Graphic design, Illustration, Print
2021
The Shift
At the peak of the pandemic, this project came to life as a personal reaction to the Stop AAPI Hate movement that circulated the streets and the media in Spring of 2021. This zine depicted the psychological and emotional shift that occurs when one acknowledges how their relationship with their cultural and ethnic background has been tainted by internalized racism. As a Vietnamese-Canadian citizen who has struggled with cultural duality for most of my childhood, this project was very cathartic.
The layout of the zine is designed to be flipped to create a “shift” in perspective as the reader navigates through the pages.
The Shift: Expansion pack
2022
As a speculative extension of this project, I wanted to develop a way for this project to generate dialogue amidst the community the original zine was geared towards.
My idea was to create a card game full of questions and provocations that can enable conversations about racial and cultural identities. The game therefore builds off The Shift’s original narrative to create a space for participatory storytelling. The game format offers a playful approach to somewhat difficult topics, allowing people to unveil their internalized struggles within a safe and understanding setting. Through the process of the game, people will not only be able to connect with other people, but also feel more connected with their own identity. If we view the game as a co-design research method, any outcomes or fruitful conversations could then be repurposed towards inspiring a future design project. Futhermore, by broadening the dialogue to a second-generation immigrant or mutli-cultural experience, this expands the project’s target audience beyond the Asian-Canadian community.
