Hi, I go by BRZA. The name was given to me by GZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan) in a chance encounter. I’m a creative activist. My mission is to create statements—by any mediums necessary—to cut through the internalized shame of present-day Asian American identity, so we can progress towards something more unapologetic, multifaceted, and grounded in our shared histories of immigration, racism, and resilience. I also run [slipper assembly](https://www.instagram.com/slipperassembly) with my friends, and [@asianeventsinaustin](https://instagram.com/asianeventsinaustin) by myself. You can find me on Instagram at [@brza88](https://instagram.com/brza88). * **[Projects](projects)** # Designer I fell in love with design in high school, making all kinds of graphics and posting them on Tumblr next to my teenage thoughts on life, love, and current events. My most notorious piece was a [Kanye parody](Bryant_Kanye-LetItBe.png) of the The Beatles' [*Let It Be*](Beatles-LetItBe.jpg) album art, with all the band members replaced with Kanyes; someone at Fox's ADHD animation studio saw it, stole the concept without crediting me, and uploaded a [cartoon version](FoxADHD_Kanye-LetItBe.gif) to GIPHY a few months later that's now sitting at 6 million views. My parents wanted me to pursue a more practical career path, so I convinced myself that my dream was to become a startup founder. For a long time, I only reached for design when I needed branding assets for one of my side projects. Since rediscovering myself, I'm slowly finding my voice in design again. Most recently, I made commemorative merch to honor the loss of Asia Market—the Chinese grocery store I grew up on in North Austin—and celebrate its sister restaurant that's still thriving to this day: [RIP ASIA MARKET, LONG LIVE ASIA CAFE](asiamarket) Right now, I'm working on a project about flags. # Rapper I’m currently writing and recording my first full-length project—a soundtrack for the road to self-acceptance. During the pandemic, I got to collaborate with local comedy legend Tai Nguyen on [Pflugerville Anthem Remix](https://open.spotify.com/track/0rwWPTUaRePieQRZo7Xy6k?si=33f1564f7bb94dbc). # Community Organizer **slipper assembly (2024-Present)** *Co-Founder · Chief Strategist & Creative Director* A community for Asian creatives and makers in Austin. We create cozy spaces for kinship and self-expression, through things like: * Assemblies - like a meetup, but with thoughtful prompts and activities around a central theme to spark more intimate, vulnerable conversations * Check-ins - a space for mutual support and accountability where we gather to ask questions, seek advice, or solicit feedback related to our creative practice * Get-togethers - cozy gatherings hosted by community members around shared interests or activities (fashion, analog cameras, paint nights, etc.) * [slipper house](https://www.instagram.com/p/C-K56afpUoK/) - our annual showcase of Asian creatives in Austin, featuring visual art, music, and spoken word from community members [@slipperassembly](https://instagram.com/slipperassembly) <br> **asian events in austin (2022-Present)** Every week, I share upcoming Asian community events in Austin. I started the account connect all the dispersed Asian artists, communities, and organizations around town into a shared ecosystem. [@asianeventsinaustin](https://instagram.com/asianeventsinaustin) <br> **Design Collective (2015-2017)** *Founder · President* My parents discouraged me from pursuing a formal design education, so I had to make my own path. Along the way, I created what I was unable to find: a community for aspiring designers outside of design school. I put out an open call to recruit my team, and together we developed an accessible design curriculum that reached hundreds of students through semester-long courses and workshops. We also partnered with professional organizations for career development, and ran an in-house design agency to give students real-world client experience working with local nonprofits. At the end of it all, some of us even made the leap into full-time design careers. # Past Lives *"This is where I ended up. This is where I'm supposed to be."* [Previous iterations of me](past-lives)