We had a wonderful time welcoming author Jeff Chang to campus yesterday. Chang shared his unconventional journey as a writer leading to his most recent book, Water Mirro Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America.
Chang talked about how his journey shaped him as a writer. From his time as a student organizer at Berkeley, to his experiences advocating for affordable education in Sacramento, and particularly how hosting a hip-hop show on the student-run KDVS radio station in Davis, inspired him to write. Chang spoke about how his exploration of the relationship between hip hop music and culture, race and politics which rattled 90s culture led him to write his books: Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, Who We Be: A Cultural History of Race in Post-Civil Rights America, and We Gon' Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation.
His talk highlighted the importance of trust when telling others' stories, the central role of interviews and archival research in understanding Bruce Lee, and a positive perspective on distraction in the writing process.
What a meaningful and inspiring way to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month!
Many thanks to Chef Mitch and EJIE for inviting Jeff Chang to campus and providing another copy of Water Mirror Echo for the UC Merced Library collection.
Visit the UC Merced newsroom for Cultural Historian Jeff Chang Brings Bruce Lee's Legacy to UC Merced for AANHPI Month (13 May 2026).
