KCU Pitchfest Showcase 2023 (Top 50)

Almost Asian

In this semi-autobiographical YA graphic novel, Ava Song, a half Chinese, half white 18 year old girl leaves her family and home in Beijing to pursue her dream of studying illustration in America. However she quickly discovers her new peers, like her roommate Courtney Price, dismiss and doubt she’s Asian at all when she’s also half white and has tan skin. But she finds solace in her new friends Harlow Lim and Mengchun Hu. Together they create a new type of home and support Ava while she finds her artistic voice, and learns to embrace and stand up for her dual cultural identity.

My Why:

When I moved to the USA by myself at 18, I soon learned my mixed race heritage made it difficult for people to believe me when I said I grew up in China, was half Chinese and could speak Chinese. They would dismiss me and say one of my cultures was clearly more “real” than the other. At first it always seemed so much easier to give in to whatever someone thought I was supposed to be, but I have since found the courage to stand my ground. So with this story, I hope to create awareness and acceptance of marginalized identities that don’t fit a single label and help them find their courage like I did.

Almost Asian

In this semi-autobiographical YA graphic novel, Ava Song, a half Chinese, half white 18 year old girl leaves her family and home in Beijing to pursue her dream of studying illustration in America. However she quickly discovers her new peers, like her roommate Courtney Price, dismiss and doubt she’s Asian at all when she’s also half white and has tan skin. But she finds solace in her new friends Harlow Lim and Mengchun Hu. Together they create a new type of home and support Ava while she finds her artistic voice, and learns to embrace and stand up for her dual cultural identity.

My Why:

When I moved to the USA by myself at 18, I soon learned my mixed race heritage made it difficult for people to believe me when I said I grew up in China, was half Chinese and could speak Chinese. They would dismiss me and say one of my cultures was clearly more “real” than the other. At first it always seemed so much easier to give in to whatever someone thought I was supposed to be, but I have since found the courage to stand my ground. So with this story, I hope to create awareness and acceptance of marginalized identities that don’t fit a single label and help them find their courage like I did.