Seeing yourself in literature gives you a sense of identity and belonging.
Beka Poh, a senior from Papua New Guinea, is majoring in English with an emphasis in business and creative writing at BYU–Hawaii. Throughout her time on campus, she has discovered not only confidence in her craft but a deeper purpose behind it.
Poh hopes to write stories that give voice to underrepresented communities, particularly in Oceania and Asia, creating space for readers to see themselves reflected in literature.
Finding Direction at BYU–Hawaii
For Poh, one reason she chose to attend BYU–Hawaii is her familial roots. “I first heard about BYU–Hawaii from my grandma. She attended when it was still Church College of Hawaii,” she said. “She was actually one of the first female surfers on campus. At the time, there was only surfboard storage in the men’s dorms, so she had to get special permission to store hers. Hearing all her stories made BYU–Hawaii feel familiar long before I ever came.”
Having spent her entire life in Papua New Guinea, Poh was initially hesitant about leaving for college abroad. However, she said that because BYU–Hawaii is part of the Pacific, it allowed her to remain connected to home while pursuing her education.
“When I first came to BYU–Hawaii, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I actually started as a fine arts major because I loved painting and illustration, but something didn’t quite feel right,” she said.
Her academic path shifted after a simple moment of encouragement from a professor. “In my English 101 class, I honestly thought my professor didn’t like me. On the last day, she asked me to stay after class, and I thought I had failed. Instead, she told me I had done really well and gave me her contact information in case I ever needed a recommendation letter. That was the first time I realized I might actually be good at writing.”
“I kept thinking about that class,” Poh said. “Even though I didn’t change my major until my junior year, I couldn’t ignore how much I wanted to pursue writing.”
Over time, seeing her work published in the school journal further strengthened her confidence.
“Seeing my work in print made me realize that words really do have power,” she said. “It was a small thing, but it meant so much to me.”
Writing & Representation
Growing up, Poh said that she never really felt like she had a voice, so she made writing her outlet. Everything she couldn’t say out loud, she began to write down on little notes or letters, and it would provide her with this emotional release that eased her burdens. “I always felt like I communicated better when I could write,” she shared.
Over time, writing became more than a private refuge; it became a way to confront what was missing from the stories around her. “As a kid, I didn’t see myself in books very often — or in movies or anything that was out there. I didn’t look like them. I didn’t sound like them. My life was nothing like theirs,” she said. “When I took Sister Lesuma’s class, and we read Pacific literature, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish I had this as a kid.’ It would have helped me so much.”
What began as a personal outlet eventually grew into a mission she never anticipated. Later, she wrote her first children’s book, Asiyah, with the artwork and illustrations created by her cousin. “I’m half Singaporean, but I’ve always felt disconnected from that side of my heritage. I used this project to learn more about it and reconnect,” she shared. “I wanted to write something centered on Asia, because you don’t see a lot of literature about it, especially Singapore. In the story, I also worked with the theme of a young girl dealing with grief. Children experience loss too, but we don’t always talk about it in children’s literature.”
“I want to write the stories that weren’t written for me — for Oceania and Asia,” she shared. “Seeing yourself in literature gives you a sense of identity and belonging.”
Growing as a Disciple
During her time at BYU–Hawaii, Poh said her faith deepened in ways she hadn’t anticipated. “When I was younger, I was almost just going off of others’ faith, doing what my mom said was good or following what people around me were doing,” she shared. “Coming here, you’re on your own, and you have to learn all of that yourself.”
She added that the BYUH community and its gospel-centered environment played a major role in her growth. “Although we are known for being a diverse campus, and our differences make us beautiful, first and foremost, we are all children of God,” she said. “That unites us, and it has helped me become a better disciple of Jesus Christ.”
Looking ahead after graduation, Poh hopes to continue writing stories that represent the cultures within Asia and the Pacific rim, providing each child in those regions with a role model, hero, or inspiration that she once struggled to find as a kid. Having been strengthened through her time here at BYU–Hawaii, she said she wants her work to uplift others — especially young readers searching for belonging — just as she once was.