108: Anna Vo

We Want the Airwaves: QPOC Artists on the Rise

To say that Vo, a nonbinary trans masc Vietnamese immigant, is an artist is to dance to the arrhythmic tune of understatement: they are a traveler, social worker, and wizened anarchist soul who not only dabbles in various artistic media, but transforms each discipline they encounter. Their galvanizing work in the zine underground with the international BIPOC [Black/Indigenous/People of Color] zine "Fix My Head" and the political perzine "The Swan, the Vulture," in comics, contemporary visual art, experimental fabric manipulation, and their ever-evolving musical explorations with textural metal-inspired folk, is astonishing. Vo brings their experience as an activist to their work, imbuing their many endeavors with radicalism, emotional intensity, and humor, all hallmarks of a wandering spirit whose work leaves a lasting impact on those touched by it. Nia sat down with Vo and explored the chaos, beauty, and radical potential of living an eclectic life shaped and molded by all things. (copy written by Alex Smith, alexoteric.com) Read the transcript at scribd.com/artactivistnia. Support the podcast at patreon.com/artactivistnia.