Episode 4
Beyond the Box: Redefining Success as an Asian American
with Kyle Denman, Nonprofit Executive, Forbes 30 Under 30 Educator, Award-Winning Fashion Designer
What becomes possible if you stopped shrinking and allowed every part of yourself to take up space?
Kyle Denman – nonprofit executive, award-winning fashion designer, and lifelong advocate for equity through creativity – shares about the challenges of being “othered,” the stereotypes Asian Americans often face, and how Kyle’s experiences in politics, education, and art have shaped his leadership style. Most importantly, Kyle reveals what it means to lead with love in a world that often rewards the opposite.
If you’ve ever felt confined by other people’s expectations or questioned whether your voice matters, Kyle’s story will inspire you to create your own possibilities—and to help others do the same.
LISTEN OR WATCH NOW:
Even the smallest amount of space is still space that you are taking up – and you deserve it.
Kyle Denman
What you learn in this episode:
You don’t have to choose one identity to belong. Kyle’s journey shows how embracing multiple parts of the self expands impact rather than limits it.
Being “othered” can become a source of clarity and power. Early experiences of difference shaped Kyle’s voice, leadership, and creative vision.
The arts are a vehicle for healing and social change. Creativity can build community, restore dignity, and open access to possibility—especially for young people.
Leading with love is a radical act. Compassion, softness, and care can be powerful leadership strengths in a hard world.
Community makes expansion possible. Growth happens when we find people and spaces that allow us to be fully seen and supported.
Share with a friend
About the Guest
Kyle Denman is a Los Angeles–based fashion designer, artist, and social impact leader whose work centers identity, storytelling, and the human experience. Trained in political science with a focus on nonprofit policy, Kyle brings a systems-level lens to creative practice grounded in justice, vulnerability, and cultural critique. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2016 to pursue fashion design, Kyle has built an international client list that includes Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Miss Teen Vietnam, and ballerina Georgina Pazcoguin (“The Rogue Ballerina”). Kyle has been recognized as the 2021 International Fashion Designer of the Year, named to the inaugural Forbes 30 Under 30 Los Angeles list, and recently debuted at Milan Fashion Week.
Kyle’s Milan Fashion Week collection, Judas Ate, Too, debuted on September 26, 2025 at the historic Palazzo Serbelloni. The collection reimagines the biblical story of betrayal as a queer tragedy – an exploration of love that resists, aches, and collapses under the weight of a world unable to contain it.
Beyond the runway, Kyle has spent years teaching art and design to youth from underserved and systems-impacted communities, using creative expression as a tool for healing and empowerment. Kyle currently serves as Executive Director of Arts Bridging the Gap, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit dedicated to uplifting young people through the arts.
Find Kyle:
Courage Class Notes
A weekly note for the brave
Action-oriented insights on healing, voice, and building a life rooted in self-trust and cultural truth.
Delivered to your inbox once a week.