The idea for the book We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court came out of meeting Simon Tam after his trademark application was rejected and he was preparing his appeal. He asked hundreds of Asian Americans, including me, to write a letter of support. He wanted to prove that the Asian American community agreed that The Slants name was not offensive given he was using it to take back a racist insult as a means of self-empowerment. Historically, people have used the term ‘slant’ as a racial slur to mock the appearance of Asian individuals, especially their eyes. I wrote a letter of support and then followed him on social media, checking from time to time on the progress of his case. As the years went by, his determination and fortitude in the face of mounting expenses and obstacles impressed me.
Then, I learned that the Supreme Court would decide his case. The Supreme Court has heard only a handful of Asian American cases throughout history! When Simon won his case, it piqued my interest such that I bought his memoir, Slanted: How An Asian American Troublemaker Took On the Supreme Court. It struck me that future generations needed to know who he was and what he did for the Asian American community. This is when I started to think about conveying his story through a picture book. My first thought was that I wanted my kids to know about Simon Tam, but he’s a role model for all children!
I hope our picture book helps to inspire readers that a single person can stand up against injustice to fight for democracy.
We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Victor Bizar Gómez
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court is an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, a recipient of the California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award, and a J.unior Library Guild Gold selection.
A compelling account of Simon Tam’s fight for free speech that ended with a landmark Supreme Court decision
Music is a way to transcend cultures and divides. Simon Tam used his band’s name, The Slants®, to make a powerful statement that racist insults could no longer be hurtful to Asian Americans. But then the U.S. Trade and Patent Office tries to stop him. In his eight-year battle to win trademark protection, Simon would go all the way to the Supreme Court in a landmark case to rout out structural racism in our government systems.
Mia Wenjen takes us back to Simon’s early days and the formation of the band, to the long battle to claim the name they chose to use. We learn of his motivations and the years-long struggle that leads ultimately to the Supreme Court of the United States. Told (I believe this is Tam right?) using lyrics from the band’s hit song about their trademark fight, this compelling story will keep readers riveted until the dramatic ending. We Sing from the Heart gives background and context to the significance of Simon’s quest, not just for him and his band, but for free speech rights for us all. Newcomer to children’s books, Victor Bizar Gómez, channels the indie music world with dynamic artwork that compliments the storytelling and is sure to draw in readers with his exciting graphic approach. [picture book biography, ages 8 and up]
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