© 2023 The British Asian Collective. All rights reserved
The British Asian Collective is a fully volunteer-led organisation based in the UK, which aims to celebrate British Asian communities.
Swipe or click through and get to know the 11 members of our Executive Team!
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SHE / HER
Founder & Director
Born in a village in China’s Henan province, Yiwen immigrated to Birmingham, UK when she was 3 years old with her parents. She founded The British Asian Collective during her final year of university in 2020 as what was initially just an Instagram page, and now she volunteers alongside her full-time job in London. Whilst she oversees the overall strategy and operations of the organisation, she works most closely with the content division, having contributed to a large number of infographics. After graduating from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in BSc Philosophy and Economics in 2021, Yiwen completed her Master’s degree at the University of Cambridge in MPhil Development Studies from 2021-22. In her free time, she enjoys vintage clothes shopping, binge-watching K-dramas, and big city breaks. She also loves attending concerts, electronic music events and festivals.
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SHE / HER
Assistant Director & Head of Operations
Christina was born and raised in London to her first-generation Burmese parents. She is currently a Technology Risk Consultant and part-time MSc student in Business and Digital Risk Management. Previously, she read International Relations and Modern History at the University of East Anglia. Growing up with a lack of Asian representation around her, Christina was split between her two clashing identities. She joined the team when it was first founded with the hopes of supporting and empowering a community of fellow British Asians. Since, she has also truly grown her own new-found appreciation and confidence in her identity. At work, she is actively involved in furthering their Diversity, Equality & Inclusion initiatives. In her free time, Christina loves travelling, spoiling her boyfriend’s dog with lots of treats and attention, board game nights, and trivia. You'll most definitely find her at the weekly pub quiz.
SHE / HER
Head of Partnerships
Amy was born and raised in the UK and is of Chinese descent. She joined the British Asian Collective as Events Officer in 2020 and is now Head of Partnerships, hoping to create meaningful projects that give back to the community and amplify Asian voices. She graduated with a MSci in Biological Sciences in London, with a passion for the natural world. Aside from her studies and volunteering, Amy is keen to travel all across the world and to eventually have thrown every piece of dinnerware she owns.
SHE / THEY
Co-Head of Content Strategy
Born and raised in London, from a South and West Asian family, Kinza received their Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Goldsmiths UoL, and is now reading for a Master’s in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS. In their academic work, Kinza has written extensively on the politics of The Middle East, with specific reference to the filmic culture of Iran. In February 2021, amidst the pandemic, they joined The British Asian Collective in 2020 as an Editor and has since become promoted to our Head of Content Strategy. Known for their culinary prowess in a multitude of cuisines, Kinza’s kitchen knife is as sharp as their wit.
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SHE / HER
Co-Head of Content Strategy
Born in Beijing and growing up in London, Jiaying completed an Arts and Sciences degree, specialising in Economics and Geography at University College London (UCL). She co-founded The British Asian Collective for two reasons; one, to express the disdain for the ubiquitous Sinophobia in mainstream media, and two, to possess an outlet in which her passion of writing can be expressed. Since then, activism has been at the core of her life, activities, and social circles. At work, she is actively involved in educational D&I initiatives, and treats it not as ad hoc, but integral to the health of a community. She enjoys hanging out with friends and travelling in her spare time.
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SHE / HER
Head of Design
Being a mix of Chinese, English, Scottish and Guyanese, Rhea joined our team in February 2021 to feel more included and to change the misconceptions around Asian communities, especially during the pandemic. Joining as a graphic designer, she worked her way up to our Head of Design. After graduating from the University of Sussex in Media Production, she is now a full time graphic designer and owner of an Etsy page which sells funky art prints and gentle reminders. In her free time, she loves creating wonky doodles, spending way too much money on potted plants (that she really doesn’t have enough room for) and having fun with the people she loves.
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SHE / HER
Head of Marketing & Managing Editor
Born and raised in a small town in South Wales by parents who immigrated from Hong Kong, Ivy originally joined The British Asian Collective as an Editor at the beginning of 2021. After graduating in English Language and Literature at the University of Nottingham where she gained an interest in sociolinguistics, Ivy has gone to explore the field of marketing and communications which ties into her role as Head of Marketing and Managing Editor (Blogs). Outside of work, you’ll probably find Ivy doing something creative like painting her own nails or booking cheap trips and expensive concerts - all of which she will attempt to take aesthetic pictures of with her camera. She is currently trying to get back into reading for leisure after her degree left her semi-traumatised, feel free to share some easy reads with her!
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SHE / HER
Head of Human Resources & Managing Editor
Kiran was born and raised in Birmingham and is of South Asian descent. In 2022, Kiran graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Psychology, and currently works for a children’s mentoring and education charity - a job where every day is different! Kiran joined The British Asian Collective in the autumn of 2021, originally as an Editor, because she wanted to learn more about Asian history and support others with their research. The thing she loves the most about being a member of The British Asian Collective is gaining knowledge of niche topics that our fantastic team of researchers are passionate about. Supporting the content strategy team on a piece from start to finish is something she really enjoys. Outside of work and volunteering, you can probably find Kiran at any type of museum, or any place with animals.
HE / HIM
Head of Projects
Hasnain is a third-generation Kashmiri whose lineage traces back to his maternal grandparents' emigration from Poonch in the late 1960s to Birmingham, where he was born and raised. During the height of the pandemic, amidst a wave of anti-Asian sentiment, Hasnain became familiar with The British Asian Collective, a content powerhouse that he believes stood for high quality and meaningful content that was curated by a diverse team for a diverse audience. He initially joined as an Editor in 2021, and is now our Head of Projects, looking after various initiatives such as events. Upon graduating from the University of Manchester in Philosophy and Politics, he is excited to further contribute to society through his work at The British Asian Collective, as well as explore new destinations and pursue his lifelong dreams of writing and making music.
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SHE / HER
Head of Finance and Fundraising
Steph was born in London and grew up in Singapore. She joined The British Asian Collective in her final year of university with hopes of fighting the misrepresentation of Asians in mainstream media. After graduating from King’s College London with a BSc in Economics and Management, she now works in finance. At work, has been part of the Diversity & Inclusion workstream aimed to help retain and attract diverse talent into the workforce. Outside of spending most of her time crunching numbers, you can catch Steph travelling to anywhere and everywhere in the world! She also enjoys weight training, a good karaoke session and looking for (unrealistic) houses online. Her favourite music genres are RnB, UK Hip Hop and Grime.
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SHE / HER
Head of Legal and Compliance
Carmen was born and raised in the UK, after her parents immigrated from Hong Kong and Malaysia. She joined what is now The British Asian Collective during her final year at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Initially the Co-Head of Outreach, Carmen is now our Head of Legal and Compliance. After graduating with a Law degree from LSE in 2021, she joined a commercial law firm in London as a trainee solicitor. When she’s not getting back pain from sitting at her desk all day, Carmen enjoys exploring restaurants, museums, and art galleries in London. She also loves going to concerts, with her favourite music genres including Korean RnB, EDM and indie pop. Let her know if you have any restaurant recommendations!
