SHOP AANHPI
Inspiration for the design:
While I was flipping through the directory of AANHPI businesses, I felt really inspired by the themes of passion & creativity. It takes courage to lean into your creativity as a living, especially as AANHPI folks. We are making ourselves unapologetically visible, leading with our POVs, & expanding our perceptions of who we are as a collective & as individuals. I wanted to depict diverse characters with distinct styles immersed in their passions.
About the Designer
Jax Ko is a first-gen Korean-American non-binary femme artist based in Portland, Oregon. They’re a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, muralist, stylist, and, in their own words, “professional crybaby.” After dropping out of fashion school in San Francisco, they moved to Portland to finish their BFA in Illustration/Design Arts at Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Their illustrative work is cheeky + thoughtful; playful + emotive. They are a color freak. They very much enjoy creating characters with dope ass outfits & cute butts. They bring their unique POV into their work by exploring themes of identity, individuality, community, & belonging.
Jax has worked with ACLU Oregon, Portland Mercury, Willamette Week, Bitch Magazine, Next Up Oregon, Portland Trailblazers, Portland Parks Foundation, & many small local businesses.
Shop Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander
The companies listed in the guide are from business owners that identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander. Find the full directory here. Don’t see your business listed? You can join the directory here. If you’re already a member and still aren’t listed let us know, send us an email: hello@mercatuspdx.com.