By Xintian Tina Wang

Can art motivate young people to vote? As the U.S. enters another pivotal election season, the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund’s Creative Catalyst Fellowship highlights how art can inspire the next generation of voters. This initiative, led by a diverse group of AAPI artists, moves beyond traditional political messages by weaving personal and cultural stories into the act of voting. By engaging Gen Z through storytelling, music, and visual art, these projects make civic participation feel like a natural extension of identity rather than a chore.

“I’m honored to be selected for the Creative Catalyst Fellowship for my project, which is aimed at increasing participation among young voters in this November’s elections,” said Gia-Bao Tran, creator of Voting Together, an interactive webcomic that explores topics from voter suppression tactics to the power of Gen Z voters. “My hope is that it’s an engaging and entertaining tool to help lift the voices of our youngest voters and strengthen our democracy.”

The Art of Belonging

Lehuauakea (they/them), a Native Hawaiian interdisciplinary artist, discovered their love for kapa making at a young age, a traditional Hawaiian craft passed down through generations. Through kapa, Lehua not only preserves Indigenous culture but also encourages youth to reflect on their role in shaping the future.

As part of their Creative Catalyst Fellowship project, Lehua created a series of fine art illustrations and educational posters that incorporate ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Native Hawaiian language. These were developed into digital posters that educators could share free of charge, allowing Lehua’s work to reach young voters far beyond the islands.

Lehua’s art doesn’t preach about politics but instead fosters a connection to cultural resilience, urging young voters to see that their voice—much like the patterns on kapa—has deep roots and meaning.

Similarly, artist Safwat Saleem, through his multimedia project “Anxieties of an Immigrant Father,” draws from deeply personal and collective experiences of belonging. When Saleem first became a father, he found himself navigating a flood of anxieties—some personal, others shaped by the weight of his identity as an immigrant in America: How would he preserve his culture for his multiracial child growing up in the American Southwest? How could he shield his child from the pressures of assimilation while still helping them feel a sense of belonging? These questions, rooted in his immigrant experience, became the inspiration for Saleem’s latest project that blends humor and vulnerability to explore the complexities of cultural preservation.

His project offers a humorous yet vulnerable look at the tensions between cultural preservation and assimilation, inviting young voters to consider how their personal stories shape their political choices. By blending humor with these deeper reflections, Saleem challenges young voters to question what it means to belong in a country that often overlooks immigrant voices.

Art as a Bridge for Solidarity

The intersectionality of identity is explored through musician Sonny K. Mehta’s collaboration with poet, Aris Kian Brown, in the “Sounds of Solidarity series.” Through folk music and poetry in English, Urdu, and Hindi, they explore shared experiences between AAPI and Black communities, addressing similar experiences of displacement and resistance, and offering young voters a chance to reflect on the connections between communities.

The accompanying educational toolkit further expands on these themes, inviting young people to critically engage with issues like anti-Blackness and allyship. The toolkit’s first lesson, Road to the Well, introduces key concepts like mobility and displacement, encouraging young voters to think about how these barriers impact marginalized communities and how solidarity can drive change.

This educational component of “Sounds of Solidarity” ensures that the project does more than just raise awareness—it equips young voters with the tools to critically engage with social issues, fostering a deeper understanding of how art and activism intersect.

Engage First-Time Voters through the Arts

Interactive media also plays a crucial role in mobilizing the next generation of voters. Artist Tran has designed a dynamic interactive website that aims to engage Gen Z and first-time voters in the electoral process. Tran’s work uses narrative and digital innovation to create an accessible platform where young voters can explore their political power in a way that resonates with them—through storytelling and community-driven interaction.

Tran’s “choose-your-own-adventure” format helps users explore their political power, particularly within the AAPI community, making voting a personal journey rather than a civic duty. Therefore, he taps into the emotional core of political participation, inviting users to reflect on their place in history.

Artist Kat Evasco’s comedic film Get Your Tita, also serves as a call to action for young voters. The film explores how a Filipino American family navigates personal and community issues, all framed within the simple yet familiar setting of a birthday party. While the film is yet to be released, its premise is deeply rooted in Evasco’s commitment to elevating the voices of immigrants, women, and LGBTQ communities, which has been a hallmark of her award-winning career as a writer, theater maker, filmmaker, and cultural strategist.

A queer immigrant from the Philippines, Evasco’s personal experiences are often the foundation of her work. The film provides a space for immigrant families to see themselves reflected, while also encouraging discussions that transcend the familial setting, moving into the broader socio-political sphere. The conversations in the film serve as a reminder that civic engagement begins at home, through the personal connections and stories shared among family members.

What makes these five artists’ projects so compelling is their ability to evoke cultural pride and solidarity without turning art into mere propaganda.

“The Creative Catalyst Fellows are using their art to connect with youth voters nationwide,” said EunSook Lee, executive director of the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. “Their work touches on themes like Asian and Black solidarity and sparking conversations across the political spectrum. They also shine a light on underrepresented groups, such as Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Muslim Americans.”

In doing so, they forge a deeper connection between personal narrative and civic engagement. By presenting voting as intertwined with one’s cultural roots, these artists create a space for young AAPI+ voters to connect emotionally with their role in shaping their future.

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