Eric Liu
Encyclopedia
Eric P. Liu is an American
writer living in Seattle, Washington.
, New York
to Chinese parents whose immigrated from Taiwan
. He is a graduate of Yale University
, where he was in Skull and Bones
, and Harvard Law School
and is a former lecturer at University of Washington
. Liu served as a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton
and later as the president's deputy domestic policy adviser. He was also an executive at RealNetworks
. Eric Liu is an author, educator, and civic entrepreneur.
His new book Imagination First, co-authored with Scott Noppe-Brandon of the Lincoln Center Institute
, explores ways to unlock imagination in education, politics, business and the arts.
Liu is also the co-founder of The True Patriot Network
, a political action tank framed upon the ideas he and Nick Hanauer
presented in their 2007 book, The True Patriot. The authors define true patriotism as country above self and explain how patriotism is lived every day in service to others, stewardship of resources, shared sacrifice, and other progressive values.
He wrote the 'Teachings' column for Slate
magazine from 2002 to 2005. He is the author of Guiding Lights: The People Who Lead Us Toward Our Purpose in Life (2005), about transformative mentors, leaders and teachers, and The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker (1998), about ethnicity, identity and acculturation.
Guiding Lights is the Official Book of National Mentoring Month
and has led to the creation of a broad civic campaign to highlight mentorship in all walks of life. He is also the founder of the Guiding Lights Network, a mentoring advocacy organization.
In The Accidental Asian, Liu explores identity, in particular, the meaning of his own American and Asian-American identity. "I define my identity, then, in the simplest way possible: according to those with whom I identify. And I identify with whoever moves me."
Liu created a magazine called The Next Progressive and has often been cited as a spokesman for Generation X
.
Liu also hosts an acclaimed television interview program called Seattle Voices, in addition to speaking regularly at venues across the country.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer living in Seattle, Washington.
Life and career
He was born in PoughkeepsiePoughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Chinese parents whose immigrated from Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He is a graduate of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he was in Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
, and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and is a former lecturer at University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. Liu served as a speechwriter for President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and later as the president's deputy domestic policy adviser. He was also an executive at RealNetworks
RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The company is the creator of RealAudio, a compressed audio format; RealVideo, a compressed video format; RealPlayer, a media player; RealDownloader, a download...
. Eric Liu is an author, educator, and civic entrepreneur.
His new book Imagination First, co-authored with Scott Noppe-Brandon of the Lincoln Center Institute
Lincoln Center Institute
Lincoln Center Institute for the Arts in Education, established in 1975 and located in New York City, is the educational arm of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.- Facilities :*Clark Studio Theater*Samuels Teaching Studio...
, explores ways to unlock imagination in education, politics, business and the arts.
Liu is also the co-founder of The True Patriot Network
The True Patriot Network
The True Patriot Network is an American political action organization. It was founded in 2007. TPN is located in Seattle, Washington.-Background:...
, a political action tank framed upon the ideas he and Nick Hanauer
Nick Hanauer
Nick Hanauer is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist living in Seattle, Washington.- Business career :After earning his Philosophy degree from the University of Washington, Hanauer got his business start at the family-owned Pacific Coast Feather Company, where he continues to serve as...
presented in their 2007 book, The True Patriot. The authors define true patriotism as country above self and explain how patriotism is lived every day in service to others, stewardship of resources, shared sacrifice, and other progressive values.
He wrote the 'Teachings' column for Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
magazine from 2002 to 2005. He is the author of Guiding Lights: The People Who Lead Us Toward Our Purpose in Life (2005), about transformative mentors, leaders and teachers, and The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker (1998), about ethnicity, identity and acculturation.
Guiding Lights is the Official Book of National Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month
National Mentoring Month is a campaign held each January to promote youth mentoring in the United States. It was inaugurated in 2002, and is spearheaded by the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service....
and has led to the creation of a broad civic campaign to highlight mentorship in all walks of life. He is also the founder of the Guiding Lights Network, a mentoring advocacy organization.
In The Accidental Asian, Liu explores identity, in particular, the meaning of his own American and Asian-American identity. "I define my identity, then, in the simplest way possible: according to those with whom I identify. And I identify with whoever moves me."
Liu created a magazine called The Next Progressive and has often been cited as a spokesman for Generation X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
.
Liu also hosts an acclaimed television interview program called Seattle Voices, in addition to speaking regularly at venues across the country.
Critical studies
- David Leiwei Li, "On Ascriptive and Acquisitional Americanness: The Accidental Asian and the Illogic of Assimilation." Contemporary Literature, 2004 Spring; 45 (1): 106-34.