Ramsey County History – Winter 2020: “#MinneAsianStories: Illustrated Living History”

#MinneAsianStories: Illustrated Living History
Authors: Bert Lee, Yusanat Tway, and Zoua Vang

There’s a common misperception that many young people aren’t necessarily interested in history. But over the last few years, the Coalition for Asian American Leaders (CAAL) has invited young Asian Minnesotans to not only think about history, but also to recognize that they, themselves, are living these histories, and they should document their important cultural and everyday stories for future generations. History has traditionally come alive through diaries, books, and photographs, and now, as is the current trend, through an illustrated or “graphic novel” format. Ramsey County Historical Society recognized the importance of these stories from authors Bert Lee, Yusanat Tway, and Zoua Vang, with wonderfully detailed artwork by Xee Reiter and Lilian Reiter. CAAL graciously permitted us to reprint a selection from their 2019 This Is Home: #MinneAsianStories publication.
PDF of B. Lee, Y. Tway, and Z. Vang article