It’s no secret that stories are windows to the soul – little pockets of golden revelation that substantiate sincerity in today’s world. Meet Andrea Liao, high school junior from Seattle, Washington, and Founder of Book the Future, who is determined to translate this vision into her mission. And she is. Internationally recognized yet incredibly humble, Andrea not only lives for literary inspiration, she also gives it. Book the Future has touched the minds of many, from children in Seattle to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the World Literacy Foundation. A multifaceted organization that captures literary impact through collaborative competition, Book the Future is a creative twist on the typical book drive. It’s about writing workshops, yearly publications, service, journalism, and an infinite array of more. But breadth aside, Book the Future’s depth is about finding the creativity over anger in advocacy. Read on to internalize how Andrea blows life into the literary scene – in her community and way beyond.
In The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri writes, “That's what books are for . . . to travel without moving an inch." How does Book the Future substantiate this notion?
I practically grew up between the pages of my favorite books. I spent my days between the bookshelves of local libraries and I spent my nights huddled under my covers with a book and a flashlight. Throughout my childhood, I was always able to find solace in my favorite literary worlds and characters—books have always been an escape. You could travel the world in a paragraph or experience pain in the turn of a page. Literature presents various avenues for exploration and growth, as there is so much to learn and so much to experience from literature. I believed in the importance of literacy from a young age due to my own love of literature, which is why I am such a passionate advocate for youth literacy. Book the Future seeks to work towards a future in which every child is able to grow up in an environment with ample access to reading resources. We believe providing diverse books for children is a crucial step towards giving them the agency to improve their futures.
Describe your favorite workshop experience with Book the Future. Why was it your favorite?
This summer, I led a summer workshop called “Write the Future” in collaboration with the Greater Seattle Bureau of Fearless Ideas. The workshop was dedicated to exploring the power of words, and the students learned how to use rhetoric to craft eloquent and compelling speeches. While leading this workshop, I wanted to give the students a chance to discover their own voices and speak out about the things they believed in. An open mic was held to conclude the workshop; my favorite experience was witnessing the empowerment that occurred amongst my students.
How does Book the Future strive to address diversity in readership on a multidimensional level?
Growing up as an Asian American girl, I rarely ever saw characters of my cultural background represented in literature. Book the Future addresses and honors diversity by ensuring that our book drives represent the various cultures, languages, and races. We place an emphasis on the importance of distributing multicultural texts. Our campaign “Represent the Future” encourages youths to express themselves and participate in spreading the message of inclusivity. In fact, the December 2018 Nonfiction Feature of our teen magazine discusses how representation influences the way we view and value beauty. I believe that discussing diversity and inclusivity often fosters a sense of a greater harmony among youth, serving as a great opportunity to consider a pertinent issue.
Book the Future began as a local project that has grown to have rapid international influence. What advice would you give young entrepreneurs who’re seeking similar impact?
It is heartening to me that youth are always interested in learning more about how to take initiative on an issue that matters to them. I’ve discovered that it’s important to follow your passions and act on them to create positive change. My advice is to start out by finding ways to support your immediate community. From there, you can expand your efforts in order to effect greater change.
Some readers assert that there’s something lost when the reader opts for an e-book over a physical copy. Do you agree or disagree? How does your work with Book the Future evidence your belief?
Currently, Book the Future is partnering with the World Literacy Foundation on the Sun Books Initiative. Seeking to merge technology and education, Sun Books has developed solar-powered educational tools, including e-books and electronic learning activities. These innovative resources are designed to enhance literacy in support of children who live in remote communities, as tablets will serve as an alternative to physical books.
However, I agree that there is something lost when a reader opts for an e-book over a physical copy. For me, books are as a much a sensory experience as anything else. Holding a book with my hands makes the story, the world, and the characters all the more tangible.
The Library of Congress runs a creative competition known as Letters About Literature in which students write to an author whose book changed the student’s life. If you could enter (or have entered this competition), whom would you write to and why?
Last year, I participated in the Library of Congress’s annual Letters About Literature contest. Penning a letter to author Kristin Hannah, I shared my journey with her book The Nightingale. I wrote, “Books have always meant more to me than anything else in the world. To me, they are made of words that form dreams in the dark. They are filled with stories that spark yearning in the heart. Time passes and people change, but books have always, always been there for me.” My letter was essentially a love letter to literature itself, and it was recognized as an Honorable Mention in Washington State.
There are lots of teens upstarting organizations related to politics, STEM, gender equality, etc. How has your unique innovation space of literary entrepreneurship uplifted and challenged you?
The world of literary entrepreneurship is definitely a smaller one. However, I believe that literature serves as the root and the intersection of all advocacy, as literacy and education are essential to furthering any cause. Literature is a medium of expression through which activism can manifest; in fact, literature can also serve as a supplement to support other mediums of expression. My unique innovation space has challenged me to continue working on expanding my organization’s outreach. I have also been uplifted by my collaboration with a variety of other youth-led communities—in particular, the artistic community and the political community.
To lend your heart and mind to this literary endeavor, visit: bookthefuture.wixsite.com/website
Words by Sibani Ram