Being mixed race in America: A conversation with author Lauren Kung Jessen | Episode 291

As a mixed-race Chinese American, I've struggled to feel a sense of belonging. I grew up feeling more accepted by the German (white) side of my family. Then, as I got older, I learned more about the Chinese side of my family and felt a connection to the experiences of Asian Americans. Just recently, especially as I was editing my book, A Thousand Miles to Graceland, I've found myself somewhere in the middle; not necessarily feeling Chinese, and yet, also not White, either. Thankfully, I'm not alone, and more and more mixed-race Americans are sharing stories to help highlight what it's like.

That's exactly what author Lauren Kung Jessen does in her debut novel, Lunar Love, a sweet enemies-to-lovers rom-com that celebrates the deep-rooted family legacies that shape us and how these traditions evolve into our own. Lauren, like me, is a mixed-race Chinese American, and also, like me, has written a book featuring mixed-race Chinese Americans (and Chinese Americans).

On this episode, we chat about how we identify, and the challenges we've faced in finding the right language to do so, as well as how we experience whiteness, and why these stories (like our novels) are so important for people like us (and well, everyone). And stay tuned for a couple of surprises that I think you'll really love.

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