Ali Yang, '22 BA

From the Navy to Noodles: How ASU Sparked My Journey as an Author

When I enrolled at Arizona State University, I was far from a traditional student. 
Serving in the Navy and stationed in Korea, I completed my coursework between watches, and sometimes, in the middle of the night, always driven by the goal of finishing my degree. Majoring in Spanish kept me grounded in creativity amid a structured military life. I saved my Spanish literature courses for my final semesters, not realizing they would reignite my love of storytelling. Reading authors like García Márquez and Allende reminded me how powerful stories can be in preserving language, culture, and connection. I began my final semester the same day my daughter, affectionately nicknamed Mooncake, was born. Between caring for a newborn and finishing assignments, I felt inspired to create something meaningful for her and my son. Something that celebrated their mixed-race heritage and imagination. That spark became The Adventures of Pork Bun and Mooncake: The Quest for the Perfect Noodle, my first children’s book. ASU gave me the flexibility to learn from anywhere and the inspiration to dream big. What began as a Spanish major’s final semester side project became the start of a lifelong adventure in storytelling.