mrs. Chen, she shares her early life in China, transitions as animmigrant, sadness, isolation, and successes.

A Foot in Two Worlds: Flo Oy Wong on Family, Female Roles, Art and Poetry

Award winning artist and poet Flo Oy Wong shares challenges of an 8-decades long journey as a Chinese American female working as an oral historian, artist, and poet. She shares stories of those who helped shape her long life in the arts.

A Woman’s Evolution: Bettie Luke on Tradition, Racism, and Civil Rights

Famed educator and activist, Bettie Luke speaks to of the influence of Confucianism, civil rights, and her art on her life journey. She gives voice to the obstacles she overcame as a young Chinese American woman during the tumultuous 60’s and 70’s to present day.

Lesley Jian: A Grandmother's Journey Through War, Famine, and Resilience

In this episode, Beijing-based guide Lesley Jian shares the powerful story of her grandmother, born in 1913 near the Yangtze River. Given away as a Tong Yangxi child bride, she survived poverty, war, famine, and the loss of multiple husbands, all while raising children across decades of upheaval.

Raised by Women: Shawn Wong on Family, Loss, and Finding Freedom

In this deeply personal episode, acclaimed novelist and University of Washington English professor Shawn Wong shares the interwoven stories of the Chinese American women who shaped his life—from his artistic mother and trailblazing aunties to the community of surrogate mothers who stepped in after profound loss.
It’s a story about memory, migration, and the powerful legacy of untold histories.