Zhang Zhirong
Senior Advisor, OneSky and Chunhui Children

The news of Dick’s passing has broken our hearts. He was a great friend and a great man. I am so lucky to have known Dick Bowen from the early days of Half the Sky, which began 24 years ago.

I remember going with Dick when he was taking photos for his book Mei Mei—Portraits from a Chinese Orphanage. At one institution, he asked for all the children’s shoes to be lined up in the corridor. At first, I didn’t understand. But when he began to photograph, I realized why he wanted that picture. It was to show the number of children in that crowded institution. His way of shooting was very interesting. Often, he would just play with the children, have fun with them, as he was photographing.

And Dick found other ways to help the children. After the deadly earthquake in Sichuan, where almost 70,000 people died and schools collapsed and so many children needed help, Dick was there again. He used his motion picture connections to gather relief supplies from all over China and then arranged for film production companies to transport the goods, along with huge tents [our “Big Tops”], so the children who were displaced by the quake could receive loving care and comfort during the chaotic days that followed.

In 2015, Half the Sky began to work in rural villages, where many children had been left behind when their parents had to leave to earn a living in urban and industrial areas. To help tell the children’s story, Dick spent many weeks living in a village, sleeping, eating, working there every day and carrying a heavy camera to film the children’s activities and difficult lives. There was no running water, so he couldn’t shave or shower. He became Santa Claus, his beard so long we didn’t recognize him. But with all the challenges, he always had a smile on his face and was so kind. The villagers still remember him.

In 2008 there was a cold winter and a big storm in the southern part of China. At the institution in Chenzhou, more than 100 orphans were stranded, cold and suffering. There was no electricity and even the trains had stopped. Some people in the area had died, and houses had fallen down. But even when everyone said reaching Chenzhou was too dangerous and impossible, Dick was determined to try. He organized a big truck, loaded it up and drove over the mountains in a blizzard for 23 hours so the children could stay warm and fed. The people at the Chenzhou institution were amazed to see the big truck pull up with Dick, an interpreter, and a driver. They had packed everything possible into that truck—dry noodles, baby formula, drinking water, diapers, blankets, candles, coal, and even balloons!

I remember Dick as a great friend and father, and someone who worked so hard for the children who were suffering and needed help. We all really miss him.

Winnie Sun
Director of Technology, OneSky

Chenzhou SWI welcomes Dick Bowen

I first met Dick in 2006, at the Half the Sky office in Beijing, and I remember that he was always on the road or at work on a film project. There were two projects with him that I especially remember. The first was the ice storm in February of 2008, when we sat in the office making phone calls to welfare institutions in the south to understand the crisis and see what our organization could do to help. Dick traveled alone to Guangzhou to buy what was needed, and he managed to get a truckful of supplies to the Chenzhou Institution, where the ice storm had hit the hardest. When I saw a picture of Dick in Chenzhou, I proudly told my family, “See, this is my boss. I don’t know how he managed to do that, but look, he is there!”

The other project that left an imprint in my memory was in 2011, when we went to the orphanage in Nanjing for two weeks to shoot pictures and make films. That was the first time I had worked on such a project with Dick. He was really dedicated to his job as a photographer and cameraman, and he paid attention to every single detail. Every day, our schedules were packed, and every night we had to go over and edit the day’s footage, too. That meant that we had to change plans constantly. Although those two weeks were difficult and tiring, I saw how dedicated and hardworking Dick was, which was very motivating for me as a young person. It made me realize I had no reason to slack off.

In 2012, I moved to California, where I met Dick in his everyday life. When I visited Jenny and Dick at their house, I saw a certificate from the Flying Tigers hanging on the wall. His father had been a pilot in the group that helped China in the fight against the Japanese. That was the first time I knew that Dick and China had been tied closely a long time ago.

I remember I once asked Dick in China, “Living here, every meal is Chinese. Do you really never crave American food?” He thought about it for a bit, then answered, “I really like Chinese food, but sometimes, I wish for peanut butter.” Back then, I didn’t quite understand. Now that I understand the importance of peanut butter in America, a smile always blossoms on my face when I remember this conversation.

Carol Kemble
Former Chief of Global Partnerships, OneSky

I made numerous trips to China with Dick over the many years we worked together. We shared countless adventures traveling and working in orphanages and rural villages all over the country. He did not suffer fools and didn’t let things get in the way of the big picture. He was passionate about wanting to make the world a better place and in his convictions of right and wrong.

Our Village Scouting Team

I don’t think a single day went by on the China trips when we didn’t have an unexpected challenge, some we could never have imagined, but we always carried on. Dick was good at finding humor in even the wildest situations, and we had our share. He was a consummate photographer/videographer. I always enjoyed watching him work and was amazed how he could manage to fade into the background despite his height and capture such soulful and beautiful images.

Dick rarely seemed to tire during our very long days, and he loved his coffee. I always brought coffee from home, a luxury in most places we went. He acted like I’d given him a winning lottery ticket when I’d deliver a fresh cup to his hotel room door in the morning. Dick was often the only man in our group, requiring him to drink the seemingly endless toasts of baijiu (white wine with a very high alcohol content!) for the rest of us at the frequent banquets.

That time I spent working for Half the Sky was one of the most formative experiences of my life and I’m deeply grateful to have been a part of it and to have counted Dick a close friend.

Wen Zhao, Ph.D.
Chief Program Officer, Chunhui Children; Former Program Director, Half the Sky Preschools

Dick filmed many of our trainings in China; I worked with him most closely when we were producing the Video Resource Library during 2011-2013. Back then I was not that confident, but Dick was the kind of person who really inspired people and he was full of creative ideas. He was one of the most talented people I have ever known.

I came to Berkeley so Dick could videotape my narration. He put me in front of the camera and said, “Wen, look, we can make you famous. Your face can be all over China with this video.” His sense of humor, his encouragement, and his sense of calm always made the situation better. He was so patient and made me feel less anxious.

Making the videos wasn’t always easy. Because he really wanted to save money for Half the Sky, we were just filming in the office, which was down by the railroad tracks. A train would come by every few minutes. We’d be taping and I would look at Dick’s face as the noise of the train began, and he’d just say, “Sorry, Wen, we’ll do it again.” His patience made it possible for me to feel, oh never mind, we can make this work.

It was Dick’s idea to pull our training videos together as a resource library to help train orphanage workers across China. At the time I thought it was a brilliant idea but completely out of reach. But with Dick’s persistence, here we are. We have this wonderful resource, and Dick put all his efforts into leaving behind a complete training package that will continue to grow to serve children across Asia

Guy Russo
Director. OneSky Board of Directors, Former Chairman (on hiatus)

Dick always just blew my mind with his energy and talent. I remember when he was shooting his film Cinderella Moon in Yunnan and he invited me to be on the set. He was shooting the scene where Cinderella had to fly across a fire in this small ancient village. He was everywhere! He told his crew the fire wasn’t big enough, he helped move the giant crane, and he showed the young actress how to fly through the fire while hanging from it. He was all energy and the scene was beautiful!

That night I asked him where we were going to sleep. I learned he’d be happy with a wooden bench and a bag of straw under his head. It wasn’t about him; it was always about others.  How amazing, given his past before OneSky, working in the movie industry, to take that skill set and dedicate it to helping forgotten children. He was always willing to do whatever he could to make sure the children in OneSky were looked after. And he told everyone to look after Jenny, because he said, “If you don’t, there won’t be anyone to take care of the children.”

He was an artist, a husband, a father, a friend. When Dick spoke, you would listen because he had something to say, because it was about his work, his art, his children, his wife.

At the 2018 Australian gala to raise money for OneSky, both his daughters had speaking roles. I was Master of Ceremonies and I saw Dick waiting by the stage for them to speak and I said to the audience, “Before I introduce the girls, I have to tell you about this man standing here with an IPhone. Dick Bowen is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever come across in my life.” And I described OneSky as a charity I had fallen in love with and I told how this man had given up his life in the U.S. with Jenny and had moved to China with no ability to speak the language and how they were working with the Chinese government, all for giving children more opportunity in life.

“This man is so inspirational,” I said. And then as I introduced Maya and Anya, Dick was riveted on them, watching with such love. Of course, it is hard to talk about Dick without talking about Jenny. These two people have done something in the world that I don’t think most people could even conceive. And Dick has made a profound impact on my life as a man.

Deanne Bevan
Director, OneSky Board of Directors

Lots of people in Australia remember Dick really well. They remember his visit for the gala in 2018. As his daughters spoke, Dick’s IPhone was glued to the girls, with tears running down his face. He was crouched over as if melting with happiness and sadness. Everyone recalled him well from those brief visits, and remembered the way he was with Maya and Anya.

My enduring idea of Dick was how excited he got about things. He’d get on a roll, think of crazy wild ideas to benefit OneSky. He was so sure that things could be done. I wondered how we would manage to make it happen, but that didn’t stop him. There was no end to his enthusiasm. He’d just keep going. Never say never. It was wonderful and it was contagious and it was always fun.

He had a wonderful humanity and energy. You felt it. You felt part of what he was doing; it involved people he cared about. He always looked for the good things. He was not a pessimistic fellow. His optimism and humanity was always there. Even when he was angry, he would break into big smiles and laugh about it. Once at a black-tie dinner in Guangzhou, he forgot to pack his shoes so he was wearing a suit with sandals. He didn’t care. Things like that were just not important.

He was the best husband; he was so in love. He was just completely devoted and it was gorgeous. It couldn’t have been better, marriage as a partner, as a soulmate, as a buddy. He was totally fierce if anyone tried to get in the way of his daughters. His daughters got their fill of fatherly love. He gave them everything.

Being with him was easy, pleasant, light, and also meaningful, in such an easy going way. It was never difficult. Everything flowed with Dick from one moment to the next. He was easy company, fun company. He really shared himself. He was a beautiful friend.

Debbie Tong, MAPT, C/NDT
OneSky Director of Global Programs, Mongolia; former Professional Development Director, Special Needs

One of my fondest memories of being with Dick in China was having ice cold beers at the end of the day and talking about anything and everything. He was an amazing conversationalist and always made me feel comfortable. He was incredibly modest when I asked him how he captured “that” shot—some powerful photograph, one of many he’d taken—which showed an intimate and personal interaction between a caregiver and child.

When we started to shoot videos of children with special needs, Dick was interested in learning about their disabilities in order to best highlight their abilities. The early videos he and Jenny created to showcase Half the Sky always brought me to tears. Together, Dick’s magical images and Jenny’s moving words powerfully communicated Half the Sky/OneSky’s heart and mission.

Dana Johnson, M.D., PhD
Founding Director, OneSky Board of Directors

I met Dick at the first Half the Sky board meeting I went to in 1999 and we became good friends. We’d spend time talking about important things and that was very meaningful to me, and of course when he passed, the first thing I thought was how sad I was that I didn’t get to know him even better.

After he and his family moved to China, I saw him put aside his career in the movies and really dedicate his talents to OneSky. He taught me that to really grab people you need a story, you need someone to relate to. I think of the short films he put together, showing a group of caregivers in an orphanage interacting with kids. That to me is the most powerful and poignant image of what nurturing is. He just showed it better than any text book, just what you see on the screen and he did it so beautifully.

The most time I spent with him was when we were choosing a site for the Village Project. It was November and it was cold and there were long trips in small buses over bad roads trying to find the right place to set up the pilot program. We had endless conversations with village officials. Dick always had his camera out and the shots he got of the kids just being kids were wonderful.

He showed his dedication and foresight in investigating wherever we should go. He made what could have been a tedious visit into a really joyful time. That was really a remarkable ten days. In addition to the wonderful films he made, it was always fun to be there. He always made me feel good.

Working with him as a cinematographer you just knew what his skills were. He was really a perfectionist, but not unpleasantly so. He’d say, “Let’s see if we can do this again.” He was an exceptionally humble person for one who was so great, always self-effacing, accepting compliments graciously, but always thinking of the organization, the kids, and what he was trying to do with his talents. He was just a basic person. He wasn’t trying to prove anything. He was what he was and I really appreciated that. Whatever you asked him to do, he did a spectacular job.

He was also a very forward-looking person, always seeking new ways to tell the children’s stories. I remember when he took a trip around Asia, photographing kids in Bangladesh and Myanmar, how moved he was. We were there together for the opening of the OneSky programs in Vietnam, and wherever we went, traveling in the company of Dick always made it better.

Janice Cotton, PhD

Chief Program Officer, OneSky – Retired

When I think of Dick, I remember a man who had great enthusiasm for life and a passion for capturing in visuals the lives of forgotten and sometimes neglected children and their caregivers.

Visuals are an important part of the OneSky training curriculum. They provide depth and greater meaning to the words that are shared, often conveying what can’t be expressed in words. Dick had the ability to capture the children’s emotions, whether fear, joy or contentment, in such a way that viewers felt they were looking directly into the eyes of the children, feeling what the children were experiencing. Every request I made to Dick for images we could use in our curriculum, he did his best to capture. If it wasn’t quite right, he would try over and over again. The images he sent often exceeded my expectations and sometimes made it challenging to make a selection.

When Dick shot the video in Chinese orphanages for the Video Resource Library, he worked tirelessly with the program team to tape desired content and to make certain the wording accompanying the visuals accurately reflected the training message. Those training videos have been viewed thousands of times and have broadened caregivers’ understanding of responsive practice.

I recall times in China, Mongolia and Vietnam talking with Dick after a shoot. He shared his experiences with such enthusiasm and often offered information that helped me better understand the children and caregivers. You could hear through his words the hidden potential that we had not seen. Those verbal exchanges gave me insights that enhanced the training program.

Dick was a man with a kind and giving heart, a man who made people smile. You could easily see his talent. Capturing images of children and their caregivers for OneSky was not just a job to Dick, it was a calling, and OneSky’s work is better for it!

Morgan Lance
CEO, OneSky

I have so many wonderful memories of Dick, many of them involving deep, philosophical conversations about how to make the world a better place! And so often those conversations took place while we were on the road. Traveling with Dick was the best, as he always had a way of turning logistical snafus into fun adventures! He could find the bright spot in the bleakest moment, making everyone around him feel safe. When Dick was there, I knew not only that everything would be alright, but that I’d have fun and learn something along the way.

At the end of one trip to China, we arrived at the airport exhausted and ready for our return flight to Hong Kong, only to find that a typhoon was delaying all departures. We were told we’d have to wait many hours before flying, so Dick took us all to the little airport bar for beer and chips and, of course, philosophical conversation! Never one to leave anyone out, Dick pulled two American climate scientists, who were also there awaiting flights back home, into the conversation as well. Several hours, and beers, later, when we learned there would be no flights that day, Dick decided we should hire a van and driver to take us on the overnight trip back to Hong Kong and, of course, he invited the climate scientists to come with us! That six-hour drive through the night was full of stories, songs, and lots of laughs, all because Dick was leading the way. So often that’s the way it was, Dick leading the way, leading the fun, leading the adventure.

The last time I saw him was at Jenny and Dick’s home in California. He had just finished major work in their garden and took me on a tour. We walked along the hillside above their house and Dick showed me the different vegetables he had planted, the stream that had been uncovered, the tree where the hawk roosted. In just a few minutes, he made a walk in the garden feel as fascinating an adventure as any of the trips we had been on.

I left their house that day with a bag full of vegetables from Dick’s garden and a print of a photo he had taken many years ago while traveling in rural China. That print now hangs above my desk and every time I look at it, I smile, thinking of adventures with Dick.

Ivy Yu

Global Director of Brand and Creative Services

I remember Dick mostly behind his cameras, behind the scene. As tall as he was, he told me he tried to just be a part of the room, so his subjects’ true personalities would surface—and that was the moment he clicked the shutter. That was Dick. He let others take center stage, while he quietly provided support.

Dick was Jenny’s and Half the Sky’s biggest fan. He enthusiastically got on board with every challenge that was put to him. He stayed behind the scene, but was that solid foundation Jenny and the young organization needed, especially early on. He was the unwavering wall Jenny leaned on so she could boldly lead Half the Sky forward.

Dick also held down the fort at home, being the best dad to their two girls. After I became a mom and my husband needed to travel, I realized how difficult it was to be the occasional single parent to young children. Yet, I watched as Dick soloed through countless school days, Halloweens, and birthdays. He even came to my baby shower! I don’t recall he ever said he was tired, nor did he ever take the easy way out. He gave his heart to the children in China with his great talents, and he gave his own girls the best childhood possible.

Dick introduced me to digital and portrait photography, and how lucky am I to have learned from the best. He saw the souls of those he photographed, the spirit behind their eyes. He knew how to capture them authentically, and he told their stories through his lens. His sense of empathy and humility gave him that gift. He taught me how to present a photograph so it had the most emotional impact.

Even with his years of Hollywood experience, Dick was always humble, always learning, and always sharing and teaching. I will miss seeing him behind his cameras, seeing the beautiful images he caught, learning from him. Mostly, I will miss watching him in his devoted role as dad to his daughters and husband to Jenny.

Melissa Elbirt

Media Director, OneSky

The first time I met Dick was in the conference room of the Berkeley Half the Sky office on a Saturday. It was unlike any job interview I had ever experienced. We had already made our introductions on the phone when he had described an assistant job I might be right for, so within minutes of my arrival, he was deep into the story of Maya’s adoption and the birth of Half the Sky. His eyes were bright describing the moment Jenny looked through their kitchen window at a healthy and happy daughter playing in the yard who only a year earlier had been shut down, and seemingly unreachable. His passion for storytelling and helping children was palpable. He won me over, and I joined the little U.S. team.

To me, Dick was a big person in every way. His booming voice always filled a room with elaborate plans, infectious enthusiasm, and unapologetic opinions. He thought out loud. Working with him required coffee and absolute presence of mind. He loved any brainstorm session that included a whiteboard. His standards were high. He was forgiving of mistakes, but not of carelessness.

His technical knowledge of photography and videography was vast, but it was never about the complicated math or fancy equipment. (Although, he did love gadgets.) He was in awe of beautiful images that told honest human stories. From him I learned and internalized the value of intentionality. Who is your subject? What are they doing and why are they doing it? Who else is there and what do they want? What world do these people inhabit and what story does that world tell? And finally, sit still and wait! Stop moving the camera!

Dick understood children well. He taught me that in order to observe them with a camera, you must become invisible to them. When you consider Dick’s size, it’s impressive he was able to become invisible to these tiny children. But he got down on the ground, and “right inside of the action” as he described it.

What he captured on film was that little bit of magic that no detailed fundraising proposal could ever convey. There was the intimate exchange of smiles between a nanny and baby during a warm bath, or the shared glee of a toddler and his caregiver after building a tower of colorful blocks. Sometimes it was an attentive nanny gently touching the arm of a forlorn and teary-eyed little girl in a quiet corner of a room. The hours Dick filmed of OneSky’s work are indeed gorgeous and compelling vignettes. But they’re more. These images are nuanced and compassionate stories about resilience, devotion, and love.

Dick was my mentor. He saw my strengths and weaknesses and nudged me to overcome the obstacles I put in my own way. I’ll always remember a frank conversation we once had. “You know what to do, you just need to trust yourself.” It was a meaningful piece of advice I continue to revisit every day.

Rachel Xing
CEO, Chunhui Children

When I saw Dick for the first time, he introduced himself with a simple and honest smile, “I am Jenny’s husband.” The second time I saw him was when he was with Maya and Anya. He bent down to gently hug his daughters. He hugged Maya first, and Anya, with her cutest voice, said to him, “I want a hug, too!”

When we prepared to launch the Village Program in China, Dick walked around the rural village with his giant video camera. He greeted each villager passing by. Some kids curiously touched the hair on his arms, and he just let them do it, and took some pictures. During the Lunar New Year, he lived in a villager’s house for two months. He shot every day and talked with villagers as he gathered images and videos of real village life.

Dick was also warm and friendly when it came to dining with a Civil Affairs official. He held up a glass of wine and spoke with his not perfect Mandarin. “Ganbei” (“cheers” in Chinese), he said, and then patted the official’s back. Everyone liked this tall and charming foreigner, and they all tried to meet his needs as best they could.

Just like Jenny, Dick wanted to make everything work as perfectly as possible, no matter what difficulties were in the way. “Nothing is impossible” has been their motto. Each day at OneSky, Dick was alongside Jenny, doing all he could to transform the lives of thousands and thousands of children.

I am sure Dick is in heaven looking down at Jenny, Maya, and Anya with a beaming smile and he must be looking, too, at all those vulnerable children he always cared for.

Half the Sky’s Founding Board of Directors
Top L-R: Joe Spano, David Howard, Vicki McClay, Joan Spano, Dana Johnson, Richard Bowen, Karin Evans
Front L-R: Jenny Bowen, Philip Ng, Pat Ng, Zhang Zhirong

Karin Evans
Author, The Lost Daughters of China;
Founding Director,  Half the Sky Board of Directors

When I think of the years I knew Dick, I think immediately of his ready smile and the heavy cameras he carried. I think of the small faces of the children he photographed with such compassion and care. His book Mei Mei: Portraits from a Chinese Orphanage is a masterpiece of understatement. He didn’t pose the children; he just let them reveal themselves as he quietly waited with his camera. And in so doing, he brought them out of the shadows, gave the world a window into all the children who are waiting for help. The portraits are extraordinary, intimate without any sense of intrusion. As in everything else he did, Dick’s heart was in this project and it shows. Ironically, he was preparing to attend an exhibition of these photographs when he died. He had so much left to do.

Jenny, who knew him best, has said that he never did anything half way, and I am finding that to be true on an almost daily basis. Just easing into retirement when he died, Dick was spending hours working on his organic garden. Not just any garden, this one had been laid out with the greatest precision and care on a steep hillside—sturdy raised beds; an intricate extensive drip system; neat, handwritten labels that identified the lettuces, tomatoes, chards, asparagus, artichokes, strawberries, garlic. In every bed (filled with soil he had amended to perfection), he had meticulously laid wire mesh, above, below, and sideways, to foil the critters who’d otherwise eat the crops.

After Dick died, my husband Mark and I decided it would be a fitting tribute to Dick—and maybe a gift of produce to Jenny—to volunteer to tend Dick’s garden. We have tried, and this is what we have learned: Two of us are no match for this man’s dedication, incredibly hard work, and gardening know-how. Each time we’re in his garden, we are stunned by how much he did, and how small and unsuccessful our efforts are in comparison.

But that was Dick, the man who did everything with his whole heart and being. We all miss him and so does his garden.