Because Freedom celebrates Asian American experiences of struggle, healing, and resilience. The three banners feature quotes from Asian American poets and writers Min Jin Lee, Ocean Vuong, and Yanyi. In response to surging anti- Asian violence and cultural stigmatization of mental health, Because Freedom centers the voices of a “model minority” whose feelings and traumas are often invisibilized. The work originally debuted at Silver Eye Center for Photography in Pittsburgh on August 4th, coinciding with the originally scheduled start date of the 2023 Asian American Literature Festival before its controversial cancellation by the Smithsonian.

The banners are made from vibrantly colored Korean brocade, a material which originates from ancient China and was once reserved as a luxury fabric worn by nobility in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures. By elevating Asian American words through the opulent material of brocade, the banners present the quotes as collective mantras that make visible what Cathy Park Hong calls “minor feelings.” The title of the project is a reference to a line from Vuong’s debut novel. Through the public display and circulation of Asian American words, Because Freedom bears witness to both the strength and pain of the community, while affirming these authors as literary royalty.

When the work is exhibited, visitors are asked to respond to a quote from Cathy Park Hong: “How do we speak honestly about the Asian American condition – if such a thing exists?” Responses are incorporated into the next banner for the project, a generative poetry piece that projects collective thoughts onto a giant brocade banner.

As part of Because Freedom, the artists have hosted public programming including an open mic, a curated library of Asian American literature, and a book swap brunch.