Singer, songwriter, member of RCA Records’ girl group Citizen Queen.

Who inspired you to start singing?

Nina: My parents. I feel lucky to have felt comforted, loved, and supported through my journey in an industry that is not always so loving. I started singing and acting professionally when I was around seven years old. Rejection after rejection later, as everyone that auditions experiences, I couldn’t help but question if who I am, and what I looked like was the issue. I wondered if there was love for Asian American Girls, and if there was even a story of a multiracial girl in America to BE told in the first place. As time has gone on, I have learned that those not represented in media have to take the bull by the horns and MAKE space. The girls of Citizen Queen, my girl group, are doing just that. I’m proud to be the figure for Asian American and multiracial girls I never really had growing up. And I get to be that by doing what I love - singing. 

Photo by Luke Fontana

There aren't many Asian Americans in mainstream music, who or what gave you the courage to pursue this industry?

I actually think Asian Americans are slowly starting to rise and become more known than before. Some of the biggest asian American artists dominate the charts: Bruno Mars is half filipino, so is Hailee Steinfeld, BLACKPINK is taking over, and Awkwafina is making space in the industry for herself quite successfully. These artists keep my head up. What I think is definitely missing is the story of the Asian American experience in mainstream music. An amazing example of a song like this is “I Can Only Write My Name”, by Will Jay. Composing stories like this is NECESSARY for the normalization of Asian American Artists into Mainstream Music. People need to hear our perspective. Until people are willing and excited to listen, we will continue to make space for ourselves. And for those of you reading this that feel hesitant to enter the music industry because it seems as though not many Asian Americans succeed in it: 

1. It’s about the music. Tell your amazing story, and REGARDLESS of who you are or what you are, people will listen. 
2. Your story needs to be heard. Be the first to say something or be something if no one has yet. 
3. Don’t trip. We’re thriving. We are making space for ourselves, and even more for you.  

Check out some inspiring words of motivation from Nina!

For more from Nina, follow her at @ninaannnelson and @citizenqueen.

Founder of Honey Belle. 

What makes you undefinable?

I am who I create myself to be.

What inspired you to share your home recipe skincare products with a bigger audience?

When I was feeling meh about my skin, I wasn’t the same person, I lost the spark in my eyes in how I saw myself. I thought- Wow, if I was feeling dissatisfied and uncomfortable in my skin, there’s probably so many others that feel that exact same way. I had such an incredible experience falling in love with my skin after using natural ingredients and creating my own recipes, I just wanted to share it with others. I discovered myself and my skin in a whole new way, and I couldn’t help but want to share to make a difference with others too.

What was the biggest struggle you or Honey Belle overcame in the beginning stages of building your brand and business?

The biggest struggle is always the one I’m overcoming *now*, in the present. Each year, each month, each day of growth comes with new challenges. I’ve had to face new problems, new obstacles, and each time I conquer a certain set of obstacles, there are a new set of “evolved” obstacles. These challenges included hiring and training staff members, expanding the product line to retail stores, managing employees, creating new partnerships, etc. I find myself walking on a path that I’ve not crossed, and it’s scary, exciting, and enlivening all at the same time.

What are your self care rituals?

Aside from my skincare routine which consists of all Honey Belle products [ Yes, I actually do use all of my products religiously! ], self-care and mindful wellbeing are one of my favorite things to nurture on a daily basis. I practice focusing on my breath, and remaining calm and clear in the midst of discomfort and pain through yoga (on and off of my mat). I make it a point to *decide* beforehand how I want to feel about something, and if I’m frustrated or worried about something, I list 5 things I can let go of in that moment. And when I’m headed to bed, I list out 10 things I’m grateful for that day. Physical beauty and physical wellbeing is one thing, but together and combined with inner wellbeing, that’s where the magic is at.

Check out Iris' inspiring words on what makes her undefinable and her self care tips! For more from Iris, follow her at @irischerng. 

Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor at Bustle, Co-host Gloss Angeles. 

What makes you undefinable?

Sara: I am uniquely me, always evolving in hopes of becoming the absolute best version of myself, without forgetting where I came from or those who have helped me along the way.

Seeing an Asian American woman as the senior fashion and beauty editor of Bustle makes us feel all kinds of inspiration. How did you build your career?

From the moment I picked up my first teen magazine, I knew I wanted to become a writer and create content for young women. I remember obsessing over issues of Cosmo Girl! and dreaming of one day becoming an Atoosa Rubenstein, the magazine's Editor-in-Chief. I loved how fun and honest she was and the fact that she got to play with makeup and clothes and give advice to teens for a living was basically the coolest thing ever to me. When I was in high school, I wrote her a letter asking how I could follow in her footsteps and she wrote me back! I took that as a sign that I should pursue journalism. 

It was also no secret that there were not any women or girls who looked like me in the pages of the magazines that I read, the movies I watched, or even the music I listened to. I really wanted to pursue editorial not only because I loved writing and storytelling, but also because I wanted to create content for girls who looked just like me. 

I majored in Communications and Professional Writing and Editing at UCSB and applied for as many writing internships as I could during my time in college. After graduation, I got my first real job as the Digital Editor at Tiger Beat Magazine. I had the opportunity to build their website and cover all of the latest teen stars like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and the Jonas Brothers. The job taught me so much about working in the editorial world, from coming up with story ideas to interviewing celebrities. From there, I worked at another media company, where I helped create content for various websites like AOL and MSN. Then, I took a leap of faith and decided to go freelance. I knew I wanted to build my beauty and fashion portfolio even more, and that's how I found Bustle. I've been the West Coast Fashion and Beauty Editor at Bustle for the last 5 years and it has been the most incredible and rewarding job of my career so far. Only recently did I realize that I was actually doing what I had always set out to do — to create content for every kind of young woman (including those who look just like me) and to represent the Asian American women community. It is an honor and privilege, and I am so grateful that I get to call it my job!  

Can you walk us through your daily skincare routine? (We need all the tips!)

I usually work out in the morning, so I won’t wash my face until after to prevent over-cleansing and drying my skin out. After my workout, I’ll use a cleanser (right now I’m using Tatcha's Rice Polish), followed by a toner to balance my skin’s pH, a vitamin C serum to brighten, a light but hydrating moisturizer, and then sunscreen with SPF 50 PA+++. Throughout the day, I’ll use a mist to keep my face looking fresh and feeling hydrated. At the end of the day, I’ll double cleanse if I’m wearing makeup. I’ll use a toner and then 2 to 3x a week I’ll use a mask of some sort depending on my needs. I’ll usually use an exfoliating peel once a week to get rid of dead skin cells as well as a hydrating and repairing one for maintenance. I’ll follow up with a serum, usually one with hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate and then once a week, a retinol to keep the wrinkles at bay. Then, I’ll lock in all the moisture with a moisturizer, a sleeping mask (for extra hydration) and a lip mask (because my lips are super dry.)

Sara with her Gloss Angeles co-host @kirbiejohnson, and podcast guest @danielmartin.

Tell us a little bit about your new podcast “Gloss Angeles.” We are so excited for this!

Gloss Angeles is a podcast that my beauty BFF and fellow Capricorn Kirbie Johnson and I started recently and we are so excited about it! Gloss Angeles gives our West Coast perspective on all things makeup, skincare, and wellness with a sprinkle of pop culture and celebrity (because we live in LA, after all). Through our podcast, we're hoping to pull back the curtain on beauty trends, treatments, and products in Hollywood, in order to help our listeners navigate the sometimes confusing, but wonderful world of beauty. Please give us a listen! :)

Check out Sara's self-care tips!

For more from Sara, follow her at @saratan. 

Actress on Last Man Standing, Dr. Ken, and Lupus LA ambassador. 

Photo by Michael Becker @michaelbecker88 

What makes you undefinable?

Krista: ME!  My job, my ethnicity, my gender make up PARTS of me that I’m very proud of, in an individual way, but they don’t define or label me based on a group definition or stereotype.  There is so much more beyond my job, ethnicity, and gender that make me who I am! There are many many many layers in a human being - every person in the world has a different story, and history - nobody is the same, and that’s what makes human nature so interesting and beautiful and unpredictable! 

How do you handle rejection?

Rejection is a big part of my job as an actor and artist.  Rejection isn’t easy. When I audition for a role and do not get the part, I usually am bummed.  But then I remind myself the part is going to another hustling actor, and I certainly can’t be mad about that - we are all working hard, and there is room for everyone, especially to celebrate more Asian American actors!!  

Being rejected socially is something that is harder to deal with, because at first it feels much more personal.  For example, being excluded from a group or a party or conversation might not feel good. But I have learned over time that it is not worth the energy to worry about people who are exclusive.  Especially when I have genuine, wonderful, and supportive friends and family (like Team AAGC!) that I would so much rather spend that energy and time on and with

If someone is choosing to be unconcerned or catty, then I probably don’t want to be around an insensitive person anyway.  It’s so much better to focus on the love and matters that are important to you, than the inevitable negativity surrounding you.  That's why I deeply value inclusiveness and kindness.

Being rejected has taught me confidence, to love myself instead of looking for someone else to, and most importantly, to treat OTHERS with love and compassion because I know how bad it feels to be on the rejected side. I do find coffee ice cream a great friend on the darker days, though (Haagen daz plz)  =)

Dr. Ken (ABC)



Last Man Standing (FOX)

Favorite self care tips?

15 min walk outside right before the sun goes down, extra bonus with a dog! 

Stretching and breathing

Prioritizing Family and Friends time

Hometown time 

Taking the time to give thanks.

A single flower 

Dancing to music

Check out what Krista has to say about what being undefinable means to her!

For more from Krista, follow her at @kristamarieyu.

Jewelry designer and owner of Asha Patel Designs. 

Photo by Amy Hunsinger

What makes you undefinable?

Asha: I wear many hats, I think the ability to not define any one particular role in life makes the journey that much more interesting. 

You have such a fascinating story. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming an entrepreneur?

I was born in London to Indian parents, so my design palate — think, traditional eastern heirlooms and customs set against a modern, western backdrop — infinitely rich, too.

Despite loving art and fashion from an early age, I knew way better than to announce to my parents that that was going to be my lot in life! I followed an interest in science and trained as a pharmacist, so when I hear my pieces described as “harmonious” and “balanced”, I know that my left-brain, right-brain life path has made my work better for it.

Photo by Thu Tran, @thulegit

The process of launching Asha Patel Designs was part heart and part strategy, too. First, gifting pieces to friends and loved ones, then eventually, moving to an online presence. Today, I’m grateful that that process led to true brand love.

I aim to strike a balance behind what’s modern to the eye and what’s timeless in our souls: pieces featuring age-old symbols and materials, that happen to also layer beautifully (and powerfully) into modern life. I’m most proud when people integrate my work into their own spiritual and self-love practices — whether that be through yoga or simply reaching for them throughout their days as a way to center themselves — and share back to me that they’ve gotten better and better at listening to what’s inside because of it.

Photo by Thu Tran, @thulegit

What are your self care rituals?

Taking care of myself involves three important pillars - nutrition, sleep and exercise. 

1) Much of my time, when I’m not crafting or designing jewelry, is spent preparing home cooked meals. Cooking is definitely a labor of love but I find it quite therapeutic.  

2) I’ve always been one who enjoys going to sleep;  couple that with being married to a sleep physician who reminds me of the adverse effects associated poor sleep hygiene. 

3) I’m not a hard core exerciser but stay true to the mantra “slow and steady wins the race”. I aim for some form of cardio, 30 minutes daily. I also try to meditate everyday.

Check out Asha's top 3 beauty tips!

 For more from Asha, follow her at @ashapateldesigns.

Founder of Orcé Cosmetics. 

What makes you undefinable?

Yu-Chen: On a daily basis, I'm proving people wrong by building my own business - despite being told my entire life that my greatest success would be finding a husband who can provide for me.

What inspired you to build your brand and what would you tell others that want to follow in your footsteps?

I was actually inspired to build my own makeup brand out of frustration - I was frustrated by the lack of foundation options suitable for my complexion as an Asian woman who cannot find the right match in any of the western makeup brands, and is not fair enough to use products by Korean beauty brands. Since I was a young girl, beauty and makeup artistry has been my passion. In fact, I've been giving makeovers from the age of 11! However, my extremely strict and traditional Asian parents would not entertain the idea of me pursuing a career in any field besides medicine, law, finance and business. So, my passion in beauty was only allowed to play the part of a hobby. In college, I majored in advertising and marketing, and started my career as a media planner at an advertising agency in Los Angeles. Coincidently, during this time, I was assigned to handle the advertising strategy of a global Asian beauty giant. For once in my life, I was finally able to unite my passion in beauty with my expertise as a marketer. With my newfound knowledge as a media planner specializing in diversity marketing, I began to see things in a different light: why is it that us Asian American women have been overlooked by the cosmetics industry for so long, despite the fact that we have one of the highest spending powers in the country? This was when I decided that I have to create the first American makeup brand specially tailored towards the skin tones and skin concerns of global modern Asian women.

To those who want to follow in my footsteps: My greatest advice is - don't let people who don't believe in you convince you that you are not capable of achieving whatever it is you want to achieve. If you have a brilliant idea, and people tell you that you're crazy or that it's not going to work - great! This means that your concept is unique enough to compete with existing businesses in the market. Believe in yourself, and don't give up the moment things get tough. Entrepreneurship is not an easy path, but building a brand from scratch is one of the most fulfilling things you can do.

Check out Yu-Chen's beautiful words on self-acceptance. 

For more on Yu-Chen, follow her at @yu.chen.shih and @orcecosmetics. 

Writer, Journalist, Chef & 6x Bestselling Author

Kintsugi Wellness available now!

What makes you undefinable?

Candice: As a pioneer, I choose to break every rule necessary + never follow. I only create original and meaningful, content.  

What is your self care routine and how important is it to your well being?

Candice:

Sleep 8 hours 

Matcha

Bar method

Writing

Meditation

Respect my family, elders, work, respect myself 

Hold myself to a golden standard

Keep all standards with work as high as possible

Work with only grit and integrity 

"Ganbatte" always do your best in Japanese 

Honour who I am and where I come from 

Take meetings only with those who bring plus value

Hit every deadline possible

Hold and honour my body as a temple

Pray for others

Reflect on the day 

Bathe well, like a Japanese Goddess at an onsen

Date whomever I want, whenever. 

Eat a delish dinner respect every meal 

Sleep well + honour myself 

In the end all that really matters is letting go of what's not meant for you + being of devotionally, selfless work for others and leading a life full of grace.

You are constantly on the go. How do you balance being an entrepreneur, traveling, running a company and still finding time for yourself?

I have really incredible friends + parents. .. I truly am inspired by them... mom, dad, sis, Steph, Courts, Dana, Meeshie... they hold the biggest place in my heart... Bar method class is also my secret weapon. 

I also really love my friend Dr Jess's vitamins they keep me in check and my matcha love tea every AM. I run two corporations now, from NY to LA and Tokyo... so my work life has doubled.. but I've also become a bi-coastal girl, so I appreciate surfing as much as I do NYC night-life.

With travel -- this is amazing as I'm writing and creating content for some of my top dream publications//networks now (will announce on my social) like stuff I used to dream about..  I take my job very seriously... I honour my work ... I work only with gold standards.. I don't accept any less, not from myself either.. I respect myself and the work of those I choose to collaborate with .. I work only with integrity and grace....

This goes for work travel and writing//shooting abroad.. I just don't waver on things... I'm the real deal in my space.. former magazine editor, author of six books, paid my way through culinary school, cooked on the line going broke, then.. was a model for over 15 years .. learned to hustle young... worked as a writer, barely made rent in Brooklyn.. had to hustle like a boss to survive.. and then eventually after years of hard work, tv hosting, all the branding deals, the judging on Iron Chef, that all came with time.

When I come to play, I do like to play in my league -- but only because I worked and earned my right to be in this lane. Every girl should focus on quality over numbers. This game on social isn't about numbers, it’s about your self-worth when the battery dies. Show me something great off these apps and then I'll be impressed. Humility is a dying attribute, so I deeply cherish it where I can find it. 

For more from Candice, follow her at @candicekumai.