Announcing #1000AANHPIVoices, Created by Holton 8th Grader

Eighth grader Colette L. ’26 is on a mission to help Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students find themselves in books.

Colette’s project, #1000AANHPIVoices, is inspired by Marley Dias’ hashtag campaign of #1000BlackGirlBooks. Thanks to Academic Technology Coordinator and Middle School Student Life and Activities Coordinator Lucia Hassell, Colette learned about Dias’ project, which Dias launched at the age of 11.

Tired of seeing Black characters in the background or not even present at all, Dias’ hashtag prompted a book drive to collect books in which Black girls are the main characters. The hashtag went viral and, within a few months, more than 9,000 books were collected. 

As Colette learned about what Dias had accomplished, she felt compelled to do the same for her community.

“I’ve always liked reading, but I got into a bit of a slump as I got older,” Colette says. “I don’t get the representation in books I feel like I really need or want to see.

“When I first heard about [Dias’ hashtag], it kind of almost seemed to be good to be true. I wanted something like that for other AANHPI people."

Through a Google Form, Colette is collecting books that fall into the AANHPI Voices spectrum – everything from picture books and chapter books to young adult and adult nonfiction. Colette hopes to capture a wide variety of genres and works to share with anyone who also wants to see themselves represented.

“Even if we don’t reach 1,000 books by the time Marley or I graduate, this is still a fantastic opportunity for anyone AANHPI or not – because it gives us, AANHPI, someone to look up to and connect to and gives others a window into our lives.” Colette says.

Please submit your favorite AANHPI books to Colette’s form, follow along on her Instagram as she shares some of her favorite #1000AANHPIVoices works, and share with others to help grow the movement!