Joanna Ho Writes Children’s Books as a form of Anti-Racist Activism

Write

Nov 29

Writing children’s books can be rewarding because they have so much power to positively impact young people. For example, multicultural children’s books can tell stories about identity, help young children build confidence, and provide representation in media.

But writing great children’s books can be harder than you might imagine. So, to gather some insights for aspiring children’s book authors, I chatted with children’s book author, educator, and activist Joanna Ho.

Joanna is the New York Times bestselling author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners—a beautiful picture book that tells the story of a little Asian girl who learns to love and appreciate the shape of her eyes. She is also the author of its complementary, bestselling picture book, Eyes that Speak to the Stars, the picture book, Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, and recently released her YA novel, The Silence that Binds Us.

Joanna holds a BA in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from the Principal Leadership Institute at Berkeley. She has been an English teacher, a dean, the designer of an alternative-to-prison program, and a professional development mastermind. Before deciding to write full time, Joanna was the vice principal of a high school in the Bay Area.

During our conversation, Joanna shared how writing for young people is part of her anti-racism activism; why it makes her sad that so many Asian women love her book; how she reacted when her first attempts at writing picture books were rejected; and why she writes to change the world.

Enjoy our Q&A

What path did you take to become an author of multiple children’s books?

Joanna Ho: I’ve always been very passionate about issues around social justice—specifically anti-racist work.

I wasn’t sure how exactly I was going to do that. At first, I thought I was going to be a doctor, then a human rights lawyer, but then I realized that I’ve always loved working in schools. When I started out, I was naïve and thought I would change the world of racial injustice through education. Sadly, over the years, I’ve realized that the education system is just another part of the system of oppression that pervades the United States.

Instead, I’ve found that being a writer is a great, related way to fight the anti-racism fight. Writing inclusive children’s books with powerful messaging is another way for me to add my voice to the fight and provide something that kids need.

Of course, the publishing industry mirrors any other, in the sense that there is gatekeeping, inequity, and power in privilege present. But the response I’ve gotten to my books assures me that inclusive writing is an effective form of activism and readers are thirsty for it.

How did you deal with rejection when you were getting started?

JH: At first, I just started writing. After I had a few manuscripts, I submitted them to a family friend to review. She gave me constructive criticism that was that I had a lot to learn about the craft.

I said, “OK, I get it,” and got to work. I signed up for some writing conferences, took online classes, and read a lot of books in the genre.

I also realized that I was trying to tell stories that weren’t mine. Instead, I needed to dig deep and figure out which stories were mine to tell. I thought about the experiences I had as a kid that were hard or impactful for me, and I thought about the messages I wanted to give my kids.

What is your inspiration for all your books?

JH: The response from the Asian community to my first book was so surprising and affirming—but also a bit heartbreaking that so many women could relate to a story about eye shape. There is clearly a desire for more Asian representation in literature and other media.

Also, there is not enough taught in schools about racial activism.

So, I wanted to tell all these important stories.

What advice do you have for managing social media as a writer?

JH: Social media is important because it has a lot of power to create community and be a positive learning space. That said, it is not the only way to connect with people and have a voice in the world.

It is easy to get caught up in social media, but it is important to remember that the real art is in your book writing. Create healthy boundaries with social media but keep it in mind as a tool to have positive results in your community.