Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture, & Identity

by Winona Guo, Priya Vulchi

An eye-opening exploration of race in America

In this deeply inspiring book, Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi recount their experiences talking to people from all walks of life about race and identity on a cross-country tour of America. Spurred by the realization that they had nearly completed high school without hearing any substantive discussion about racism in school, the two young women deferred college admission for a year to collect first-person accounts of how racism plays out in this country every day--and often in unexpected ways.

In Tell Me Who You Are , Guo and Vulchi reveal the lines that separate us based on race or other perceived differences and how telling our stories--and listening deeply to the stories of others--are the first and most crucial steps we can take towards negating racial inequity in our culture. Featuring interviews with over 150 Americans accompanied by their photographs, this intimate toolkit also offers a deep examination of the seeds of racism and strategies for effecting change.

This groundbreaking book will inspire readers to join Guo and Vulchi in imagining an America in which we can fully understand and appreciate who we are.

Genres: Nonfiction, Race, Politics, Social Justice, Sociology, Essays, Anti Racist

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2019

About the author

Winona Guo is a social entrepreneur, student activist, co-founder of CHOOSE, and author of "Tell Me Who You Are" (Penguin Random House, June 2019). She will graduate from Harvard College in 2022.

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Tell Me Who You Are, Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo do exactly that--tell us who they are, how they have come to thinking so carefully, so deeply about race, and how they want to create change. From Alaska to Florida they visit all fifty of these United States to talk to people about their experiences of race and the intersections of identity in America. This book is at once hopeful, raw, and brimming with curiosity, engagement and youthful energy. Through the conversations these women have with people from all walks of life, we see that the key to any kind of progress begins with letting people tell us who they are. If you want to have richer, more fruitful discussions about race, gender, all the things that comprise our identities, this book will give you a necessary vocabulary. All you have to do is turn the page.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"White people are so worried about being uncomfortable for one moment, while we're uncomfotable all the time. You really do get exhausted talking about this."

"The oppressed shouldn't have to do it all. The oppressor needs to help out. White people need to talk to other White people about what is what. Y'all gotta teach each other-like, right now."

"Let's respect the earth, and let's respect each other. Let's not take any fake crap from the history books, and let's start telling the truth."

"What even is "an Indian"? The term was invented by English colonizers to homogenize hundreds of tribes with different economies, systems of government, languages, and religions."

"Butler opened our minds to the fact that Civil Rights Movement required a man to be effective. If a Black woman had taken charge, she would have been dismissed. Racial identity was not the only identity that mattered. Who we fully are is never exclusively about race. When the two of us think about our own identities, being Chinese American and Indian American always comes to mind first. We think about how, when we first joined a local anti-racist organization, every single person in the room was Black or White. The unspoken question was, "Why, as an Asian American, do you even care about race?" We think about how we feel like intermediaries closely acquainted with both oppression and privilege, how both White people and people of color we interview will end their storytelling with "you know what I mean?" as though we could somehow understand both their experiences. We think about how perhaps we wouldn't be so readily trusted if we were Black or Latinx or White. But what if we were older, or fat, or trans?"

"I noticed that kids on reservations don't come to school because they're embarrassed that they don't have shoes to wear. And I notice that some kids have really bad shoes, but at least they have shoes. Equality is a truck showing up and giving out only size 8 Nikes. Equity is a truck that shows up and has a size shoe that fits everybody. That way, everyone can walk around." In other words, equity acknowledges inequalities. Equity focuses on the just and fair distrubution of resources and access to opportunities."

"The problem was coming in as a foreigner, or White person, and assuming that you deserve an authentic experience. It'slike, huh, why is there this feeling in White people that they belong everywhere? Meanwhile, I feel like I can't belong anywhere!"

"There's so many people that are hurt and broken by the past. We can't directly heal anybody, but hopefully by sharing our stories, people will think about it or be inspied."

"Asian-American communities plow through our struggles. This mentality causes us to continue to work even if we are breaking down, turning down our emotions or neglecting our physical health, because we tell ourselves we're not "successful" yet."

"Hip hop is so inclusive, and it's not about aggression, or fighting back, or backlash for the social struggles we go through; it's all about love and life and even the unity of similar community conditions faced within the African and Latinx and Asian-American communities."

"From a young age, I was always navigating these hyphenated hybrid identities that made me feel like I was an anthroplogist.In a way, it distanced me from my own self; I can observe the cultures that Ia m part of without fully being recognized as of those cultures. It's a lifetime journey to figure out where I fit in the world."

"My expectations are of being able to savor the changes that take place, not to be complacent about it, not to make myself crazy about it, because I will not see in my lifetime what I would like to see."

"I think that's why I have never actually valued making a ton of money in my life. I value purpose and jobs where we can try to chip away at the inequality that exists in teh world."

"There's nothing more entrepreneurial than the immigrant experience because you give up everything, because you are forging a world that you can't see yet; that you can only imagine."

"What an honor that is, to not have to just be seen as White, by physicality. For so many of our kids here, so many kids in all communities, they have never had the opportunity to trust White people. That's the truth. Some kids just need someone to be able to see for a second, or to just take a breath of what they're breathing, because life just can be so heavy."

"My advice to young girls of color? Stand in your truth. Be brave. Sometimes these experiences happen to us because only through them would we be required to find teh voice within us. I would have loved to have known what would've happened if I'd spoken up of gotten out of the car. By excusing it, I perpetuated it, but I had an opportunity to be brave. And that bravery doesn't mean to be combative either. It's not to be like, "Im going to pick a fight." It's to ask questions: "Why did you say that? What did you mean by that? What makes you feel that this is okay?" To actually be present for the possibility for change."

[Sabra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors’ interjections of facts failed to challenge the conflation and confusion of race and ethnicity; they perpetuated it. Listening to that was akin to nails on a chalkboard for me.
African American is not a race or a very effective label for an ethnic group seeing as how diverse people from 3 continents are just thrown in together in the US definition. Especially, since ethnicity is about geography and culture. This means that people from 3 different continents cannot share an ethnicity. I couldn’t get over how many people including the authors are still using that stale phrase in a modern day context. I wish they’d stop.

Also not a race, Hispanic and Latino. They are ethnicities and are often used effectively to erase non Spanish speaking, Black and Indigenous Latinos. The same thing with religion. Yes, muslim is an identity but it’s not a race or ethnicity. Again, using the word muslim to depict a race or ethnicity rather than a religion and subculture erases Black and all non Arab/Asian muslims; who don’t get to ignore their racial identity for a religious one. So any factual interjection that doesn’t include the whole story isn’t all that factual. Also, when it comes to religion, leaving out the critical voices and voices of those who left creates a fractured picture. Many women who follow Islam think being forced to or rewarded for covering all or most of their bodies is male patriarchy. Real choice is when I can say no to the male created status quo/standard and not fear for my physical safety or receive damaging consequences. Language and naming are so powerful. That’s why I don’t buy into just taking what I was given/status quo (White supremacy, capitalism and male patriarchy) without much reflection. I appreciated the random history that the authors inserted every so often. Yet, I wondered why they sometimes used them to reinforce inaccurate information like the, “Lynch letter”.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ambitious book that invites readers to meet an incredible cross section of Americans (the authors interviewed people in every state) and learn about their experiences of race, racism and living with the consequences of and responses to their intersectionality through their own narratives. Guo and Vulchi insert interesting and relevant historical facts and current data to clarify or support the stories their interviewees are telling. I loved the diversity of people they interviewed—age, culture, ethnicity, race, gender identity, education levels, income levels, political affiliation—the breadth of this project is staggering. Listening, engaging, understanding, empathizing and becoming advocates for fair, honest and compassionate treatment of other humans is ultimately the authors’ charge to all of us.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don’t know what you don’t know. This was a powerful and moving book about race in America.

[Nicole Means · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Be present to the possibility of change.”

[Nathan Albright · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a terrible one.  Yet it is the sort of terrible book that is instructive in discussing the authors’ views of race and identity.  Such a book is worse than useless, harmful even, but even in a case like this one the skilled reader can find something of worth in this book, namely the understanding that identity is highly weaponized in contemporary culture and that the only identities that are acceptable to leftists are either those identities that have become deeply tied to victim ideologies (which this book demonstrates in many cases and a great many levels) or those identities that serve as a sign that someone is an ally of various subaltern groups that seek to become viewed as cultural elites.  Indeed, the most important diversities of this book are not included, as there are no conservatives here, no even moderate white men, and none of that religious diversity that includes those who take their religion and its moral principles seriously.  That tells you all you need to know about how skewed and how misguided a book this one is.

This particular book, which is about the right weight to club someone over the head with, is over 350 pages and is divided into ten chapters.  The book begins with an introduction.  After this the authors opine that “race impacts everything” (1) and that the past is the present (2), so that no historical wrongs can be forgiven or forgotten.  After that the author talks about the richness of faux diversity (3) as well as the way that even our best friends are strangers in some fashion (4).  There is a discussion of the way that words matter (5) and that people need to stop fighting among themselves (6) among the coalition of subaltern groups that the authors want to encourage.  There is a risible suggestion that everyone is “normal” except those who are actually normal in statistical terms (7) as well as a recognition that diversity is not the goal (8), but rather cultural control.  Finally, there are chapters on the search for healing (9) as well as the call to leftist identity activism (10), after which the book concludes with suggestions on how people can share their story as well as acknowledgements, sources, an index, and some notes about the authors.

This book was not a joy to read at all.  The authors made sure to include a great deal of coded language to clue in readers as to their worldview and books like this are likely used by many people to convince themselves or try to convince others that they have an understanding of what diversity involves.  Yet the diversity included here is only ideology deep.  So you have a lot of women, a lot of various kinds of Asians and Pacific Islanders and various tribal or mixed identities.  There are a lot of so-called gender minorities or sexual minorities included here.  The authors have done the reader a service in showing all of the kinds of people whose identity and whose views they accept, and if you do not find yourself included here, you can rest assured that in the eyes of the racialist authors and others of their ilk that your perspective does not matter and your identity does not count for anything.  When person after person in this guide talks about how they reject and look down on their conservative relatives, especially parents, this book is a reminder that the hypocrisy and double standards and insufferable arrogance of leftists is alive and well when it comes to identity politics.

[Annah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priya and Winona take a year off before college to travel around the US, collect racial narratives from every state, tie them to sociological terms, stats, and trends, and assemble these into a timely, important, attractive "story"-book.

The genius of this book is in its wide appeal. If any of the following describe you, you should read it:
• You’re new to racial literacy and you’d appreciate an accessible and engaging starting point
• You’re a scholar of racial literacy but you feel jaded by the weight of the work and need a fresh injection of humanity
• You’re a parent wanting to give your [I recommend middle school+] kids frameworks for differences in people they see or don’t see, in a way that’ll hold their attention
• You can't devote hours to reading, but would like to learn something in 2-3 pages at a time
• You’re interested in identity, memory, and the power of an individual narrative
• You’re interested in patterns, history, and the importance of sociological context
• You’re a student with a passion, trying to figure out how to put it to pen and paper

Tell Me Who You Are is a conversation starter (...literally). It's easy to put to use in homes, schools, houses of worship, workplaces, affinity groups, civic organizations, and support groups. At the very least, it gives voice and vocabulary to a nuanced, but often thorny, topic. Recommended.

[sarah panic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could barely even give that two stars. That was such a struggle to get through. I appreciate the concept, but the execution was boring and monotonous

[William Schram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Me Who You Are is an eye-opening experience by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi. There is a background to this work, but it mainly has to do with the authors asking questions after a tragedy that happened. I don’t remember which one it was, but these two young women are from Princeton, New Jersey. I don’t know much about New Jersey in terms of racism or anything like that, so I don’t really know their experiences with this idea.

As for myself, I am a white male, born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. I identify as male, I am heterosexual, and I have Schizoid-Personality Disorder which is a form of schizophrenia. It developed when I was in college, which is something I did not complete. I never considered myself privileged, but as a white male, I guess I had some advantages that I never noticed. I don’t usually come out with this, because it makes me somewhat uncomfortable, but hey, this is who I am.

The book concerns racism, discrimination, and bias in all forms. Starting in Alaska, the authors travel across the United States, discussing issues with people who would answer their questions. They talk to all sorts, mainly with people who don’t insult them or put them in danger, which is good. They talked to a man whose father or grandfather was in the KKK. They talked to someone whose mother personally knew Martin Luther King Jr. They talk to people who don’t consider Hawaii to be part of the United States. They talk to people who have Bipolar Disorder. It is quite fascinating to read.

The main book is composed of a number of interviews with over 100 people. The book contains full-color photos that show the person being interviewed along with little factoids about that person. A lot of the people that answered their questions had lived on multiple continents, some people love skydiving or want to try it, a lot of people like Beyonce, and so on. While the book isn’t really organized from coast to coast, it is still a book that pulls you into the narrative.

At the end of the day, our blood is red, we are all the same species, and we all deserve respect. This is the case regardless of our skin color, sexual orientation, or mental and physical abilities.

[Danika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading books about race, class, gender and culture since I have been struggling with the value placed upon identity. I dislike how it always seems like boxing someone in when I know based on my personal experiences that boxes aren't the complete story.
It was refreshing hearing people talk about who they are instead of where they come from; I enjoyed the way people shared their experiences and how they introduced themselves in ways that made them so much more relatable. I dislike answering the question WHERE are you from and hate when people say "where are you really from?" or "i hear an accent *proceed to try to figure it out as though they are playing bingo*". It can be tiring experiencing racism and bias but I do not have the privilege to ignore it. People shouldnt be judged on their background, race or class that is something that personally cannot be controlled, it is so much more valuable to learn who someone is and what values they actively stand behind.
My husband was able to understand privilege for the first time due to this book so I am grateful for its existence.
The final chapter on how to share your story was also a great read. I just wish this book was longer because I wanted to meet more people and hear their experiences. I want to go out into the world asking more open questions of people.

[Carly Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had really high hopes for this book. I have been looking forward to reading it for a long time. The introduction, concept, and general idea behind the book is VERY impressive for two students between high school and college. They are clearly incredibly intelligent and meant for great things.

Unfortunately, I found the book itself a bit repetitive and too long. The book is made up of short introductions of MANY individuals around the country. With only 2-4 pages per person and little connection between the individuals, I found it repetitive. I quickly skimmed the last half of the book and did not feel like I missed much.

I do look forward to either of these authors' future books!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for discussion group. A broad selection of interviews with people around the country about race, culture, and identity conducted by the authors after graduating high school. The interviews are brief but thought-provoking, and the authors’ framing of racial literacy is helpful in continuing this work.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was amazing. The best anti racist book I have read/listened to so far. So many personal stories interwoven with educational information. Everyone should read this book!

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, with 1-2 page profiles of an amazing diversity of people across the United States, had moments of great interest and would be worthwhile to read in snippets. I admire the project, but think I would have been a better audience for a book that had fewer stories more extensively told. I deeply appreciated the photographs that accompanied each profile -- they were gorgeous, and brought the rich variety of our country's population to life.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Me Who You Are is a collection of interviews of people across the fifty states of all genders, identities, races, creeds, religions and it is breathtaking. Hopeful, raw and brimming with insight all that is left for me to do is to let it speak for itself because I honestly don’t know why this is not more popular.

* “White people are so worried about being uncomfortable for one moment, while we’re uncomfortable all the time.” - Justin, Latino community, Chicago IL

* “I’m going there for the Eucharist and for owning my faith. I tell all LGBT people who are Catholic or Christian that leaving the church isn’t going to help the Church change. If they have to see you regularly, they’ll have to see that they’re making a mistake, and eventually they’ll fix it. The church - the world - moves very slowly, but it is moving.” - Ahyoka “Niki”, Native Cherokee/Two-Spirit community, Tahlequah, OK

* “The point of this chapter is not to provide you with a list of the “right” and “wrong” words, but to simply bring your consciousness into your words. The words we use matter. Words can show malice or ignorance. Words can make manifest dangerous ideologies and actions. Words - your words - hold tremendous power.”

* “What bothers me is that classic image of the White savior, like a White girl taking a ‘volunteer trip’ during the summer, and who helps those ‘hungry Black kids’ without ever realizing her ancestors made those kids hungry and rampaged that country and sold their ancestors into slavery.” - Treniya, Black community, Atlanta, GA

* “Asian women are often viewed with these paradoxical lenses. You’re submissive but also intellectually intimidating. It’s a stereotype that I benefit from and suffer from, it’s a double-edged sword.” - Amanda, East Asian community, New York, NY

* “Being a Muslim and being a feminist are not mutually exclusive. You can be one; you can be both. But White feminism excludes Muslim women, just like it excludes Black women. I qualify as a feminist, and for me, feminism is about choice - it’s not about one choice, it’s about protecting everyone’s choice.” - Nastesho, Somali Islamic community, Fargo, ND

This is not a book of answers. Rather these are snapshots of real people; windows into moments of people’s lives who are struggling to make sense of their every day; of their identities. Some pose questions while others just offer their truth. The reader is just tasked with turning the page and absorbing what they are offered.

[Sarah Ingala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that so many various people shared their stories in this book. I really appreciated that it not only dealt with race, but also with different cultures and identities (sex, gender, sexual orientation). The stories are heartbreaking and hopeful and powerful.

Two quotes that really stuck out:
“The KKK saw a boost in its membership in 2017. In fact, more than half of today’s clans formed in the last three years. As of 2017, the KKK was still active in 22 states.”
This was simply kind-blowing to me! I am a bit sheltered and perhaps naïve having lived all my life in CT, but I thought the KKK was ancient history. This angers and disgusts me.

This quote was from a black man from Germany when talking about his encounter with a policeman in the US:
“I don’t know if it was so much racism or police brutality as much as the American gun culture.” He went on to explain that in Germany police are domineering but they hardly ever use their guns because they are the only ones who have them, while in the US the police are afraid because everyone has the potential to have a gun. I really hate the gun culture of the US and this made a lot of sense to me.

Overall, a great read. I will say, however, that I listened to the audiobook and I think I would have preferred the physical book. Because the same narrator told all the stories and they tended to jump around between more than one person, it was sometimes a bit confusing.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook was not the right format for this book, which is essentially a bunch of stories collected across the nation from people speaking about race. The stories didn’t come thru read by the same narrator, although they are still a powerful example to the ways in which people express their identity, understand the concept of race and racism, and engage with the two Asian American women at the helm. Definitely a good primer for talking about equity and anti racism, carefully defining key vocabulary, slang, and historical references theoughout.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the the authors' approach to sharing personal stories paired with statistics

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I feel every review should have some backstory for who is writing it so our opinions may be understood and contextualized, I want to preface this review by saying that I had purchased this book as a textbook for our class we were told to leave a review for as part of our final. I am normally not a person to read this style of biographical book.

Tell Me Who You Are is a collection of stories from people across the country in all fifty states telling their stories, opinions, and relationships with race and racial difference. While I am not one to read biographies often, I appreciated the style in which this was written. Each story begins with a picture of the person surrounded by quotes from them that are fun facts. These can be anything from their favorite color, to achievements, to hobbies. Following the pictures are a first person narration of their stories and experiences with race. Many of these stories are not too long and because of their length they are easily digestible and easy to get through many. The only difficulty can be the heaviness of the subjects some people will tell. Be aware of trigger warnings that are present such as murder, police harassment, racism, microaggressions, homophobia, transphobia, and more. However, discussion of these difficult subjects is well worth it.

Before reading this book, I would look at people around me and acknowledge they were there, they were people walking this planet like me, but I didn’t think beyond that surface level depth. As I read this book throughout the span of two months, I noticed myself growing more aware of the fact that everybody has a story and I could feel myself gaining empathy for others. The person who’s coughing really loudly in my lecture hall would have probably annoyed me before, but as I’ve read over a hundred stories from so many people, it’s helped me recognize that they have a story, they’re going through something, and I hope that their cough goes away because that can’t be fun for them.

The only thing I’m left wondering after reading this is that in the beginning of the book, the two authors mention that some of the stories they transcribed included opinions they did not necessarily agree with. After reading all of these stories, I wonder whose they did not agree with. There were some varying perspectives on some topics present such as interracial marriage and I appreciated hearing both sides of the story despite already having a personal opinion on it, but I also wonder what else there was. I remember in one part of the book, the authors mentioned that they went to a grocery store to try to get some stories from people willing to talk about race and there was nobody. And then it made me realize how few white people were willing to talk about race and it made me think about what that means. It reminds me of one story in which a black girl mentions that in an event she went to that was meant to be a safe space to talk about race open to anybody, it was all (or almost all) black and no white people were present at this event despite never being told they couldn’t come.

Hearing the stories presented was very beneficial to me and I can actively see the growth I’ve had since beginning reading. Winona and Priya’s project was very successful and I hope that this book can be experienced by many people because so many people never get the chance to hear these perspectives and stories and benefits can come from it. Some of the stories I can see myself going back to read just because they bring me some joy or because they stuck with me. I promise everybody will have at least one story they remember more than another though it will be different for everybody.

[Skye Tutor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Me Who You Are by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi is one of the best books I have read this year. It is a book that I strongly believe should be included in classrooms throughout the United States, or at the very least read by more Americans. The book presents powerful perspectives from people across the country whose voices are often underrepresented in mainstream narratives and cultural norms. Because it is built from real conversations and lived experiences, it would be incredibly difficult to replicate the authenticity that makes the book so compelling.
Guo and Vulchi occupy a uniquely powerful role as interviewers and travelers. As two young Asian American women traveling across the country, they bring a fresh and thoughtful perspective to the conversations they facilitate. Throughout the book, the stories they collect challenge readers’ assumptions about different regions, cultures, and communities within the United States. At the same time, the authors are willing to confront their own assumptions as well, which makes the book feel reflective rather than judgmental.
One aspect of the book that I particularly enjoyed was the decision to include short “fun facts” about each participant before sharing their story. This small structural choice adds an important layer of humanity and depth. It reminds the reader that each person is more than a single narrative about race or discrimination. They are complex individuals with interests, humor, and lives that extend far beyond the particular story they tell. By introducing participants this way, the authors create a sense of connection before the reader even begins their story.
More broadly, the book demonstrates the power of simply asking people about their experiences. It reinforces the idea that we often do not understand what someone else is going through until we take the time to listen. In a modern culture where meaningful conversation can sometimes feel rare or rushed, the book serves as a reminder of how important genuine dialogue and curiosity about others can be. In that sense, it feels both deeply reflective and hopeful.
The book also carries important historical context. Through these individual stories, the authors highlight how the United States has always been shaped by people from many different backgrounds. At different points in history, many groups have faced discrimination or mistreatment, and the stories in the book help illuminate how those experiences continue to shape people’s lives today.
Finally, I appreciated how Guo and Vulchi weave their own reflections and experiences between chapters. After reading many personal and sometimes heavy stories, their voices help ground the narrative and remind the reader that this book is also a journey, both across the country and through the authors’ own understanding of race, identity, and acceptance. By balancing their role as storytellers with the voices of the people they interview, Guo and Vulchi create a book that feels thoughtful, personal, and deeply meaningful.

[K. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

[For context, this is part of a class assignment]

Tell Me Who You Are is an insightful body of work showcasing the experiences of people, with a focus on the intersectionality of identity. The book is a nationwide project that consists of interviews detailing the lived experiences of a variety of people and social backgrounds from across America, with each interview highlighting diverse perspectives on identity, culture, and belonging.

One of the most powerful aspects of the book is its use of personal narratives. Rather than focusing on historic explanations or a solely academic approach, take a more human approach. Through the use of interviews, Guo and Vulchi highlight how the experiences of people across the nation are shaped by a variety of intersectional topics. These accounts reveal how people understand their identities and are, in turn, externally perceived by society. The stories described in this work are often deeply personal, showing the human experience of living in the U.S. Some stories describe experiences with prejudice or misunderstanding, while others explore the pride in cultural heritage or moments of personal growth. Through these interviews, the book highlights how these experiences are shaped by factors like racism and greatly influence people’s lives. In this way, rather than focusing on each facet of identity, the authors’ focus on real stories provides a comprehensive, yet nuanced approach to understanding how identity influences daily experiences, relationships, and opportunities in America.

Another strength of the book is its accessible and conversational tone. The text presents its narrative in an almost script-like manner, though every interview is detailed with splashes of vibrant colors and supplementary textboxes to aid readers in understanding complex topics. Several of the book’s pages also offer thoughtful, reflective questions, encouraging readers to reflect on their own identities and intersectionality with larger social topics.

The book doesn’t claim to provide simple solutions to the larger society challenges it discusses. Instead, the stories emphasize the importance of listening, empathy, and open conversation about widespread, systemic social inequalities. By sharing the perspectives of multiple people, Guo and Vulchi demonstrate that meaningful dialogue requires curiosity and respect, making the book’s approach particularly valuable to readers encountering these types of conversations for the first time. Cumulatively, these interactive qualities help the book feel less like a standard textbook and more like an invitation to think critically about how identity functions in modern society.

Overall, Tell Me Who You Are is an insightful and impactful work that encourages readers to think deeply about identity and social understanding. Its combination of real-life stories, thoughtful, reflective questions, and accessibility makes it both informative and engaging.

[Sachleen S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Me Who You Are follows Guo and Vulchi’s year-long journey across all fifty states before college, meeting people from many different backgrounds and identities. As two young Asian-American women, Guo and Vulchi bring distinct perspectives and writing techniques that turn the book into a must-read for any American. Guo and Vulchi’s purpose is to make us reflect on how identity can shape all of our lives, and they encourage us to be more open in listening to many perspectives.

Tell Me Who You Are is formatted in a way unlike any other book I’ve read before. The first page in any story starts with a portrait of the group or individual being interviewed. This is accompanied by their location and a couple of fun facts. This aspect was very important to me, as it made me realize that I wasn’t just reading a nameless story. I was reading the vulnerable life experiences of real people who shared similar hometowns and everyday interests as I do. It brought a human light to the stories, which I appreciated. The portrait page was followed by either a story about life experiences or a conversation about race and identity. I appreciated how each story was told conversationally, rather than academically, and mirrored the tone of the storyteller. It felt like I was directly hearing an account from the person, making the stories more meaningful. One instance I particularly remember is a father and daughter’s account, which included their playful bickering at the end.

Tell Me Who You Are made me reflect on some of my own experiences growing up as an Asian-American in the United States. Although there were many stories of people who did not look like me, I found that I could still relate to some of their sentiments and experiences. I also was exposed to perspectives from people and places that I normally would not have been exposed to in my readings or environment. Through simple two to three-page retellings of others' stories, this book powerfully highlights lived experiences across the United States and motivates readers to address inequalities.

One critique I have is that there wasn’t much information about the authors’ experiences listening to hundreds of stories across the United States. We got a couple of snippets about racism they encountered themselves while travelling, but it would be helpful to learn what emotions and stress they may have felt while carrying so many people’s vulnerable stories. Overall, however, I would rate Tell Me Who You Are five stars. I believe that every American should read this book to understand the life experiences of people from many backgrounds. This book is an important first step towards empathy, understanding, and change.

[Kelly Duong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of interviews presents storytelling in a much more human and personal way that stands out against typical books filled with page after page of purely subjective writing. The pacing and extra information texts below the main stories create such an inviting and digestible environment for the reader to open up their perspective. This is especially important in a society that is quick to punish mistakes rather than facilitating a space for growth and learning. The fear that results from this can make it difficult for people to engage in conversations around race and identity. But this book flips that and takes a shift off of confrontation.
Each interview ties back to broader themes of race and identity, but points to an important start: being active and emotionally present in our engagement and listening. As I went further into the book, I found myself growing more curious about how each new story would differ from the last, while also noticing the similarities that connected everyone together. What makes this book so different is the close-up shots of each individual and the handwritten personal facts that surround them. This creates a much more personal relationship with the reader. I especially enjoyed how the facts included such small everyday details that would typically only come up in a casual conversation. While it might seem small to be able to read what someone’s favorite food or band was, I found that these details made the experience with each person much more real and multidimensional, rather than just another addition to a point the author was trying to make. Even though I’d never met anyone in the book, these details gave me a sense that I understood them a tiny bit. In many ways, the book felt like a community.​
Throughout the interviews, the reader explores how race shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, including things that we may not consciously recognize. I felt pushed to think beyond individual disagreements and instead reflect on larger historical and structural systems that influence these conflicts. That change in analysis encourages deeper thinking towards meaningful change. A story that resonated with me was about a Vietnamese American man who felt constrained by the expectation of what being “authentically” Vietnamese was supposed to look like. Which was something that tormented me growing up geographically separated from my own Vietnamese community. He spoke of how "authentic" was his least favorite word because it made him question whether his identity was judged based on appearance or others’ expectations. This sentence was comforting to me because it captured a struggle that I could never properly articulate but now I am so much more sound in who I am.

[Thi Khuu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually do not read books in this format, and so it was an interesting change. Tell Me Who You Are by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi, written by two young women who chose to take a gap year after high school, traveling the United States to collect a wide range of stories. Together, these narratives form a powerful reflection of what America represents. It does not present the country as a unified experience, but as an extensive collection of lived experiences. I indulged in the complexity of each story, with the amazement of how every individual reaches a stage of growth at various times. It is refreshing to see so much diversity in a singular book. Instead of presenting a single narrative of identity, the author highlights a wide range of voices, showing how factors like race, socioeconomic standing, and privilege influence our outcome in life. With interviews across fifty states, it touches base in small towns and rural communities that are rarely given a platform in conversations about race and identity. I had read this book with one of my colleagues, and he had pointed out a particular interview in a small, landlocked town in the middle of the country, stating how his family is from there, and he had heard similar stories just like the ones in the book. This only further confirms how important representation is, especially in books. Knowing that you have had a similar experience to another stranger is a sort of connection that makes us feel human and understood. The geography of this book matters a lot because it challenges the assumption that these conversations only belong to certain cities or demographics, and this book shatters that stigma. Additionally, the stories feel less like case study and more intimate. I liked the non-interview sections of the book as well because the reader had a peek at how the authors were feeling emotionally and physically through this trip. These moments add another layer of depth.
Overall, Tell Me Who You Are is not just a book to read once, but one that can be revisited over time, with each return offering new insights and perspectives. It is inspiring to see young people like Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi take initiative in creating meaningful conversation revolving around race and identity, and including not just race in the picture, but other facts about the person they interviewed which makes the entire book even more complete. One question that has been lingering in my mind is what questions were they asking the people they interviewed to get such a personal story from everyone? How did they choose what parts to cut out?

[Adaya S]

Tell Me Who You Are was so good! I really enjoyed the formatting of the various stories from people across the U.S. I haven’t read many non-fiction books, but this one is definitely my new favorite. I had to read this book for a class, but as I started reading it began to feel less and less like assigned reading, and more like something I was looking forward to reading. Though the internet has made it easy enough to hear about people’s lifestyles and personal experiences, this book has delved into the lives of stories that I would not have been able to hear because of their own circumstances. I really enjoyed the wide variety of people featured in this book as well, and the authors’ questions were so thoughtful!
I also really enjoyed the chapter intros that set the scene for the following stories. The organization of the stories was also very impressive. Despite being so distinct and personal, they shared common themes stemming from the great questions asked by the authors. These themes helped situate me as I considered the book in the context of my class’ themes and learning objectives. We worked heavily on the topic of belonging, and this book was quite the foray into what it means to belong and to be made to feel like you don’t belong. The book mainly explored the topic of race, but it also delved into other themes of gender, sexuality, class, and other aspects of the interviewee’s identity. Tell Me Who You Are showcased concepts that I am only accustomed to reading about for my classes in a way that really put into perspective the real world implications of marginalization.
There were many stories littered throughout the book that I felt I could relate to, even if the people being interviewed lived across the country and were completely different from myself. I think that is a testament to the longing many of us have to connect with others, and this book offered us the opportunity to connect with people so different and so far from us. This book was very powerful, and offered the people being interviewed a cathartic experience to discuss topics that many of them had not been able to talk about before. That aspect of the book really shined through. It was very apparent that the stories some people were sharing had not been shared before, and that was very eye-opening to read.
Tell Me Who You Are was a great read, and I recommend it to anyone who is hoping to broaden their horizons and learn about the different ways people have been confronted with issues of belonging.

[Reanne Guevara]

Tell Me Who You Are is a massive collection of short stories and interviews from people all across the U.S. of all kinds of different identities (in regards to race, ethnicity, culture, age, socioeconomic status, and more). You are nearly guaranteed to read a story with messages or moments you have never heard of/considered before, as well as read a story that deeply resonates with you and your personal experiences. As an Asian American, there were many stories that fit both sides for me, whether it were our shared pet peeves about the Asians-are-really-smart stereotype or about our family dynamics in our homes. There were also much heavier stories that were deeply insightful to me, and helped me contemplate my own privileges and opportunities as well as the inherent inequality within our societal systems.

This book is a wonderful introduction to and display of the vast variety of backgrounds people in America can come from, especially with the bits of history, definitions, and terms written on the side that applies to each person’s story. It also felt very human; each story was written in first-person from each interviewee, and included pictures of them with little fun facts sprawled around. It was easy to connect to each person — you knew for sure you were reading about a real person with their own life, just like you.

I was assigned to read this book for a university class, for which we often formed small groups and had to discuss the stories that stood out and/or resonated with us. They were almost like emotional bonding experiences, as we were able to find and share the ideas we related to with our peers, but they also allowed us to expand our knowledge of diversity and difference with each other by hearing new perspectives on the issues and experiences within the stories of this book. Every time we held those discussions, I gained a new insight on a story I hadn’t thought too deeply about.

Overall, this book was both a valuable learning experience and a generally enjoyable read. Though the book is the size of a textbook, it was far from a bunch of dense, hard-to-comprehend text strung together — every page holds a meaningful idea or experience that another human being wishes to convey to the world. It’s eye-opening and thought-provoking, even if you simply skim through the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious about people around them and wishes to explore more about the diverse communities that make up the world.

[Daniel Beauclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tell Me Who You Are by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi is a fantastic collection of stories from all over the world. This book, written by highschoolers at the time, is compiled of people of all different races, ethnicities, wealth, genders, sexualities, disabilities and ages. These stories make up America and show the overwhelming diversity the country has to offer. I read this book for a University of Washington course. One of the main topics of this book is intersectionality, overlapping identities that affect people differently positioned in society. These stories highlight just how different people can be. You may be a light skinned European black woman, like Mahala, whose kid struggles with racism at school. You may be a two-spirit Cherokee transgender person, like Niki, whose community doesn’t support them. You may be a white man, like Hunter, who has grown out of the racism his family participated in when he was younger. While these identities are truly very different, these stories come together and unite those who read this book. Guo and Vulchi set out to write this book to go past the initial question of identity. They wanted to know who these people were as people. We see someone’s race moments after meeting them, but these authors wanted to dig deeper. They took the time to travel across the entire United States to hear anyone who was willing to speak to them. They wanted to hear people’s stories, what makes them human in this world. They could only fit so many stories into this book, and it is a testament to our brilliant nationwide diversity. This text speaks to society in the fact that both our country and the entire world is very heavily divided right now. We are at a point in which what we see is our differences. Guo and Vulchi did not write this book to point out our differences, but to show that our differences make us who we are. We see other’s identities and can relate to one another. You can connect to someone through so much more than what we can see on the outside. You will never know someone’s story unless you ask who they are. I found this book enjoyable and a nice break from the long chunks of text you usually get for informational pieces. I would recommend this book to people who are looking to get a new perspective on our diversity, people who want to read about people like them or people different from them, and people who need some joy in who they are.

[M S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Tell Me Who You Are to be an incredible read. Firstly the fact this was written by two young women who had just graduated from high school is insane to me. This book is so well put together and thought provoking. Every chapter starts with a personal story about the authors, it really makes you form a connection with the text learning about their journey writing it. What makes this book feel so immersive to me is, before you read someone's story you have to look at a portrait of them first. This portrait includes their name, where they are from, and some fun facts about them. This really humanizes them beyond just their story. In addition to that every individual's story is written in first person, it makes it feel like a conversation more than a book. I caught myself often feeling so drawn into these stories that I lost track of time. That’s because in this world of monolithic writing it’s nice to read something put together that also feels like it was written by humans instead of an academic machine. The text in this book is transcribed from longer interviews. In these interviews the authors kept each person's unique voice while also keeping the same tone across the entirety of the book. Often times when people speak freely it’s possible to say something incorrect. Instead of changing the interviewee’s words the authors kept the interviews as is and added fact checking at the bottom of the page when needed. This stops the spread of misinformation without editing out people's opinions and feelings. The fact they did this was very refreshing to me. It's not too often nowadays you see that type of thing.
Books like these are so important because they show that so much of the hardship many people of color go through unfortunately isn’t a unique experience. What this project did was not only share these peoples stories but also make you connect the people in this book and their experiences. No matter who you are, or what you’ve been through there is someone in this book that everyone can relate to. They did an amazing job bridging the gap between people by showing everyone no one is truly alone, there’s always someone out there like you. Having to deal with these complex topics can often feel isolating and scary, so having some of those experiences reflected back at me was something I’m not used to.
Tell Me Who You Are has become one of my favorite reads in a long time. Hats off to the young authors and this amazing project!

[Lauren Leung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell me who you are is a heavy book, both through the content and physical weight. It had a diverse wide range of stories that show the way diversity, and the way everyone grew up differently. No one is the same. I read this book connecting to the littlest things these people bring up or the whole story and experience they had to share. Even when not being able to connect to their experience, I was learning about a person and their experiences, realizing no matter where you are from even if from the same state or city, same ethnicity all experiences are all so different. These experiences good or bad affect who we are as people making us all uniquely different, no matter how much we are stereotyped into one thing cause of the color of our skin or gender. Reading this book at least once is really an new experience, I've not felt before when reading books; with so many different, unique stories I was able to look at their picture and connect the story to their face and little interests and facts that were around their image. When seeing what they look like and what came their way builds so much character to a person beyond physical appearance. This book had me thinking more deeply about the people I interact with or see with on a not so daily basis and never had a deep conversation or relationship with. It had me wondering what have they experienced making them...? What goes through their mind when this or that...? It is about the differences that bring us together, when it is not something comfortable to talk about on a daily basis or with some stranger. I found myself curious to learn more from these people, many stories share so much yet, there is so much more I want to know from the and their experiences, with many questions on, why...? How did you overcome...? They are just complete strangers to me, but I just want to sit down and talk to them like I have known them for a long time and were just catching up after a year or two. I want to learn more about those around me, that I talk to daily that I never had a deep conversation about who they are outside of their personal interest and the surface level of their family and beliefs. I never wondered about it before about those I talk with, not because I felt it was out of the comfort zone, but because I never thought to ask because I felt I knew almost everything them and could understand where it came from, but I might be wrong cause I never asked.