Milo Kirby, 16, is “capital W Wasian,” she says, a phrase that refers to White-Asians.

First generation American, Kirby, was born in San Francisco’s Chinatown, but later moved to Marin County, a predominately white community in California. While living in Chinatown in an apartment with her entire extended family, above the bustling streets, she felt deeply rooted. But after moving to Marin County, she had to navigate public schools, new friends, independence and a place absent of her culture.
When Kirby was 13, she moved away from her parents, and back to the city where she was able to spend more time in Chinatown. A year later, she opened her own clothing store, selling her own Chinese streetwear clothing line, ‘MK Streetwear’, named after Milo Kirby Streetwear, with the support of her parents.
Although she wouldn’t change how she grew up, in the first few years of her teenage experience, she’s worked on pulling back her Chinese cultural roots by establishing her own identity in Chinatown.
“I want to do as much as I can to make this community thrive—I’m dedicated to keeping Chinatown, Chinatown,” said Kirby.

Caption: Milo Kirby, 16, gets her picture taken by her friend, Abigal Li, after their teen pageant league represents the third annual Cultural Festival in San Francisco’s Chinatown, in California on May 31, 2026. The festival continues each year to ensure that Chinese traditions are passed down to future generations.