Grace Etsuko Lee is an author, speaker, trainer and international businesswoman specializing in Asian and Western marketing and distribution. She is the founder of Grace Lee International, which teaches international personal and business etiquette.
Grace spent the first 14 years of her life in Japan. Her mother, who hailed from a socially prominent Japanese family, and her father, a Black Ivy League-educated American diplomat, made sure she was well-trained in both Japanese and Western social graces. Because Grace was a mixed-blood child being raised in a culture that had been "pure" for centuries, she was shunned by some and considered an oddity by all, but her wise parents showed her how to cope - and actually thrive - in difficult social situations. Her bi-cultural upbringing and the challenges she faced gives her a unique view of life and multicultural relationships. Her stories and remembrances are not only heartwarming, but also educational, spiritual and humorous.
Today, Grace teaches Western business etiquette with an Asian influence, treating social graces the same as learning any fine art. Her unique approach to Western etiquette, through a comparison to Asian and other cultures, helps students understand their own perspective and adds another dimension to their development and success.
“Americans are unique because they import many strengths and benefits from other cultures into their own society," says Grace, "and this selecting of the best social graces from every culture becomes the powerful American culture of the future.”
Grace fondly recalls her father saying, “Curiosity didn’t kill the cat. It made him wiser." "Prejudice comes from lack of knowledge,” says Grace. “To be curious means that we are always learning, because ignorance creates judgment, but confidence and inner peace comes from knowledge.”
Little Caterpillar in Training (Book); Grace Etsuko Lee
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