About me!
My name is Sam Quyên Huỳnh (they/them/theirs). Sam, I chose for myself. Quyên (娟) means “sparrow”, the bird. Huỳnh (黃) means “yellow”, and is the transliteration of Chinese surname Huáng.
I am descended from Vietnamese diaspora immigrants and refugees, with Southern Chinese (Cantonese) and Hokkien grandparents as well. Being Vietnamese, to me, means an ongoing relationship to homeland. I come from many strong, caring, loving Vietnamese women. I am surrounded by Vietnamese community. I am also so grateful to the people in my life as chosen family. This is the love I carry, and pass on — despite and in spite of colonial systems.
Here are some of my favourite things I do to pass time:
- writing
- reading
- making zines
- journalling
- going to the library
- finding patches of sun in the grass
- browsing the local thrift
- eating fruit
- going on hikes
- watching movies
- bouldering
- & whatever else piques my interest…
I started writing stories as a kid and never stopped. What I love writing recently is short fiction, stream-of-consciousness prose, plays, prose poetry, experimental fiction, and creative non-fiction. I also make zines!
Chicken-and-egg situation here with reading as well — one of my true loves. I've always loved the storytelling potential of fantasy and science-fiction; speculative fiction shifts the truths of our world into the unreal, twists them into lies, and in doing so, peels back the fabric of our own realities.
Recently, I've been reading lots of translated literature (what is translation, really?), autofiction, and realist literary fiction. I also love postmodern literature—but only by people of colour, trans and queer people, and/or women. No more white men literature! Recommendations are so welcome!
Some writers whose work will resonate in my soul forever:
- Gloria E. Anzaldúa
- James Baldwin
- Octavia Butler
- Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Ursula K. Le Guin
- Audre Lorde
- Jeanette Winterson
My favourite fruits are apples, mangoes, and mandarins. My favourite vegetables are mushrooms, tomatoes, and most salad greens. My favourite herbs are Vietnamese basil, mint, and coriander. These are very important!
An ideal day — when I’m not working and I don't have any plans with friends or family — entails an essential trip to the library and usually some time sitting by the river with my journal and a book.
Questions that I would ask you:
- What sort of books or movies or whatever else have you been reading or watching or listening to lately?
- What are your favourite fruits and veggies?
- What does your ideal day look like?
With love,
Sam.☆