Narrator: Zhou Fengsuo

Date:  7/14/20

Location: Newark, NJ (Remote, Skype)

Content Warning: Graphic description of injury.

Summary: Zhou Fengsuo, a dissident from the Chinese régime currently living in Newark, New Jersey, discusses his education at the University of Chicago and career in finance, as well as his experience in his church. Zhou explains the conflict within his church over political issues, his relationship with a friend who survived the Tiananmen Square Massacre, and his complex feelings about American politics.

Topics: Politics, Immigration, Religion, Employment, Community

Outline

Section 1: (00:00-24:22)

• Politics - Zhou as a dissidents; China heavily polices the media and internet, which has lead to Zoom being unusable under Chinese law

• Immigration - came to the U.S in Jan. ‘95; born in China; went to University of Chicago; lived in SF; moved to Newark in April 2018

Section 2: (24:22-35:22)

• Religion - went to a church on the first anniversary of Tiananmen; was welcomed and prayed for and listened to; During his first year a UChicago, he received a letter from someone saying they were praying for him; With studying the bible more, it motivated him to be “active in these social issues, supporting political prisoners in China”

• Politic - was imprisoned so his resume was widely different than other university students

• Employment - employed at a Wall Street Bank then started working as a financial analyst in SF;

• Community - a conflict of interest as Fengsuo wanted to help political prisoners, other families in the church were “just middle class families and they want to have the blessing of life. And they dont to have any trouble”

Section 3: (35:22-1:04:07)

• Religion - conflict with dissidents soon feeling isolated from the church because the church isn’t necessarily interested in actively fighting for the same things the dissidents are; reads biographies to foster sense of belonging outside of religion

• Trauma - survivor of Tiananmen, a man who lost his legs while saving another individual, Fang Zheng, moved to the U.S; Fengsuo brought him to a church where  Fang’s story was told by another person which lead the church to shift their energy and create a comfortable air as it has been revealed that Fang was a dissident coming to the church.

Section 4: (1:04:07-)

• Politics - Though U.S may be “one of the greatest [democracy] experiments in human history,” it still leaves many people on the outskirts; U.S Failing to handle the pandemic; November election candidates are not exactly in preference due to age.