In 1983, Charles Kaufman sentenced the two murderers of Vincent Chin to probation with no jail time. The judge remarked, “these are not the kind of men you send to jail,” (USA Today) angering the citizens of Detroit, Michigan, including Helena Zia, the author of Last Boat Out of Shanghai. Helena met with Chin’s mother and several Asian American lawyers to discuss the issue. One by one, each of the lawyers concluded that “there’s nothing we can do.” (USA Today) Helena felt unsettled by this fact and slowly raised her hand. Helena knew that she was endangering her new journalism career, but she could make an impact by raising her hand. She gave people hope by saying, “We might not be able to change the judge’s sentence, but we have to let everyone know that this injustice is something Asian Americans cannot stand for.” (USA Today) The simple act of raising her hand resulted in the perpetrator receiving a sentence of 25 years in jail (History.com). Over the ages, many other activists have “raised their hands” to fight for a cause, even people from Zia’s books. This book is highly recommended for people of all demographics because it helps people understand the importance of women activists. Zia is uniquely suited for this because she is a women activist and journalist who focuses on the everyday struggles of women.

In Helena Zia’s book Last Boat Out of Shanghai, Zia mentions several unsung female leaders who stand up for themselves and their communities despite being oppressed by society or their families. Zia can personally connect to these leaders as she has taken the opportunity to “raise her hand” during her lifetime and withstand adversity. The connections, although not explicitly stated, are beautifully weaved into the storyline to emphasize the importance of standing up within one’s community. However, to understand Helena Zia’s connection to the characters in her books, it is crucial to understand Zia’s background. Zia was born in New Jersey to two Shanghai immigrants and is a LGBT activist and feminist. She had always been fascinated with her mother, Bing Woo’s, story about escaping Shanghai. However, her mother used to avoid telling her the story, recounting that it was “war time,” and there were too many “bad memories.” (USA Today) It was only when she was in her 50s, and her mother was in her 70 did her mother finally reveal it to her. Zia’s mother’s story inspired her so much that Zia decided to write her most famous book, Last Boat Out of Shanghai. Last Boat Out of Shanghai follows the stories of four people (Bing, Benny, Annuo, and Ho) who Zia interviewed. These four people all had to escape Shanghai and deal with the hardships of living in a foreign country. As Zia progressed in a society that valued men over women, she continued to challenge the status quo and work toward equality for all genders.

One of the most influential female leaders and figures in Bing’s life was her sister, Betty Woo. Although they were not related by blood, Betty loved Bing and was a constant support system throughout her life. During World War 2, Betty’s husband lost his job, leaving the family with no income. Despite past societal norms against women working, with the aid of her “workable English,” (Zia 335) Betty earned a job as a typist in a trading company. She talked with former acquaintances in the Shanghai Aristocrats and helped them sell items they no longer required. She also took control of the family expenses and cut down all unnecessary payments. The income from her job was able to keep the family well-fed and thriving during the war. She understood that despite the animosity towards women, especially high-class women such as her, working, her family’s survival was more important and surpassed all borders regarding gender norms. Her act of prioritizing needs during the war proved as impactful as when Zia raised her hand. Zia also became a construction laborer in 1976, one of the first women of color to “break that barrier” (USA Today), similar to Betty getting a job during the war. Both women ignored the status quo and only focused on what was necessary by making an impact with a small act. That is the vital quality shown in unsung leaders and needed from everyone.

Annuo, one of the protagonists in the book and the second unsung leader, was oppressed by her father. Her father had outdated views about women’s right to education and their role in society. Thus, Annuo studied hard to get into the First Girls High School, the first milestone that would aid her in riding her father’s influence. Later on, she was also admitted into the highly competitive National Taiwan University (Tai Da). Annuo wanted to choose English literature as a major, but her father wanted her to study medicine so she could “care for him in his old age.” (Zia 806-807) Annuo knew that she could not let her father continue to dictate her life and embarrass her; she bravely refused her father. “Never before had Annuo refused her father’s command.” (Zia 807) Annuo’s circumstance is different from the other female leaders as the leading force oppressing her is her family. She still cares about his views; despite that he is trying to oppress her dreams. Thus, she told her father, “I’m willing to study law instead of literature. I cannot choose medicine.” (Zia 808) Through the power of education, Annuo eventually escaped her father’s grasp and gained control over her own life. Her decision to refuse her father was the critical turning point in her life that allowed her to have freedom over her future. Similar to Annuo, Zia was also invested in education as was interested in activism from a young age. During the period she grew up in, it was infrequent to see an Asian in America. Thus, she often felt discriminated against and like an “alien from Mars.” (USA Today) Zia was motivated to enroll in college so that she could partake in protests and become an activist. She worked hard to get into Princeton and was part of the first graduating class of women.

The final female leader is Chen Ling, the wife of one of the main characters, Benny. She was a woman raised in “New China,” (Zia 935) where the constitution declared that men were equal to women. She graduated from the Fudan University of Shanghai, one of the top schools in China, and taught Biology at Nanjing Agricultural University, where she first met Benny. They married a year after they met. However, because Benny was born into a traitor’s family, he was interrogated by Red Guards and locked in a classroom in Hangzhou for a year, unable to see Chen Ling and their child. They did not have enough proof to put a “capitalist ‘hat’” (Zia 950) over his head; thus, the red guards pressured Chen Ling to divorce Benny. Chen Ling knew that divorcing Benny would be the easy way out, but she was his only family left in China. She realized that she could provide Benny with hope by staying with him despite him being in prison. However, “[b]ecause she refused, they sent [Chen Ling] away from Yancheng to work in a village where there wasn’t even a cottage for her to live in.” (Zia 950) Chen Ling’s immense love and dedication for Benny was proven when she refused to divorce him. She was able to withstand the adversity by doing what she thought was right and refusing to be oppressed by societal expectations. Although Zia didn’t go through the same problems as Chen Ling did, Zia also had to deal with a world that didn’t welcome the LGBT community. Zia married Lia Shigemura, making them one of the first same-sex couples to marry in California.

Through the examples of unsung female leadership in Zia’s book, Zia shows that many hidden people stand up and “raise their hand” in times of adversity, although not widely broadcasted. As shown by all three people mentioned, Zia can relate to them through her struggles of being Asian American and part of the same-sex marriage in California. They have all been oppressed by society and sometimes even their family. However, by standing up for themselves and “raising their hand,” they fought for what is right. Big or small, one-act was enough to influence their community and create an everlasting impact on society’s perspective of female leaders. This book can be enjoyed by all groups of people, but especially refugees who can relate to the experiences within the book. As an activist, someone from a marginalized community, or even none of the above, reading Last Boat Out of Shanghai can be a first step in creating “a world where no one must flee to survive.” As Zia concludes in her book, “If told often enough, one day such stories may become lessons for historical reflection, not broken paths to be retrod.”