OCA Reads
For Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, let's uplift the voices of AAPI authors!
Join us on Facebook live for OCA Reads starting Thursday 5/20 with Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter. We will start with a Q&A with our Board Chair Yvonne So, followed by a book reading by Andrea and Q&A from the audience. We hope you can join us!
Andrea Stewart:
Delve in to the world of Bone Shard Magic with fantasy writer Andrea Stewart! "The Bone Shard Daughter" is an epic fantasy in an Asian-inspired setting that follows several characters: a daughter trying to reclaim her rightful place as heir, a smuggler who professes not to care but can't seem to stop doing good things, two women in an established relationship struggling with the class differences between them, and a stranger on a remote island trying to unravel the mystery of why she's there.
If you like: a failing Empire on the brink of revolution, migratory islands, monstrous constructs powered by bone shard magic, a magic system inspired by computer programming, and magical animal companions, tune in to our author book reading and Q&A!
Andrea is the daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her parents always emphasized science and education, so she spent her childhood immersed in Star Trek and odd-smelling library books. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes. Her debut novel, "The Bone Shard Daughter," was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards, the Locus Award, and the BookNest Award.
Mayor Romero:
To Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we want to touch upon Arizona AAPI History. Did you know that shortly after the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed executive order 9066 that allowed the military to force people of Japanese descent into internment camps? Internment camps were basically prisons--they were surrounded by barbed wire and the families sent there were not allowed to leave. The worst part was that people were sent to the camps based solely on their race--they had done nothing wrong and did not commit a crime. 120,000 Japanese-Americans were sent to ten camps spread out around the Western United States and lived there for roughly 3 years. 2 of the largest camps were right here in Arizona at the Poston Relocation Center, and the Gila River Indian Reservation. Ironically, these two prison camps were both on tribal lands, but neither tribe wanted the War Relocation Authority to build on their land, as the tribal councils did not want to inflict the same injustices Native Americans had faced onto Japanese Americans.
Mayor Romero will read "Write to Me," a story based on the letters written between a Librarian, Ms. Breed, and the Japanese American children who are sent away. Through the eyes of children, as told on penny postcard, we can imagine their three year prison ordeal. "They wrote about beauty. They wrote about fear. They all waited for peace." May we never forget the lessons we have learned since those dark days of WWII, and may we spend the time to reflect on this important chapter of our state's and country's history.
Grace Lin:
Spend an hour with beloved NY Times bestselling author/ illustrator Grace Lin!
See what real-life characters, details and myths found their way into Grace’s novels in this presentation. While not necessary, this presentation is perfect for those who have read or are reading “The Year of the Dog.” While telling the sharing the “real-life” of her books, Grace teaches the students how to draw a dog, asks interactive pop quiz questions, reads a story from “Starry River of the Sky” and introduces her real chickens to viewers. The session ends with Q&A .
As well as occasionally reviewing for the NYTimes, Grace has become an advocate for diversity. She is a commentator for New England Public Radio and created the video essay, “What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist?” for PBSNewHour. Grace also delivered the popular TEDx talk, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf.” She truly believes, “Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal.”
Africa Yoon:
Africa Yoon née Engo was about to turn 30. She was a celebrated activist working in Manhattan and around the world, when she finds she has gained 120 pounds and is now obese. She realizes she needs a life beyond her work and begins to dream about having a husband and children. To get her dream, she has to work on herself to get to her goal. The activist starts on the road toward the greatest cause of her career—to save herself—and decides she will do a spiritual and physical makeover to find self-love, in hopes it may lead to true love. One afternoon at Asian grocery store Hmart, a Korean grandmother calls her fat! After the initial embarrassment of the public moment, the two begin an unusual friendship that leads her to eating kimchi—and that moment changes everything.
In the self-discovery and romance vein of “Sex and the City,” this memoir is full of culture, food, inspiration and travel in this ugly duckling turned swan transformation story.
Mayor Gallego:
Kate Gallego is the Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, the 5th largest city in the nation. In November 2020, she was returned to office by the highest number votes ever cast for a mayoral candidate in Phoenix.
Mayor Gallego is the second elected female Mayor in Phoenix history and one of the youngest big city Mayors in the United States. She graduated from Harvard University and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Before being elected to Phoenix City Council, Mayor Gallego worked on Economic Development for local utility company, Salt River Project.
Mayor Gallego has focused on three key policy areas during her time in office: diversifying the economy, strengthening infrastructure investment, and working to make Phoenix a leader in sustainability. The year 2020 saw a significant addition to that list: ensuring the public health is protecting by adhering to the evolving science around the COVID-19 virus.
Her record of proven results includes leading the campaign to pass Phoenix’s citywide transportation plan through 2050, which was the largest local government commitment to transportation infrastructure in the country when it passed in 2015. She has led efforts on criminal justice reform and ensuring equal pay for equal work. Mayor Gallego is passionate about building a Phoenix that works for everyone and improving the quality of life for all Phoenicians.
Stories that Move: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM)
