The Writing Life – Asian American Writers' Workshop

Open City

“They Don’t Protect Us”

With plans for a new jail in Chinatown underway, community trust in the police erodes.

By Rohan Zhou-Lee

Essays Reportage Marginalia Interviews Poetry Fiction Videos Everything

Open City

“Write a Sentence—Any Sentence—No Matter How Bad It Is”

Interviews

By Astha Rajvanshi

Former Open City Fellow Astha Rajvanshi answers 10 questions about her writing life

Open City

“Intuition Is My Main Tool”

Interviews

By Chaya Babu

Former Open City Fellow Chaya Babu answers 10 questions about her writing life

Open City

“Write a Sentence—Any Sentence—No Matter How Bad It Is”

Interviews

By Astha Rajvanshi

Former Open City Fellow Astha Rajvanshi answers 10 questions about her writing life

Open City

“Intuition Is My Main Tool”

Interviews

By Chaya Babu

Former Open City Fellow Chaya Babu answers 10 questions about her writing life

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, April 24, 7:00 PM

[IN-PERSON] AAWW & The Strand Present: Eddie Ahn & Kristen Radtke - Advocate

Join us for an event at The Strand with San Franciscan attorney and Cartoonist-in-Residence, Eddie Ahn, for a discussion of his debut graphic memoir Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice. Joining Eddie in conversation is critically acclaimed writer Kristen Radtke.

Tuesday, April 30, 6:30 PM

[IN-PERSON] SEJAL SHAH PRESENTS HOW TO MAKE YOUR MOTHER CRY, WITH MINNA PROCTOR

Join McNally Jackson and AAWW to celebrate Sejal Shah's HOW TO MAKE YOUR MOTHER CRY, a collection of genre-queer short stories braided with images and ephemera explore the experiences of growing up and living as a diasporic Gujarati woman searching for home. Sejal will be in conversation with writer, translator, and editor Minna Proctor!

Tuesday, April 30, 7:00 PM

Patricia Park + Brian Tee: What's Eating Jackie Oh?

Join us for an in-person event at The Strand Book Store to celebrate award-winning author Patricia Park's new young adult novel, What's Eating Jackie Oh? Joining Patricia in conversation is film and television actor, Brian Tee.

Thursday, May 2, 7:00 PM

AAWW & Kundiman Present: Emerging Writers in Conversation

Join AAWW and Kundiman in-person and online for a conversation between emerging writers Hannah Bae, Jen Lue, Gina Chung, and Rajat Singh!

Wednesday, May 8, 7:00 PM

Book Event: Nina Sharma with Mecca Jamilah Sullivan

Join us and Greenlight Books for Nina Sharma in conversation with acclaimed author Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, along with a reading and book signing. Nina Sharma presents THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL, a hilarious and moving memoir in essays about love and allyship told through one Asian and Black interracial relationship.

Thursday, May 9, 5:00 PM

In Celebration of: Priya's Kitchen Adventures

This May, in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, join the Asian American Book Club and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop for a family-friendly recipe tasting and celebration of Priya Krishna's Priya's Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids! Priya will be joined by special guest Sheetal Sheth, actress, producer, and author of...

Thursday, May 9, 7:00 PM

[IN-PERSON] In Celebration of: A Living Remedy

Also-Known-As and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop are thrilled to welcome back Nicole Chung, in conversation with Crystal Hana Kim, to celebrate the paperback release of her critically acclaimed memoir A Living Remedy.

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 PM

Shanghailanders with Juli Min and Vanessa Chan

Join AAWW and Yu & Me Books for an in-person event in celebration of Juli Min's debut novel, SHANGHAILANDERS, with Vanessa Chan, author of THE STORM WE MADE.

Wednesday, May 22, 7:00 PM

AAWW & The Strand Present: Victor Manibo + Yume Kitasei: Escape Velocity

Join AAWW and The Strand for an in-person event with speculative fiction writer, Victor Manibo, for the release of his new novel, Escape Velocity. Victor will be in conversation with Yume Kitasei!

Past Events

Thursday, April 4, 7:00 PM

[IN-PERSON] CRYSTAL HANA KIM: THE STONE HOME W/ JULIA PHILLIPS

Presented by AAWW and Books Are Magic, join us to celebrate Crystal Hana Kim's The Stone Home, a hauntingly poetic family drama and coming-of-age story that reveals a dark corner of South Korean history through the eyes of a small community living in a reformatory center—a stunning work of great emotional power from the critically acclaimed author of If You Leave Me.

Wednesday, March 27, 7:00 PM

[In-Person] In Celebration of: Dear Elia

This Spring, join AAWW in-person and online for a celebration of writer and scholar Mimi Khúc's, Dear Elia! Mimi will be joined by the effervescent & Jess X. Snow and Pyaari Azaadi.

Tuesday, March 26, 6:00 PM

[IN-PERSON] PARUL KAPUR W/ SANGAMITHRA IYER

Join Yu & Me Books and AAWW to celebrate Parul Kapur's new novel, winner of the AWP Prize for the Novel, INSIDE THE MIRROR. Set in the aftermath of colonialism, as an impoverished India struggles to remake itself into a modern state, Jaya's story encompasses art, history, political revolt, love, and women's ambition to seize their own power. Parul will be in conversation with Sangamithra Iyer!

Monday, March 25, 7:00 PM

[IN-PERSON] LISA KO: MEMORY PIECE W/ AVA CHIN

Join Yu & Me Books and AAWW to celebrate Lisa Ko's new novel with Lisa and Ava Chin. MEMORY PIECE is an innovative and audacious story of three lifelong friends as they strive to build satisfying lives in a world that turns out to be radically different from the one they were promised.

Friday, March 22, 7:00 PM

[In-Person] In Celebration of: Put It On Record

Later this month, join AAWW for an evening woven of word, song, and dance with Sokunthary Svay, Anthony Lanni, and allia abdullah-matta!