YEAR: 2021
CLIENT: Comcast®
ROLE:
+ creative direction
+ digital art
+ social media
+ Comcast® interview
ABOUT
As Comcast® continues its commitments to promote diversity, advance equity, and foster inclusion, they wanted to celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Month during the month of May. I was fortunate to have been one of the three artists they selected to partner with for their AAPI campaign. The brief was to create an original art piece in my own style in honor of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
With the surge in race-related crimes against the AAPI Community, owning my identity is more important than ever.
When I was younger, I struggled to connect with a sense of belonging and realize my own value. I spent so much of my childhood agonizing over the characteristics, behaviors, and situations that made me stand out -- the slant of my eyes, the flatness of my nose, the smell of my parent-prepared school lunches that filled the cafeteria. Cruel kids would hurl racial remarks like “ching chong” and “ling ling” at me without contest.
At the time, I desperately wanted to keep the peace and hide even if it was at my own expense. Now, I realize the importance of using my voice to challenge negativity and to make a positive impact. As an American whose parents emigrated from Vietnam, I’m honored to straddle two cultures. My parents’ imagination, their sacrifices, their traditions, their food, their language, and their beauty are all gifts passed on to me, superpowers in my arsenal for success. I’m celebrating AAPI Month with a deep appreciation for my Vietnamese roots and optimism about our nation’s future. A future where we respect, support, and empower all of our citizens.