Louder Than the Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love

Louder Than the Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love
Hardcover, 5.5 x 8.5, 272 pages | Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781597146616.

By Ellie Yang Camp

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 is an essential read for understanding Asian American identity. It is a testament to Ellie Yang Camp's commitment to our community." Linda Yoon and Soo Jin Lee, coauthors of Where I Belong
"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
"Ellie Yang Camp invites readers, especially those of us who identify as Asian American, to join her on a journey together to make sense of what it means to be Asian American. A committed educator and parent, Ellie generously offers accessible tools that welcome readers into an engaging learning experience to understand complex social systems. This book offers much needed hope and encouragement to engage in collective possibilities for a more just future." OiYan Poon, author of Asian American Is Not a Color
"Approachable and inviting, Bay Area artist and educator Ellie Yang Camp makes her debut by unpacking the complexities of what it means to be Asian American and, importantly, why self-love matters." Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle
"A polemic against Asian American stereotypes as well as a case for how to heal and move forward. [...] Camp envisages a reality that allows Asian Americans to center—and care for—themselves." Kirkus
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About the Author

Ellie Yang Camp

Ellie Yang Camp

Ellie Yang Camp is an artist and educator from the San Francisco Bay Area. The proud daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, she has been a high-school history teacher, a full-time parent, a calligrapher, an anti-racist educator, and now an author. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in education from Stanford. (Author photo by Amy Hu)

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