Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Kelly Yang is an Asian American writer who immigrated to Southern California when she was 6 years old. Yang attended UC Berkeley and studied law at Harvard, though she eventually gave up law to pursue her passion of writing and teaching. Her childhood experience working at motels with her parents inspired her book Front Desk, which tells the story of Mia Tung and her parents’ struggles of running a rundown motel. In the book, Mia’s character is reminiscent of Yang, specifically her dedication to writing and fierce opposition to racism. When faced with injustices, Mia is quick-witted and courageous. She often uses her trusty thesaurus and sparkly green pencil to advocate for those who have been silenced - in the form of letters. From Mia, we learn that no matter one’s age or background, only one brave voice can bring about change. If you wish, recount a time that you used your voice and submit a response below on the difference that it made.

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