Approximately 10% of businesses in the United States are considered “Asian-American owned,” a growing statistic achieved in spite of the systemic challenges that these entrepreneurs face. The word “tadhana” is a Tagalog word that translates to “destiny” and reassures every member of the community that they are exactly where they need to be on their journey. The Tadhana Project serves as a platform for Asian-American trailblazers to create relationships to those with similar backgrounds and presents an outreach perspective to expose an external audience to these narratives. The Tadhana Project began with a set of interviews with three Asian-American trailblazers in Charlotte. These interviews ensured that the brand creates solutions to problems that the community actually faces.
The three products for the brand includes the Tadhana Mobile App that creates an internal community for Asian-American trailblazers and serves as a tool for their businesses. The app serves as a social media outlet for entrepreneurs to connect with each other and make mentorship connections. The “Rush Hour Campaign” serves as an outreach project outside of the entrepreneurial perspective to create awareness for historically underrepresented Asian-American biographies. The public art campaign exists on interstate billboards to engage with commuters and travelers in Charlotte. The subscription package distributes merchandise such as stickers and tote bags to create a larger community than just the trailblazers. The package contents instigate conversation through recognizable branding and promote awareness to the trailblazers across the nation. Each package includes a zine that showcases businesses from one city and promotes the trailblazers’ perspectives and contributions to their community.
