Elevating AANHPI Stories: Meet the creative behind AALVO

 

Amy Chantra is an architect and designer by trade. A graduate of the University of Houston, Chantra  decided to open her eponymous store online in 2018 while still working her 9-to-5 job. In April 2023, her brick-and-mortar store AALVO came to life that focuses on laser-cutting and interior design. But Chantra had more in mind for her store than just laser-cut goods.

AALVO also provides event space for photographers, bakers and other creative to rent out for various classes and events. 

The M Report spoke to Chantra for Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Month (AANHPI) to get her words of advice on entrepreneurship, how being a first-generation child of immigrants affected her drive to success and more.

M Report Events: Celebrating 10 years of hairstyling excellence with Studio A Salon

(Courtesy Studio A Salon)

It’s a true homecoming for Studio A Salon! There’s something special about bringing your dreams to life. For Studio A Salon owner and Hair Artist, David Armendariz, his dreams are happening in full circle as the opening of the salon’s second location in Woodland Heights is just around the corner from where it all began for his family.

M Report Events: Luxury Outdoor Furniture Brand Harbour Hosts Intimate Bash

On a balmy spring evening, Houston’s interior design royalty was out in full force to commemorate the official arrival of Harbour – a luxury furniture brand that designs and manufactures outdoor and indoor furniture defined by a fresh, light, modern, coastal, and luxe-inspired aesthetic, along with incredible durability and a deep sense of culture steeped in the Australian way of life – to the State of Texas for the first time. 

How to watch Hanifa's upcoming spring/summer 2023 collection "Bloom"

Fashion from Hanifa (Photos by Edolia Stroud)

Beautiful is an understatement to describe the Hanifa line. How about breathtaking? The color palettes are insanely chic with the cherry on top being with the way the pieces are designed. Curves, melanin and creativity are welcomed and embraced with each piece. 

Aja Monet announces debut album and shares "Castaway" video

Surrealist blues poet and community organizer aja monet has announced her debut album when the poems do what they do is set for release June 9th via drink sum wtr, a new Secretly Canadian imprint. As previewed by the recently released piece “the devil you know,” and the newly shared “castaway,” the album’s thematic origins center around Black resistance, love, and the inexhaustible quest for joy.   “I started writing when I was 8 or 9 — [but] I think I was a poet before I wrote my first poem," Monet said in a statement.

Note to Self: The Pursuit of Journalism Excellence

 

Honoring 10+ years in the pursuit of journalism excellence, not counting the four years of studies at St. John's University - one of the best decisions of my life. Leaving all the comforts of home to learn in the media capital of the world - New York City - opened my eyes to the hustle, grit and Vincentian qualities that still exist within me today. 

Emerging Singer-songwriter Zito Shares New Single and Video “Slay”

 

Emerging singer-songwriter Zito shares her debut single “SLAY” via FAMA Collective. Co-produced by Zito, Peter Reilly, and Brian Lange, the single showcases Zito’s defiant vocal strength while offering listeners a glimpse into her world. “SLAY” serves as much more than an introduction to Zito; it’s the beginning of a new and deeply personal project – a testament to Zito’s transition into her artistry, liberation, and personhood.