Gi Chao awarded honorary doctorate by Manchester Metropolitan University
The transcript of Gi’s acceptance speech is shown here with her permission:
Vice-Chancellor, graduates, guests, it gives me tremendous pleasure to accept this award from the Manchester Metropolitan University.
When I received the offer to enter this vibrant university I was 16 years old, and I was ready to create my own reality.
Growing up with too much energy, I was eager to shine unshadowed by my high profile parents 6000 miles away; Manchester was my stage. I arrived on Oxford Road, gave away all my belongings to a charity shop and embraced life as a new student in an unfamiliar land released from the manacles of expectation. Restlessness and curiosity were my companions, and meeting the vast array of different people in this city that showed me kindness, marked my rites of passage.
Reflecting on the busiest days in Manchester, I recall delivering newspapers at 6 a.m., attending 9 a.m. lectures on Architectural History, washing dishes at a student chapel during lunch, and balancing design studio work with evening jobs as a bar-back or in as a care assistant in a nursing home. Just a 10 minute bike ride from lectures, I was carrying cases of beer up flights of stairs at the nightclub. All these gave strength to my back, arms, and legs—strength I miss now. More cherished are the friendships formed with co-workers, innocent and full of joy.
Working the nursing home graveyard shift became a precious memory, especially later in life when close friends and family fell ill. I’m grateful for the kind nurses who cared for them and feel connected to care-givers in a special way.
As well as making my own money and standing up financially on my own, it was in this inspired city that I learned about the importance of being organised and that any ideal worthy enough of pursuit will require the joint effort of others. This is true of working for acceptance for the queer community as it is for living a dignified life as an Out Lesbian and creating marriage equality. The quest for understanding and connection with others has yielded my most treasured rewards. Creativity opens the heart to care, to live simply, and to love generously.
Now, our future is one full of shocks, surprises, upheavals, and change. The spark plugs for historic flashpoints are hot in our ever-evolving world. With your Manchester Met degree in your hands you are now empowered to take on old problems from fresh angles.
I’m here to tell you it’s ok to be yourself, and every day could be a discovery of a new part of yourself. In the words of someone equally Gaga, it’s “important to be yourself but also important to work hard at being yourself.”
Studying architecture at this university has taught me about life,life, the essence of home, and building friendships from scratch. The benefit of the rich integration with the city of Manchester and the Metropolitan University, is that learning does not just take place in the lecture halls or classrooms, but also walking through the park, riding the bus, or a chat in the pub. So I guess no matter what the future holds, in business, in art, as in life, the thing to do is to keep learning, build reserves: pay kindness forward, see beauty in a stranger’s eyes, and build connections. From there goodness will flow and time will become your greatest ally.
Congratulations to this year’s graduates and the family and friends that gave life to you and supported you on your journey.
Best of luck with life.
趙式芝博士演講中文翻譯
校長、各位畢業生、各位嘉賓，能夠接受曼徹斯特城市大學頒授此項殊榮，我深感榮幸。
十六歲收到這所活力學府的錄取通知時，我已準備好開創屬於自己的天地。成長過程總是精力過剩的我，渴望擺脫六千英里外知名父母的光環，在曼徹斯特這方舞台綻放光芒。初抵牛津路，我將隨身物品盡數捐予慈善商店，在沒有期望枷鎖的陌生國度，以新生姿態擁抱生活。躁動靈魂與求知慾驅使我結識這座城市形形色色的人們，那些給予溫暖的相遇，構成了我的成人禮。
憶起曼城最忙碌的時光：清晨六點派送報刊，九點趕赴建築史課堂，午間在學生禮拜堂洗滌餐盤，設計工作室作業還未完成，晚間已穿梭在酒吧後廚或護理院崗位。下課騎行十分鐘，便扛著整箱啤酒攀爬夜總會樓梯。這些經歷錘鍊的腰背臂力雖已遠去，更珍貴的是與同事們締結的純真情誼。
護理院夜班時光在摯友親人生病後愈顯珍貴，我感激當年悉心照護的護士，對所有照護者懷有特殊共鳴。在這座靈感之都，我不僅實現經濟獨立，更學會組織協調的重要性——任何值得追求的理想，都需要眾人協力方能實現。從爭取酷兒群體接納到公開女同性戀者的尊嚴生活，再到推動婚姻平權，對理解與連結的求索給予我最珍貴的回報。創造力教人學會關懷，簡樸生活，慷慨去愛。
當下未來充滿震盪與變革，歷史轉折的引信在劇變時代隨時點燃。手握曼徹斯特城市大學學位的諸君，此刻已獲得從嶄新視角破解陳年難題的能力。我想告訴你們：做真實的自己無妨，每日都可能發現嶄新的自我。如同某位同樣「怪奇」之人所言：「做自己很重要，但努力成為自己更重要。」
在貴校修習建築的歲月，教會我生活的本質、家的真諦，以及從零構築友誼的藝術。曼城與大學的水乳交融，令學習不囿於課堂——公園漫步、巴士通勤、酒吧閒談皆成學堂。無論未來涉足商界、藝術或人生旅途，切記持續學習，積蓄能量：傳遞善意，凝視陌生人眼中的星光，編織人際紐帶。由此善意湧流，時光終將成為你最忠實的戰友。
衷心祝賀本屆畢業生，以及賦予你們生命、支持你們征程的親友。願生活予你們豐厚饋贈。祝各位前程似錦。