Hello AACP Newsletter Readers.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Hope you’re having a good one.

This month we feature an interview with environmental activist, artist, and author Eddie Ahn. Check out our wonderful interview. You can also catch Eddie in person at the 1990 Institute Youth Symposium this coming Saturday, September 6 (College of San Mateo Theater), and at our booth at the 7th Annual Bay Area Chuseok Festival (the Presidio Main Parade Lawn) on September 27, where he will be signing his book, “Advocate: a Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice.”

For our second article, we cover a grassroots effort, started by librarians and historians, to preserve signage at our National Parks. Due to changes in our government’s policy, the telling of history at our national parks may be whitewashed. This grassroots movement is asking for our help in their “Save Our Signs” project. Please check out our article and their website to learn about how you can help their cause simply by photographing signs and uploading them to the organizers’ website.

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For our book selection this month, we have six children’s books about autumn and festivals connected to the season. Included among these books is author Natasha Yim’s new book “Luna and the Case of the Missing Mooncakes.” Natasha will be doing a presentation and signing at the San Mateo Main Library on October 19. We are hoping to have activities and mooncakes on hand for those that come to this event.

Our book selection also includes six folktale and fantasy books. Among these books is a new translation of the classic “Monkey King: Journey to the West” and five other books by prolific authors Roshani Chokshi (The Last Tale of the Flower Bride), Nghi Vo (Mammoths at the Gates), Axie Oh (The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea), Sachiko Kashiwaba (The House of the Lost on the Cape), and Arnold Arre (The Mythology Class). Arnold Arre’s book is a graphic novel retelling of Filipino mythology. This book could also fit with our last category of books – graphic memoirs and novels.

Our last eight featured books, although in graphic novel format, are primarily memoirs and books based on true events. Among these books is Filipino Egyptian author Malaka Gharib’s book “It Won't Always Be Like This.” Malaka Gharib also wrote of “I Was Their American Dream.” Author R Kikuo Johnson’s book “No One Else” is a rare graphic novel by someone from Hawaii.

Please check out all of our great featured books.

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On our calendar, please note that there will be three author events at the San Mateo Main Library, including Linda Shiue (Sept. 28) who will be doing a presentation about her book “Spicebox Kitchen,” a presentation by Adrian Miller (Oct. 11) on his book “Cooking to the President’s Taste” an interesting book about AAPI chefs at the White House, and Natasha Yim’s presentation on Oct. 19. (See the food connection between these presentations :)

As mentioned earlier, there will be a Youth Symposium this coming Saturday, September 6th. Please go to the event’s website to learn more. It’s not too late to sign up for this event.

I was just notified about a virtual presentation (Oct. 6) by Marlene Shigekawa for the University of Buffalo through their School of Architecture. The event is titled “Poston Live - Through the Lens of Race & Place.” You can learn more about this event by clicking here.

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Thank you Charles for your help with the Eddie Ahn interview and overall help this summer with AACP. Good luck with your school work.

Thank you Eddie for doing this interview with us and we look forwards to having you with us at the Chuseok festival in San Francisco.

Thank you to all of our editors for your help with this month’s newsletter.

Take care everyone.