Thank you to Arsenal Pulp Press and Brian Lam for believing in this manuscript. It has been a dream working with a publisher that has advocacy roots. Shirarose Wilensky, I am so grateful for your wisdom, care, and editorial prowess. Catharine Chen, thank you for your insightful contributions. I am grateful as well to Jazmin Welch, Cynara Geissler, and Jaiden Dembo for your support in getting to publication and beyond.

I am grateful to the wide community that supported me and my work. Don Kwan for fostering community in Chinatown, Ottawa, and for reading my book, providing encouragement, and introducing me to Robert Yip. Robert, thank you for your enthusiastic support and for introducing me to fellow Asian Canadian authors Paul Yee and Wayson Choy. It was over dim sum one fateful spring day with Paul and Wayson that I learned about the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop (ACWW) and their Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award. Thank you, Allan Cho, and everyone at the ACWW for your ongoing help with my journey. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the many Asian authors before me who paved the way.

To Lindsay Wong, Carrianne Leung, Jenny Heijun Wills, and Catherine Hernandez, I am in awe of your work and honoured you took the time to read mine and give generous blurbs.

Heartfelt gratitude to Janice Zawerbny for your editorial advice. To Emily Urquhart, Adrienne Kerr, thank you for reading the very first draft. Philip Huynh, Marsha Skrypuch, and Mark Bourrie, thank you for your advice on the writing business. Kenya-Jade Pinto, thank you for your encouragement and for photographing me. In grade nine, Mrs Gallant saw I had an interest in writing and encouraged me. Wherever you are, I hope this book finds you.

To my cheerleaders: my colleagues at uOttawa, the parents of F______ Park (pandemic version 2020–2022), the PEcers (Jenny Acton, Colleen McKay, Jenny Ellison, and Hayley Snell), and to Nichole Boutilier, Tara Denham, Annie Muldoon, thank you. Tracey Lindberg, thank you for your teachings and your advice on the writing world. Sarah Morales, thank you for encouraging me to embrace the narrative in all my work. Alok Gupta, Amanda Cheong, Amrita Hari, Carolyn Ramzy, Daiva Stasiulis, Eric Paulsen, Ines Kwan, Jackie Kennelly, Laila Demirdache, Laura Madokoro, Madhumita Bhattacharyya, Megan Rivers-Moore, Nadine Edirmanasinghe, Rosanne Wong, Shane Bill, Shauna Labman, thank you for your friendship and all our conversations on food, race, migration, law, feminism, sanctuary, writing and belonging—they all informed my work.

I am so fortunate to have friends who not only read my work with kindness but also supported me through the ups and downs: Julie Delaney, Lindsay McKay, Natasha Bakht, Lynda Collins, and Ummni Khan.

Thank you to my family. To my cousins who cheer me on. To Andrew, Alysha Austin, Uncle Tahir, Jeff, Mom and Dad, warm gratitude for your support. Ophe, my best friend, I don’t know what I would do without your honest opinions and amazing cover art. Maxym and Vera, thank you for reminding me to use my imagination. I hope one day you will read this and enjoy it. Finally, to Roman. I could not have done this without you. Thank you for being the equal and loving partner who allows me to thrive in my passions.