Sarah Wang

Sarah Wang is radical, resourceful and risograph-obsessed. Only a year out from college, they’re already managing print production at Secret Riso Club, running an independent self-publisher called Tiger Balm Press and doing loads of freelance gigs on the side. Despite all that, this wasn’t quite what Sarah imagined they’d be doing. We discuss what’s led them down this road and how they’re rediscovering success as a creative – on their own terms.

What I do

How would you describe what you do?
I’m a designer, printmaker, and organizer based in Brooklyn, New York, where I spend my days daydreaming of (and working towards) radical futures.

I'm currently the print production manager at Secret Riso Club, where I oversee all commissioned and in-house riso print jobs – from pre-press to final binding – while also supporting graphic design needs across projects. I also work at Pacific as a graphic designer where I focus primarily on publication and editorial design for museums and cultural institutions.

Recently, I co-founded Tiger Balm Press – a self-publishing press made up of me and two other queer Asian designers, Thuy Tran and Allison Fong. Together, we create and publish work that reflects our values and supports fellow queer Asian creatives. It’s a space for experimentation, care and community, which is everything I love about design and independent publishing.

What are the main influences and inspirations behind your work?
I feel incredibly lucky that the people who first inspired me to pursue print design and find joy in independent publishing are the same people I work alongside today. Gonzalo Guerrero and Tara Ridgedell of Secret Riso Club are two of the most principled, talented and generous individuals I know. Their guidance has deeply shaped my practice, teaching me to look beyond the corporate nine-to-five and place my faith in the uncertainty of the big bad unknown. Because of them, I continue to meet and be in community with more of my inspirations – like Be Oakley of Genderfail, Holly of Irrelevant Press, Hannah Yukiko Pierce of Small Editions and Zoe Pulley of Black Joy Archive, to name a few.

Would you say you need any specific training for what you do?
There are definitely a bunch of technical skills involved with being a risograph printer: operating the machine properly, preparing files correctly, cleaning a drum and so on. I picked up some of this in college, but most of it I learned through deep Reddit lurking and YouTube tutorials.

That said, some traits matter more than hard skills – like a genuine care for the medium and the communities it serves. Technical skills can always be learned, but the values behind the work are what sustain it.

Secret Riso Club staff shoot

What’s been your favorite project to work on from the past year, and why?
It’s an ongoing project that I’ve been working on with the Center for Urban Pedagogy. I’m a design fellow in their Making Policy Public program, which connects organizers and designers to break down a complex social justice issue into an accessible printed visual.

In collaboration with my friend and illustrator Ryan Davis, I’ve partnered with several housing justice groups to tackle the Good Cause Eviction Law – which, simply put, is a ridiculously complicated law with a million layers and loopholes. We’re only halfway through but I’ve already gained a much deeper understanding about the work of local housing organizers and the nuances of designing for communities.

What does a normal day-to-day usually look like for you?
To be honest, none of my days really look the same. For the most part, I wake up, stay in bed for way too long (not a morning person) and miraculously get up at some point. On days where I’m working at Secret Riso Club, I make a quick coffee, pack my lunch and head to the studio to tackle a myriad random tasks. These range from printing client jobs, collating materials, replying to emails, setting up for events and so much more – I can’t remember them all off the top of my head. On other days, I work on freelance projects and try my best to keep up with the four different book projects that I keep forgetting about.

If there was a starter pack for your job, what would be in it?
Yerba Mate, a funky screen-printed t-shirt, inky riso hands, a carabiner, an Adobe CC subscription, Pantone color charts and a can of TJs turkey chili.

Sarah photographed at the Secret Riso Club staff shoot

How I got here

What was your journey like when you were first starting out?
I’m only a year out from college and continuously stumbling through life with lots of uncertainty and fear. After graduating, I landed an internship at a wonderful studio named Once-Future Office which spurred my move to New York. When that ended, I was swimming between random freelance jobs and a retail position at a stationery store in the West Village, until I received a fateful email back from Secret Riso Club. I was so starved of risography at this point and down to do almost anything to access a machine again. I started a work exchange with them, which led to the part-time job I have now!

How did you go about landing your first few jobs, clients and/or commissions?
Cold emails – over and over again to specific studios and people that I admire. I also have an amazing network of friends and peers who constantly support each other and share opportunities.

What has been your biggest challenge along the way?
Unlearning and relearning what my life as a designer and creative can look like post-grad. A year ago, I was imagining a future where I had a nine-to-five, financial stability and no more all-nighters in the studio. Now that vision looks completely different. I don’t have a traditional full-time role, I’m juggling part-time and freelance work, I still find myself having the occasional late night. It’s been difficult to let go of external expectations from parents and peers, but I’m definitely getting more comfortable with the uncertainty of a non-linear future.

What skills from your creative work have you found helpful – and vice versa?
Design has taught me how to communicate clearly, create systems and think visually about structure and accessibility. Organizing, on the other hand, has pushed my design practice to be more intentional and grounded. It has made me ask who the work is for, how it functions in the real world and whether it actually serves the communities it’s meant to reach.

How important are social media and self-promotion to your work?
While it’s definitely important to be active on social media, I also think Meta is super evil – but I will say that I appreciate how social media helps me stay informed about events, fairs and programs I can attend or apply for.

What are three things that you’ve found useful to your work or career, and why?
My community, the RISO Discord channel, and my journal. I think I learned half of what I know about risography just from lurking on the Discord and writing tidbits into my journal – and I would not be where I am without the continued support of my friends and family.

What have been your greatest learnings with making money and supporting yourself as a creative?
I’m definitely not equipped to answer this as I’m constantly going back and forth between wanting financial stability and craving creative fulfilment. So if you’re reading this, please hire me ;)

My Advice

What’s the best career-related advice you’ve ever received?
My therapist told me it’s important in this strange post-grad period to find validation in myself and in my own achievements, no matter how small they seem. I spent a long time relying on external validation – from teachers, peers, friends, partners – to guide and push me forward in life. But I’m trying to get out of that headspace, especially in the workplace. Also! This one’s obvious, but I always remind myself that it’s okay to make mistakes.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into a similar role?
Be present in your community and the spaces you care about. Show up to talks, meet people at book fairs, volunteer at places that you align with, vend at fairs and fundraise for causes you care about.

Where do you go to feel connected as a creative?
Book fairs, design talks, the Secret Riso Club studio and my friends! I see these spaces as powerful platforms for cultural exchange and connections.