Pearl Fu

Pearl Fu (born c. 1941) is a Chinese-American community leader. She is known for her leadership of the Local Colors festival in Roanoke, Virginia and for initiating multicultural dialogue in the city. In 2011, she was named to Virginia Women in History for her work in promoting intercultural dialogue and community action.

Biography Pearl Fu grew up in a political family in Yunnan Province, China. Her family later moved to Hong Kong, but her mother instilled the family's Yi culture and traditions into her children.

Emigration to the United States Pearl moved to the United States in 1959 with the intention of becoming a Broadway actress and dancer. She attended Maywood College in Pennsylvania and graduated from the Peabody Institute in 1963. She later married C.C. Fu, an engineer and fellow Chinese immigrant. For 25 years, Fu was the director of the community festival that became known as Local Colors (with an s), a community festival in the Roanoke Valley recognizing immigrants and fostering multicultural dialogue.

Roanoke Cultural Ambassador In 1999, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but continued her work in the local community. Fu became involved in Roanoke's Sister Cities project, helping initiate a Sister cities agreement between Roanoke and Lijiang, China. In 2001 she was awarded the Perry F. Kendig Award from Hollins University and Roanoke College. In 2006, she was honored with Roanoke's Local Hero Award. Later she was named "Roanoke's Ambassador of Goodwill".

In 2011 she was honored by the Library of Virginia and named to the Virginia Women in History. That year, Pearl Fu was featured on a mural painted in downtown Roanoke by local artist Toobz titled, "The World is a Village".

Retirement In 2014, she stepped down from her leadership role at Local Colors due to her worsening Parkinson's disease. In 2015, she was awarded the Cabell Brand Hope Award.