Visibility Project Photo Exhibit at QPOC Conference

The *Visibility Project is a photographic portraiture series focused on the Queer Asian American identified community, that seeks to break down ethnic, gendered, and sexual stereotypes through the powerful and accessible media of photography and video. Project director Mia Nakano, and collaborator Shawn Tamaribuchi are bringing the photo exhibit to the QPOC Conference, April 8-10, 2011 at UC Riverside, and will also be presenting a workshop on the project.

Growing up Nakano never saw any queer role models or Asian Americans in the mainstream media, which made her coming out process somewhat solitary. This is one of the main reasons why the Visibility Project was started, and why it has so many facets to it. It’s an art project, a film project, a community-building network, and eventually will a hub of resources for queer folk all over the country. All participants of the project currently or have once identified as female and the project is inclusive to: transfolk, genderqueer, bisexuals, lesbian, queer, intersex, etc. Through personal storytelling and self-identification, participants share how they view themselves in contrast to how the outside world views them, along with numerous other experiences from transitioning genders, coming out, growing up as an adoptee, and the process of finding community.

Learn more about the Visibility Project at http://www.visibilityproject.org/

*Thanks to the Astrea Foundation and RayKo Photo Center for their funding and sponsorship support.

Mia Nakano has her hands in everything from figuring out back end logistics, photography and lighting tech, editing films, web design, exhibition printer, lecturer, and underrated administrative powerhouse. Somehow she also manages to work a little more than full-time as the Co-Director & Digital Manager of the largest photo community space west of the Mississippi, RayKo Photo Center. She contributes to a multitude of organizations and to make social justice including being a founding Photo-Editor for Hyphen Magazine , and contributing photographer to Colorlines, Curve Magazine, the Applied Research Center, and the FreetheHikers.org movement.

Shawn Tamaribuchi holds a BFA in Photography and Digital Media from Scripps College, and has completed studies at the Glasgow School of Art. For the past six years she has worked as a creative director, print and web production artist, web developer and manager. Her artistic interests reside in the realm of digital-media and experimental performance art, and her performances and visual work has been seen locally, nationally, and internationally. Just some of the projects Tamaribuchi has been involved with include: The 24 Hour Art Show, the Visibility Project, Twincest , and Readjust Economies of Desire. Shawn is invited to lecture at Universities and festivals about the politics of representation through the lenses of feminist, queer, and racial theories.