jazzy leelo
about.
I am a descendent of immigrants, currently pursuing my MA Material Futures at Central Saint Martins in London, UK. Both my parents are second-generation Canadians, born to immigrants fleeing racial violence. My father’s family is ethnically Hakka and mixed South Asian descent; they lived in South Africa for generations before fleeing Apartheid in the late 1960’s. On the other side of my family, my mother’s father immigrated from Hong Kong to evade the Japanese invasion during World War II and her mother is of mixed European descent. Both my parents settled on Lheidli T'enneh First Nation land, eventually migrating to the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, where I was born. I primarily grew up on the lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ nations.
With an academic background in Indigenous public health, biomechanics, and design engineering, I combine a transdisciplinary approach to exploring, engaging with, and responding to epistemologies of health and wellness. My workflow centres Indigenous wisdom in conversation with my own nomadic diaspora to shape community-led methodologies that promote discussion between human physiology, cultural safety, and accessibility. This convergence is entangled, in ongoing evolution, feeding my development of research frameworks, process notes, and speculative design futures. By co-designing tools for access, autonomy, and inclusivity, I hope to nurture environments that support holistic embodiment and community healing.
about.
I am a descendent of immigrants, currently pursuing my MA Material Futures at Central Saint Martins in London, UK. Both my parents are second-generation Canadians, born to immigrants fleeing racial violence. My father’s family is ethnically Hakka and mixed South Asian descent; they lived in South Africa for generations before fleeing Apartheid in the late 1960’s. On the other side of my family, my mother’s father immigrated from Hong Kong to evade the Japanese invasion during World War II and her mother is of mixed European descent. Both my parents settled on Lheidli T'enneh First Nation land, eventually migrating to the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, where I was born. I primarily grew up on the lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ nations.
With an academic background in Indigenous public health, biomechanics, and design engineering, I combine a transdisciplinary approach to exploring, engaging with, and responding to epistemologies of health and wellness. My workflow centres Indigenous wisdom in conversation with my own nomadic diaspora to shape community-led methodologies that promote discussion between human physiology, cultural safety, and accessibility. This convergence is entangled, in ongoing evolution, feeding my development of research frameworks, process notes, and speculative design futures. By co-designing tools for access, autonomy, and inclusivity, I hope to nurture environments that support holistic embodiment and community healing.
Lekwungen Territory / London
b. 2001