Wendy Yao

Bio

Wendy Yao has dedicated her energy to championing the output of her creative community. With a DIY-spirit sparked by punk rock and riot grrrl, Yao formed Emily’s Sassy Lime with her sister Amy and friend Emily Ryan. The trio forged a sound born from their Asian American suburban teenage lives. Wendy’s Ooga Booga project was inspired by the networks of thoughtful exchange she experienced during her years as a touring musician. Ooga Booga’s postage stamp-sized storefront existed in Los Angeles’ Chinatown for 15 years with a selection of mix-tapes, zines, clothing, and other artist-crafted goods. The shop often expanded past its tiny physical confines hosting film screenings, music performances, and art shows, and for several years operated a second outpost within the large-scale L.A. art space 356 Mission. With the storefronts now shuttered, Yao is expressing Ooga Booga in even more flexible forms with pop-ups and a web presence.