2013 – new year, new resolution! Beginning this month, “Face Time with the Founder” will be my bridge to you. I will share a message with you based on your questions, and my thoughts.
This month – it’s about where it all happened and why.
Hi I’m Mable – founder of China Personified.
Six months ago, ChinaPersonified.com was launched on a hot summer day in July – right here – in my apartment.
THIS is where it all happened!
Almost overnight – my apartment became a five-woman workspace.
Five bright young women – Vidya, Natalie, Xian, Martha, Shuming – were brave enough to join a media startup that they knew nothing about – at first.
Well, they knew what their jobs were – some had to read and edit blogs, research and pitch stories. Others had to shoot, cut and upload videos.
China Personified – CP – What was it? What was it supposed to be?
At its core – CP is about Chinese people and culture – wrapped up in personal stories, told by young people who speak Chinese and English. They are Chinese, Americans, or Chinese Americans.
They are Generation Y – always asking “Why?” and “Why not?”
Now you may ask ME why? Why am I doing this?
Well – this really comes down to what I care about and what I believe in.
First, I care about China, and I love America.
As a Chinese American with my home in New York and my family in Hong Kong, I care about how well – this and the next generations in China and America understand and engage one another.
Second, I believe in the power of personal storytelling.
Stories told by this Generation Y, bi-lingual, mobile and global, who have personal knowledge and experience with China – can be educational and entertaining.
Stories told by this Generation “Why” – who care about pop culture – can give us the front-row seats to what’s behind the latest buzz and what’s the next big thing in whatever towns and countries they find themselves.
Some of these stories could spark innovation and creativity in many fields and industries – education, entertainment, business, arts.
Many of these stories could also inspire personal growth and career success.
Third, I believe in the potential of this Generation “Why.”
This generation believes in taking risks and testing personal limits by traveling far and wide to pursue their dreams, open their minds.
They care about grassroots problems.
They care about global issues.
They exchange ideas, share insights and connect cultures.
They are educated, thoughtful and trained in a variety of fields of their dreams – humanities, science, media and communication.
And I share their passion – to share stories.
I also care about their problems – perceived as foreigners or minorities when they follow their dreams moving to China or America.
They can be easily misunderstood, typecast.
I share their interest to form a global network to connect, inspire and support one another.
Thanks to my Generation Y team, all our friends and families – since last July – CP has grown from eight bloggers to more than 28 all over the world.
Hundreds of you have joined the CP network.
Thousands of you have been coming back to our site every month.
I could not have started CP without them or you.
Many of you – my longtime friends and colleagues – you know who you are.
How many times I’ve called and emailed you –
You’ve talked me through my problems –
What I believe in and care about will have a chance of success only if you keep supporting us, sharing your stories, sharing our site and our network, interacting with us, challenging us, asking us questions and giving us feedback.
Be well, be involved. Let us know what’s going on in your world.大家好，我是美寶，华人格化的创办人。
六个月前，华人格化于七月的一个酷暑天在我的住所里诞生了。
这正是之后所有一切发生的地方！
几乎在一夜之间，我的住所便成了5个女人的工作场所。
5个前程似锦的年轻女士—Vidya, Natalie, Xian, Martha, Shuming, 怀揣足够的勇气组建了这个她们起初知之甚少的传媒公司。
然而， 她们知道自己的职责所在。有些需要阅读和编辑博文，以及发掘和选取故事。另外一些则需要拍摄、剪辑并下载视频。
那么华人格化到底是什么？或者说它应该是什么样子的？
华人格化的核心是关于中国人和中国文化，主要体现在由那些会讲中文和英文的年轻人所述的个人经历中。他们有些是中国人，有些是美国人或美籍华裔。
他们是怀揣疑问的一代人，总是想问“为什么？”和“为什么不？”
事实上，这可以归结为我所关心和我所相信的东西。
首先，我关心中国，同时我也热爱美国。
作为一个家在纽约家人在香港的美籍华裔，我关心在中国和美国的这一代和下一代如何更好地相互理解和包容。
其次，我相信个人故事陈述的力量。
那些由怀揣疑问的一代所讲述的故事通常都具有教育和娱乐意义，因为这些人精通中英双语，具有国际化视野，同时自身的知识和经历也都和中国有关。
这些怀揣疑问的一代很关心流行文化，他们的故事可以给我们最前沿的讯息，以及他们自身在各种城市和国家所发掘的重大新闻。
其中的一些故事足以激发我们在许多领域和行业的创新和创造力，比如教育、娱乐、商业和艺术。
许多故事还能激励个人成长和事业的成功。
最后，我坚信这怀揣疑问的一代所具有的潜能。
这一代人极具冒险精神，并会通过深远而广阔的经历来探索自身极限以追寻他们的梦想，开阔他们的视野。
他们关心最基本的民生问题。
他们也关心国际事务。
他们彼此间交流想法、共享己见、传播文化。
他们受过良好的教育，遇事能深思熟虑，并在许多他们自己梦想的领域受过训练，比如人文、科学和传媒。
而我则乐于分享他们的热忱和他们的故事。
我同时也注意到了他们的问题，即他们为了自己的梦想而移居中国或美国时会被视为外国人或少数群体。
他们会很容易被误解或定型。
为了分享他们的趣事，我构建了这样一个全球性的网络平台来联系、激励和支持彼此。
自从去年7月份以来，在所有团队成员、朋友和家人的支持下，华人格化的博客作者已经从最初的8名增加到了现在遍布全球的28名还要多。
成百上千的人加入了华人格化的网络平台。
成千上万的人每个月都会定期访问我们的网页。
没有你们或他们我根本不可能成立华人格化。
你们中的许多人，作为我一直以来的朋友和同事，相信你们都非常了解自己。
我已经记不清我给你们打过多少次电话，发过多少封邮件，你们也跟我一起畅谈过我的诸多问题。
我所关心和坚信的将会给我们带来成功的机会，当然这需要你们继续支持我们，和我们分享你的故事，跟他人分享我们的网站和网络平台，和我们互动，给予我们挑战，给我们提出问题并且给予我们反馈意见。
让我们继续拭目以待吧！