As a lead bookseller at The Book Cow—a cosy haven for book lovers in Kingston in the Australian capital of Canberra—I’m not merely selling pages filled with words; I’m at the crossroads where books meet real life. Picture me not just as a cashier or a shelf-stocker, but as someone making small ripples in our society’s larger narrative. The Australian literary scene has long been a tapestry woven mostly with white threads. I see my role as adding a few strands to make the fabric richer, more diverse and a lot more interesting.

What drives me? It’s a question of representation. I’m passionate about making sure that the voices of the Chinese Australian community are heard loud and clear. Every book featuring an Asian protagonist, every story set in a migrant community, every volume of work translated is like a shout-out: “We’re here, we’re part of this culture and our stories matter too.” When you walk into The Book Cow and see a section dedicated to Asian authors, understand that it’s not just a ‘section’. It’s a statement.

• Tags: Australia, Bookseller, Emma Pei Yin, Issue 33