Changing the Narrative by Joanna Ho
I have always been an avid reader—a bookworm before it became a hip identity with a hashtag. I spent summers buried in books, determined to win every summer reading prize offered by my local libraries. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on, and I loved it all. Yet, despite my insatiable appetite for books, the first time I ever saw myself—the daughter of immigrants from Taiwan and China—in a story, saw characters who looked like me, spoke my languages, shared my culture, and experienced similar family dynamics was in high school when I read The Joy Luck Club . It was a singular experience that did not repeat itself for another decade or more.
My invisibility in books and media was so profound that I never even thought to question it. I did not even know it was possible to exist in the narrative, let alone demand a space for myself there. As an English teacher and a high school administrator, I quickly learned the importance of finding books and sharing history that mirrored my students’ experiences, all of whom were from an array of marginalized communities. I also realized the value of teaching books that gave them portals to other worlds. I learned that reading became a journey of discovery—instead of a frustrating set of skills—when students felt connected, celebrated, and seen. I began to write children’s books to change the narrative: to carve out space for myself and my community; to share stories that highlight the beauty, power, and humanity of Asian people. I write the stories I needed as a child. I also write because I hope my stories will be a bridge for those who may not know Asian histories or experiences but for the books they read. The historic erasure of Asian stories and history is a void that impacts all of us, no matter our race or ethnicity. When we don’t know who or what came before, it is impossible for us to see the ways we are, and always have been, bound together. Reading our stories and learning our history shows us the fibers that connect us all.
8 • Rising Voices: Amplifying AANHPI Narratives
RVAANHPI_TG_K-5_Sampler.indd 8
1/30/26 11:00 AM
12 | Rising Voices: Amplifying AANHPI Narratives
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting