((TITLE)) DIVERSE BOOKS
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((Producer/Camera/Editor: June Soh))
((Map: Rockville, Maryland))
((Main characters: 1 female; 0 male))
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((Blurb: When Ellen Oh had her first child, she could hardly find books about Asian-American kids for her daughter. So, she decided to write books for her children and co-founded a non-profit organization We Need Diverse Books. Here’s a story about a lawyer who turned to be a children’s book author.))
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((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
This is my newest book, You Are Here. It’s a collection of stories
that I worked on with 11 other authors. And it is about 12 characters that are trapped in an airport when a racist incident happens, and it's how these Asian-American kids deal with it. I think the most important message of You Are Here is that Asian-Americans are just as American as any other American, that we belong here just like anyone else does.
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
My name is Ellen Oh. I am a children's book and young adult author and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in children's books.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
When I had my first child, I wanted to get all the books for her because I was a big reader when I was younger. I loved reading. ((end Courtesy))
And so, when she was born, I remember going to the bookstore
and looking for books for her, and right away I noticed that not much had changed since I was young. There was hardly any books about Asian-American kids. There were a few, but just not a lot. And I remember thinking, ‘Wow, you know, I wanted to write the books for my kids. I wanted to write the books that I wish I had when I was young. And so, I began to write for my children's sake.
((Skye Oh
Daughter))
My mom's first book, Prophecy, came out when I was in middle school, and I think the most important part to me was feeling represented in literature in a book that I was reading. So, it was really empowering. It made me feel less alone. And as an Asian-American, it was a huge segue into feeling seen and heard and diversifying our classroom libraries for schools and everywhere.
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I used to be a lawyer, and I left my work to start writing and also to teach. I was teaching at George Mason University. And then I realized that I really wanted to focus more of my attention on the writing process. But at the same time, what was happening in the industry was this movement of people who were very unsatisfied with the lack of diversity in children's literature.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
We Need Diverse Books really started off as a group of authors,
illustrators, librarians, teachers, agents, editors, a whole bunch of people that were part of the children's book literature industry. ((end Courtesy))
Because honestly, it's a great group of people involved in the industry who really wanted to see systemic change happen, bring more diversity, not only in the books that were being published, but also within the industry. One of our most important programs is the internship program, where we actually help college students from various marginalized backgrounds enter into publishing.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
We actually provide grants, and we give books away to schools in need across the country. I think right now we are over 100,000 books given. A lot of times some of these kids, it is the first experience for them to have their own book.
((end Courtesy))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
We've heard stories about kids taking the books home and like sleeping with them because it's their first ever book.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
My parents came from Korea when I was two [years old],
((end Courtesy))
and I grew up mostly in Brooklyn, New York.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
It was pretty hard because my parents were very poor.
((end Courtesy))
We didn't have babysitting services. So, I remember being very young and being left in the library because it was one of the safest places for a young child to be at. And in fact, that's why I think my parents owe my…owe the New York City Library lots of babysitting money for all the times they left me there under the care of the librarians. I read every book that I could get my hands on.
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((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
Growing up in New York, I dealt with a lot of racism, especially in school. I had a lot of bullying issues.
((end Courtesy))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I think there were a lot of terrible things for people to say, but I do think the worst thing and the thing I heard the most was, ‘Go back to your own country and you don't belong here.’ And I think that the reason why that is so horrible is because I didn't know any other country. This was the only country I know. I consider myself a Korean American. And so, for somebody to tell me, ‘No, you don't belong here,’ it really was the reason why I developed really a lot of insecurity and self-loathing.
((NATS))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
So, I do a lot of research, and my favorite research has been Asian History. I learned so much about Korean history just from research. I realized that it was not something I learned in school.
So, researching has been a passion of mine. I've been able to really learn so much and integrate them into my stories. One of my best research experiences was actually researching what happened to my family during the Korean War, and that became the basis for my novel, Finding Junie Kim.
((NATS))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I hope that my books appeal broadly, that they aren't only for
Korean American kids. I hope that I write them in a way that anybody would pick them up and be interested in the story that I'm telling.
((NATS))
((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I actually am very happy. I'm happier now than when I was practicing law. That's the truth, that's the truth, except my mom is still very unhappy that I left my law career behind. She still asks me, ‘Well, when are you going to go back and be a lawyer?’ And I'm like, ‘No, never.’ I love what I'm doing. I love writing, especially.
((Photo Courtesy: Ellen Oh))
My favorite thing is going to schools and meeting students across the country, and just talking with them and hearing from them. Every time someone tells me they love my book, it's probably the best feeling in the world.
((end Courtesy))
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((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
When I'm not writing or researching or working, my favorite way to relax is watching Korean dramas because I think they have some of the best character development also. So, when I'm writing, sometimes the hardest thing for me is writing those strong character relationships. And I love watching K-dramas [Korean dramas] because I feel like it really helps me develop my own characters in my own stories.
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((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I love going to the library to write. It's still my favorite place to go and work. I get to do research and it's a lovely space. It's my favorite.
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((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I am working on my next book, which is a sequel to Colliding World, a young adult novel that comes out next year.
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((NATS: Ellen Oh))
I'm going to take this one out.
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((Ellen Oh
Co-Founder, We Need Diverse Books))
I really hope that diversity, especially in children's books, becomes just normal, not something we have to talk about, that it is just something that happens and it's in everyday life. I think that we, all of us, need to appreciate all books.
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