6 Degrees of Hapa
— Hapa Holiday Marketplace —
6DegreesofHapa.com
Celebrating mixed cultures through art, apparel, storytelling, and community building
IG and Twitter: @6degreesofhapa
6 Degrees of Hapa is a super creative, go-to brand for all your Hapa apparel and art. Artist and creator Naomi Takata Shepherd has been using art since she was very little, creating things that had to do with her mixed background to help navigate her identity. 6 Degrees of Hapa began with two T-shirt designs and the hope that they might be conversation starters and a way for people to show pride in their mixed identities. Naomi recognized how she missed that sense of community and certainty in her own identity growing up and, through her brand, created a space for mixed individuals and families. Since its start, 6 Degrees of Hapa has grown well beyond her expectations, and expanded to include 6 Degrees of Hapa’s “Share Your Hapa Story” project. Naomi's hope that people would make connections through her business has turned into a reality, and it's fulfilling for her to hear that people have made new friends through 6 Degrees of Hapa.
“My art ranges from apparel, to textile patterns, to handmade block prints — I love thinking of new ways to apply my art to create 6 Degrees of Hapa gear. I usually start with a rough sketch or concept and then if I’m creating art for my apparel and accessories, I’ll illustrate it again digitally using vector art. Each new piece I dream up for 6 Degrees of Hapa often means learning new skills and art techniques, like digital pattern design, and I have a lot of fun with it! I continue to draw inspiration for my art from imagery that I’ve grown up with, like kokeshi dolls from my grandparents’ house, and Hawaiian imagery to honor and acknowledge that ‘Hapa’ is a Hawaiian word.” The artist behind 6 Degrees of Hapa, Naomi, talks a little about her art and design process from initial sketch to finished 6 Degrees of Hapa gear in this video.
Naomi’s favorite times of the year are when she has a bunch of festivals and artisan events to “pop up” at, but, since March, all of those have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I completely understand the need for these events to be canceled, because public health and safety must come first, but it’s irresponsible and incredibly frustrating that our government is not providing us with the resources we need to weather the pandemic even as individual people let alone as businesses.”
Naomi in her “Mixed Communities for Black Lives” shirt
The pandemic is having a huge impact on microbusinesses and Naomi shared that it’s hard to know what the future holds for 6 Degrees of Hapa. “Small business” in California means any business with 500 employees or less, and that’s a really broad definition. Naomi is a one-person show, so the CARES Act’s business aid was not created for “micro” businesses like 6 Degrees of Hapa.
Since the pandemic began, Naomi has spent a lot of time creating a new online “home” for 6 Degrees of Hapa and the “Share Your Hapa Story” project, as well as creating a more robust Threadless Artist Shop. Luckily, she has been a part of virtual fairs and support continues for 6 Degrees of Hapa, even without in-person events. “As much as I hope we’ll all be back out at in-person events soon, ultimately, I care about everyone’s health, safety, and wellbeing first. My business comes second.”
This year Naomi has focused on ways to be a supportive, active community member through her art. She’s created “Mixed Communities for Black Lives” and “VOTE” designs as part of her stand against injustice as a non-Black member of the mixed community. The Threadless Artist Shop proceeds featuring these designs are donated to Black Lives Matter. So far, the designs have raised over $600 for Black Lives Matter.
She was also able to donate her “seconds” caps to an organization that’s based in the Bay Area called Xinampa that is creating PPE kits for agricultural workers in California. “I got the idea to ask if Xinampa would want my caps after seeing Corinne Takara, who I met through the San Jose Japantown Artwalk, post on Instagram about engineering laser cut face shields to fit around the brims of hats for Xinampa’s PPE kits. Being able to find instances like these where I can lend a helping hand have helped me feel more connected to my community during the pandemic.”
6 Degrees of Hapa’s online “home” is 6degreesofhapa.com. From there, you can visit the “6 Degrees of Hapa Shop,” “Threadless Artist Shop,” and “Spoonflower Shop.” You can also check out “Share Your Hapa Story” and all of the virtual events Naomi participates in.
