Faith Amidst Hardship

Jun Zhuang, a professor at the University of Buffalo, has dealt with hardships through religion, ethnic communities, and his hope for the future.

Jun Zhuang came to the United States in 2002 for graduate studies before accepting a faculty position at the University at Buffalo six years later. In the twenty years since he immigrated, Jun can happily say that he has no regrets regarding his decision. However, his ties to Nanjing, China remind him of what he left behind.

Jun came to the United States to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Kentucky. As an F-1 visa holder, Jun’s plan was nominally to return to China once his education was completed, but in his heart, Jun knew that America could become a second home. Still, Jun had spent his entire life in Nanjing before that point, and those deep roots have fostered a strong love for his home.

As an only child, Jun is concerned for his aging parents back in China. In a perfect world, they would be with him, but they were adamant about remaining in Nanjing. Jun tries his best, video chatting with them almost every day, but he still feels the vast distance that separates them. Meanwhile, he worries for the family he has in Buffalo. As the ugly reality of racism persists alongside deepening national division, Jun wonders what the future holds for his three young children. 

On top of that, Jun is concerned about his own place in the world. Despite living in the U.S. for a considerable amount of time, Jun sometimes still struggles with feeling that he truly belongs here. Although he had studied English since middle school, understanding and speaking the language proved to be a major challenge, and even now, he prefers to communicate in his native Chinese. Alongside this, Jun has struggled to overcome the social isolation he has experienced as one of the only people of colour in his field when he first began his research. 

Thinking about his identity as a Chinese immigrant, Jun recalls, “From time to time, I wake up from some sort of dream [and he asks himself ] Where am I? Why am I here?”

In spite of these fears, Jun has managed to keep his ties to China alive through active engagement with the Chinese community in Buffalo. Since converting to Christianity as a master’s student in Kentucky, Jun has found that his faith has connected him to a network of Chinese immigrants within the same congregation. Moreover, both Jun and his wife are active members of the Chinese Club of Western New York (CCWNY), extending their social circle to even more Chinese families. UB has also served as a place for fruitful connections, hosting a population of Chinese students as well as Chinese cultural events. 

Beyond personal enrichment, Jun sees these organizations as a means to keep his heritage alive within his children. Through the CCWNY’s Chinese school, his children are able to learn and practice their language skills every Saturday while making their own friends within the community. As such, Jun has worked hard to provide his children a life that blends Chinese and American culture.

Most of all, Jun has taught his children how to face anti-Asian racism with compassion and confidence. He supports his daughter as she calmly stands her ground against cafeteria bullies commenting about the smell of her food, and he comforts his son when he expresses insecurity about the shape of his eyes. Within his children, he sees hope for the future, and the possibility of change. 

Reflecting on the future, Jun says, “Maybe due to human nature, we will never reach a perfect world, but I see some positive signs, and I believe that it is moving in the right direction.”