The Asian American Feminist Trailblazer: Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee
By Dr. Grace May
Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee
In light of the recent Anti-Asian attacks in Georgia and across the country, we are recognizing that the Asian American church in the US has a voice, many voices in fact. And this was true even back in the 1920's. Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee blazed a trail for women and men to make a positive and practical impact in their communities. At age sixteen, she led the way in a suffrage parade, riding on a horse. In 1921, she became the first Asian woman to graduate with a doctorate from Columbia University. And while considering an invitation to be a dean at a women's college in China, God changed her vocational trajectory, and she became the leader of the First Chinese Baptist Church in New York City's Chinatown. Now, a generation later, her impact is still being felt in this congregation.
To hear more about Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, listen to a conversation between Dr. Grace May and her colleagues, Dr. Tim Tseng from Inter Varsity and Dr. Jane Hong of Occidental College in an episode on Centering: The Asian American Christian Podcast. Centering is a production of the Center for Asian American Theology and Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. Enjoy!