Featured Member Interview – Karen Wang Diggs

From cooking to helping women entrepreneurs succeed, Karen Wang Diggs explores the nature of being an Asian woman in today’s world.

As an Asian woman, how did your background play into this book being born?

(KWD): I was inspired to write this book by my aunt, who was part of the last generation of Chinese women who suffered from the terrible custom of foot-binding.

Unfortunately, she passed away when I was young, and I never had the chance to ask her about her life and to fully understand the suffering that she endured.

What did your writing process look like for this book? Is there anything you would’ve done differently?

(KWD): Because I wanted the book out by March 2025, in time for Women’s History, I had to stay focused and prioritize it.

I got the book deal from Mango Publishing in August of 2024 (with the support of Brenda Knight) and had to submit the manuscript by October in order for the editing and formatting to take place in time to get it to the printers. I would have liked to have had more time, but having said that, I am at my best when there is a deadline.

What new perspectives and messages do you hope readers gain from reading The Book of Awesome Asian Women?

(KWD): I hope readers will be well inspired by all the awesome Asian women in the book, from the past and present, and have a fresh understanding that Asian women have always been incredibly resilient, strong, and creative. I also hope that my book will help to erase the stale and offensive stereotyping of Asian women as being either docile and submissive OR dragon ladies out to beguile and dominate. 

What inspires you as a reader and writer? What brings you to write books?

(KWD): As a child, books were my refuge. As a teenager who suffered from clinical depression, books were my refuge. And as an adult who has overcome a lot of emotional trauma and stress, books are my refuge.

My home is surrounded by books, and I am constantly reading. After so many years of reading, the desire to write naturally arose, and I am humbled that I am now a published author.

Women’s history is often overlooked, though it has been brought up more recently and your book is another addition to changing that. What was your experience researching this topic?

(KWD): I was shocked and surprised to learn about many of the women I researched. While reading scholarly papers, news articles, or blogs, I felt that my own life had been deeply affected and enriched by meeting these women, from centuries ago, such as Empress Wu Zetian or Queen Himiko, to women who are superstars today, such as Awkafina and Sandra Oh.

Aside from being an author, what did your upbringing look like? You’re also a nutritionist and chef. How do you think your experiences have influenced you?

(KWD): My aunt and mother were the two most influential women in my life. Sadly, my aunt stayed behind when we immigrated to the US from Hong Kong. My mother raised six children, mostly on her own, and I genuinely marvel at her strength and resilience. The one thing about my Mom was that she was a bad cook! So, we siblings had to fend for ourselves. And that was the impetus that ignited my interest and passion for cooking and nutrition. Being a chef (which is still a male-dominated profession) opened my eyes to the systemic gender bias in the workplace, and being a nutritionist made me understand that women are usually the ones who are most concerned about feeding their families and taking care of everyone’s health. Everything is intertwined, and I feel a strong desire to be part of the positive social movement that highlights the incredible contribution that girls and women have had on behalf of all humanity.

As an awesome Asian writer, do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep reading and keep writing! If you want to get published, be focused and write about a topic that you feel passionate about.

Karen is a classically trained chef, microbiome nutritionist, author, and expert fermenter. She specializes in helping women entrepreneurs thrive through The Gut-Brain Protocol. She is also passionate about sharing delicious recipes promoting health and well-being and lives by the motto: “Food is our most intimate and profound connection with Nature.”