Mr. Gene Luen Yang

7/6/2015

Mr. Gene Luen Yang

P.O. Box 32321

San Jose, CA  95152
USA

Dear Mr. Gene Luen Yang,

My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American with a strong interest in reading comic books and learning history. Comic books are my favorite because I really like reading different stories, seeing different graphics, and it is easy for me to comprehend on understanding the issue. Comic books also help me find humor, understand the message of symbolism, and helps inspire me to work hard in life with finding a balance of having fun.  The main reason I have a strong interest in history because I like to learn the need for diversity with culture to help people understand on how they play a big role in society, a strong need to advance on Civil Rights to help protect people who are different from discrimination, and many others. Mr. Yang, I plan on the future to use history as a goal to teach people about the need to improve society and have the courage to explore on how different parts make history. Mr. yang, your work as a comic book writer and explaining what it is like as an Asian American or an Asian going through struggles really inspires me.

Mr. Yang, I enjoyed reading about your life as being a son of Chinese immigrants born in the U.S., and later being interested in a career in comics.   Also I enjoyed learning on how you worked hard at overcoming your struggles like fitting in with other Asians with society and going from different jobs until you found your passion.  My favorite comic books that you worked on are Superman #41, Prime Baby, The Shadow Hero, Boxer & Saint, and American Born Chinese.  The reason I like these comic books is because I like enjoy learning about my favorite superhero Superman’s origins, having humor about math including other things, and learning more about Asian culture with history through comic books.  Mr. Yang, I have Autism with a learning disability and having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different subjects, have trouble with communication when speaking to other people, and I get teased about having it.  Another thing I face with having a disability and being an Asian American is being teased or rejected by some Asians including Asian Americans because they feel like I don’t fit well with them and they believe that I’m not smart or perfect like them or that I don’t belong in their race. When they do it hurts my feelings and makes me lose confidence about myself being an Asian American or being part of an Asian culture. However, your work on Asian culture, explaining what it is like for an Asian or Asian American working on overcoming struggles, and history really helped me have the confidence to work hard to overcome different struggles, to feel proud to be an Asian American, and have the courage to be interested in studying Asian including Asian American history and learn more about the culture.  In my history class, I struggled to comprehend on learning about the Boxer Rebellion because my textbook was difficult with vocabulary with mixed opinions instead of facts, but your book Boxer & Saint helped me understand what Boxer Rebellion was like, how the Chinese felt about the Europeans, and the graphics helped give me an image of what it was like.  I used your book as an assistance resource to help me studying more about the event. “American Born Chinese” helped me be inspired to work on overcoming my struggle and helped me feel confident about being an Asian American because it did a great job explaining what it is like going through struggles they face.  As a result, your work got me even motivated to have a passion for history and exploring Asian culture including history and it even helped me get interested in visiting Asian art museums, Asian American museum, try learning how to do calligraphy, have the courage to eat different Asian food, and visiting Chinatown, Koreatown, and many other Asian cities in the U.S.

Mr. Yang, I am proud to call you a true role model for me because your story about being an Asian American working to overcome your struggle by finding ways to find into society including working at many different jobs until you found a great passion helped get me inspired to work hard at Autism and being more motivated about being an Asian American. Your life with work helped me make a great difference for me to motivated to learn history, find ways to enjoy humor in comic books, have the courage to be proud of being an Asian American with having the courage to be interested in Asian including Asian American culture.  Your comic books on Asian culture with history helped me comprehend on understanding more about the background and helped me imagine what it is like during the time period or how they felt.  Also I strongly believe that you really made a great difference for me and other Asian Americans.  I wrote a story about my struggles with disability and my goals to make history a better place and I dedicate my story to you for making a great positive impact on me to be interested in history, being more confident about being an Asian American, and becoming more motivated to study history with culture. I hope you get a chance to read it. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, inspiring me, and giving me a chance to send my letter with story to you. Mr. Yang, I want to wish you well for the future with your work as a comic book writer and please continue on inspiring many Asian including Asian Americans like me to continue working to overcome struggles. I am proud to call you one of my favorite comic book writer.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick