Let’s Hear It for the Girls
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Girls to the Front: 40 Asian American Women Who Blazed a Trail was written and illustrated by Niña Mata (HarperCollins, 2025). More names are listed at the back of the book, and we only expect the list to grow longer in the years to come.
As part of the Stop Asian Hate movement and Women’s History Month, Niña drew portraits of Asian American women and posted these on Instagram. Following her curiosity, she discovered the brave women who fulfilled their calling while overcoming struggles of race and gender.
“It was so hard narrowing down the list to 40. While researching, I discovered countless Asian American women who’ve made an impact across history and today. I wanted the book to feel like a celebration and a conversation between generations. That’s why I purposefully mixed women who came before us with those making waves right now,” explains Niña.
“Who paved the way? Who’s opening new doors? Who might not be a household name yet, but absolutely deserves to be?”, were some of the questions she asked. “My editor and I chose a variety of paths so readers, especially young girls, could find someone they connect with. It was also important to highlight women from across the Asian diaspora. Our stories are layered and expansive, and this book only scratches the surface. I hope it helps kids (and grown-ups) feel seen, proud, and inspired.”
Inspired by the diverse community she was raised in, Niña Mata’s work reflects her belief that everyone deserves to see themselves in stories and to be celebrated. (Photo courtesy of Niña Mata)
She wanted readers to learn more about these women and to keep seeking out stories from every race and background.
“America’s story is, and always will be, one of immigrants, a diaspora of people who came from all over the world to a place with the word ‘United’ in its name for a reason. These stories should remind us that our country’s history is made up of more than what’s in textbooks. When we don’t include them, we miss out on important lessons, on wisdom from people who were silenced or ignored.
“Representation isn’t just about visibility; it strengthens our future. There’s nothing more powerful than having the courage to think and do bigger because you’ve seen who came before you. When we silence those stories, we risk letting kids waste so much energy looking for validation, when instead, we could give them the confidence to raise their voices, solve problems, and imagine new ways forward.”
The response to the book has been overwhelmingly positive. Kids have told her they never realized how good it felt to see someone who looked like them doing something amazing and to actually feel like they could do that too. To Niña, that kind of feedback is everything. “Hearing a young person say that and knowing this book sparked the possibility of them striving to be better, dream bigger, and see themselves clearly as part of the fabric of America, that’s the whole point.”
School visits were part of Niña Mata’s book tour. How lucky were these kids to meet a real life author and illustrator? (Photo courtesy of Niña Mata)
Of the 40 girls in the book, seven are Filipina: Umpeylia “Sugar Pie” DeSanto (R&B singer); Cristeta Comerford (the White House chef); Vicky Manalo Draves (Olympics diver); Geena Rocero (model, author, transgender activist); Gabriella Wilson/H.E.R. (singer, songwriter, actress); Ruby Ibarra (scientist, songwriter, director); and Nicole Ponseca (restaurateur).
There are seven Filipinas featured in the book whose achievements in sports, science, music, business, activism, and being a chef of The White House can inspire little girls to follow their dreams. (Illustrations courtesy of Niña Mata)
Niña, who was born in the Philippines and raised in Queens, New York, attended the High School of Art & Design and studied illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She grew up an only child, took to art at an early age, and was ready to embrace it as a career.
“The need to prove to my parents that I was capable of succeeding became a big part of my drive. I mean, a career in the arts? With Filipino parents? They realized early on that this wasn’t just a phase. From the moment I told them I wanted to go to an art high school, they knew how serious I was.”
That made it easier when she later pursued art in college. “That said, I still got the ‘Why don’t you do computer science AND art on the side?’ spiel from my dad. It came from love. None of us knew anyone who’d made a sustainable career in the arts, so it was hard for them to picture what success could even look like. Now, they’re just so incredibly proud,” adds Niña.
After graduation, she got into picture book illustration, saying that she always loved children’s books, and also character design, video games, and comic books. “So I wasn’t totally sure where I’d land. Once I realized storytelling was what I wanted to do, things started to align.”
She revamped her portfolio to reflect narrative art and spent about a year sending out her work to agents and publishers. Eventually, after countless rejections, she signed with her agent, and they’ve been “on this wild ride together for 15 years now. My first book project was Dawn Hiccups in 2012, and that was my official start.”
Today, she has illustrated many books, including ones by celebrity Olympians: gymnast Laurie Hernandez’ She’s Got This and basketball legend, LeBron James’ I Promise, and I Am More Than, that have all landed on The New York Times Best Seller List.
“Illustrating for Laurie Hernandez was a dream. I surprised her at a book signing, and she was every bit as sweet and kind as I’d hoped. She’s Got This came at a time when I was seriously considering quitting illustration, and ironically, it was about a girl who keeps falling but never gave up. It mirrored everything I was going through. That project became my first picture book and a New York Times Best Seller the week it came out. It changed my whole career for the better.”
Working with LeBron James was just as meaningful. His message to kids is powerful and necessary. “I poured so much joy into every page. The impact of those books is immeasurable, and I’m honored to be a part of them. We haven’t met yet, but I never say never!”
Niña’s illustrations for I Absolutely Positively Love My Spots by Lid’Ya C. Rivera was a nominee for Best Children’s Literature at the 55th NAACP Image Awards, and Ty’s Travels Series by Kelly Starling Lyons was a Theodor Seuss Geisel Awardee in 2021.
Her latest picture book New, about an immigrant child experiencing change, was launched on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “The book is deeply personal and is about my experiences navigating school in the U.S. for the first time.”
Author Jennifer Baker talks about Girls to the Front with Niña during the launch in New York City. (Photo courtesy of Niña Mata)
Niña Mata’s proud mom, Edna Mata, during the Girls to the Front book launch. (Photo courtesy of Niña Mata)
Niña Mata with her husband Aaron and their daughter. Girls to the Front was written for her daughter and her generation to remind them to always make their voices heard. (Photo courtesy of Niña Mata)
In illustrating books featuring people of color and writing Girls to the Front, she found her life’s purpose while pursuing a fulfilling career. “Because if not us, then who? And why wait around for change when we’re living in the awareness of what needs to change right now?”
In illustrating books featuring people of color and writing Girls to the Front, she found her life’s purpose while pursuing a fulfilling career.
Girls to the Front came at a time where the lack of representation of Asian American history was ringing like an alarm in her head, she says.
“I used to think I’d have my whole life figured out by the time I was in college, but the clarity didn’t come until I became a mom. I started thinking about my own childhood and the experiences I wanted to protect my daughter from, or at the very least prepare her for. Knowing that Girls to the Front will be on her bookshelf and that her mom wrote it? I don’t even know what kind of lens that gives her on the world, but I hope it’s one where she never questions her worth, her voice, or her visibility. That is my purpose,” Niña concludes.
Claire Mercado-Obias is a writer, food stylist and pastry chef based in New Jersey.
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