We were lucky to catch up with Scarlett Lam recently and have shared our conversation below.

Scarlett, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I love this question! In a nutshell, I have really come to appreciate everything my parents got right and am in awe of everything they were able to do and accomplish. They represent the epitome of the “American Dream” as Chinese Immigrants who left China for Hong Kong then to Caracas, Venezuela and eventually landing in Brooklyn, NY, where my sister and I were born. My parents got a lot right just by being the people that they are. I learned by being in proximity, and as a direct receiver of their hard work, resilience, resourcefulness, optimism, hope and a deep confidence and belief that everything would turn out ok, no matter what. If you look at what immigrants have to face and do in order to build a new life, they are basically the OG “entrepreneurs”.

I am eternally grateful for the values I have learned through what they provided for us. Our family moved to New Jersey when I was five and I grew up with my siblings and cousins (six kids total). We did not have much money, but that did not deter my parents from providing us with an array of experiences. We had music lessons (piano! drums! saxophones!), Chinese school, bicycles, skateboards, ice skates, and tennis lessons. We traveled and explored the world by plane, car and train. They scraped and saved and took us to all sorts of places – beaches, museums, parks, big cities, small towns, it didn’t matter. At an early age, I was so fortunate to be exposed to cultures from Caracas to China to Wyoming (!) and beyond. My view and understanding of the world was expansive. When funds were low, they packed us into a car and we went on road trips. Once we drove to Boston only to realize all the hotels were booked due to a convention, so we slept in the car until my father felt safe to turn around and head right back to NJ. That sense of adventure and spontaneity has informed my life and my art. Allowing for life to unfold and to go along with it, even if, or especially if, it goes a different way than expected.

Scarlett, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Ok, well, hi! My name is Scarlett. I am the author and self-publisher of THE LIGHT, a picture book, for every kid and every kid at heart, about discovering the light within you. Perhaps a glimpse of my creative journey will help your readers to understand how I arrived here. It has not been a linear path, to say the least. I see the choices I have made professionally, but also recognize the personal choices I made to live an abundantly creative life. For me, this has meant following my own path and my own inner-voice, which happens to be the theme of THE LIGHT. Connect, trust, follow and love the light within you.

In my 30s when the majority of my friends and peers were settling down, getting married and advancing their careers, I chose to explore the world instead. On and off for two years, I solo-backpacked to India, Nepal, Costa Rica and all over South America. At this point, I had already performed in the first stage production of The Joy Luck Club in NY, written and performed my solo-show, Wild Rice, in both NY and LA, helped build Vitaminwater as a global billion dollar beverage brand and Lululemon as the leading athleisure brand. Yet, I wanted to learn more about the world. About people, rituals, and cultures. I remember my father asking me why I chose those specific places. My answer was simple, because, at the time, it scared me. These places seemed so far away, so different from what I knew. I wanted to be challenged. In retrospect, I knew I needed to grow and for me, the best way to do that was by taking risks and living outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to go deeper in knowing myself and how I wanted to live my life. It was clear the conventional path was not calling me, so what else was there? This deep curiosity led me to encounters and experiences that challenged my views and values. It opened up my eyes to how similar we all are. It cracked my heart open to humanity in ways that still inform how I want to show up, as a writer/creative and as a partner, friend, sibling and daughter today.

Professionally, when I returned from traveling, I started as a production assistant in a small production company getting coffee and painting sets. I chose this because it allowed me to retain my freedom. As a freelancer, I could choose to do what I wanted and when I wanted. Advancing my career was less important than having the ability to explore and learn more so I could be more creative. There is a tradeoff when you do this, mainly the stability of a steady paycheck, but it served me well. It is an amalgamation of my creative career as an actor and writer plus my career in marketing and branding, as well as producing films and commercials that has shaped my entrepreneurial spirit. Undoubtedly, every step and every job I have held taught me valuable lessons as an artist and entrepreneur. In actuality, I believe those two ways of life have more in common than not.

All of the above led me to deciding to self-publish, THE LIGHT. Fun fact, it took only three weeks for me to write the book, find my amazing illustrator, Mindy Lee, who brought it to life visually, as well as help make the prototype of the book. When she gave it to me, I couldn’t believe I had something tangible to work with. The power of holding that prototype in my hand meant that this dream, this idea, was very possible. What I didn’t anticipate was it taking another 18 months to write the book proposal and another 6 months to research the publishing industry, only to decide self-publishing was the path that made the most sense! After talking to a few of my closest confidants, I realized that although I was absolutely terrified, it was exactly the same feeling as walking off a plane into a completely different place. The second I decided to self-publish, everything in my gut told me, this was the right move. I instantly knew I would do my best to apply everything I have learned to print, market and sell the book. I also knew that whatever I didn’t know, I could learn or lean on my incredible community to help. And wouldn’t you know it, things began to quickly come together. It took nine months to find a printer, design the cover, print and receive the first edition of the book.

The main thing I want people to know about THE LIGHT is how much love, care and spirit went into making it real. Every single step of the way. Both on the creative side and on the production/publishing side.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is when people let their guard down long enough to be moved. To be touched. To have a cathartic moment. One of my favorite things to do is watch others read THE LIGHT. Seeing and hearing their reactions to the book is the most wonderful feeling! I’ve seen people burst into tears while others end in fits of giggles. Whatever that moment is, to me, is pure magic. What an honor they have allowed THE LIGHT in and let it move them!

One of my fondest memories after a performance of my solo show, Wild Rice, was when a young man came up to me after the show with tears in his eyes and told me, “I was so moved. I just had to call my mom after seeing your show.” Inspiring someone to do something in their lives that is positive and supportive, that is a privilege and worth all the risks and vulnerabilities of being an artist.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I wrote THE LIGHT during the time of the BLM and Stop Asian Hate movements when I felt helpless and didn’t know the best way for me to be of service to the community. Then a friend posted “The Social Change Ecosystem Map” by Deepa Iyer, Building Movement Project. SM, © 2020 Deepa Iyer. All rights reserved. All prior licenses revoked. Screenshot 2024-01-03 at 7.11.09 PM.png

I encourage everyone to take a look and see if it helps or resonates with you. Because after reading this, I began gaining clarity on what I could offer that would have the most impact. I am a storyteller. My mission is to tell stories to instill self-love, self-trust and self-connection so we can build a world that is more inclusive, more loving and with more acceptance. I’m drawn to children’s books because they are concise, precise, fun to look at and, if I do my job properly, they are deep, meaningful and lasting. The goal is to tell stories to remind us to connect to ourselves so we may connect with others. As for my creative journey, I think the book sums it up perfectly. My mission is to Spread Light.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.readthelight.com
• Instagram: @read.thelight (www.instagram.com/read.thelight/)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/planetscarlett
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scarlett-lam-planetscarlett/
• Other: VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/user209258373 TikTok: @read.thelight

Image Credits
Mindy Lee (Illustrator of THE LIGHT)