What We’ve Built is a series of portraits and conversations with AAPI business owners and leaders who’ve created space for their community in their neighborhoods and beyond.
There’s a prevailing trend when it comes to New York City artists and activists on the fringe: they create a space where one didn’t exist before. Bubble_T, a queer dance collective from New York City, is doing just that. The group has established a place for Asian American and Pacific Islander queer individuals to come together and express themselves freely.
“Our parties continue to be one of the few places we don’t have to explain anything, there is no translation needed. We get to play, express joy and sorrow and communicate in ways that are rooted in both our AAPI and queer identities. It’s an unspoken and deep collective understanding,” the group says.
Its founders—Stevie Huynh, Nicholas Andersen, Pedro Vidallon, Paul Tran and Karlo Bueno Bello (also known by the stage name Bichon)—have been in the same social circles for years. It wasn’t until the 2016 election, however, that they decided they needed a designated place—one that was community oriented, where AAPI people could protect one another—to convene. “We all came together for a check in after the election. We texted friends, reached out and met up for our first Bubble_T. It just felt so right to be together in that moment that we started planning the next one that night.”
Drew
Years later, the group and their parties are still going strong. Bubble_T remains a special antidote to the dangerous lack of Asian representation in the gay bar and dance scene, continuing to provide a sanctuary for AAPI queers. Not only were the venues lacking, but the gay nightlife scene was actively exclusionary towards the queer Asian community.
“We’re always in awe, reflecting on the joy that can be shared in the spaces we are able to hold for our community, even for just one night,” they say. Even in media, the lack of representation of queer Asians and drag queens is apparent on shows like FX’s Pose and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Bubble_T’s parties prove that the community exists—they just needed to create the space for it.
Although the founders were born and raised in various parts of the US, primarily the West Coast and Hawaii, the community is distinctively New York City.
Bubble_T launched their first parties in Bushwick, Brooklyn, at the Rosemont, where many of them spent formative NYC years, and later at indie music venues like Elsewhere and Baby’s All Right along with small DIY spaces like Secret Project Robot. They aspire to bring the spirit of these years and their communities to the City’s queer scene: “It’s beautiful to see more intentional spaces for queer POC, especially for the AAPI+ communities, come up in the past few years. We’re one part of a much larger movement.” Rather than occupying an existing space, Bubble_T has carved out their own spaces, and were even invited to host a party at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City. Though all are welcome, queer Asian folx are at forefront of the movement.
Bubble_T has grown beyond what the founders originally expected—even celebrities like Solange have made an appearance at a party or two.
(From left) Kevin, Jason and Cody
“We’ve learned about the strength of our community. It’s beautiful to run into someone that has just moved to NYC and is at Bubble_T for the very first time, and then look over and see a group of friends who met at the very first party. It has deepened our understanding of community to witness strong and meaningful relationship[s] evolve into a chosen family.” As we’ve witnessed during the pandemic and other local crises, New York City bands together in times of strife. Bubble_T has similarly acted as a support system at a time when the AAPI community needs it most.
While partygoers come from different backgrounds, the focus of the event remains queer Asian identity and unadulterated expression “For a lot of folks that show up, it’s the first time sharing a space with so many other queer Asians, and it’s always powerful,” they said. “We’re honored to hold this space for our community. Its focus is on healing and celebrating together, even for just a night.”
It’s the thrill of seeing familiar faces that reflect yours that allows participants to feel they’re part of something bigger.
Jennalynn Fung is a nonbinary third-generation Asian American from San Francisco, California. They are a pharmacy student, photographer and writer based in Queens, New York. Fung has bylines and photos published in Teen Vogue, Business Insider, Pharmacy Times and more. Their interests include space medicine, climate advocacy, environmental justice, public health and racial equity within health care. View their portfolio at jennalynnfung.com.
