Today I met with Dr. Sung Ming Chow, and I left the conversation deeply encouraged, touched, and inspired. Dr. Chow is a political sociologist, translator, and independent scholar based in Vancouver. He holds a Ph.D. in political sociology from Hong Kong and has taught at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His academic work explores economic and political sociology, including the societal impact of artificial intelligence. Beyond academia, Dr. Chow is deeply engaged in intercultural dialogue and Indigenous solidarity, and he writes under the pen name Gilbert Malcolm, honoring G.M. Sproat, a 19th-century BC Indian Reserve Commissioner.

His recent translation of Lexeywa – I Pass the Torch to You by Beatrice Elaine Silver into Chinese is a profound act of bridge-building. Silver’s memoir recounts her early life in Sumas, BC, where she was surrounded by the love and strength of her family on a small Indian Reserve. That grounding became her shield when, at age seven, she was taken to Indian Residential School—a system designed to erase Indigenous identity. Her brothers, who had already endured the school, taught her boxing as a form of emotional and physical defense. Through vivid storytelling, Silver shares how she survived not by forgetting who she was, but by fiercely holding onto it. Her voice is clear, courageous, and generous, offering readers not just a glimpse into history, but a torch to carry forward.

The title Lexeywa, meaning “I pass the torch to you,” is both a challenge and a blessing. It invites readers to bear witness and take responsibility for truth, healing, and solidarity. Dr. Chow’s translation ensures that this sacred offering reaches new hearts, including those in Chinese-speaking communities who may be encountering Indigenous truth in a new way.

As we spoke, I was struck by the care and reverence Dr. Chow brings to his work. Though he didn’t describe it this way himself, I sensed that his approach to translation is less about rewriting and more about walking alongside Beatrice’s voice, listening, honoring, and inviting. It reminded me of the kind of presence that transforms—not through control, but through accompaniment.

I also learned that Dr. Chow is connected to a think-and-do tank of Hongkongers based in Vancouver. Their guiding vision, the 7Cs: Cross-cultural, Community, Compassionate, Creative, Collaborative, Constitutive, Citizenship, resonated deeply with me. These aren’t just abstract ideals; they’re a framework for living with purpose and presence in a new land. Our conversation stirred reflection on how we, as Chinese immigrants, might embody these values in everyday life. Dr. Chow’s work exemplifies that spirit.

I left our meeting with a renewed sense of purpose. The torch Beatrice Silver passes in Lexeywa is not just for Indigenous communities; it’s for all of us who are willing to listen, learn, and walk humbly. And Dr. Chow’s translation is a generous invitation to do just that.

May we receive it with gratitude. May we carry it with courage. And may we live the 7Cs, not as a checklist, but as a way of being.