Chinese American Mothering: Toy Len Goon's Legacy and the Myth of the Model Minority

Honor Book, 2026 CALA Best Book Award in the Adult Non-Fiction Category, given by the Chinese American Librarians Association

A journey from Chinese immigrant to “U.S. Mother of the Year” unpacks the roots of the model minority myth and its legacy

In 1952, Toy Len Goon, a Chinese immigrant widow who raised eight children while running their family laundry, was selected as U.S. Mother of the Year by the American Mother’s Committee of the Golden Rule Foundation. In Chinese American Mothering, A...