Professor Hannah Lowe’s personal journey to understand her dad’s life after he passed away, turned into a bigger desire to discover the stories of the undocumented.
Through her writing, Hannah explores the stories of the Chinese-Caribbean, as well as diversifying narratives of the Windrush, bringing hidden stories to light and giving voice to marginalised communities.
Tell us about your work
My work is all about bringing hidden stories to light through my writing of poetry and non-fiction. I draw inspiration from my dad’s life - he was a Chinese-Jamaican professional gambler in London. I explore the stories of the Chinese-Caribbean, diversifying the Windrush narratives, as well as focusing on the experiences of women and children in Caribbean migration.
My book, The Kids is based on my time as a teacher in inner-city London, touching on gender, race, culture, and religion in the classroom. My next book, which I’m working on now, will tell the story of my late aunt, who managed brothels in Kingston, Jamaica in the 1960s. Although her life is absent from mainstream archives, there is one mention of her in Jamaica’s national newspaper, where she is described as the legendary Nelsa Lowe.
Much of my work revolves around filling the gaps and silences in historical archives, shedding light on the lives of women and others, especially those of marginalised communities, whose stories would not commonly be documented.
What inspired you to uncover these hidden stories?
My work is very personal, using my family’s history to shed light on bigger historical and social issues. I’m passionate about sharing these nuanced stories of British history in ways that everyone can understand, through poetry and life writing. I use creative writing to make these stories accessible to everyone, not just academics. I want to educate and engage a general audience, not just specialists, to help people better understand the legacies of Empire and British multiculturalism.
My work revolves around filling the gaps and silences in historical archives, shedding light on the lives of marginalised communities, whose stories haven’t been commonly documented.
Professor Hannah Lowe
Why Brunel?
I chose Brunel because it’s probably the most diverse creative writing department in the UK, as well as its focus on contemporary writing that reflects British multiculturalism. I felt that it would be a good home to join other academics who are essentially engaged in the same sort of mission as me – telling little-known stories from around the globe.
The research culture here is super supportive and enthusiastic, especially about transdisciplinary research. I love the collaboration between different disciplines, like poetry and games design. It’s really exciting! I’ve felt more supported here at Brunel than at any other university I've been a part of.
What achievements in your career have meant the most to you?
Winning the Costa Book of the Year for The Kids was a huge turning point in my career that opened many doors for me. I also won The Eccles Institute & Hay Festival Global Writer's Award for my new book about my aunt, which gave me funding and a residency at the Eccles Centre in the British Library and access to their vast Archive of the Americas.
In terms of my research, when I first started exploring my dad’s life about 20 years ago, there was so little online about Chinese people in the Caribbean - it felt like it was an uncharted field of study. But as time's gone on, there are many people working in these fields of research, from visual artists and writers to historians and anthropologists. So, two years ago, I launched the Chinese Caribbean Research Network to connect these experts from around the world. We're hosting our first symposium in Toronto next October – I'm really looking forward to it as it'll be the first time people who have a Chinese Caribbean background or are studying that field, or often both, will come together.
How does your work address and challenge societal norms and ideologies?
My work challenges far-right ideologies and highlights Britain’s long-standing multiculturalism. I aim to counter extreme ideas about monoculturalism by sharing stories of multi-heritage and mixed-race experiences.
One of the nicest things for me is that I get to teach my historical research and interventions at Brunel. My teaching practice is inherently diverse and inclusive. I encourage my students to place their own lives into social, political, and cultural contexts and to write about their backgrounds. For example, I teach them about the diverse stories within the Windrush narrative and encourage them to question historical accounts. This is especially meaningful for students from migrant backgrounds, as some of them will have a direct connection to the Windrush scandal within their families, so they can see their own lives reflected in what we study. It helps them connect more deeply with British history and understand it in a more personal way. It’s a great privilege for me to be able to share this work with my students.
Additionally, my work also promotes social mobility and social justice by showing my journey from a working-class background to becoming a professor. My writing focuses on working-class experiences and aims to make higher education accessible to all. I hope my story inspires students from similar backgrounds to pursue higher education and see themselves reflected in the curriculum.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about exploring poetry or memoir writing?
My advice is to read a lot, attend classes - doing creative writing degree at university is a wonderful stepping off stone, and find a mentor. Being an eternal student of poetry is so important. My mentor, Mimi Khalvati, has been a huge influence on my work, providing guidance and feedback for nearly 20 years. I encourage aspiring writers to dive into the world of poetry and always look for learning opportunities.
Awards
Published books
- The Kids (Bloodaxe, 2021)
- Chan (Bloodaxe, 2016)
- Long Time, No See (Periscope, 2015)
- Chick (Bloodaxe, 2013)
- Chapbooks:
- Rock, Bird, Butterfly (Hercules Editions, 2022)
- Old Friends (Hercules Editions, 2022)
- The Neighbourhood (Outspoken Press, 2019)
- Ormonde (Hercules Editions 2014)
- R x (sine wave peak 2013)
- The Hitcher (Rialto 2012)
Want to learn more about Hannah's work?