< Back Samantha Der Contributor Samantha Der is a multigenerational #hyphenatedAsian. Her passions include lifelong learning; the humanities and creative arts; supporting socially conscious enterprises; and strengthening communities through family care advocacy. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. She loves writing both fiction and nonfiction. Follow her on IG @samantha_der_writer

< Back Cynthia Landesburg Contributor Born in Busan, South Korea, Cynthia spent seven weeks with her birth family and the next four months in an orphanage and foster home before being flown to Washington, D.C., to her Jewish adoptive family as an #importedAsian. As a recovering perfectionist and overachiever, she left her legal career in favor of caring for her two sons, both adopted from Korea, and her biological daughter. She currently spends her day homeschooling her sons, chasing her baby daughter around the house, and spoiling her dog with a lot of walks to clear her head. And in the moments in between, she writes. Cynthia looks forward to exploring issues around parenting, adoption as an adoptee, and the overall adoptee experience. You can find more of her writing at her website, www.adoptionsquared.com .

< Back Ella Wu Managing Editor She was born in China and grew up on the U.S. East Coast. She is an actress, writer, and filmmaker, finding inspiration in the world around her. She has a passion for storytelling, particularly stories that highlight any of the endless facets of the Asian/Asian-American experience. She is currently based in Washington, D.C., but has made it a goal to travel to every corner of the world.

< Back Stephanie Fung Contributor Stephanie Fung is a #hyphenatedAsian. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Stephanie moved to Bristol in the U.K. at the age of 13 and currently lives in London. Her passion lies in writing and sharing stories of people. In 2018, she founded a media platform called Asians in Britain to share stories, amplify Asian voices, and empower and inspire Asian youths in the U.K. She recently also started a podcast called "High Expectasians" with her co-hosts Sanil Patel and Teresa Fan to discuss topics that highlight issues faced by the Asian community.

< Back Heather Lewis Contributor Heather Lewis, or 노 영 미 as her biological sisters have named her, was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in the U.S. at six months old. Heather has had many professions: waitress, ballroom dance instructor, middle school English teacher, and her current role in operations. She has a master’s in English, a master’s in Critical Studies of Teaching English, and a master’s in business administration. She is a proud KAD (Korean ADoptee) and likes to explore identity through writing. She loves being married to “fake Dave Grohl” and raising her only daughter. Despite still not knowing her birthday, she’s sure she is a Capricorn. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewie73

< Back Lilly Schmaltz Contributor Lilly is an #importedAsian from China. She is currently obtaining her doctorate in cellular and molecular biology. Outside of her career, she advocates for human and adoptee rights. She aims to create safe and validating spaces for fellow transracial adoptees. Her love of reading and writing lead her to the world of book reviews and The Universal Asian . As a contributor, Lilly hopes to share her love of books that represent both hyphenated and imported Asians. You can find her at LillyFei.com

< Back Kara Bos Contributor Kara Bos (Kang Misuk) is an #importedAsian from Korea to America, and is now a Dutchie—living in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband and two amazing children. Kara is an adventure-seeker discovering the world one country at a time (more than 50 so far!), an entrepreneur running a drowning prevention program Swim4Survival , and through her journey has become a resilient spokesperson for adoptees’ rights. She is determined to change the rhetoric of the more than 200,000 Korean adoptees searching for their identities and past; while also hoping to change the narrative of the definition of what adoption means to the average individual. Furthermore, she is a woman, wife, and mom, trying to do her best at all three of those while not sacrificing any of them.