The author grew up in the only mixed-race family in an all-white suburb; with Mostly White , she speaks to mixed-race experiences many have but do not see widely depicted in literature. A strong theme of institutionalized racism ties in to current nationwide discussions of race and class. The author is well-established in the California literary scene; she has been a featured reader at the LA Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival, the Works/San Jose Art and Performance Center, Oakland Beast Crawl, and the San Francisco Lit Quake.