She graduated and opened a gallery in Brooklyn with a friend.

The gallery shows new and underground artists.

It has had seven exhibitions and gotten attention from collectors and art publications.

Hoai sets up an exhibition in her Brooklyn studio.

She opened the gallery to keep the community she found in art school.

Hoai says the community in school helped her a lot, but after school, she felt lonely.

She and friends found a room in their apartment building to use for the gallery.

The room was perfect for a small gallery.

Hoai and her friend decided to turn the room into a gallery.

They did not wait for opportunities; they made their own.

Hoai says as artists, they know how hard it is to be in the New York art scene.

The gallery is more than just a place to show art.

Hoai wants the gallery to be a place where people can gather and feel safe.

Hoai still makes her own art, using different materials and techniques.

She likes to work with natural and handmade things.

Her art uses many materials like animal hide and clay.

The materials are important to her work.

Hoai likes the physical process of making art and wants to bring the human body into it.

Growing up in Vietnam influences her art, but it's not the only thing that does.

She learned to be strong and patient from her country.

Vietnam's history still affects her and her art.

Hoai does not want to be known just as a Vietnamese artist.

Her art is about many things, not just Vietnam.

Hoai had a mentor at art school who helped her with her final project.

She also worked on a big public mural in Brooklyn.

Before New York, Hoai had a jewelry business in Vietnam.

She made and sold jewelry, which helped her learn to run a business.

This experience helps her with the gallery now.

Hoai hopes the gallery will grow but stay true to its purpose.

She wants the gallery to still be a place for friends and art in five years.

Maybe the gallery will move to a bigger space and help more artists.