Tell Me Who You Are by Winona Guo & Priya Vulchi

It is with great excitement that we announce the 2021 Common Reading Selection, Tell Me Who You Are by Winona Guo & Priya Vulchi.

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.

You can also check out Inside the Book: Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi (Tell Me Who You Are)

The Common Reading Book is selected every year for incoming students to read in their first semester as part of the First Year Experience. The selection process has multiple rounds of review by the Common Reading Book Committee (represented by students, faculty, and staff). This year all books reviews were recommended by HNU students, staff, and faculty. The final selection was made through a campus-wide vote, largely made by current students.

2021 Common Reading Selection Committee

• Anastasia Prentiss
• Bethany Fitelson
• Cathya Mendoza
• Eleanor McFarlin
• Freddy Gutierrez
• Kim Bowers
• Laura Dueñas
• Melody Parker
• Michael Nicoloff
• Ryan Youell
• Yellowlees Douglas