For you, by people like you.

Hello You

Often gifted at birth, our identities really begin with our names. In On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong described them beautifully, “a name, something given by a mother or father, something weightless yet carried forever, like a heartbeat.” Here is the East Asian experience as told by our names. Take a look at the real stories of people just like you.

Hello, Mary!

I had a beautiful name given by my grandparents before I moved to the States. But since my new classmates couldn't pronounce it, I became Mary.

Hello, Mr. CY!

I am a high school teacher, and I go by Mr. C.Y., but my two last names aren't even hard to pronounce. They're both single syllables.

Hello, Jīyí!

I grew up in Toronto, with a different, white English name. Now that I'm older, I realized that name doesn't represent me as much as my Chinese name does.

Hello, Yi-chun!

Growing up in Montreal, it took me a long time to appreciate my name. But now, I kind of love that it makes people uncomfortable when they say it.

Hello, Kiki!

I love my name. My mom chose it because it sounds a lot like my ethnic name. I'm glad I get to represent both sides of myself this way.

Hello, Jin!

This name (진 is actually only part of my full name, but someone once told me to shorten it so it would be "easier for everyone to say."

Names are both personal and public at the same time, they're interesting like that.

They tell the tale of you and your ancestors, yet they are open for anyone to use. As Xu Wenwu said in Shang-Chi, "names are sacred." We welcome you to submit your name and story here.

Say hello in person, Hello You is going to GradEx 107 at OCAD U!

OCAD University's 107th Annual Graduate Exhibition is returning in person! Celebrate the work of OCAD U's class of 2022 in person and online from May 11th-15th, 2022. You can see Hello Baby, read some name stories, and find other amazing projects there!