Two years ago today my book #DearAmerica was born. Unexpectedly––and, I gotta say, most rewardingly––the book has become required reading in many colleges, public and private, across the country. This fall, all incoming first-year undergraduate students at @northeastern, @udelaware, @loyolachicago, @colgateuniversity, and @loyolamaryland were assigned to read it. Often I hear from students who are discovering #DearAmerica in their English classes, U.S. history courses, immigration and identity seminars, law school and medical school book clubs, Asian American courses, etc. I am grateful to the professors, instructors, and educators who have deemed the book worth unpacking and teaching. I am grateful to the students who wrestle with the book, its layers and complexities and imperfections. I am sharing one IG message I received a few weeks ago from a student who is giving me way more credit than the book or I deserve. Nevertheless, after reading her message, I thought of this quote from James Baldwin: “The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter the way people look at reality, then you can change it.” #bookstagram @defineamerican #storytellingmatters #tellastorychangethenarrative @dearamericabook