Online content creator Thu-Hang Doan of Fishers takes pride in creating experiential content with integrity and truth. The Vietnamese American, gender-fluid filmmaker and artist blends real-life everyday experiences through the eyes of the trans community.
“I hope they’ll see a more human side to the trans community and know that I’m a person that eats, laughs and breathes, and we are all the same in the human condition,” Doan said.
Doan was born and raised in Fishers and graduated from Fishers High School in 2022 at the age of 16.
Aspiring to become an illustrator and animator, Doan wanted to attend California Institute of the Arts, but limited financial resources required exploring options closer to home. With the help of grants and scholarships, Doan received an associate’s degree in visual communications from Ivy Tech Community College in 2023 and is now attending IU Indianapolis.
After one semester, Doan “realized animation wasn’t for me. It’s a very indoor job,” and they switched focus from animation to media arts with a specialization in video production. Doan is on track to graduate in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in media art and sciences.
The change of direction led Doan down their current path. Balancing personal responsibilities and schoolwork left little time for leisure drawing, and food became a coping mechanism for stress.
A fan of the Food Network and food documentaries, they started creating a digital scrapbook of favorite restaurants.
“Which places were my favorite, which places I should take friends to if they ever visit Indiana,” Doan said. “Businesses started to pay attention to my account and started messaging me, (asking me to) come out and try (the) menu.”
One of their first projects was a YouTube video featuring local Filipino food vendors.
“I really want to share immigrant stories and the history of the food we have here in Indy, because a lot of people think Indiana doesn’t really have any diversity, but we do,” they said. “There’s so much rich culture and different food you can eat here. It’s so cool.”
Preferring the terms online content creator or YouTuber rather than influencer, Doan’s distinctive and community-based content focuses predominantly on food from local restaurants, café’s, food stands and farmers markets, featuring about three to five new businesses a week. Their honest perspective has led to some businesses making improvements to their products.
“I think that’s the reason that my audience is very loyal, is because they know when I say I like something, I like it with my heart and I mean it,” Doan said, adding that people comment that the videos feel “more like I’m going to lunch with a friend and not like someone’s trying to sell me a product.”
Businesses that align with Doan’s morals and values take priority. They often look into the background of a company before agreeing to feature them.
“I will publicly reject partnerships if a company has done something unethical,” Doan said. “I’ve rejected partnerships from companies before, just because they don’t support marginalized communities — maybe they’ve made donations I don’t agree with. And I love supporting the mom-and-pop shop, even if it doesn’t make me as much money, because that’s real. No amount of money can make up for going to the farmers market and being able to hug the people that you work with — that’s real to me.”
Doan focuses on businesses from underrepresented ethnic populations, different cultures, backgrounds, social classes and ages.
“A lot of people imagine activism to be running out in the streets with a sign and shouting,” they said. “And while that is a facet of activism, I think the more passive activism that I can take part in every single day is to be online (and) be kind to others.”
Doan’s goal is to create food documentaries and run an independent YouTube channel that goes beyond food, taking a more personal approach to topics and individuals they love that may be less mainstream.
“It’d be cool to show drag on my channel, or an artist’s process,” they said. “I want to host a lot of different guests.”
Doan’s social media links can be found at https://linktr.ee/hanghoamai.
