Interview with Bao Phi, Author of “My Footprints”

Thuy uses her imagination to help her find strength and identity. Can you talk about why you chose imagination as the method for your character finding this? 

I grew up as a Vietnamese refugee in a historically low income neighborhood. Added to that, my family was among the first wave of refugees from Southeast Asia, and the first large group of Asian people to come to Minnesota en masse, so we faced a lot of racist xenophobia. A lot of hurt feelings and misunderstandings about the war, which was still fresh on everyone's psyche. I experienced a ton of bullying, and I dealt with it mainly by throwing myself into books. There was a library not too far from our house. It helped me open my imagination to new worlds, new lives, new stories. So, although I am a straight cis-male, Thuy's use of imagination to help her cope with bullying comes directly from my personal experience.

Footprints leave a trace of who we are, even when we are not present. What “footprints” or legacy do you hope for with My Footprints?

Hopefully it adds to the conversation about bullying, and how racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and so many other forms of dehumanization can be hurtful. It's really important, in my opinion, to have these direct conversations at a young age. 

What inspired you to write My Footprints?

My first picture book was primarily focused on the relationship between a boy and his father. Which is fine, because Asian American boys and dads need books that center them, too, and that was a very specific story I wanted to tell. But I knew if I had the opportunity to write another children's book, I would want to center the female identified members of my family circle, especially my daughter. Thuy is only loosely based on my child, with her permission (actually, her insistence - she really wanted me to base it on her but without her name). I knew I wanted to address bullying, and I knew I wanted to push the boundaries of the mainstream conception of a family. My daughter's mother identifies as queer (divulged with her permission), and our circles have many different family structures, whether they be queer, single parents, etc.   

What do you find to be similar and different between writing poetry and writing children’s books?

Both genres require a distillation of complicated ideas into simple, brief sentences. Both require the artist's understanding of who their audience is.

If you could tell Thuy one thing, what would it be?

Don't become a bully. One of the hardest things I've had to learn as an adult is, just because I have been hurt does not make it okay for me to hurt another person. Sometimes when we are hurt, it is hard to see beyond our pain, especially if we come from historically silenced communities who are underserved and marginalized. I look back and regret the ways I've participated in systems of harm against other people, sometimes unconsciously. I would tell Thuy, don't do it. And also, find your people. Find the friends and/or family members that you trust, that you love and that return your love. It is so important to know you are not alone.

Photo of Bao Phi by Anna Min