
Get To Know
Gene Luen Yang
Gene’s Story
In 1996, Gene received the prestigious Xeric Grant, which allowed him to self-publish Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks #1, his first comic as an adult. Soon after, he joined Art Night, a collective of Bay Area cartoonists that included notable creators like Derek Kirk Kim, Lark Pien, Jason Shiga, Jason Thompson, Thien Pham, and Briana Loewinsohn. Around this same time, he began teaching Computer Science at Bishop O’Dowd High School, a position he held for 17 years.
In 2006, Gene published American Born Chinese with First Second Books. The book’s success eventually launched him into a full-time career as a cartoonist and writer. He’s been working hard at his dream job ever since.
Awards & Honors
2016 MacArthur Foundation Fellow
2017 St. Katharine Drexel Award Winner
2023 NSK Neustadt Prize Winner
2023 Southern Miss Medallion Winner
2024 Steinbeck Awardee

Get in touch
author visits contact:
Chloe Volkwein
chloe.volkwein@macmillan.com
First Second Books
mail@firstsecondbooks.com
hansenliterary@msn.com