cofounder of an asian american pacific islander enabling nonprofit called act to change. part of what i think happens with kids around identity, especially in middle, school is the needs to be accepted. they need to fit in. so the bully, the voice telling you, you know what? you re not gonna fit, in just for being, you that is i think rahul it s drive. in a way, the brand, character i wanted to give him nuance. i learned through anti-bullying work that we don t like to label kids as bullies because we want to give them the opportunity to change. and that behavior is learn from somewhere. by the way, maybe parents who want to ban books. but that behavior is learn from some. where brett has his own struggles in this book with an overbearing, father the need to succeed himself. there is a moment towards the end of the book where we see brand really freak out at the support that raul is getting. and i think that is because he s aware that this world order is shifting.