In 2015, some friends and I co-founded a children’s literacy non-profit called Students Expanding American Literacy (SEAL). We paired hundreds of elementary students with reading buddies and tutors. 

Most of the kiddos we worked with were learning English as a second language, and rarely saw themselves represented in their favorite books. In fact, more children’s books featured animals, trucks, or other non-human characters than people of color (source). 

When anti-Asian hate crimes surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, I reflected on how Asian Americans have been underrepresented and misrepresented in media and literature. I began writing the kinds of picture books that I wish I had access to when I was a kid.

My stories celebrate Chinese American immigrants who find a sense of belonging by learning from each other and their heritage. I have two books landing on bookshelves in 2026 and 2027.

When I’m not writing picture books, I enjoy performing at The Moth open-mic storytelling competitions. Here’s my GrandSLAM performance after I was crowned StorySLAM Champion:

Another one of my stories was also featured on the Moth’s coming of age podcast, Grown. You can catch me around the 19-minute mark of the “Nerding Out” episode. And who knows, you may see me on stage the next time you check out a Moth show in NYC!