The Histories of Asians in America -

An Asian American Experience & Identities within Us

“The Histories of Asians in America” is a two part book design that is based on various important moments within Asian American history. From the external and internal conflicts of Asian immigrants and their descendants, to the ongoing issues of identity and culture, these two illustrative book designs, “An Asian American Experience” and “Identities within Us”, express moments in time where the history of Asians in America began to change.

Category: Illustration, Layout/Book Design

Tools: Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator

Themes & Elements

Culture - Ethnic Heritage & Traditional Values
Identity / Gender Identity
Food - Gentrification and Consumption
Work
The “Model Minority” Myth

Illustrations & Design

In the first book, “An Asian American Experience”, it focuses on the first generation of Asian immigrants that migrated to the United States and touches upon the struggles that they faced as they were adapting to their new environments. Many of the images within the illustration references various important shops that are key to the beginnings of Asian America.

Elements that it references:

Christy’s Donut Shop (Cambodian Businesses)
Tam’s Beauty Salon (Vietnamese Nail Salon Industry)
Phước Lộc Thọ (aka Asian Garden Mall serves as a symbol for the Vietnamese community and located in Orange County)
Sun’s Laundry (The Chinese Hand Washing Laundry Industry)
가주 마켙 “Gaju Market” (aka California Market, is references to the K-Town 92” events in Korea Town Los Angeles)
Sam Wo Restaurant 三和粥粉麵 (Chinese Restaurant located in San Francisco)

While the first book design focuses on the immigration of Asian Americans, the second book “Identities within Us” has a larger focus on the second generation of Asian Americans. Many of the themes that are touched upon revolve around the identity struggles of not only the second generation of Asian Americans trying to fit into the “American standard” but also the cultural struggles as well as struggles of balancing these multiple identities. In addition, the illustration touches upon the trending rise of Asian food consumption and the gentrification that came about.

Topics of discussion: