behind the creative team

alex hallmark // chinese and euro american

CO-FOUNDER + CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Hey! I’m Alex and I live for authentic conversations and noodles. I’m a marketing professional and creative strategist driven by storytelling. Growing up as a mixed-race kid I didn’t always feel understood or confident in my own voice. I started this passion project to make space for others to feel heard. I’m always inspired to hear how different life experiences and backgrounds propel people to manifest ideas, shape identities and connect with others.

WHY DID I CO-FOUND THIS PROJECT?

We created this platform to highlight real stories from real people in the AAPI community. We want to use our creative talents to help others share their experiences in their own words. It’s an opportunity to show what makes each of us unique and also ties us together.

As a biracial Asian American woman, it used to be difficult for me to articulate the nuances of my experience. For a long time, I internalized the prejudice and racism that I experienced and thought I needed to make myself seem “more Asian” or “white” rather than feeling like I could embrace my full identity and be accepted. I’ve always identified as an Asian American and feel very proud of my Chinese heritage. I hope to empower others to show up as themselves and take pride in their imperfect journeys. I look forward to connecting with you and having discussions that dig deeper into our human experiences.

lawrence ricardo // filipino american

CO-FOUNDER + ART DIRECTOR

What’s up! I’m Lawrence and I describe myself as a ‘born-again’ Asian American living in the Bay Area as a creative-based storyteller working at an integrated marketing and communications agency. I thrive on bridging people, ideas and interests together, so community building is an unwavering goal that I strive for in all my professional and personal endeavors. I'm here to challenge myself and inspire others in the way that I've been inspired many times before.

WHY DID I CO-FOUND THIS PROJECT?

We started this project to help be advocates for those in the AAPI community who want to voice their life experiences while highlighting the importance of their respective cultures. As someone who didn’t understand the importance of having an Asian, but more specifically, a Filipino-American identity, it hadn’t dawned on me until college that a lot of cultural ignorance stems from how rare the opportunities were to learn more about my identity.

I want to use this project as an educational opportunity for myself, the Asian American community, and surrounding allies. Because as much as I love these two talking points, I promise you that there is more to the Filipino culture than lumpia and Miss Universe.

angelina hong // hmong and korean american

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Hi there! My name is Angelina Hong. Originally from Minnesota, I came out to the Bay Area where I graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Human Biology. Several years out of college, I quickly realized that my heart and passion lied in photography. As a bi-ethnic (Hmong & Korean), queer woman, and a daughter of an immigrant father and a refugee mother, I am working to utilize my creative strength to subvert the commercial and mainstream industry by showcasing PoC and LGBTQ people in my work. When I’m not shooting, I enjoy hanging out with my two cats (Jax and Yunie), practicing Muay Thai, and eating anything that comes from a potato!

kelly luu // chinese american

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Hi y’all! I’m Kelly, a creative storyteller all about authenticity when it comes to building culturally-relevant and visually-fluent experiences. I’m a big proponent that no matter what line of work you’re in, you should be uplifting communities — period. Growing up Chinese American with cultural ties to both the Vietnamese and Cambodian communities, I recognize that each and every experience goes beyond simple labels which are just that. Simple. I’m excited to connect with and learn from others in the AAPI community and be a part of bringing each story to life!

jay mehta // indian american

LEAD EDITOR

Hello reader! I’m Jay. Oh, and here’s some other stuff about me! I am an Indian American who grew up in various parts of New Jersey and now live in the Greater Philadelphia area. I have a B.A. in Creative Writing from The Pennsylvania State University and am currently pursuing my Master’s in Secondary English Education at Arcadia University. As an aspiring educator and YA novelist, I want young people to feel empowered and inspired to read and write, so I strive to unite the two worlds of my teaching and writing together for those reasons. Outside of teaching and writing, I enjoy listening to music and podcasts, reading/watching One Piece (Eiichiro Oda is a storytelling guru), and spending quality time with friends and family. The name “Jai” in Hindi means victory, and so I look forward to reading the nuanced and victorious stories of Asian Americans as part of this passion project, as well as encourage our readers to reach out to us and share the personal stories that will help build a more wholistic picture of what it means, individually and collectively, to BE Asian American.

lauren funaro // mexican and euro american

contributing writer and editor

Hey there! I’m Lauren Funaro, an editor and storyteller who’s thrilled to be part of the “More than Asian” team. Born in Long Beach, California, I was lucky to be raised in a community built by different cultures, backgrounds, and ethnicities, including a diverse range of Asian American families. I grew up sharing meals and experiences, and was thankful to be welcomed into each home. 

Our identities are pieced together by a boundless play of moving parts. Every story is wholly unique and there is always more to learn. I’m excited to support creative development while illuminating the experiences of those participating in this project. This platform lends a voice to thousands. Seize the opportunity to listen.

jessica lin // taiwanese american

graphic designer

Hi! I’m Jessica, a Taiwanese American artist from the Bay Area currently studying Graphic Design at the Rhode Island School of Design. My work centers on telling and sharing stories. Through this project, I hope to rewrite the given stereotypes that box Asians in. 

luna ng // chinese american

contributing photographer

Hello! I’m Luna and I graduated from Brooklyn College and majored in Film Production. From the very beginning of my film education, I’ve always aligned myself on the operational side of filmmaking. There is a passion in me to get things done, to see a story and break it down logistically in order to see it come to life. However, this has not stopped me from creating my own stories. I’ve written and filmed two short horror films, horror being my favorite genre. My creativity is also utilized when it comes to assistant directing: a role that requires communication within different departments, planning schedules and most importantly, adapting to changing situations.

yilan liu // chinese malaysian and taiwanese american

community coordinator

Hi! I’m Yilan, a Portland native and daughter of Chinese Malaysian and Taiwanese immigrants. I’m a strong believer in storytelling and community building; growing up Asian American, I’ve found that those two things have been integral in my search to find identity and self. My first taste of college made me realize that there is still so much to be done in amplifying the voices of API/A folx, which has, in turn, informed the focus of much of my work. In contributing to the More Than Asian project, I hope to be able to celebrate the many unique individuals who make up the complex fabric of our community. In my free time, I enjoy watching basketball, eating any food, and discovering new songs.