{"id":2401,"date":"2016-12-09T00:40:24","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T00:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.womensrightswithoutfrontiers.org\/blog\/?p=2401"},"modified":"2016-12-09T01:20:32","modified_gmt":"2016-12-09T01:20:32","slug":"anni-zhang-littlejohns-daughter-rescued-from-china-to-perform-at-carnegie-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.womensrightswithoutfrontiers.org\/blog\/anni-zhang-littlejohns-daughter-rescued-from-china-to-perform-at-carnegie-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Anni Zhang, Littlejohn\u2019s Daughter Rescued from China, to Perform at Carnegie Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Littlejohn

Littlejohn and Anni on a family vacation in Yosemite.<\/p><\/div>\n

In the video, a 13-year-old girl\u2019s fingers fly over the piano keys.\u00a0 She\u2019s playing Chopin\u2019s \u00c9tude Op. 10, No. 5, full of joy. It seems from the expressive playing she\u2019s lived a life along the same cheerful theme.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the girl is Anni Zhang, daughter of imprisoned Chinese dissident Zhang Lin. Faced with a future of no education and life in a Chinese state-run orphanage, Anni endured inhumane treatment by the Chinese government before fleeing to America, leaving behind language and family alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Reggie Littlejohn, president of <\/span>Women\u2019s Rights Without Frontiers<\/span><\/a>, and her husband Robert, are raising Anni as their own daughter.\u00a0 Littlejohn stated, \u201cWe are so proud of Anni.\u00a0 She is flourishing, both as a pianist and as a top student.\u00a0 Her father, Zhang Lin, was trained as a nuclear physicist, and Anni has inherited his strength in math and science.\u00a0 Her story is an example for all those who struggle against the odds. Through our help and her own hard work, Anni is a witness to the hope of a new beginning and to the beauty, brilliance and <\/span>infinite value of Chinese girls.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In February, Anni\u2019s video was chosen as winner of an international competition for a chance to perform in New York\u2019s Carnegie Hall later this month. Incredibly, Anni achieved such recognition despite the fact that she had only been playing piano for two years when she competed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I would make it to Carnegie Hall, but with help from my American parents (Reggie Littlejohn and her husband, Robert), my teacher (Matt Wang), and God, I made it,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n