Lulu C. Wang immigrated to the United States from Shanghai with her family in 1948, not knowing more than one word of English. Forced to leave their life behind amid the Chinese communist revolution, they started from scratch in America. Wang went on to conquer Wall Street, have a family, and dedicate her life to philanthropy, specifically the arts. She serves as a trustee for the MET in New York and funded galleries in the American Wing, featuring 18th Century American Art.
Wang believes in the American Dream of positivity, making a difference, and giving back. She graduated from Wellesley College, entered the wine industry, and eventually started her own hedge fund, Tupelo Capital. Wang was one of the few women on Wall Street in the 1970s, but she never saw herself as an anomaly; she was driven by a desire to learn and succeed.
As a believer in art as a unifying force, Wang thinks it connects people and can remind us of our shared humanity. She believes it is important to achieve something but even more important to share it with others. Looking back on her success, Wang would tell her younger self that the sky’s the limit and that sharing one’s achievements is what truly makes America great. Through hard work, determination, and a commitment to giving back, Wang has embodied the essence of the American Dream.
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