poem seven / Nellie Wong at Ninety
NELLIE WONG celebrates her ninetieth birthday with the publication of Nothing Like Freedom, her fifth collection, after Dreams of Harrison Railroad Park (1977), Death of Long Steam Lady (1986), Stolen Moments (1997), and Breakfast Lunch Dinner (2012). “Nellie Wong at Ninety” is a digital companion project centered around nine poems, chosen by Nellie to represent each decade of her storied life.
In the late 1970s, Chinese American women writers Nancy Hom, Genny Lim, Canyon Sam, Kitty Tsui, Merle Woo, and Nellie Wong co-founded and organized the feminist literary and performance group Unbound Feet. The group performed at colleges, universities, and community centers from October 1979 through February 1981.
As writers and cultural workers, we believe in the power of words as
a tool for radical social change. We believe that our writing is a political act,
and that politics and art cannot be divided . . .
We have experienced oppression because of our race, sex, sexuality, and class; therefore, we speak out from a multi-issue base. We do not believe in isolating political struggles, such as separating ourselves from men or Non-Asians as a method of social change, but believe that real equality can only come about by all oppressed groups working together. As feminists, our work examines, questions, and challenges traditional roles and relationships, breaks down stereotypes, and moves toward linking women’s experiences together all over the world.
— Statement of Purpose, UNBOUND FEET, undated.
from “The Art and Politics of Asian American Women” by Nellie Wong
Oakland Tribune, “Chinese-American women seek to unbind ideas at foot of stereotypes about them,” Wednesday, May 14, 1980. Newspaper clipping courtesy of William Gee Wong.
“Unbound Feet presents Yellow Daughters”
Nancy Hom, creator/contributor
Date: 1980
Collection: Kearny Street Workshop archives
Owning Institution: UC Santa Barbara, Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Source: Calisphere
Date of access: November 8 2025 20:07
Permalink: https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/kt4d5nf2zs/