author talk: Exploring East Asian Diasporic Narratives

It was a joy to speak at the 2025 Teacher Professional Development Program at the University of Michigan, hosted by Nam Center for Korean Studies, the Center for Japanese Studies, and the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies with special thanks to Minyoung Song from the Nam Center for inviting me. The theme was Connecting Family and the World: Using East Asian Children's Stories in the Classroom to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

As part of this one day workshop, I gave a talk on Asian Diasporic narratives in particular, why it’s important, how See Us Bloom is an example of this, and how to choose text to foster belonging in the classroom. I came up with three pillars in fostering belonging: impact (telling narratives that make an impact), culture as a way of being, and combating Asian stereotypes.

The participants and I had a rich conversation about the various stereotypes that are in books and why it matters. Ultimately, stories we share create narratives. What narratives are we perpetuating, recreating, and affirming?

While I left teaching two years ago, because this talk centered on the Asian Diasporic identity which I am an advocate for, preparing and giving this talk fueled me. I am thankful for the teachers who took their Sunday to attend, engage, and learn. I am especially thankful for the Nam Center For Korean Studies for including me in this workshop.