May is Asian Heritage Month

Well it's that time of year again, when the USA commemorates the contributes of Asian Americans.

The official commemoration was officially designated three decades ago by President Jimmy Carter (later the entire month of May by President George H. Bush). However, Asian voices still strain to be heard and recognized on a national level. 

A case in point is how President Obama won't even attend the "White House summit" on Asian Pacific American Islanders (AAPI) held in Washington DC this week, as reported by the Daily Beast.

We still live in an era of mixed signals, and where society seems to take one step forward and then drift one step back.

Yet, we firmly believe that sharing children stories is a great way to instill not only understanding cultural differences but also appreciating them.

Kids (as opposed to ossified adults) have a awe-inspiring capacity to soak in new experiences and resiliency to redefine their view of the world. It is no coincidence that polls regularly note how younger generations of voters have become more tolerant of social issues that have inflamed, divided, and bedeviled their elders.

Since 2006, we've been dedicating to publish more new Asian American authors, artists, and characters. These include:

• Tales from the Chinese Zodiac - still the only series in English of its kind
• Julie Black Belt - our popular heroine in the martial arts
• Sora and the Cloud - our first Japanese bilingual book

All told, more than 1/3 (of our nearly 40 books) features Asian American themes.

Diversity in publishing is vital because it reflects the variety of real life. Maybe more interestingly, it is even more important since it underscores how we as a community need to learn from each other and develop bonds for a greater good.

The real Guardians of the Galaxy

Sure, Marvel's surprise summer blockbuster featured a unique cast of good guys. But that film's stars surely can't hold a candle to the real heroes of history, found all around our world, and believed in by millions of people for thousands of years.

On every continent, in every country, families have found inspiration in legendary champions. Elemental gods such as the Norse Thor. Skilled deities such as the Greek Artemis. Mythic avengers such as the Monkey King. Supreme defenders such as the Aztec's Quetzalcoatl.

Discover them and more in Good Dream, Bad Dream, created by Juan Calle and his team at Liberum Donum studios in Bogota, Colombia, and co-written by Serena Valentino. Our first Spanish bilingual book, it was successfully funded on Kickstarter by hundreds of fans who were excited by the fantastic artwork and multicultural themes.

In this universal tale, a boy named Julio is afraid of having nightmares. His Papa comes to the rescue, by telling his son that people have always relied on superheroes to make their dreams good. Next come panaromic examples from around the globe of powerful protectors facing off against equally infamous foes.

Illustrated in a dynamic comic book style, Good Dream underscores the common experiences we share, both as individuals and as cultures and as a species. Human nature is rooted in the primal need to belong but also to stand out and for principles that are bigger than any one of us and ultimately can unite us all.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage month... but still needs more diverse children's books

As you may know, the month of May commemorates the contributions and cultures of Asian Pacific Americans.

So it is notable that recently American publishers have recognized (again) that 90% of their children's books don't include diverse faces and themes.

A March New York Times article "Where are the People of Color in Children's Books?" rekindled the debate. The ensuing media coverage prompted New York publishers to form "task forces" to address the issue, get photographed doing so, and create Twitter hashtags - that's sort of like an interagency SWAT meeting without the guns or vans or deadlines. More concretely, School Library Journal dedicated their May issue to the topic of diversity.

There is nothing new under the sun, but the problem is real.

Capitalism is the wheel that drives industry. Superheroes, wizards, vampires, and female archers sell books. Publisher may wonder if Asians, Latinos, and Blacks buy enough books that feature characters like themselves. But it seems like publishing is even lagging behind TV and movies (which can't brag about their track records either) in including minority (soon to be the majority) actors. Even when you factor out the ubiquitous presence of Samuel Jackson, the boob tube is doing a better job than book publishing.

We founded Immedium in 2005 to address this very issue.

One-third of our stories (a dozen and counting) have been multicultural.  We've introduced Asian American characters in Tales from the Chinese Zodiac, Julie Black Belt, and Sora and the Cloud, who appeal to readers universally. This fall, we'll produce our first Spanish bilingual adventure with Liberum Donum, artists from Bogota, Columbia.

This week School Library Journal cited Sora & the Cloud in their culturally diverse book lis:

"An adventurous young boy takes flight on a friendly cloud in this delightful whirlwind of a daydream. The story is artfully structured, with reality turning to fantasy as Sora (a name that means “sky” in Japanese) climbs a tree and hops aboard a cloud for a whimsical journey above the city. His fanciful vision gently gives way to reality again when he drifts to sleep on the cloud and dreams of pleasures grounded in everyday life, like splashing in puddles and digging in sand at the beach. Sora’s airborne fantasy is charmingly depicted with a dreamlike palette of pastel colors. The San Francisco setting in combination with the bilingual text deftly shows the child’s Japanese American identity."
Therefore we celebrate the symbolism of May with you. We hope to continue sharing your journey of cultural exploration and appreciation.