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"Having written much of his work while employed as a high school computer science teacher, Yang recognizes the instructional value of comics. He is currently writing a series of graphic novels, Secret Coders (2015– ), that cleverly introduces computer coding within an engaging mystery plot. In these and other projects, such as the New Super-Man series, Yang is leading the way in bringing diverse characters to children’s and young adult literature and confirming comics’ place as an important creative and imaginative force within literature and art."

https://www.macfound.org/fellows/975/

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Secret Coders

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American Born Chinese

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"Gene Luen Yang received a B.S. (1995) from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.A. (2003) from California State University at East Bay. From 1998 to 2015, he taught computer science and served as director of information services at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California. His additional publications include The Shadow Hero (2014) and Level Up (2011), and he has written for Avatar: The Last Airbender. Yang has taught in Hamline University’s MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults since 2012 and is currently serving as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (2015–2016)."

https://www.macfound.org/fellows/975/

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Yang didn't want to be Chinese American.  He wanted to fit in with the majority. He explains that  its tough "trying to negotiate between two cultures. Regardless of what those two cultures are. There are commonalities that we have all live through." Yang also express his emotional realities that he went through in junior high and how he experienced the most explicit racism.

His comics are based on Asian American experiences.

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Gene Luen Yang
Graphic Novelist

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3. "Creative People Are Open to Experience"

“Individuals who are open to experience are said to be curious, imaginative, artistic, excitable, unconventional, and have wide interests. They consistently seek to understand the world around them and their own inner worlds of ideas. It is possible that such openness begins in early in life.” (Starko, Page 108)

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2. "Creative People Have Passion for Their Activities"

“Such motivation can be particularly valuable when the going gets tough. Every creative endeavor has times when ideas are find, but what is needed is hard work. Passion- along with grit, tenacity and optimism- can help put us through.” (Starko, page 105)

“Telling stories of your own efforts, struggles, and successes also can project a powerful model.” (Starko, page 106)

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1. "Creative People Engage in Imaginative Play"

“Many eminent creators engaged in imaginative play as children, but perhaps more importantly, creative artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, approach their work with playfulness that allows creative connections to take play- the variation in constraints and flexibility. Playful with ideas is an essential part of both finding and solving problems.” (Starko, Page 104)

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Yang demonstrates creativity through:
1. Engaging in imaginative play
2. Having passion for his activities
3. Open to experience

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Yang wanted kids to explore the world through books:

1. "I want them to choose books about people who don't look or live like them." Gene Luen Yang

2. "I want them to choose books about topics that they might find difficult or intimidating." Gene Luen Yang

3. "I want them to choose books that are in formats that they don't normally read for fun." Gene Luen Yang

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“Comic books can handle any genre of story you want to tell through it. It can handle any mood or any depth of information” Gene Luen Yang

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“Comic books can handle any genre of story you want to tell through it. It can handle any mood or any depth of information” Gene Luen Yang

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“We as a nation grow more diverse we want our stories to reflect that” Gene Luen Yang

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“We as a nation grow more diverse we want our stories to reflect that” Gene Luen Yang