At Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę, Shannon Lee Talks About Expanding Legacy of Her Martial Arts Hero Father
Shannon Lee ā whose extensive resume includes roles as author, producer and legacy-keeper of her father, martial arts icon Bruce Lee -- visited Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę on March 6 as a special guest speaker. The event, held in recognition of Womenās History Month, spotlighted her career highlights, not only as Bruce Lee Foundation chair and Bruce Lee Family Companies CEO, but her many creative endeavors that are introducing her fatherās philosophies and artistry to new generations of martial arts fans.
Students, staff and campus community members packed the Dr. Vikram and Priya Lakireddy Grand Ballroom to listen to Leeās conversation with event moderator and Central Valley Opportunity Fund Regional Director and Program Officer Kim Garner. The discussion provided insight into Leeās personal and professional journey as the steward of her fatherās estate and her efforts to honor his memory through business, creative, educational and programming ventures.
Lee explained she ābegan looking after the Bruce Lee name in 2000,ā 27 years after her fatherās death. During those three decades, commercial rights were obtained and held by a Hollywood studio, which, according to Lee, would ātake libertiesā with her fatherās image and persona that minimized the complexity and richness of his character. āThere is so much more to this man,ā she said.
Through what Lee described as several years of āpatience, understanding the goal and looking for every possible opportunity,ā along with shifting cultural norms and entertainment technologies, she slowly acquired the rights to her fatherās likeness and name, formalizing what would become a defining factor of her lifeās work.
āI believe I understand what (the Bruce Lee) legacy is more than anybody else, and I feel that my father would want me to be the voice of his legacy,ā she said. āI will do whatever I have to do to step into that place.ā
Part of Leeās efforts to shine new light on her father is to bring attention to his philosophical concepts and writings, which informed every aspect of his work and life. Her first book, āBe Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee,ā published in 2020, conveys the poetry and power of her fatherās philosophy to readers seeking inspiration and avenues to self-reflection.
āHe is mostly known as a martial artist, and I wanted people to know him also as a philosopher,ā Lee said. Her motivation for writing the book was the effect of her fatherās words on her own healing process after the unexpected death of her older brother, Brandon, in 1993.
āWhen my brother died, right before my 24th birthday, I was in so much pain. I thought, āHow am I supposed to live like this?āā she said. Recalling her fatherās quote, āThe medicine for any suffering I had within me from the very beginning,ā she found a pathway to her recovery.
āHis words helped me to heal, helped me to have perspective,ā she said. āI knew if they could do that for me, they could do that for others.ā
Following āBe Water, My Friend,ā Lee published āBreath of the Dragon,ā a young-adult fiction novel co-authored with Fonda Lee (no relation). Based on Bruce Leeās film and TV treatments focused on martial-arts and self-actualization themes, the book was released earlier this year and became a New York Times bestseller.
Other projects in various stages of development include a Bruce Lee biopic, potentially to be directed by award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee; a documentary project with famed Asian-American director Justin Lin, who partnered with Lee on the television series, āWarrior,ā set in 19th century San Francisco and featuring characters originally created by Bruce Lee; as well as an animated series.
Leeās commitment to advancing her fatherās legacy through these many ventures, and their continuation of expanding Asian and Asian-American representation, resonate in everything from the political to the symbolic. In 2019, āBe waterā became the rallying cry for Hong Kongās pro-democracy movement, with thousands of activists embracing Bruce Leeās words to become āformless, shapeless, like waterā as part of the protest. More recent tributes have included the designation of Bruce Lee Way in Oakland, where his Jeet Kune Do martial arts studio once stood, and plans for a Bruce Lee statue in San Franciscoās Chinatown, announced the day after Shannon Leeās Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę event.
Also prominent in keeping Bruce Leeās impact and influence relevant for younger generations are the mission and work of the Bruce Lee Foundation. Lee said she was excited about the foundationās current programs, including Camp Bruce Lee and Warrior Academy. Operated in partnership with museums and organizations across the country and in Hong Kong, the programs focus on empowering youth through her fatherās teachings and āpassing on his legacy of martial arts, mindfulness and embodiment,ā Lee said. The programs aim to teach kids how to ābe in your body, grow in confidence, grow inner strength, and grow ā¦ with people in community.ā
Lee added the foundationās goal is to expand programming and ābring the Bruce Lee experience to more places.ā
āMaybe bring it to Merced,ā she said.
āShannon Lee on Film, Writing, and Bruce Leeā was spearheaded by Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę Executive Chef Mitch Vanagten in collaboration with the Division of Equity, Justice, & Inclusive Excellence (EJIE) and the Bruce Lee Foundation.
āEJIE is delighted to co-sponsor Shannon Leeās campus visit and bring our community together to hear firsthand about her lifelong work,ā said Vice Chancellor and Chief Diversity Officer Delia Saenz, who introduced Lee at the event. āMs. Leeās efforts to share her fatherās philosophies of healing the mind, body and spirit resonate more than ever. It is remarkable that her message brings inspiration across different sectors, including education, the arts, sports and humanitarian organizations.
āWe are excited that Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę students, staff and faculty had this opportunity to be inspired by both her own and her father's words and wisdom,ā she added.
Vanagten, who was inspired to reach out to the Bruce Lee Foundation and Lee while reading āBe Water, My Friend,ā also invited Michelin Guide-honored Chef Siska Silitonga to partake in the Womenās History Month event. The owner and head of ChiliCali, Silitonga helped prepare an Indonesian-inspired food reception that followed the presentation.
A few weeks before the event, Vanagten organized a fundraising event for the Bruce Lee Foundation. The special Lunar New Year celebration took place in Mercedās Tioga Sequoia Taproom, with money raised benefiting the foundation, Camp Bruce Lee andĀ scholarship support for campers.
