Beew Lan Lim, Jo-Ann’s mother, was one of the first Asian women lawyers in Western Australia. This audio interview captures her remarkable story:
“One of the first Asian women lawyers in Perth, if not the first, my mother immigrated to Australia in 1974 to marry my father (a UWA graduate) and faced immense racism in the legal industry. She was a law graduate of Inner Temple, London, and had practiced law in Malaysia for five years. Upon arrival, she found it impossible to find work. Secretaries would often refuse to pass her CV to their superiors. She finally found employment at a large commercial law firm, however, upon being hired she was told that she would never make partner as there had never been a women partner before. She took the job, knowing she would never be promoted, as she needed to support her parents in Malaysia. She trained many young lawyers (white men) who would surpass her position in her law firm. When she became a mother to my sister and I, she faced judgment for being a working mother during a time when women had jobs and not careers. She later started practicing immigration law and helped many asylum seekers through her volunteer work. My mother is my inspiration. My sister and I followed in her footsteps and are both law graduates.”
Creator
Jo-Ann Lim
Jo-Ann Lim is an Australian Chinese performance artist, writer, storyteller, dancer, musician and producer. She is passionate about increasing racial diversity in the arts. She creates, performs and produces stories of empowerment that highlight struggles and controversial issues such as slut shaming and fighting the patriarchy. Having worked as a human rights advocate for more than 20 years, she sees the arts as another form of activism, a big f-you to systemic racism, the patriarchy and dangerous cultural and societal norms.