Archives

The podcast explores the significance and emotional complexities of archiving personal and family histories, particularly for Asian Americans. Amy Tan, the author, discusses her ambivalence towards selling her archives to UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library, expressing fear of misinterpretation and a sense of vulnerability akin to exposing her "underwear drawer." Shin Yu Pai contrasts this with her own experience of archiving materials at Yale's Beinecke Library, viewing it as an opportunity to shape a self-aware narrative that addresses economic inequality, sexism, and racism encountered as an Asian American artist. Tan ultimately recognizes the importance of preserving her family's legacy, tracing back to the 1200s, and honoring their emphasis on the arts, truth, and morality.