You Are Here: Connecting Flights

A wonderful set of linked stories, set in a Chicago airport where a storm has caused mass delays and cancellations, bringing out the best and the worst in people. The main character in one story crosses briefly through another, and vice versa. All of the main characters are young Asian Americans (mainly East and Southeast Asian).

Quotes

This is how [my dads] are. Confront hate! Don't let people feel safe saying bigoted things! Silence is violence! Stand up for what's right even when it makes everyone uncomfortable at Thanksgiving! ...But this is different. This isn't about them. It's about...me. (Mindy, 49)

He felt bad for everyone who needed help that wasn't coming. Sometimes the world was unfair to people for no reason at all. (AJ, show more 117)

Maybe [all those noble Filipino heroes] started out by helping people in whatever small ways they could, in whatever small ways were needed. Maybe the built up to doing more, because maybe helping people was a skill that improved over time with practice... (AJ, 120)

A precarious feeling, like trying to tightrope-walk between staying silent and letting things accumulate until they were too big to be ignored or forging onward through the awkwardness and pain of speaking up. (Natalie, 142)

"But I don't come from the Philippines," I said. "I'm from here."
"Texas is part of you," she said. "But the Philippines is, too." (Camilla, 171)

We were always supposed to step aside, never make a fuss, always be as invisible as possible. We were never supposed to say no or argue or complain or ask for help... (Jane, 201)

I actually like airports because they're places of such possibility....[but] We're all stuck here together in this strange world in between home and adventure. (Khoi, 207) show less

This story collection discusses how everyone is connected and we must stand up for everyone's dignity, specifically Asians. It's not a page turner but thoughtful readers will enjoy these stories.

The titles of each story represents the person you are meeting. None of the stories tell who wrote the story; you must look on the verso for the information. All of the stories contain an Asian main character, representing different Asian countries. Everyone waits for a plane and all of the flights are delayed or cancelled, so the concourse is very crowded and people get irritated quickly due to the circumstances. The first story becomes racist fodder in other stories. A boy and his family are going through security and his grandmother creates a show more stir. The TSA agent treats the grandmother with respect and care when he discovers that she's carrying her husband's ashes. Others act quite differently, not knowing what she actually was transporting, but they make plenty of tacky comments throughout the book. Every character is mis-treated in some way and stands up for himself, unlike the parent. The elders all believe one should not make a scene and move on. The younger generations, our characters, disagree and politely and firmly disallow the behavior. It's best to read it all together so that you remember the characters when they make a side appearance in another story. There are many beautiful moments, where humanity shines. We are all on our way somewhere (like in an airport), and we don't know the people around us. As stress builds, making negative assumptions about others and believing you are superior to others does not connect you to humanity. You lose the connection and we lose as an entire group. If you see poor treatment, insist on better treatment. Help others. Don't judge. Be kind. show less

Each story takes place at O'Hare airport and told by a different kid who identifies as Asian American. Each written by a different author, it was great how the stories wove together and built upon each other.
Many of the stories focused on the characters finding their voice and standing up to discrimination and hate.