Thursday, April 16, 2026

Muskegon Community College and Muskegon Area District Library hosted an appearance by acclaimed author Curtis Chin as part of the statewide Great Michigan Read.

The event took place Monday, April 13, 2026, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Corner. Doors opened at 6:00 p.m. The program was free and open to the public, with registration having opened April 3. Chin discussed his memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, the 2025–26 Great Michigan Read selection. The book chronicles his experiences growing up Chinese American in Detroit and the nearby suburb of Troy, offering a deeply personal look at family, identity, and community.

The memoir traced Chin’s journey from childhood in urban Detroit to his time attending the University of Michigan. The book also recounted his experience coming out as queer in the early 1980s—at a time when doing so was widely considered taboo in many Asian and Chinese American communities.

Chin also reflected on daily life inside his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, a beloved gathering place that served people from all walks of life in 1980s Detroit.

Beyond his Michigan roots, Chin went on to cofound the Asian American Writers’ Workshop in New York City and built a career as a writer and documentary filmmaker with numerous television and film credits.

“This was the first time Muskegon hosted an in-person Great Michigan Read author event,” said Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga, Programs Manager for Muskegon Area District Library. “It was a big deal for our community, and we were honored to welcome Curtis Chin to share his story with readers here.”