For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, our team selected 15 New York based AAPI founders, creatives and activists that we admire.

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Each a part of the Asian diaspora, with roots in Korea, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, China, and Pakistan, they are celebrating their culture through food and the arts, making history as firsts, centering queer and marginalized groups, and adding to the rich tapestry of New York City.

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Take a moment to get to know them and support their work.

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Sen Saigon is a plant-based Vietnamese restaurant built on the belief that vegan food can be just as rich, comforting, and deeply flavorful as traditional dishes. Every broth, sauce, and topping is crafted from vegetables, herbs, and time-honored techniques. No shortcuts, just real cooking. Rooted in family recipes and reimagined for today, Sen Saigon brings Vietnamese flavors to a wider audience and invites vegans and non-vegans to the table. It’s a place where everyone feels at home.

Location: 150 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
@sensaigon.nyc | sensaigon.com

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misomomo is a NYC-based, queer Korean-American owned shop selling pronoun pins and other small tokens of queer cheer. misomomo is a one-person passion project born from a desire to make art that resonates with and uplifts queer and AAPI communities.

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@misomomo_ | misomomo.com

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Chôm's Nước Chấm is a Vietnamese dipping and pour over fish sauce that is used in a variety of dishes. The sauce is born out of Cindy's love for their food, culture, family, and heritage. During a time of turmoil and uncertainty, Cindy aims to create a space where people can feel safe, joyful, and enjoy delicious food.

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‍@vietfishsaucenyc 

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Cake Is a Lie Tattoo is a NYC based, nerd-focused, community driven tattoo shop that features majority queer and femme artists. Cake features artists in various nerdy subjects including anime, video games, ttrpgs, and fantasy media content. Established by the passion for gaming and community, we hope to continuously grow as a community center that celebrates art and the shared passion of gaming and anime. 

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@cakeisalietattoo | cakeisalietattoo.com

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‍​F​rom Here to Sunday is a small gift shop & gallery located in Gowanus, Brooklyn that aims to bring joy to its visitors. A delight to the senses, the shop presents a thoughtful curation of highly giftable art that is packed with personality, humor, and care. FHTS centers marginalized voices, while grounding itself in the community by collaborating with local artists and causes.

Location: 567 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215
@heretosunday | heretosunday.com 

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Mighty Lucky is a licensed cannabis dispensary rooted in warmth, culture, and connection. Inspired by the legacy days of being welcomed into people’s homes, the shop was designed to feel more like stepping into a living room than a storefront. Doo’s love for her Korean heritage and admiration for Asian design traditions shape the shop’s accessory curation — from lucky cats and persimmon stash jars to playful, unexpected details meant to spark curiosity and joy. At its heart, Mighty Lucky exists to make the experience of cannabis feel welcoming, beautiful, and deeply human.

Location: 259 Bowery, New York, NY 10002

@mightyluckynyc | mighty-lucky.com 

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At Mama O’s, we’re obsessed with doing kimchi right. No shortcuts. No weird additives. Just real-deal ingredients, traditional methods, and flavor that hits every time. Whether you’re feeding your family or your customers, you deserve bold, quality kimchi that’s delicious and homemade. Come celebrate with us on 7/11 @ Willows Tavern for Kimchipalooza 13!

Location: 184-10 Jamaica Ave, Hollis, NY 11423

@mamaoskimchi | kimchirules.com 

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Nine Treasures Creamery 靈寶冰坊 (Língbǎo Bīngfāng) draws from the Taoist idea of 靈寶, or “Numinous Treasures” — mystical forces said to bridge heaven and earth. Inspired by Asian heritage, every flavor is a journey through taste, memory, and imagination.We create ice creams that honor the nostalgia of sharing dessert with your grandmother while building something joyful, modern, and future-forward.

@ninetreasurescreamery | www.hotplate.com/ninetreasurescreamery

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Laura Chung is a Reiki master, astrologer, and the host of the Awaken and Align podcast. She has her Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Laura is the author of How To Manifest published by Union Square & Co. She is an activist and trauma-informed healer who uses her various media platforms to share how astrology, history, and our ancestral technologies all intersect at this moment for our collective liberation. She is the Headmistress of Star School. 
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@iamlaurachung | Laurakchung.com 

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Located in Manhattan's Chinatown, Yu & Me Books is the first queer Asian American-owned bookstore in New York City. We seek to highlight the strong voices of our community through a focus on immigrant stories, writers of color, and historically marginalized experiences. Come visit us to enjoy our curated selection of books, beverages, and weekly events!

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Location: 44 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10013

@yuandmebooks | yuandmebooks.com 

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Love, Indus is an opulent skincare and wellness brand born at the intersection of culture, chemistry, and craft. We pioneer "Indian Beauty 2.0" by marrying rare, regional riches - like liquefied Muga Silk and biotransformed Silver Tips Imperial Tea - with the transformative precision of New York biotechnology. From our "Botox in a tube" Line Limiter to our sell-out QVC debuts, we create high-performance, clinical formulas that restore skin resilience while honoring the luxury of the ritual. Our collection brings the riches of the Indian subcontinent to the modern high-achiever through prestigious partners like Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Ulta Beauty, and the St. Regis.
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@loveindus | loveindus.com

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Thanushka Yakupitiyage (artist name USHKA) is a queer Sri Lankan-born, Thailand-raised, Brooklyn-based deejay & multidisciplinary artist traversing genres across global electronic club & bass music. She deejays from the perspective of a dancer, blending a wide range of diasporic global club music. Her unmatched versatility and high energy sets take the club-goer on a journey through global club sound. When she’s not performing, Thanushka is known for her social justice work on the intersections of climate and migrant justice.

@ty_ushka | linktr.ee/thanushka

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Born in Karachi, Zehra moved to the United States at 8 years old. Her immigrant experience continues to shape her brand and the way she approaches her culinary partnerships. Her recipes draw on South Asian and Middle Eastern flavors, while also intersecting with global influences. Zehra’s many years working in the international NGO space brought her to corners of the earth with authentic cultures and local cuisines that inspire her baking style. She continues to collaborate with local NYC businesses to curate elevated experiences that center bespoke desserts and good energy. 

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@alchemistxzehra | zehra-mirza.com 

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Started by two sisters, Zoë and Zoya, ZoTo&Co is a handmade art, stationery, and home decor shop that celebrates being cheeky and playful!​ Inspired by their Chinese heritage, a love for food, and a need for cute things, their colorful items are designed to spark joy in those who delight in whimsy.

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@zotoandco | zotoandco.etsy.com 

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