I met Candace when she was a volunteer for Tuesday Night Cafe. I love that Tuesday Night Cafe is such an awesome space that connects folks with each other! At one Tuesday Night show, she was teaching folks how to create their own Zine's with one sheet of 8 x 11.5 paper. It was so neat and we got to create our own mini zine's to share with each other. I eventually took that new zine making skill and used it for promotional materials for work! I also created a Zine/business card for Oblivious Nerd Girl when it was in it's infancy. In other words, Candace is rad! She is so rad that she will be Oregon's representative for the Western States Arts Federation's Emerging Leaders of Color Program. She also co-manages this really dope blog called Asians Doing Everything, I can't wait for you all to find out more about Candace! Oblivious meets Candace Kita. Name(s): Candace Kita, Candance, Candita Affiliations (arts org, fun things you do, etc): By day, I work in development at the Portland Art Museum. By night, I co-chair an arts and media group for the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, co-manage a renegade little blog called Asians Doing Everything, volunteer with Portland Emerging Arts Leaders, and spend every remaining spare moment attending local arts and community events. What's the one word you are guilty of using too much? Formerly "pretentious," currently "nutty." How did you end up doing what you are doing now? I've always surrounded myself with art, beginning as a wee toddler taking park district ceramics classes and drawing on every piece of blank paper available. A studio art degree from Scripps College and two Getty Multicultural Internships later, I found myself as a nonprofit arts administrator wearing various hats, including curation, marketing, graphic design, event production, community engagement, and most recently, development (a.k.a. fundraising). I also have a particular passion for community organizing, especially within Asian American communities, and my side gigs tend to combine art and activism. Which member of the Wu-Tang Clan best describes your personality? I have no idea of the Wu-Tang Clan's current or past membership, so I sadly have to decline this question. If there is a artsy, bookish member, I'd be that one. (Editor's note: I would say she's more like GZA then. He's the bookish one!) Dogs or Cats, who wins? Why? Cats. I respect their love for solitude, and they respect mine. I am also enamored by how cats always land on their feet, reflecting a constant, internal grace that I only wish I could achieve. Once, I saw someone accidentally drop their dog--who crashed on its back on the floor--and that scared the living daylights out of me. What is the best part of any given day for you? I love breakfast. It is a ritualistic time of reflection for me. Most mornings, I prepare coffee and something delicious (usually oatmeal) and cozy up with a book for half an hour or so. Then, I'm ready to take on the day. In a zombie apocalypse who would you want on your survival team?
Harry Potter seems to be a good choice, because he has that nifty invisibility cloak. And magical powers, of course. What is the last thing you searched for on google? The last thing that I searched was "work backpack," because my current purse is getting way too heavy to cart around every day, especially since I take public transit. Part of me knows that I should buy something that is somewhat professional, but part of me also wants to feel like I'm heading off to school every day, sack lunch in hand. If you could talk to your high school self, what would say? Don't be so antisocial! Also, get a haircut. What is the best thing or meal you ever ate? Goodness, that is a tough question. I'm a foodie of sorts, so I'm always on the prowl for the next best meal. Most recently, I had vegan dim sum on a trip to Vancouver, which was a "too delicious for conversation" kind of meal. As a vegan, dim sum is almost always impossible for me to partake in. This meal was also served by someone who could only be described as an Asian American Jon Hamm. He could have recommended anything, and I would have ordered it. What is a memorable project that you are working on or have worked on? Two of my best college friends and I started a blog this past year called Asians Doing Everything. All of us are involved in Asian and Asian American communities in some way, and we were all tired of seeing the same old representations and stereotypes in mainstream media. So we decided to create a submission-based platform that features Asians and Pacific Islanders involved in all kinds of jobs and hobbies, from dog sledding to reiki healing to backwoods cooking. We were even featured on NBC News! The blog still growing--if you identify as API and do something, please submit!--and it has been truly wonderful to collaborate with two women who I love dearly.
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Oblivious InterviewsHere's where I talk to really awesome people and share their stories with you! Archives
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