Activism is more than just screaming with signs--it's also about discovering who we are, building spaces, and documenting our community.
Vibrant and witty, Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism shows young readers how to love their bodies, fight for social justice, and be proud of the history that's made them who they are. Grounded in diverse lived experiences of featured Auntie Heroes and inspiring Young Rebels, this guide discusses the Asian American community, past and present; explores allyship with other communities of color; finds a place in national and global movements; and turns inward so young readers can practice love and self-care. Each chapter includes activism strategies for all kids--from those who love math and statistics to those who can't wait for their next art project.
Along with her co-creators of Radical Cram School, Kristina Wong is Auntie Kristina, accompanying readers as they process uncomfortable realities, connect to the history of Asian America, and become leaders within their own communities and beyond.
Chao, Theodore: -
Theodore Chao is an assistant professor in the Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education at California State University, Fullerton. His research on mathematics storytelling within Asian and Asian American communities has been funded by Fulbright and the National Science Foundation. He co-produced the Radical Cram School web series and co-hosts the TODOS Podcast on Asian American Math Identity. Dr. Chao has been a STEM Education consultant for Penguin Random House, McGraw Hill Education, Heinemann, the Educational Testing Service, and the ACT. He currently runs the Sweet Potato Math Club, an Asian American Elementary Math Circle, and parents three middle-school and high-school children.
Joffe, Jenessa: -
Jenessa Joffe is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, producer, and mom whose kid-focused content serves up humor to inspire empathy--kind of like sneaking extra veggies into pizza sauce if that pizza could dismantle systemic inequality. Jenessa earned a BA in East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University and an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory. She co-wrote, co-produced and directed the Radical Cram School web series, and now runs her own production company.
Malik, Shehzil: -
Shehzil Malik is a visual artist with a focus on human rights and feminism. She is a Fellow at the Universität der Künste Berlin, as well as a Fulbright scholar. She leads a studio that works on social impact projects through digital art, publications, textile, and public art.
Wang, Anna Michelle: -
Anna Michelle Wang co-wrote and co-produced the Radical Cram School web series, contributing as music director, lyricist, and puppeteer. She is a multifaceted artist and entrepreneur who narrated the Monster Diary series for Familius Publishing on Audible; wrote, produced, and performed the thirty-four-episode puppet home renovation web series The Hanna Rochelle Show; and performed excerpts of her new musical SANDWICHED at the 2018 and 2019 National Puppetry Conferences. She is a mother to three middle-school and high-school children.
Wong, Kristina: -
Kristina Wong is an award-winning performance artist, guest comedian on late-night television, writer, and former elected official in Los Angeles Koreatown. She's the first Asian American Woman to be named Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Drama for her solo show Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord. The show detailed her real-life leadership of the Auntie Sewing Squad, a massive mutual-aid network of volunteers led primarily by women of color who shipped tens of thousands of free homemade masks to vulnerable communities during the pandemic. She stars as "Auntie Kristina" in the Radical Cram School web series, which she created. She's also the recipient of the Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Show, Guggenheim Fellowship, and Doris Duke Artist Award.
