Mika (she/they) is a mixed queer non binary artist, community organizer, cook, and healer. Mika was born, raised and currently lives on occupied Chochenyo Ohlone land. Mika is yonsei, chicana, and 4th generation corean american.On this land, Mika began organizing young which allowed her to start dreaming, finding and creating her values and community. Mika went to the east coast for college, where she developed a stronger queer identity, but spending time away from the Bay only allowed Mika to appreciate the Bay’s rich and deep history of organizing.

Mika continues to cultivate her roots here where she organizes around environmental, racial and queer/trans justice here in the Bay.

Reflecting on being given the opportunity to cook for the APIENC Core Committee and at the Fall Volunteer Appreciation Brunch last year she said, “I felt seen by my friends at APIENC who knew that food was important to me; I felt honored to be asked to nourish my friends in this way.” Another one of Mika’s favorite experiences at APIENC was preparing for Trans March in 2018 where Mika was able to help provide political education with and for our community. At APIENC, Mika throws down because she loves celebrating and affirming our community.

My biggest hope for our community is that we have the space and freedom to be our full selves.

In addition to APIENC, Mika does this work with Asians 4 Black Lives and the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective. Above all else, Mika seeks to nourish our communities through art and food. According to Mika, cooking with and for people and being an artist that’s visibilizing queer and trans API experiences are both important ways to build community and manifesting the world we hope to live in.

Fun Fact: Mika’s favorite ice cream flavor is cardamom, rose, pistachio!