bio & cv

Mia Nakano works a little more than full-time as the Co-Director & Digital Manager of the largest photo community space west of the Mississippi, RayKo Photo Center. She contributes to a multitude of organizations, movements, and people to make social justice. Her diverse professional background allows Nakano to shoot images with impact from studio portraiture to editorial photography. She takes lead on projects as a photographer, instructor, project manager, photo-editor, web designer, marketing co-ordinator, or administrative powerhouse. Secretly, Nakano likes working collaboratively more than anything else. Oh, and she likes cheese. A lot.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2011
UC Riverside: Queer People of Color National Conference, Visibility Project: Riverside, CA
African American Cultural Center: Ms. Tang Tang/Visibility Project: San Francisco, CA

2010
Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Oakland, CA

2009
Seedcorn Gallery Juried Show: Oakland, CA
F-Stop: 6 Women Photographers, 6 points of view: Oakland, CA
Asian American Queer Women Activist Visibility Exhibition: Los Angeles
Epic: Visualizing Heroes Within, SOMArts Cultural Center: San Francisco, CA

2008
Life in Limbo & Passing By, Awaken Cafe & Gallery, Oakland, CA
Kind of Blue, Madlab Gallery: Columbus, OH
RayKo International Juried Plastic Camera Show: San Francisco, CA
Art Span Open Studios: San Francisco, CA, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
24 Hour Show, Founding Artist: San Francisco, CA, 2005-Present
League of Pissed off Voters Exhibition: San Francisco, CA, 2005
Visual Aid’s Big Deal: San Francisco, CA, 2004 & 2005

PUBLISHED WORK & PROJECTS

H.O.T.D.I.S.H. Militia, web-designer & marketing consultant, 2009
Hi Quality, Lo-Fi Photography, Limited Edition Book, Editor & Pre-Press
Obamahopesanddreams.com, Photographer, Web Designer, Collaborator
Applied Research Center: National Conference on Race, Photographer
Asian Health Services, Visibility campaigns, 2008-present
Colorlines, Contributing Photographer, 2008-2009
Curve Magazine, Contributing Photographer, 2007
Fotovision, Photojournalism Honorary Mention, 2007
Kathmandu Post, Photojournalist & Journalist, 2007
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Limited Edition Book, Pre-press &
Production Manager, 2006
Hyphen Magazine, Contributing Photographer, 2006-Present
Hyphen Magazine, Photo Editor & Founding Member, 2004-2006
From Desert to Dream, Photo Editor & Pre-Press, 2006

EDUCATION, JURIES, LECTURES

Queer People of Color National Conference, Featured Workshop Instructor, 2011
UC Santa Barbara, Guest Lecturer
UC Berkeley, Queer & Asian Conference, Guest Panelist
Facing Race Conference, Workshop Leader, 2010
Radical Women, Artist Lecture Panel, 2010
New American Photojournalism Awards, Juror, 2009
Downtown High School, Arts Educator, 2009-2010
Society of Photographic Educators West Coast Conference, Alternative Digital Processes, 2008
Artist Toolkit: Marketing for Photographers, Guest Lecture, 2008
Architect Institute of America, High Dynamic Range Imaging process techniques, 2008
RayKo Staff Instructor & Workshop Curriculum Development, 2005-Present