July I Issue: Overachievers
Each issue we feature some of our readers to highlight the diversity and stories of Asian women, non-binary individuals, and other gender minorities around the world. Here are this issue’s Overachievers!
Becca is a mixed race immortal beauty and Chicago comedian. She’s a fan of Overachiever Mag and a lover of cats. She celebrates her Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage through fusion food and turning up that holiday spirit..
Lava Buckley is an award winning Asian American filmmaker based in New Mexico. She is driven to create films for her community that encourage overcoming challenges and identity journeys. Currently, Lava is creating a documentary about honoring traditional clothing and writing a dramedy about an Asian American Daughter living with her immigrant mother. When not creating films, Lava loves spending time off grid in a camper van and taking photos of her dogs.
Alana Rich is a genre-fluid pop artist. Combining nostalgic sounds from across the decades with her enigmatic approach to songwriting, her songs leave the listener with a mystifying energy. Though Rich’s sound is undoubtedly danceable, her emphasis on profound lyricism is what sets her apart from most modern pop artists. Rich's new single, 'Euphoria," is a liberating, synth-forward bop about following your bliss. "Even through adversity, I’ve kept pushing for my dreams and hope this song can uplift others, regardless of ethnicity or identity, to chase their Euphoria." Stream Euphoria on all major platforms.
Rich, a native of the Pacific Northwest, began her musical endeavors at the age of 14, performing acoustic music and releasing cover songs on YouTube. She quickly amassed over 1 million views and has developed her pop-rooted sound over the years. Throughout the years, Rich has pivoted her focus toward live performances, sharing her music at events hosted by Portland Fashion Week, the Portland Art Museum, Nylon Magazine, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, amongst other venues. Rich has also shared the stage with notable artists across genres, including Jojo, Michelle Branch, Hot Chelle Rae, Arnel Pineda of Journey, and Richard Marx, to name a few.
Joanne Roberts is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker, writer and actress, best known for her short film series “I am” with CBC Creator Network. Her work revolves around shedding light on familial issues that are too often kept in the shadows due to societal and cultural stigma, with the hopes to encourage people to seek the help they need in understanding and improving their relationships and mental health. Her next film, "Anak", is a story that evokes discussion concerning unhealthy family dynamics and attachments. Anak will premiere at the 2021 Gimli Film Festival as part of the Emerging Filmmakers Pitch Competition..
Cindy Hsieh is a proponent for minorities in STEM. However, she has a true passion and love for the arts which continues to shine through her artwork and writing. Her pieces are inspired by her intersectionality of being Asian American. She hopes to further share her experiences and connect with more hearts through her art. You can see more of her work at https://www.instagram.com/cmxhsieh/.
Cindy is a current JD/MPH Candidate, focusing on Health Policy and Management. Prior to her law school joint degree, she was an Applied Math graduate student specializing in data science and operations research. Her current law degree pushes her love for life’s subjectivity and objectivity.
Sheena Yap Chan is a keynote speaker, coach, podcaster, consultant, and author on building self-confidence. She currently inspires women through her award-winning podcast called The Tao of Self Confidence where she interviews Asian women about their inner journey to self-confidence. Her mission is to help Asian Women boost their confidence to live their authentic selves, help Asian Women create a voice in the world, and create a stronger representation for Asian women. Sheena has been featured on MindValley, slice.ca, Marketing in Asia, Manila Times and more. She is also the TOP 100 Filipinos to follow on LinkedIn for inspiration and learning in 2020. She is also the co-author of the International bestselling books called Asian Women Who Boss UP and International Women of Color Who Boss UP.