Senior Jarea Fang has been awarded the Emma Kafalenos Prize for her capstone work, “Lao Jia (老家) A Memoir in the Making”.
Lao Jia is a series of twelve essays, framed by four flash fiction stories. The theme of “home” is central to this work, as the young, queer, Asian American narrator spends the entire story navigating family history, mental health, today’s politics, platonic relationships, and sapphic love. As the young narrator looks for places to go home to, whether it’s to her family, her best friend, or a love interest, Lao Jia explores the intersection between loving, living, and identity, and how difficult navigating these things can be.
Congratulations, Jarea!
