WALDIA & CO.

Waldia & Company is an art project based in the midwest and started by designer and illustrator Manuja Waldia. About her company, and artwork: "Originally from India, we strive to create objects of art to decorate and delight, while celebrating our roots from the Indian subcontinent. My pieces are about finding self love and appreciation of identity by people of color. It's of utmost importance to find pride in one's roots, especially in the current political climate."

Waldia & Co. is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - July 15) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which ran March 31st through April 12th, 2017.

"Pizza Coven" by Waldia & Co. (Courtesy of artist.)

From "Self Care" series. (Image courtesy of artist.)

"Tug o' War" by Waldia & Co. (Image courtesy of artist.)

"Empowered Sunset" by Waldia & Co. (Image courtesy of artist.)

See more of Waldia & Co.'s work on https://waldiaandco.com // Instagram @waldiaandco // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - July 15, 2017.

Artist Interview // GRACE MICHIKO HAMANN

Grace is a graphic designer by day, and illustrator / textile designer / jewelry maker by night. On her creative process: "I love all things that are intricate, vibrant, and colorful. I'm half-Japanese, half-German, and my heritage deeply informs my designs."

Grace is a Chicago based artist. She is one of the participating artists for the current Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which ran March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes! I've always been influenced by my heritage, both on my Japanese and German sides. I think Japanese culture has such an appreciation for decorative art. I'm drawn to decorative art because it exists for no other purpose than to please the eye. I've also recently been studying some German textile designers - particularly Gunta Stölzl. I love the geometry in her work.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Much of my work is textile design and not as conceptual - so not as much of a "message". I like to make work that calls attention to color and geometry. I strive mostly for balance and to create things that are visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I'm happy when my work causes people to think about / talk about culture. I pull a lot of inspiration from other cultures and spend a lot of time thinking about how I can fuse visual references with my own personal style to create something new. I love when people can recognize the influences in my work, or when they call my attention to something that my work reminds them of that I've never seen before.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can use art and design to talk about current events. My goal for this year is to use my platform as an artist to call attention to issues that I think are very important. My pieces in the Fierce Tidings show may look decorative on the surface, but hold a deep meaning for me. My grandfather was one of the many Japanese-Americans sent to live in American internment camps during WWII. Despite the fact that their human rights were brazenly violated by a xenophobic American government, many Japanese-Americans showed an incredible amount of perseverance and patriotism. I wanted to honor these people by illustrating traditional Japanese crests that represented themes of resilience and the triumph of good over evil.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I lean more towards reflective. Drawing patterns is a great way to meditate and I use my art-making to create order in chaos.

See more of Grace Michiko Hamann's work on grace-hamann.squarespace.com // Instagram @michiko_design // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - May 12, 2017.

Artist Feature // TERRY YANG

"Born in 1992 at Los Angeles, California, Terry Yang earned her BFA in Illustration from the Art Center College of Design. Her paintings feature hidden figures displaying journalism, masculinity in femininity, and hidden meanings. Her figures hide human expressions; barely showing face. Only using body language mixed with environmental awareness. Inspired by Korean and Western folk, it creates subtle behaviors: trends, beliefs, and backstage problems." - Artist bio

Terry Yang is a Los Angeles based illustrator. She is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017.

"School Zone" by Terry Yang. (Image courtesy of artist)

Page from Yang's sketchbook. (Image courtesy of artist)

See more of Terry Yang's work on www.terryang.com // Instagram @bafiayang // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition running Friday, March 31, 2017 - May 12, 2017.

Artist Interview // TREVOR SHIN

Trevor Shin is a Dallas-based illustrator. He is one of the participating artists for the Fierce Tidings art exhibition (March 31 - May 12) at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

My identity informs almost everything about my life. Growing up bi-racially was interesting, I was aware of race at a very young age. I saw the world from two simultaneous perspectives while never fully being accepted into either group. As a perpetual outsider, I was constantly observing the world around me from the outside looking in. I believe this way of thinking and observing heavily influence my thinking and way of seeing the world.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Mostly I try and forget anyone is going to be looking at the work at all. It stresses me out and I feel it makes the work seem disingenuous. I don't mind if someone misinterprets my work as they are bringing their own life experience to the table.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

There is something so satisfying about making marks and letting lines flow right out of your hand. Art is therapeutic for me and a great tool for continual growth as a human being. Art has made me more empathetic.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events make me hyper aware of race and inclusivity. I try and avoid pointing out the differences between people and focus on universal aspects of humanity.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

My work is reflective. I'm constantly filtering the world around me and trying to make the best sense of it that I can.

See more of Trevor Shin's work on // Instagram @trevorshin // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

on Insta

Notes from The Festival Director Tim Hugh

As I sit here on the eve of the Showcase, nervously and anxiously anticipating what this year's festival brings. With so much uncertainty in the air, not just politically but with arts funding, cultural and social services being cut, I feel privileged to still be able to be part of our community. Most of you do not know, but we (The Foundation for Asian American Independent Media / Asian American Showcase) work on a volunteer basis with no sponsorship, federal or state funding. We are comprised of less than a handful of people and work on passion, love and the belief in what we are doing is good for our community, and year after year we strive to find you the best films that Asian America has to offer. We have the utmost gratitude and respect for our partner The Gene Siskel Film Center (and all of the staff) to help us make our dream a reality.

Pictured from left to right: Helga, Tim Hugh

Some Notes on the films:

The Tiger Hunter (Lena Khan) Starring Danny Pudi who some might know as Abed from the TV series Community, but most of you will know him from Chicago’s Asian American sketch comedy group - Stir Friday Night. This wacky comedy satirizes an ambitious immigrant’s plight while delivering a winning message about remaining true to your roots.

Motherland (Ramona S. Diaz) Premiered at Sundance this year and is directed by the awarding winning filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz whose other films include Imelda and Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey. The world’s busiest maternity hospital in Manila is the setting for this warm, immersive documentary providing a touching, enlightening, humorous and shocking portrait of motherhood stripped down to its most human essentials.

Resistance At Tule Lake (Konrad Aderer) reminds us of our US history and about our civil liberties and beliefs. Americans of Japanese ancestry, while interned, were forced answer a questionnaire which branded them disloyal to the US government.

Wexford Plaza (Joyce Wong) Winner of the CAAMFEST Comcast Narrative Film Award is possibly my favorite film of this year. Who doesn’t love a quirky and offbeat comedy that’s also witty and moving, just like it’s first time feature director Joyce Wong.

Light (Lenora Lee, Tatsu Aoki) I can’t say how excited I am to be able to bring this special presentation to you. In addition to the film itself about the life of Bessie M. Lee who came to NYC as an indentured servant, but was also responsible for New York’s Chinatown community, we’ll have a live performance of music and dance brought to you by Lenora Lee, Tatsu Aoki and friends. I can not tell you how important Tatsu has been to our community - not just as a musician, or filmmaker, but also an educator and a leader.

Finding Kukan (Robin Lung) A documentary about a documentary? It’s so much more as in telling the story of Li Ling-Ai and her extraordinary determination in making the 1941 Academy Award-winning documentary Kukan, but also Lung examines this important film and places its producer in her rightful place - a place that was denied to Li Ling-Ai at the time of Kukan’s release. Both this story and this film have much to tell us about gender, race, power, and the way that our society worked then and works now.

Gook (Justin Chon) An Audience Award winner at Sundance and CAAMFEST, Many of you might know director Justin Chon from acting in the Twilight Saga, or even last year’s showcase favorite Seoul Searching, but as the writer / director of Gook he offers a bold, honest, and compelling story, that’s also a nostalgia trip of the 1990’s. Nuanced and complex, this film is shockingly present and relevant today, 25 years after Rodney King.

Last but not least, please check out our art exhibit “Fierce Tidings: On Rage and Hope” presents work by contemporary Asian American and Asian Diasporic artists, drawing from their personal experiences of events relating to injustice and trauma. We’ll also have an artist pop-up shop where you can purchase other work from the artist involved.

We have an amazing selection of films this year, pass the word around and we hope to see you soon, and bring a friend or two!

If you can’t make it you can still support us by either buying a ticket or two online, then letting us know and we’ll donate it to one of our community groups or by making a donation thru our Paypal account.

http://www.faaim.org/donate/

A big shout out to Jonathan Laxamana, Huu Ly, Larry Lee and Lydia Fu, and the GENE SISKEL FILM CENTER without any of them, this would not have been possible!

Tim Hugh
Festival Director
Foundation for Asian American Independent Media

Artist Interview // KATIE SO

Katie So is an illustrator and tattooer from Vancouver, BC. After graduating from graphic design school, Katie found her place in small press comics, through which she has had the opportunity to exhibit her work around the world. From there, she honed her illustration style to the recognizable brush and ink work she is known for. For the past two years, Katie has applied her illustrative style to tattooing and is currently a resident artist at Black Medicine Tattoo in Vancouver. Whatever medium she is expressing herself in, Katie's work retains a sense of dark introspection and humour.

So is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

from "Dirty Knees" group show, by Katie So. Image courtesy of artist.

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I’ve been told that my work involves asian subjects or themes with a European storybook application. That’s not something I consciously considered when approaching my work, but my mixed background has clearly seeped into my work whether I’m aware of it or not. I also identify as female, and definitely celebrate the feminine and female form in my work, whether portraying it in a sensual or sinister way. I think the female psyche embodies both those things, and I try and celebrate that.

Comic from "Dirty Knees" exhibit. Image courtesy of artist.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I generally have something to saywith the work I put out there, but I don’t like to display my intent directly along side it because what has personal meaning to me, might (probably does) mean something else to another person. I’ve always been fascinated and motivated by the viewers’ own interpretations. What someone takes away from my art is never incorrect, and often those revelations end up being different than what I would have thought which is so interesting. Sometimes, it takes someone else’s viewpoint to really solidify what I was trying to say with a piece, which is why art is so important to me.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I’ve used art as a therapeutic process, which begins when I’m creating the piece and continues through to sharing and discussing it with my peers and my audience. I’ve learned a lot through the dialogue my art has started about racial identity and mental health issues. It’s easy to think that you’re the only one processing the complexity of these issues, but I’ve found that the artwork I’ve created has helped me and people who enjoy my art feel a little less secluded.

"Inner Tempest" Image courtesy of artist.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events are very overwhelming. I’m overwhelmed most of the time! If anything, I’ve felt more comfortable discussing the issues that inform my work because race inequality and the stigma of mental health aren't issues to be quiet about anymore. Hopefully, we can talk about and discuss these issues more openly.

from "Attempts at Positivity" Image courtesy of artist.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

Definitely reflective. I struggle with depression and personal identity and art can help to articulate the way I’m feeling, whether thats to myself or to my audience.

See more of Katie So's work on katie.so // Instagram @ghostmeadow // Tumblr http://katieso.tumblr.com/ // Katie's Tattoo tumblr https://katiethebaby.tumblr.com/ // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // NOMI CHI

Nomi Chi is a multidisciplinary visual artist currently residing in Vancouver, Canada. Chi’s primary practice engages with the visual lexicon of illustration and tattoo. Images produced within their painting and drawing practices display a heightened sense of emotive drama, often composing animal and human figures, in varying degrees of fictitious construction, as stand-ins for personal experiences and observations on human nature. Their current focus takes interest in power relations and ontological distinctions between individuals, and between the individual/environment. Multi-breasted, multi-limbed, femme-bodied creatures and figures populate the worlds they create, with the intention of - among other things - calling to question notions of femininity, and by proxy gender as a whole. Interactions between these figures signify Chi’s interests in depicting sexuality, ritual, and the search for identity.

Chi is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked them a few questions about their work and artistic practice!

Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Certainly. My drawing style is often described as being markedly 'Asian' - actually, I started drawing because I watched so much anime as a child. To this day, there are notable vestiges of that influence in my work. A lot of my work is concerned with my identity - as a queer person, as a femme-bodied person, as a bi-racial person. As such, I strive for my work to resonate with folks who struggle with similar facets of themselves.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Purveying a clear message is not important to me - I like to operate in a space of ambiguity. My work is often prompted by an emotion or a thought, and I aim for my work to be evocative of intense emotion. I find it interesting when viewers bring their own narratives and meaning to the image, even if it strays far from whatever intention I have behind the work.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?
To me, art and art-consumption is a very necessary and utilitarian part of my life. So, in short: yes.

"In This Time of Need" by Nomi Chi. Image courtesy of artist.

"Maybe she'll live so long she'll forget about me" by Nomi Chi. Image courtesy of artist.

-How do current events affect your practice?

For a long time, and still even now, I've felt overwhelmed and disheartened. Many of us are asking ourselves: Why bother making art? Can my art be helpful to anyone? How do I channel this frustration/despair into something positive? It's been a struggle to pick up a pencil. However, I've also observed a lot of energy and inspiring backlash against the rise of fascistic political forces, and in particular I've seen a lot of artists rallying around each other and marginalized communities in an attempt to soften the blow. Witnessing this, and also being a part of this, has been uplifting. It has definitely forced me to consider the political implications of the images I make.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?
I feel like my most interesting work is made when I am on autopilot, kind of like free association. So, maybe a mix of both.

See more of Nomi Chi's work on www.nomi-chi.com // Instagram @Nomi_chi // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // SALLY DENG

Sally Deng lives and works in Los Angeles. As a child, she used to play in the back room of her family’s small restaurant that was located in a not so pretty part of LA. This somehow led her to wanting to become an artist and she is now doing that full time. Within her art, she experiments with environments by manipulating the perspectives and space her figures occupy. She uses a mixture of mediums to create textures and surfaces that reference the architectural landscape she grew up in. Sally is a graduate of Art Center College of Design.

"An Education" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

Deng is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

"If A Girl Can Do it" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes, even when I'm not consciously thinking about it. I create work that interests me and that ultimately ties back to what is important to me.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I aim to create work that can speak to viewers emotionally. Obviously, I will always try to make pieces that are aesthetically pleasing but I really hope that people are drawn to my work on a more visceral level and see beyond the design and composition of the piece.

"Late Night Swim" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I like making art that has more than decorative purposes. No judgement on people who just make stuff for kicks, though. You do you.

-How do current events affect your practice?

It's important to me that the art I create is relevant one way or another. I enjoy researching about history and connecting past events with the present. It ultimately guides the direction my art will go in. That being said, reading too much about the news these days can put me in a slump for hours. I envy artists who can channel their depression into their creativity. I just become a sad, vegetative blob.

"The 38" by Sally Deng. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

More reflective. I think I tend to research and think too much...I think.

See more of Sally Deng's work on www.sallydeng.com // Instagram @sa.deng // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // KYU HWANG

"Kyu Hwang is a visual artist based out of Seoul, Korea. Born in Seoul in 1980, he spent most of his life abroad traveling between England, Germany, Hungary, Canada, and Korea. Having moved around a lot, Kyu has mastered the art of spending quality alone time, watching clouds roll by, and getting lost in his thoughts. This experience / habit feeds his work in the form of drawings, paintings and sculptures."

Hwang is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Yes, I spent a lot of time abroad growing up, so "identity" has always been a big subject in my work.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I guess I would be lying if I said I didn't care about how my work (or the message of my work) is received by the viewer, but in the actual process of making my work I try not to think too much about it. I seem to work better when I think less about someone else's perception of what I'm doing.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Definitely. For me, art is a way of processing my relationship with the world, and although aesthetics is a major part of that process, it's most certainly not the only part (or the most important part for that matter).

-How do current events affect your practice?

They seem to affect my practice more and more. We're going through a very strange political situation in Korea right now, and that experience has changed (and will most likely continue to change) my practice dramatically.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I would have to say reflective. I think it's just the way I'm wired. I tend to be that way with things outside of art as well.

See more of Kyu Hwang's work on kyuhwang.com // Instagram @kyuhwang_ // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // JAMES CHIA HAN LEE

"I'm an artist and graphic designer based in Toronto. I'm interested in creating art that's representative of every day life but is sometimes refocused by a lens of surrealism and tarnished by mechanical accidents of the medium and failures of the hand. My goal is to elicit some sort of emotion and surprise that's unique to visual art and to my own voice."

James Chia Han Lee is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked him a few questions about his work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

Probably, but not actively or consciously.

"Allan Gardens" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

"Marked" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I'd like for it to pull some sort of personal emotion/sensation from the viewer, whether it recalls a memory or the aesthetics simply work well enough to flip a switch somewhere in their head. My current intent lies simply in building moods and emotional environments that people would hopefully like to spend some time in. I aim to make beautiful things and I aim for connection.

"Just Don't Think About It" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Internal mediation and meditation. Connecting with others. The big thing is that enjoy all the technical challenges and the questions it brings up as a creator.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I don't know, sorry. Probably not very much.

"Fish" by James Chia Han Lee (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

Reflective. If my art were a band, it probably plays whatever the opposite of punk music is, in its room by itself.

See more of Jame Chia Han Lee's work on jlee.ca // Instagram @buttmcbutt // Tumblr @jameschleeart // Facebook @jameschleeart // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // HANDA

Handa (or H&A) finds an escape from the relentless current of life in Seattle, WA through illustration, crafting, and cycling. Her work has appeared in local collections such as Intruder, Extruder, Thick as Thieves, Short Run's Relay Anthology, and the Seattle Weekly.

Handa is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

An understanding of my personal identity has always eluded me, so it can be difficult to see how it comes out in my work. I don't feel anyone has to know me to understand my work, however. A lot of it is light-hearted, silly, and aimless. I try to get away from myself as a subject in a lot of drawings. The theme for this show led me to do the opposite and pull inspiration directly from personal struggles and aspirations. Perhaps I discovered more about my identity through making work for this show.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

Entering the world of comics as an illustrator meant that I had to start writing. It certainly isn't my strong suit and I usually convey simple, straight-forward ideas. Since there isn't a lot to interpret, I primarily focus on the fluidity of paneling and pacing. So if a reader does not understand the visual sequencing, I do feel I've missed the mark. In regards to non-sequential illustration, I hardly have deep intentions to defend. It can be refreshing and insightful to have someone else explain their perspective of my work to me. As an opinionated person, I need to be open to other perspectives.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Like many people, I feel the constant urge to make things. Art is my mind's exhaust which means it isn't necessarily a choice, but I do find it therapeutic, and it makes me happy. Making art can be a solitary, isolating lifestyle. The community of self-publishers and comic artists in Seattle has also forever enriched my life. I am super grateful to be connected to so many through the same passion.

-How do current events affect your practice?

Current events drive many conversations, debates, and discoveries throughout my day. And though I would say I am interested in the lives of other people and the global community, there is always an urge inside to get away from everything. When I get into the sketchbook, I tend to leave political and social hot topics behind.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I imagine I'm more reflective. The time I spend making something is typically when I work through my life strand by strand. Dissecting all of the details of days gone by and days ahead. Sometimes, after the brainstorming stage is over and it's all mechanical work, I don't even think about what I'm drawing. I'm just daydreaming about exploring outer space as a Starfleet officer.

See more of Handa's work on http://handahanda.tumblr.com // Instagram @hellahanda // Facebook @hellahanda // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Artist Interview // ANA CHO

Ana Cho spends her waking hours of freedom from the computer at the pottery studio working with her hands. Inspired by the earthy nature of clay she aspires to create functional yet aesthetically unique and pleasing pieces. She feels making usable vessels forms a stronger connection to the people who use her pieces at home. A Korean Canadian Artist who is currently living in the Los Angeles area, during the day Ana works in video games creating digital art.

Photo of artist taken by Scott Greenway.

Cho is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I never used to make a strong connection between my identity as a Korean and my artworks until I started pottery.

When I became interested in the traditional Korean pottery I realized my desire to create simple and elegant pieces largely comes from being exposed to the traditional aesthetics both consciously and unconsciously while growing up in Korea. I’m looking forward to learning more about Korean pottery, both traditional and modern, and exploring elements that can be integrated in my own practice.

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

I find meaning when my pieces are used in people’s homes with pleasure but without the preciousness that often comes with artwork. I would like my pieces to feel approachable, down to earth and practical – a vessel that makes a person's daily rituals feel a little bit more connected and richer.

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

Art can be messages sent by the artist to their community, society, the world, or within themselves. Art can also be just for aesthetics. I personally don’t believe art has to have a purpose always because a person creating something itself is meaningful.

-How do current events affect your practice?

I started learning pottery in the midst of a very personally challenging time. The mindful nature of pottery-making helped me tremendously to get through the difficult times. As it did then, working with clay, each step of the process, continues to reminds and allows me to be in the moment and keep the sense of inner peace and calm that easily escapes one in the society we live in.

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I’m more reflective when I create.

See more of Ana Cho's work on Instagram @anacho.made // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Giant Robot Media // Interview with Eric Nakamura

by Lydia Fu // twitter: @lydiafu

Images from Giant Robot Media and Eric Nakamura — Images from Giant Robot Media and Eric Nakamura

For the theme of this year's art show, Fierce Tidings, we focus on how artists, creators and culture in the Asian American and Asian Diasporic community respond to current or recent events and how that inspires us to defend or create new spaces for underrepresented voices and cultures.

As one of the formational vanguards of modern Asian American identity and pop culture, I wanted to take a look at Giant Robot Magazine which was started as a DIY zine, photocopied and stapled, in the 90s by Eric Nakamura. Giant Robot created a unique platform that hadn't existed before. It has since developed into a store, a brand, and an online resource for pop culture and art and it continues to evolve its larger encompassing legacy.

At least for me as a young lass in the early days of the internet and growing up in Midwest isolation from the diverse culture of the peripheral coasts, GR magazine was one of my main sources of creative news and inspirational content. Before JUXTAPOZ or High Fructose and others, GR was where I could get info on art that I was sincerely interested in or that I related to. Eric keeps his daily schedule incredibly busy with his endeavors that include running the Giant Robot store and brand, curating shows at GR2 (Giant Robot's Art Gallery), the Japanese American National Museum and the Smithsonian APA Center, recording his podcast with fellow LA curator Daniel Rolnik The Jew and the Lotus and serving as a councilman for the LA Sawtelle neighborhood (P.S. he's been to the White House and met Obama). Despite his hectic schedule, I'm amazed at how he still manages to be so chill and such a gracious person to chat with and learn from. I asked Eric some questions about his current project launching Giant Robot Media!

Lydia: I think in addition to FAAIM, a lot of Giant Robot fans out there can also say we're super excited about GR magazine re-launching as a media presence both online and perhaps print again! GR Media is currently in beta version - when can we expect the release version and how can people sign up?

Eric: I’m not quite sure yet, but so far we’ve been putting up content three times a week in a short two and a half weeks as of this writing. At the moment, you can find us at giantrobot.media and if you want to read any of the past articles, you just have to see our Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Each article is sort of like a page on its own. We email out the link to everyone on our email list and let it fly. The last thing I’d want to do is promise a giant page of content everywhere without the ability to change each portion of it often so we’re doing things one step at a time, without promising a thing.

Lydia: You first started Giant Robot magazine 20 years ago, when there were virtually no other publications in the same space. Why have you decided to re-awaken GR Media now?

Eric: 23! I’m unsure if there’s been another publication in the same space since. Has there? People seem to not think so, but I’ve stopped paying attention to things like this long ago. GR Media is something new, so it’s a re-awakening I suppose, but really it’s completely new. I met George Ko who's a multi-talented youngster and believes in it. So here we are. We’re not looking back. We’re just going forward. I think making media is still something I enjoy doing and I think the right circumstances are here for it.

Lydia: How has the game changed?

Eric: It’s hard to say exactly. The internet is cluttered and noisy and there’s a lot of deception in social networking. In the end, I suppose I don’t think about the game that much. I’m thinking about doing good work and putting up interesting content. There’s always a need for that and there’s still a shortage of that too. You’d think there was a lot of it, but I guess I still have a hard time finding it.

Lydia: How is GR Media different than the early GR Magazine?

Eric: Even the later GR Magazine wasn’t the same as early GR Magazines. GR Media is different for sure. It’s faster and perhaps less self-indulgent. In a short time we’ve put up more articles than we would ever have, and that includes more videos and audio interviews Giant Robot Magazine ever did. Also the photography is looking great. This is sort of how I wanted later GR Magazine to be like with an online component that enhances it, but now we’re doing it all in one. We’ll see how our print edition comes out.

Lydia: You've had some history in film, including with FAAIM, your first film Sunsets with Michael Aki, and Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe among others.
Will you be incorporating more films into GR Media?

Eric: Cinema? At the moment, no. But perhaps we’ll be interviewing the makers, players, or geeks in between.

Lydia: Any current/new projects?

Eric: There are a bunch of projects which are all either Giant Robot or Giant Robot Media related. The fun part is that things can change quickly as new projects or ideas come up. That’s how it’s been and gladly that hasn’t changed.

Giant Robot Media: James Jean draws on a tokyobike with Giant Robot for charity. (Photos by George Ko. Video by Sarah Ko.)

You can sign up for Giant Robot Media at their website:

giantrobot.media

and also find info and articles via their social media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

FIERCE TIDINGS: On Rage and Hope // An Art Show OPENING at the Gene Siskel Film Center

Accompanying the release of this year's 22nd Asian American Showcase, we are hosting a group show "Fierce Tidings: On Rage and Hope" at the Gene Siskel Film Center. To celebrate the diversity of the Asian diaspora and Asian America, we invited artists from a few different disciplines to share their process and work as a response to or a reflection on recent and current events globally and locally.

The show opens the same night as our first film The Tiger Hunter. Come join us, arrive early if you need to snag your tickets from the box office and scope out the art before the show! We'll also be having a Pop Up Market featuring prints and other wares by the participating artists.

Fierce Tidings Art Show
Friday, March 31 2017
6pm - 8pm

at the Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N. State St.
Chicago, IL

Artist Interview // MAGGIE CHIANG

Maggie Chiang is a Taiwanese American full time artist and part time dreamer. Inspired by both places real and fictitious Maggie's illustrations evoke a longing for adventure and the pursuit of the unknown, exploring impossible landscapes and places unseen. A central theme of her art is the relationship between humanity and nature, oftentimes the underlying thread that ties together her work and establishes her individual artistic voice.

Chiang is one of the artists in the Fierce Tidings art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 22nd Annual Asian American Showcase which runs March 31st through April 12th, 2017. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic practice!

-Does your identity or how you identify yourself inform your work in any way?

I believe that my background influences my work, coming from a Taiwanese family living in the US definitely shows up in my work.

"Day & Night" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-When making your work, do you have certain expectations or do you aim for a specific reaction in your audience and the viewer? (Do you care about how the message of your work is received?)

When I am making my work, I don't have any expectations in any way, shape or form. My work usually is a reflection of my state of mind, so I don't ever have any expectations of how people will view the pieces I make.

"Fox" by Maggie Chiang for Giant Robot Formations show. (Image courtesy of artist) — "Fox" by Maggie Chiang for Giant Robot *Formations* show. (Image courtesy of artist)

-Does art serve a purpose for you outside of just beauty or aesthetics?

I think art helps me express my thoughts and emotions better than I can verbally express them. I don't think I am very good at communicating my thoughts and ideas into words, so art definitely helps me.

"Woodland" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist) — "Woodland" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-How do current events affect your practice?

At first, I was a bit afraid to make any work that would be insensitive to anyone. But I've since realized I should just focus on the work I want to make, and not let outside factors effect the work I want to create.

"Zen" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist) — "Zen" by Maggie Chiang (Image courtesy of artist)

-Do you feel you are more reactive or more reflective when you create?

I think my work is more reflective than it is reactive. I am constantly reflecting on myself, my life and what I've done so far. So it makes sense why my work is constantly a reflection of my thoughts and emotions.

See more of Maggie Chiang's work on www.hellomaggiec.com // Instagram @mcmintea // Join us at the Fierce Tidings art exhibition opening Friday, March 31, 2017.

Filmmaker Spotlight: Joella Cabalu (It Runs In The Family)

By Kathy Trieu // Twitter: @itstrieu

IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY features a young gay Filipino-Canadian artist, Jay Cabalu, along with his sister, Joella, travel across the globe to meet their other queer relatives. Afterward, Jay creates a new collage art piece and reflects back on his journey and its impact on his struggle with being gay and Roman Catholic. It Runs in the Family is an intimate exploration on acceptance and what the modern queer family can be in the Filipino diaspora.

Since its completion in 2015, IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY has been shown in multiple film festivals across the continent. The feature documentary film, though Joella Cabalu’s first, has been well-received and is making its way from Vancouver to the Houston Asian American Film Showcase on July 9th, 2016. But first, I talked to Joella Cabalu about IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

BUY TICKETS NOW
HOUSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE
JULY 9 // 7 PM // 800 AURORA ST // HOUSTON

Kathy: So I learned that your documentary was inspired by the film, For the Bible Tells Me So. Could you tell us a bit about this inspiration?

Joella: Sure back in, I believe it was 2007, I saw a film. It was produced by PBS and I saw it at a film festival. It was called For the Bible Tells Me So, which follows 5 American Christian families and how they each dealt with the coming out of their child. I found the timing of watching this film to be very apt because my brother, Jay, who is the central figure in It Runs in the Family, just before I watched For the Bible Tells Me So—maybe a couple of days before that—Jay had come out to me. In the film, I expressed I was fearful of when he had come out because of our religious upbringing. So I found it to be very timely that I was watching this documentary. And it made me think about what it would look like for our own family. I noticed that the film had, out of the five, only one family was a family of color and they didn’t get that much screen time. So the majority were White Christian families who were portrayed. I was curious what would that story of coming out look like for an Asian family, an immigrant family. That’s kind of where the initial idea for the film came. But that was back in 2007 and I didn’t really do anything about that idea until I went back to school for film production in 2013. That was when I started to actually put the story into motion.

K: What were you doing at that time then?

J: In 2007, I was finishing my bachelors at the University of British Columbia in Art History. I just really loved film. I just found over the years that I gravitated toward documentaries, when I picked my five films I wanted to watch at a film festival. I just noticed that, so it was interesting. And then after I graduated I worked as an administrative assistant in corporate and then nonprofit industry. So really I wasn’t doing anything in the arts. Just to back up a bit, I made my first short film when I was fifteen years old at a film camp and it’s interesting. Something happens as a women of color and as a teenager going into the real world. I had originally wanted my degree to be film studies, but then the 20-year-old Joella… I convinced myself that I wouldn’t be good at it. The reason behind that, I just listed all the things that I needed in order to be successful in the film industry, which were I needed to be extroverted. I needed to be aggressive. I needed to be arrogant. Most of all, I needed to be a man. Over the years, I’ve been reflecting on that and I think that’s subconsciously what happened… That’s why I decided to do Art history instead. Film has always been a passion of mine. It’s just… I just didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t see myself represented behind the camera or in front of the camera, so why would I even bother right? So that’s kind of where my journey began.

K: You had this idea after watching this documentary and talking with your brother. Was that the thing that really propelled you to pursue film making as a career? Or were there other things going on?

J: So there were two things going on. The main reason—I think people can relate to this. The last job I had before I went to film school. I really loved it. I was working at a nonprofit, again I was working as an admin assistant. There was a restructuring and my department got axed and half of my colleagues were laid off. That was really the catalyst with me. I said I hadn’t been doing anything with arts or film and when they announced the restructuring in my head, I was like: “that’s it! I’m going back to school and I’m going back to school for documentary.” That was 2012. I think once I found a school I wanted to go to, I already knew that I wanted to do this story on my brother. So I was just of the belief, that if there was one story I had to make, it would have to be this one about my family. I watch a lot of films (laughs). I went to this Women in Film festival in Vancouver. One of my colleagues, she had previously worked in films—which I found to be interesting—she produced this one doc that was being filmed. The film was made by a middle-age Japanese woman. When I saw her do the Q&A, I just related so much more. Again, it comes back to that comment I made before, you can’t be what you can’t see, right? So that was the first time, looking at this woman who had this kind of quiet strength about her that I related to. If this woman can go back to school at her age, and create a feature documentary, certainly I could do it. That realization happened and then several months later there was the restructuring at my work. You know… so it’s all these little events in my life that made me wonder I wasn’t meant to work in an office all my life.

K: So then, at that time you had already shared this idea with your brother?

J: No… (laughs) I think so maybe [it was] when I started going back to school at the end of 2013. Part of the curriculum was that I had to make three films in the span of four months and your grad film would be like ten minutes. So I knew that I wanted to make a film about Jay and so I (laughs) I originally told him when I was starting school that I had this idea. I told him and he was totally on board, but later on when he started to dig deeper into the struggles he’s had, I think he was kind of surprised. He had dealt with them already and pushed them aside and it was a bit of a challenge. Jay was thinking it was going to be this fabulous portrait of himself (laughs), somewhat superficial. So there was a lot of discussion to do that. I have to preface though, the film I am talking about, that I made for school is called Stand Still. I filmed Jay and my parents talking openly for the first time about their conflicting beliefs. That film is completely separate from It Runs in the Family. But Stand Still is essentially the jumping off point for me to explore all the other relatives in my family, in my extended family, who are also queer-identifying.

K: I know that you expressed this desire to share a story that could resonate with many people by sharing something that was close to yourself. Now that the film has been completed and released, what kind of response have you received from different individuals from LGBTQ communities of color that you could share with us?

J: I think [there’s] one thing that has been surprising. This journey for the film I had that I conceived [of, but] didn’t do anything about the idea until 2013. [I] started off with a short film that was very emotionally challenging and also a steep learning curve because that was my student film. In 2014, I got commissioned by a TV broadcaster out here called OUTtv; they commissioned me to make It Runs in the Family. We completed the film in 2015 and since the beginning of 2016, we’ve been shopping the film and presenting it in festivals. The last three years have been such a journey and like I said emotionally challenging because it’s [such a] personal topic, very sensitive issue but as well this is my first broadcast hour-length documentary so there’s a steep learning curve. I don’t know I think… maybe I’m just a bit cynical and I just focus on all the challenging and negative parts of this journey… So it was a good reminder when we premiered. Our U.S. premiere was at the Seattle Asian American Film Festival, someone in the audience who is Asian and gay, mentioned that it is so refreshing to see a positive representation of the Asian community with respect to LGBT issues. Cause I think there is a stereotype– and I think it’s true to some respects—but it’s the only or the most popular representation out there that Asian communities are just monolithic and are conservative when it comes to LGBT issues. So I think that has been a thing that that resonated with Asian communities and queer-identified folks that you know here’s something that is inspiring, especially when it comes to your family can be something that is challenging and risky topic that comes up. I think it was hopeful for people to see that there are families out there in the Asian community, in the Filipino community who are accepting and progressive. So I think that has been one of the most surprising things for me because I’m so mired in all the challenges of making the film and then it being so close to me as well.

K: As of now, what do you have on your plate, what kinds of projects are you working on?

J: Right now, I’m co-producing a short documentary. That’s being produced by Bravofact Canada and it’s called Repairing Society. It follows a movement, a volunteer run movement called Repair Café, where a team of volunteers who are called Fixers meet monthly and people from the public go to these monthly events with their broken household items and get them fixed by fixers (laughs) so it’s a way to divert broken items from the landfills but it’s also kind of a representation of the best of humanity. Being able to connect with people in your community and also learn how to fix things. Because I think we’re just so used to saying “if it’s broken, I’ll just go buy something new.” So that’s currently what I’m working on, and I am developing a documentary short series on interracial dating from the perspective of the women of color.

K: Thank you so much Joella for making time for this interview and thank you for sharing your family’s story with us. We’re so excited to show your film here in Houston!

Follow Joella Cabalu on Twitter: @joellacabalu
Follow Jay Cabalu on Twitter: @jaycabalu

BUY TICKETS NOW
HOUSTON ASIAN AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE
JULY 9 // 7 PM // 800 AURORA ST // HOUSTON

Filmmaker Spotlight: Bernard Badion

By Allan Aguilar // shakeseliot@yahoo.com

Bernard Badion is a filmmaker currently based in Mar Vista, CA. His short film, Sounds We Have No Letters For, will be screening at the next Houston Asian American Film Showcase on July 9, 2016. I had the great privilege of being able to watch his film and interview him to get a deeper understanding of his experience and perspective on making the film.

Buy Tickets Now: The Houston Asian American Film Showcase
JULY 9 - 7:00 PM // 800 AURORA ST - HOUSTON

FAAIM: How did the concept for this film evolve?

Bernard Badion: I was doing an internship at an agency and on a slow day I was doing these writing prompts online to just get me writing. There was this one question about how I thought it would be like to live in a dystopian future. Which led me to think about how dating would be in that alternate way of the world. This also reminded me of an odd couple I overheard at dinner the other night with my wife. They were on a first date that made me feel awkward just sitting next to them. So I took those two characters and put them in this weird dystopian future of dating and SWHNLF was born.

FAAIM: The two actors (Eugene Cordero and Julia Cho) play off each other rather well. How did you come to cast them for this film?

BB: It's true that this business is all about who you know and I just happened to know both of them before the project. Years ago Eugene was my Improv teacher at UCB. He was always so funny in class and always killed when I saw him perform. Also I took note of him because he bumped into me one time and asked me what I wanted to do in my career. He was a busy guy and he took five minutes to ask me about me. It's a small thing, but I always remembered it.

Julia was kind of the same way. I met her at an event a couple years ago at the Japanese American National Museum because I was sitting next to her. She was very nice and asked about what I was doing in LA (nothing fancy at that point). I think she was coming off of being on House or something big like that. I kept in touch with her over social media and when I had this role I dropped her an email.

FAAIM: To me, it seemed this could have been a tricky film to write, if only because you're somehow blending the meet-cute with feminism and dystopian tropes. Were there any difficulties in writing the conversation between the two characters for this film?

BB: In the beginning, I'm not thinking about meet-cutes or any tropes. You're right though, looking back on it that is what the movie turned out to be, but I feel the most work I did for this film is to try making it work on the page. I knew I needed to keep it cheap based on my budget so I thought I should try to do a walk-and-talk romance like Before Sunset, but with Asian people! Which is hard because the whole movie rests on two people talking. That's why I felt that the cutaways were important. It would illustrate the relationship the characters are having/wanting in real life. So yeah, it was a tough script, but once I got the first draft I'd say 80% of it never changed.

FAAIM: What were some of the other challenges you faced in different stages of the filming process?

BB: Shooting for two days, you're very limited on time. You have to prepare for everything, but problems will always occur. We shot all the inserts on a stage at LMU so that went pretty well until a neighboring stage had a fogger set off the fire alarms. That killed an hour of filming and forced us to start day 2 a couple hours early.

At the Pho restaurant, I had a two hour window to shoot in there (thank you Pho Show owners!) so I planned to be there 30 min early and load in when the customers left. The only problem was that the car that had our camera in it went to the wrong Pho restaurant. They got there with only 40 minutes to shoot, so I quickly looked at the script and scrapped 4 shots. The actors nailed their performances in, I want to say two takes. Kudos to them for being on when they had to.

FAAIM: I read that you were involved in improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade. Does your experience in improv inform what you want to express through film?

BB: I loved my time at UCB! I feel I grew so much during my time taking classes and performing around town. The number one thing I learned there was the infamous 'Yes, and..." rule. It just means that to keep a scene going and developing you never want to negate the people in your scene. You always agree and add something new to the scene, hence the 'Yes, and...". Also the idea that you can take any three ideas and then find a way to connect them all in the end (Harold form) blew my mind. So yes, UCB and a lot of what I learned there very much informs what I write and create.

FAAIM: Being Asian-American with experience in the industry, is there any kind of momentum you sense of Asian-Americans becoming even more prominent and less stereotyped in film and television in the future? And if so, what do you feel will be necessary to maintain this momentum?

BB: You know it feels like there is. The whole “John Cho in every movie” thing was fun and got a lot of traction. It feels like every day I read a new diversity article from some publication or blog, which is great, but actors, writers, directors, producers, and so forth don't come from thin air. I think it all starts with every person out there battling with the question "Do I pursue _____ (insert financially stable job in a great job market)?" or "Do I keep going with _____ (creative job in a field they have zero contacts or family history with)?". It's tough and it's something I wrestled with a lot. I made the decision to pursue writing/directing because I was so miserable in the couple corporate jobs I had. Nothing made me feel better than writing a new project or creating something on a set. That either makes me passionate or an addict. Probably both.

Along with the creative jobs, we just need more people in rooms where people decide who gets hired for what. More Asian-American network execs, agents, managers, producers, and so forth. I know you're out there and when you get there, please give me a call!

FAAIM: Do you have any future projects that you'd like to share that you're excited about?

BB: I recently wrapped up directing I Won't Miss You, a short film starring Joy Regullano and Kelly Sry. We're out to festivals now and can't wait to screen it for everyone. Check out the trailer! http://www.nuno.media/i-wont-miss-you

I'm always writing scripts. My last script, Thank You For Being Racist, is a comedic TV pilot centered around a Filipino man in his late 20s/early 30s who lives with his two very catholic parents and works at a sports radio station under a racist boss. I'd love to make it one day, but who knows? A feature I'm working on is based on my experience doing PCN's (Pilipino Cultural Nights) in college.

I recently won a grant for a project that I hope to start soon, but it's still a little short on funds. There may be another project I do with Eugene, but that's also up in the air. I like that one though, so I'm hoping I get everything together to get that on a screen ASAP.

Right now I work for a new Netflix show titled One Day At A Time, so that takes up all my time along with my newborn and my wonderful wife.

Buy Tickets Now: The Houston Asian American Film Showcase
JULY 9 - 7:00 PM // 800 AURORA ST - HOUSTON

Bernard Badion's website: http://www.nuno.media/
Follow him on Twitter: @bernardbadion

Asian-American Rising Stars To Watch Beyond the Month of May

By Anum Syed // Asyed55@hotmail.com

May was full of rainy days, college graduations, an extra day off from work in remembrance of Memorial Day, as well as the month in which Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are celebrated for their history, traditions, cultures, achievements and contributions here in the States.

Being an Asian-American, it can be difficult navigating between contrasting cultures. Oftentimes, the focus is primarily on our Asian heritages, excluding the fact that many of us are eating hamburgers, dissecting Beyonce’s Lemonade, and trying to scroll through social media without stumbling upon a Game of Thrones spoiler just like the rest of America. It is this reason that Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month plays such an important role. It is a time that not only embraces a person’s Asian roots, but it also reaffirms our role as Americans.

While there are a countless number of Asian Americans that should be honored every day of the year, listed below are three millennials who are embracing what it means to be an Asian American in contemporary pop culture. Changing the face of the entertainment industry for the better, Hasan Minhaj, Eugene Lee Yang, and Sana Amanat each embody the beauty of being an Asian American today.

Best known for his role as a Senior Correspondent on the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning program The Daily Show, Hasan Minhaj’s quick wit and impeccable delivery has garnered him to be a respected, and incredibly well-dressed, comedian and actor. Being a first generation Indian-American Muslim, Minhaj’s charm lies in his ability to find humor in his race, identity, and religion. Other than for the fact that Minhaj is a comical genius, for me personally, Minhaj comes off as exceptionally relatable. While he embraces his Asian heritage, he also reminds us that he’s every bit of an American as that guy with the “Make America Great” bumper sticker. In a field that often overlooks the Asian American community, his talent and confidence is both empowering and humbling.

(Photo: Eugene Lee Yang; @eugeneleeyang)

BuzzFeed’s Eugene Lee Yang breaks any preconceived notions one may have of Asian stereotypes. One of the most recognized and influential members on BuzzFeed, Yang represents what many Asian Americans aspire to be; a talented producer and actor not defined simply by his Korean features, but for his creativity and skills. Not only does Yang excel in everything he does, just ask the other Try Guys, but he has also made it a mission to redefine what it means to be an Asian American without any barriers. While much of Hollywood continues to dismiss Asian actors in lead roles, that’s a nod to you Ghost in the Shell, Yang refuses to be categorized. He’s a reminder that we shouldn’t limit ourselves based on what others expect us to be.

Rounding out the list is Marvel Comics’ editor and director, and all around badass, Sana Amanat. As co-creator of Ms. Marvel’s Kamala Khan, to say Amanat is an inspiration for people everywhere is an understatement. Not only is she one of the few females navigating through the world of comics, she is doing so by being a Pakistani-American Muslim. Growing up, I related most to the X-Men for their diversity and their desire to be accepted. While relating to a mutant can be awesome, Amanat has now given Asian-American Muslims, especially, a voice during a time that our country is filled with political controversy and racial tension. She reminds us that anyone can be a hero, regardless of their race, gender, and beliefs.

Last week to see JOURNEY-SCAPES Art Show! // Extended to May 18th!

The JOURNEY-SCAPES Art Show will be up for only one more week at the Chicago Gene Siskel Film Center! The exhibition closes May 18th. Artwork is still available for purchase online: here. Or, to view in person, contact info can be found on the artwork labels at the Film Center. Be sure to check it out while you can!

Artist Interview // HELLEN JO

Hellen Jo is an illustrator and cartoonist living in Los Angeles, CA. Hellen has contributed short comics and illustrations to various publications, including the Believer, Papercutter, Giant Robot, Electric Ant, and VICE. She has also shown her illustration work in a variety of gallery and museum shows, contributed to the independently-made video game, Calvin & Hellen's Bogus Journey and published the first issue of her comic Jin & Jam. She has been a storyboard artist for shows such as Steven Universe, Regular Show and others.

Hellen Jo is one of the artists in the Journey-scapes art exhibition at the Gene Siskel Film Center in conjunction with the FAAIM 21st Annual Asian American Showcase April 1st through 14th, 2016. We asked her a few questions about her work and artistic journey!

-What/Who inspires you?

Currently, I'm inspired by teen delinquents, LA skate videos, and the free issues of Teen Vogue that keep showing up in the mail. My two favorite artists are Xaime Hernandez and Taiyo Matsumoto.

-What are you working on right now?

Right now, I am preparing for Roadshow: Austin in July, an arts marketplace and party for ICON9, the Illustration Conference, and I'm translating Hong Yeon-sik's amazing Korean graphic novel, "Uncomfortably, Happily", to English for Drawn & Quarterly. I'm also neck-deep in unfinished paintings for a solo show at Giant Robot in October.

-How would you describe your artistic journey?

I would call my "artistic journey" incredibly wayward, haphazard, and continuously unknown. It took a lot of crying, failing, dropping out, disappearing, and stress to end up here, drawing weird pictures in the dark in the back of the house. My path is never clear, even to myself, and I will probably continue to struggle with my desires, goals, and "purpose" all the way up til the day I die.

See more of Hellen Jo’s work on http://helllllen.org // Twitter @helllllen // Instagram @helllllenjjjjjo // Join us at Journey-scapes art exhibition going from April 1st through 14th, 2016.