About the Author

I am a storyteller, artist, linguist, and educator dedicated to bringing the rich traditions of the Iu Mien people to the forefront of children’s literature.

The Iu Mien written language is a relatively new system, established only in the early 1980s. Because of this, there is a significant gap in bilingual resources for Iu Mien-American families. Driven by a mission to preserve our heritage and promote literacy, I create engaging, heart-centered stories that allow children to see their own family traditions reflected on the page. This debut book serves as a love letter to my heritage, designed to ensure that the beauty of Iu Mien traditions—and the unique sounds of our language—continue to thrive in the hearts of children and families everywhere.

I hold a Master of Arts in Linguistics from San José State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese from the University of California, Davis. By day, I am an elementary school Mandarin teacher, where I apply my expertise in language acquisition to inspire the next generation of multilingual learners. In my spare time, I am a passionate advocate for Iu Mien literacy, teaching the language to the community and developing innovative resources using computational linguistics to ensure the survival and revitalization of this endangered language.

For inquiries, questions, comments or just to say "Hello", please contact me at hello@lowsaelee.com.