Meet Kara Henry | Artist, Graphic Designer & Community Organizer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kara Henry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kara, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m a transracial chinese adoptee – and a Kentucky transplant, so not only did I grow up surrounded by a family of a different race (whom i love and cherish ofc), but I also moved across 3 states (from philadelphia) right in the middle of my adolescence to an very very different regional culture than what I was used to. You could say I was a bit of a walking identity crisis in those early years. I spent a lot of my younger years searching for a place to belong, whether it be culturally or socially, and it shows in a lot of the work I do now.

Within the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to really curate my career to reflect what matters to me most–community. I currently work part time as the They/Thems and Femmes Coordinator at Climb Cincy (a weekly event and safe space for non-male and gender non-conforming folks to enjoy the sport of climbing together) and as the Community Manager of Sweetgum Manor, a new urban oasis with a focus on wellness and community. On top of working for organizations who are putting in effort for the communities I care about, I also have had the privilege of creating design work with organizations like Queer Kentucky, Asianati, and Artworks Cincinnati.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m incredibly excited about where my career is heading and has been heading for the last year. Right out of college (late 2018) I started working for a design firm and ended up staying there for almost 6 years. I learned a ton at my time there, but since the pandemic, working day after day at a computer, creating designs for capitalistic consumption became increasingly more unappetizing. I was burnt out, tired of staring at a screen, and tired of feeling helpless amongst the chaos that is being alive in 2024. So in January I left that job and I begin taking working as a self-employed freelance graphic designer (someones gotta pay the bills). I made it a goal to only accept projects that I felt passionate about, because if I’m gonna do work, I want it to be work that makes an impact, specifically in the communities closest to me. Now I’m working part-time doing design for clients I love like, Queer Kentucky, AAPI Heritage Month Cincinnati, Artworks, and more, and spending the rest of my billable hours working for organizations I care about like Climb Cincy and Sweetgum Manor. It feels really good to be in a place in my career where every project I’m working on increases the visibility and awareness of issues I care about or nurtures and supports the people I care about and the community around me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Cackleberry – I love starting out a Saturday or Sunday morning with them. They’re my all time favorite place for breakfast. China and Nate are so kind, their branding (by Maria Nacu) is so cute, and their sandwiches are to die for. I highly recommend the Mila.

Skyline Chili – this is obvious, everyones gotta try skyline.

Alice – the best place for dancing, especially on a night with DJ Boywife.

Indigo Hippo – everyone loves supporting a nonprofit and also getting cheap art supplies!

Mean Street Gallery – if someones visiting me from out of town they’ll definitely have to check out a gallery show here.

Larry’s – a little neighborhood bar in Mainstrasse, they have the BEST hotdogs and red beans and rice, plus a pool table!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Nick and Peta Dew

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chunkofchina?igsh=aTAxeGltang4cHU4&utm_source=qr

Other: [email protected]