Ph¿ibles

In a collection of incisive essays, celebrated poet Bao Phi traces his experiences as a Vietnamese refugee growing up in the Phillips Neighborhood of Minneapolis, MN; raising and co-parenting a nonbinary child, whom he affectionately calls "kiddo"; and seeking out therapy. Amid personal anecdotes, he writes more broadly about topics including the model minority myth and racial stereotypes.

Uniting these diverse subjects is a fierce commitment to witnessing and speaking up. Writers are often taught to "show, not tell," but Phởibles asks the question: How can you effectively "show" when Asian American history, community, and experiences are nearly ineligible?