Feminist Artist Feature: Jezz Chung is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores personal and collective change.
This week, FEMINIST sat down with Jezz Chung to learn about how they envision the role of art in advancing gender equity and social justice and to congratulate them on their new book, “This Way to Change”. 📕 💖
Jezz Chung @jezzchung
they/them
is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores personal and collective change. They’ve been recognized internationally by El País, Público, Teen Vogue, Logo TV, and Made of Millions. You can listen to their podcast with Deem Journal titled Dreaming Different and read their book titled ”This Way to Change”. Jezz lives in Brooklyn, New York.
What does being a feminist mean to you?
So many things at once! I love when feminism feels expansive and inclusive, especially with other movements. I love feminism that’s informed by queer liberation, abolition, disability justice. Being a feminist is a practice— much like love, compassion, intuition. And it’s about dreaming and imagining a different world, knowing who came before you, so you can continue building the legacy.
As a self-identified neurodivergent, queer, Korean American artist, how do you navigate and incorporate your intersectional identities into your creative process?
I live my life as art and let the work pour out of me! So much of what I write about is related to experience and process. With all my creative practices, I let my intuition guide me. That’s why I work across so many mediums, because I have so much to say and it all wants to be said in different ways. Intersection is the way I live my life— in between, among, in relationship with it all. And I’m deeply influenced by the people around me. My queer, neurodivergent, disabled artist friends inspire me and shape who I am. That’s how my work becomes a reflection of the life I’m living.
As someone whose work spans various mediums and disciplines, how do you envision the role of art in advancing gender equity and social justice?
One of the biggest symptoms of oppression is a suppression of our imagination. We’re taught to limit our dreams and limit what we believe about others. Art reminds us of our capacity to feel and it reminds us that we’re creative by nature, nothing is impossible.
Your book, "This Way to Change," offers an inspirational roadmap for personal transformation and societal change through self-healing and decolonization. What inspired you to integrate healing practices and decolonization into your book?
I’ve been immersed in my healing for the past decade, exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine, meditation, breathwork, EMDR, ketamine therapy, parts work, somatics, all while unlearning the belief that care is an individual job. We are responsible for each other. We have to create a culture of care in order to survive, with the world becoming more violent and destructive by the day. We have to invest in each other’s quality of life and well-being. I hope the book reminds people that healing is both an individual and community job.
You call, "This Way to Change," a gentle guide. Why was this important to you?
Changing yourself to change the world feels like a big, insurmountable task. But we do it every day, in ways we don’t realize. To be alive is to be a part of something bigger than you. I wanted to remind people of this power, and I wanted to do it in a way that feels accessible. I read a lot, but it’s hard for me to get through books because of my neurodivergence. I wrote the book that I wish existed.
In your book, you pose the question ‘Where do you source your power’? It’s such a brilliant question. Where do you source yours from?
I source my power from friendship, community, great art, my intuition, from everyone who laid the groundwork before me, all the people I see around me and across the world organizing power and creating change. And also from a really good meal.
Can you tell us more about why you chose to make the connection between personal transformation and collective liberation?
I’ve been involved in movement work, organizing, advocating, educating for the past 10 years. I’ve gone through so many phases of engagement, and will continue to grow for the rest of my life. I’ve experienced massive burnout. Physically, mentally, emotionally. So when I feel defeated and discouraged, I shift focus to myself and my direct spheres of influence. I have to believe that my actions have a ripple effect. While I can’t change the world immediately, I can change something about myself. Because I am a part of the world. And when everything else feels out of reach, this is my contribution to collective liberation.
