featured q/a

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: AAPIHM FT. THE QUAY FAM

Apr 30, 2021

In honor of Asian American + Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we're celebrating the power of resilience and standing with this vibrant community united as one but made up of many. 

We're spotlighting the people, their experiences, and the cultures that fuel this diverse group—kicking it all off with our Quay employees.  

ADESHA: FUELED BY CREATIVITY  

What is your heritage? Chinese  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's a time to empower and be empowered by all of the amazing people in the AAPI community. It is a reminder to be noticed, seen, and proud of who you are every day.  

ALYSIA: FUELED BY HELPING OTHERS  

What is your heritage? Chinese  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's a time to intentionally appreciate the diverse culture, influence, and history of the AAPI community. Personally, it reminds me to remember the journey and sacrifices my Grandparents and immigrant parents took to provide a better future for their family.  

CAMILLE: FUELED BY PRIDE  

What is your heritage? Filipino + Indian  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's a chance to recognize + remember that the AAPI community is so diverse and expansive that we don't always realize how much of society has been touched by it.   

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? Most people are probably aware that the heavy Spanish influence in Filipino culture comes from centuries of Spanish rule, but because of its geography, there was also a lot of influence from Chinese, Hindu, Muslim, and even American cultures (to name a few!), and all in different parts of the country too.  

CATHY: FUELED BY HUMANITY  

What is your heritage? Chinese  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's a time to reflect on the struggles my ancestors went through to make it to America. As a first-generation American, it is important to me to honor Chinese traditions and pass them on to the next generation, so our culture isn't lost or "watered down."  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? NYC Chinatown was formed around the early 20th century with a surge in immigration. Because the Chinese weren't granted basic civil rights at the time, they had to form their own communities and support system to survive. It holds a special place in my heart as that is the support system that my family leaned on.   

CHELSIE: FUELED BY OHANA  

What is your heritage? Hawai'ian + Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's a time to honor and appreciate my culture. Growing up in Hawai'i, I lived in a very diverse community. Because everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different beliefs, this taught me that just life is too short to judge anyone and to respect and support everyone for who they are. 

CYNTHIA: FUELED BY MY ANCESTORS  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? Heritage is what has survived from our history. What exists today. This month reminds me to discover more untold/erased stories of my ancestors and to pay tribute to them by preserving and keeping the culture alive for future generations.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played an integral role in US history since the mid-1800s. From Filipino "Manongs" spearheading the fight for fair wages to healthcare to the 20,000 Chinese men who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad, AAPI communities have helped advance labor and immigration laws, as well as the growth of American industry and agriculture.  

DANIELLE: FUELED BY UNCONDITIONAL LOVE  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means discovery. A lot of what I learned about the Filipino culture was from seeking it out myself in college through friends and joining the Filipino club…go Samahan!  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? The history of the Philippines includes over 100 indigenous tribes or ethnic groups. Because they primarily reside in the mountains, they managed to retain their cultural identity from Spanish and American colonization.  

EDHEL: FUELED BY FAMILY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means being proud of my culture.  

JEREMY: FUELED BY SELF-EXPRESSION  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's about recognizing a strong community and uniting them to create a voice that truly highlights what being an Asian American means.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? My grandfather, Mario O'Hara, has had many contributions to the film industry that were defining points in his career and defining points in the Asian community. Through his repertoire of awards, he built a community for Asians in the entertainment and film industry that allowed for the visibility of Asian entertainment internationally.   

JILL: FUELED BY COMMUNITY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It's about visibility and recognition. The AAPI community is comprised of so many different ethnicities, cultures, and languages. The diversity and uniqueness of our individual cultures are never recognized, let alone celebrated. AAPI Heritage Month is the opportunity to make those invisible visible.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? San Francisco's International Hotel is an immortalized symbol of identity, solidarity, self-determination for Filipinos. To its residents, the I-Hotel was a sanctuary where those, young and old, could gather and enjoy a shared feeling of unity. On August 4, 1977, the forced evictions left hundreds of residents homeless and stripped a community of a cultural hub. Its destruction-fueled movements for affordable housing in San Francisco.   

JIONA: FUELED BY MY VICTORIES  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means embracing the different cultures we all share and celebrating our past and upcoming future.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? Fe Del Mundo, a Filipino Pediatrician, was the first woman to be accepted into Harvard Medical School. She also founded the first Pediatric hospital in the Philippines and was the first woman to be National Scientist of the Philippines in 1980.  

JUAN: FUELED BY CREATIVITY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means we get to share a little bit more of our culture and traditions with everyone. So much of who I am comes from my family and their roots in the Philippines.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? An often-overlooked part of history is the role of Asian and Pacific Islander women in World War II. Judy Bellafaire, a curator of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, said, "Lots of Japanese and Chinese women were trained as interpreters and translators, and some Filipino American women put their lives on the line as members of the underground resistance in the Philippines."  

KOA: FUELED BY POSITIVITY  

What is your heritage? Hawai'ian + Puerto Rican  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? The Hawaiian Culture has brought (and shown me) peace and love.  

LEA: FUELED BY FAMILY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means celebrating and honoring Asian American's who contribute to the history, culture, and community we live in.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? Most Asian American's grow up in bi-lingual or even tri-lingual homes. I have so much respect for my dad, who speaks English, Tagalog, and Ilocano. I've always looked up to him and how he's managed to learn English after already being fluent in two other languages.  

MARIEDHEL: FUELED BY COMMUNITY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means visibility—being seen for our culture, our past and our present, our contributions to cultures and society, and acknowledging the vast community that gives back.  

MARK: FUELED BY THE SUPPORT OF FAMILY + FRIENDS  

What is your heritage? Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means being proud to be Asian and not being afraid to show my culture or traditions.  

MARLESE: FUELED BY FAMILY  

What is your heritage? Cambodian  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? As a Cambodian-American, I think it is really important to share our stories about our culture and learn more about our history. With the rise of violence among the AAPI communities, we must come together to learn about our fellow Asian Americans' experiences to educate ourselves and help fight against racism and discrimination.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? Asian-American seniors are the most financially vulnerable group, with 1 in 4 living in poverty. Refugee communities, including Cambodians and Vietnamese, experience higher rates of poverty. The truth is Asian-American communities need help, but the model minority myth completely outshines the struggles experienced by so many.  

ROW: FUELED BY HUMILITY  

What is your heritage? Filipino  

What does AAPIHM mean to you? It means recognition and inclusion.  

What is a piece of AAPI history people should know? AAPI history month was coined in May to recognize two milestones: the first Japanese Immigrants in May 1843 and the contributions of 20,000 Chinese workers in the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869. Conversely, this is to silently recognize the sufferings of the same Asian Americans who helped build the road brought on by the Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Massacre of 1871.  

Whatever it is that fuels you, we move forward to defend, support, uplift our Asian American + Pacific Islander community internally and externally today and every day.  

STOP THE HATE, FUEL THE LOVE  

The only way to fight racism is to be actively anti-racist—educate yourself, speak up, donate, take action. There is no neutral position on racism.  

COMMUNITY IS QUAY  

We believe that all people—regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, or creed—deserve respect, opportunity, and love. 

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featured q/a

ORIGINAL VS. MINI SUNGLASSES: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Jan 10, 2020

Whether you’re looking to add an everyday pair of sunnies to your wardrobe or you have a smaller face, you don’t always have to go big. Learn about our minis today!

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featured q/a

Boss Talk with Quay CEO Jodi Bricker

Dec 20, 2019

 

Jodi + her daughters

Q/A has been a mark of the Quay Australia brand for years. And it’s more than just our initials—it’s what we stand for. So, we’re checking in with some of the coolest people we know to walk a mile in their shades + get a fresh perspective on some of the topics we think are worth talking about.

This time around, we’re chatting with someone who inspires us daily. Meet Jodi Bricker, CEO of Quay Australia. We’re lucky enough to soak up inspiration from her on the reg, and we want to send a little bit of that magic your way.

 

Who are you?

First and foremost—I am a mom of two teenaged daughters, and I live in the Bay Area. I’m originally from the Midwest, but I’ve been in California since college, and I’m a hybrid of both places. I grew up as a competitive athlete, so I love pushing myself and reaching for personal bests. And I am the CEO of Quay, which is quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had at work, and I’m so grateful to be a part of the brand.

 

We love a boss, let’s talk more about that. What’s the most important thing that you do at work?

I set the vision, mission, and overall direction of Quay. I try to inspire our teams to create and deliver in a way that solves problems for our customers and makes them happy!  My background is in product, branding, retail, and digital—but I spend most of my time with people. Listening to our customers in our stores and on social media, coaching the teams at Quay, and connecting the dots along the way. I work to create and maintain a culture and working environment at Quay that inspires everyone to become their best self and do their best work.

 

Quay team members

 

And where do you seek inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere. Not just in eyewear, fashion, or retail—I see the world from a consumer perspective everywhere I look, and I always have my antennae up. I try as much as possible to be in different cities and environments observing people, patterns, and trends. LA and Miami are amazing for sunnies attitude and lifestyle inspiration. Merci in Paris is one of my favorite retail spots because it’s a hybrid store—part café, part vintage art installations, fashion, and home décor.

 I’m currently obsessed with Glossier and Outdoor Voices—of-the-moment brands founded by women. I am also 100% drawn to the outdoors—my favorite places in the Bay Area are Stinson beach, Mt. Tam in Marin, Hayes Valley and the Mission neighborhoods in San Francisco, and local restaurants and shops in Berkeley and Oakland.

 

Stinson Beach—one of Jodi’s favorite places to soak up inspiration

 

What exactly do you like to read?

Anything involving a story and storytelling. Books, articles, news, and Twitter everyday to get mentally sparked and stay on top of what’s going on.  I’m currently reading the book Sapiens…A Brief History of Humankind. I love documentaries and podcasts and am currently listening to “How I built this” on my commutes.  

In general, I’m someone who’s really curious and interested in what people think, what people do, and how they behave. All of this informs how we think about our products at Quay and the role our brand can play in people’s lives.

 

Self-expression is such an important part of Quay’s brand identity. What does that mean to you?

Self-expression is having a certain sense of who you are at your core, and owning that, and being willing to be vulnerable with sharing that with the world. I also don’t believe there is a finish line in life. Humans are constantly evolving, so for me, self-expression and exploration are tools for accessing personal growth.

 

Self-expression can feel easier said than done sometimes. What piece of advice would you give to someone trying to manage beauty standards and expectations online while owning their self-expression?

l feel grateful that I’d already developed my sense of self and had my value system in place before social media blew up. While I think it can be an incredible source of inspiration, it can also be mean-spirited and cause anxiety. My advice would be to make sure that you aren’t letting social media be a part of forming your sense of self. Go form that on your own, use social media as an amplifier.

 

How do you continue to express yourself personally?

The biggest thing is pushing myself out of my comfort zone—trying new things and going to new places. It can be as small as wearing a bold pair of red glasses to turn up my outfit or much bigger—like trying fly fishing for the first time (I loved it) or taking a leap into a new job. I believe that every time we try something new and push the edge a little bit, we realize we have more depth, range, and ability than we give ourselves credit.

 

Expressing her selflie with different sunnies style

 

Do you consider yourself a role model, and how do you handle that responsibility?

I don’t wake up every day thinking, “I’m going to be a role model today,” but I’m conscious of the fact that many people in my life count on me to do the right thing and want to be inspired. I hold myself to high standards—particularly as it relates to my roles as a mom and a female leader.

It’s very important to me that I walk the talk for my daughters, so through that filter I ask myself—am I showing up as a kind person? As someone who is learning, evolving, taking risks, and being open minded and vulnerable?  It’s a journey, and I am a constant work in progress.

 

We agree—you are a role model and a total boss. How do you balance your own self-care, being a mother, AND having such a big career?  

I try to think about it more as a concept of flow vs balance. I find it’s easier when I integrate my work and life instead of strictly thinking in terms of balance, which feels like a relentless scorecard. Life is incredibly dynamic and always evolving. Some weeks, work requires more of my time, and other weeks, my family needs me, or I need to put myself first. I start with being clear on what’s important: my health and wellbeing, my kids, partner and family, friends, work, learning and growing, contributing to the world.  With this in mind, I try to make work a holistic part of my entire life.

 

Jodi + her two daughters at high school graduation

We’ve talked a lot about education at Quay this year. What does it mean to you that Quay is giving back to our community with our Education is Quay scholarship program?

Having two teenagers and watching the process of getting into college compared to my experience growing up—it’s clear that education has become too exclusive and overwhelming, and that many people simply can’t get access to it. The ability to gain an education is an important part of our society, so I love that Quay can use our platform to help open that door up for a few more people while we figure this out as a larger society.

 

Can’t get enough? Check Jodi out on Instagram @jodi.bricker for inspiration, behind-the-scenes at Quay, and more.

 

Xo,

Quay

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