A Student’s Take on The May Book Project

An essay from Junnie B., a high school senior in St. Louis

I have always been an avid reader. As an elementary school student, I remember setting challenges for myself. Could I finish all of the Percy Jackson AND the Heroes of Olympus series in a week? Fantasy and fiction were my wheelhouses, and I consumed all of the popular literature available in my school’s library at a feverish pace. Yet, among the cast of heroic protagonists featured in the epic stories, I always failed to see a face that looked like mine. 

Dressing up as Harry Potter for Halloween, I could sense that something was amiss, and I started to seek Asian representation from other sources. When I discovered anime in middle school, I was sucked down the rabbit hole of other Asian media mediums–including manga, manhwa, and K-dramas. These sources made me realize that heroism was not reserved only for Caucasian protagonists. 

In high school, I first discovered literature written by Asian American authors. I felt my reality was being reflected in the pages for the first time by reading these intricate stores that reference Asian American history and cultural customs. I felt that my reality was being reflected in the pages of a book for the first time. Representation in stories is essential. Both for the sake of giving children positive role models to aspire to and to comfort them—letting them know that their experiences are relevant and valued.

My personal experiences as part of the Asian American Civic Scholars (AACS), a local student-led civic engagement group, have led me to advocate for the importance of Asian American literature– not only as a tool for representation of the Asian American community but also for educating the public at large.

I came to realize the urgent need to share Asian American stories after observing the rise in Asian hate crimes during the pandemic. These violent actions represented the tension present between minority communities caused by the lack of cross-cultural understanding. The repercussions of the violence jeopardized the safety of the community at large, with students feeling unsafe in public and even in their schools. 

As part of a data collection initiative, AACS surveyed students local Asian American high schoolers and asked them about their experience with hate crimes. We found that 72% of Asian youth in St. Louis have encountered racist remarks and 88% felt overwhelmingly concerned about the increase in hate crimes. The majority of these students faced racial remarks at school, making it evident that schools need to further their efforts to educate students about diverse cultures. 

School curriculums need to be changed to include the integral role of Asian Americans in history, however, these efforts of change are long-term. More immediate change is needed. The promotion of Asian American literature is critical to help rectify widespread false perceptions and stereotypes about Asian Americans. 

The May Book Project is an opportunity to advocate for Asian American representation and promote cross-cultural understanding. Seeing stories that reflect my personal experience and other positive multifaceted representations that deviate from outdated stereotypical representations of the Asian community will help the public develop a more nuanced cultural understanding. 

I hope the small step of sharing diverse stories of Asian American authors through The May Book Project will spark discussion and reflection within our community that will lead to positive change.