Louder Than the Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love
By
A primer on racism that offers an intersectional, anti-racist, coalition-building view of Asian American identity.
What does it mean to be Asian American? How does our racialization in the United States shape our lives and our worldviews? With candor and care, Ellie Yang Camp, a Taiwanese American educator, offers a set of ideas and frameworks to guide us toward a more nuanced understanding of these questions. Drawing on her experiences and observations from history, conversations with Asian American peers, and lessons derived from other people of color, Camp unpacks the confusing dynamics that underlie anti-Asian stigmas and stereotypes in the US. From the model minority myth to yellowface to anti-Blackness among Asian communities, Camp presses into hard questions and moments of discomfort, naming fears so that we might dispel them. Key stories of resistance reveal the importance of solidarity, both among the diverse people under the Asian American umbrella and with all who are exploited by white supremacy. Acknowledging that racism is a system thrust upon us to control us, Camp fuels our boldness to challenge tropes, dismantle prejudices, and embrace self-determination as an act of radical liberation.
Reviews
"Louder than the Lies gives the Asian diaspora community the necessary language and historical context to understand our ever-evolving identity as Asian Americans. This is and will be a necessary and useful tool for generations to come." Jenny Wang, author of Permission to Come Home
"Especially in this era of rising anti-Asian hate, it's vital to have a book like Louder Than the Lies out in the world. Ellie Yang Camp provides invaluable insights and resources to help our community better understand where this hate comes from, how it impacts how we see ourselves, and how we can work together to overcome it." Dion Lim, Emmy Award-winning news anchor and author of Amplify! My Fight for Asian America
"Right now there is a drastic and urgent need for more Asian American voices, and especially Asian American women's voices. Ellie has been a passionate leader in this space, and she has been instrumental in my own understanding of Asian American history and how that shapes who I am now. She is conscientious, wise, and patient in her approach and truly motivated by making the world a more just and hopeful place for everyone. I wish I had a book like hers when I was younger and am excited for the next generation of Asian Americans to have Ellie as a teacher." Jeremy Lin, NBA Champion
About the Author
