Help Rad Joy level up!
OUR MISSION + STORY
My name is Vivi Nguyễn and I'm the full-time owner/operator of Radical Joy Bakery , aka Rad Joy. I'm on a mission to grow Rad Joy's potential in bringing delicious, creative, quality foods rooted in community, transparency, and equity to New Orleans.
It's my birthday/AAPI Heritage Month and I created this campaign because I need help with resources for this mission and spreading the word. That would be the greatest gift!
Every day, when I operate as Rad Joy, I pledge to be my 100% authentic self and let my creativity, passions, and vision for the future flourish. People often ask me about my journey, and why I share so many personal things on Rad Joy's small (but mighty!) platforms.
It's simple, really!
1) Really good food is and always has been a cornerstone of my life. My culinary style is rooted in my experiences as a Vietnamese-Californian, and I want to share that fun, nourishing, flavorful perspective with others. It is deeply personal.
2) I use my voice to fight for a better world because I know what it feels like to not be seen, heard, and fed. I know that we can collectively give marginalized peoples the respect they deserve. It can start with us believing in and sharing stories of our own struggles, lessons, and power.
3) Cultivating a beautiful, just, and honest community is necessary for me to thrive as a human being. I am proud of who I am, even when I'm learning or make a mistake. Why would I adopt any other philosophy when operating as a food business?
I know that as a queer, disabled, formerly houseless person of color, me stepping into my own power and manifesting Rad Joy can help carve out space for a bright future that others can look towards as well.
In this campaign, I want to share more of what we do, and what the future could look like for Rad Joy and our surrounding community here in New Orleans. I hope to earn your respect, trust, and support in the vision.
OUR FOOD
Rad Joy's offerings have three main focuses:
1) Unique, creative cakes for all occasions that feature our signature intuitive, abstract designs decorated with homegrown and locally sourced florals and herbs.
2) Experimental, Asian-inspired pastries like our mochi brownies, vegan and gluten-free cheesecakes, and our ever-popular cà phê sữa đá carrot cake.
3) Savory Vietnamese food pop-ups with traditional and innovative vegan/gluten-free-forward dishes, coffees and other drinks, and sweet bites to round out your meal experience.
Rad Joy's offerings occupy a niche that is exciting and celebratory, accommodates dietary restrictions, and centers the plethora of API/Californian/diasporic flavors I grew up with.
WHAT WE’RE ASKING FOR
Part-time staff wages: Rad Joy is at a point where having 1-2 part-time staff members would greatly expand the availability and quantity of its offerings. A portion of these start-up funds will be allocated towards a part-time staff member who will start at $12/hr, and will gradually increase to $15 once our sales increase by 100%. I've given Rad Joy a 4-month timeline to achieve this.
Accounting and professional development: Money is hard to talk about, but it is important to sustaining any enterprise under our current system of capitalism. With your support, I will hire an accounting professional to help me with my books, and also take a business course or two to gain the knowledge I need to run this properly. Sustainability, baby!
Equipment and supplies: Part of the funds from this project will help us purchase baking equipment and appliances (for ex. a refrigerator/freezer and a rolling rack) and supplies (we’d love to have practical merch available) which will allow us to better sustain and maximize our current cottage bakery operations.
Commissary/residency rental funds: Organizations have been approaching Rad Joy with catering opportunities, residency offers, pop-up invitations, and other partnerships. To be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed by the thought of doing all this out of my tiny home kitchen. The glow-up is real and if Rad Joy is going to respond to the abundance of the universe (and the tangible demand!), parts of the operation need move out of my home kitchen and into a space that will allow us to grow. 
PARTNERSHIPS + SOURCING
This list is non-exhaustive and ranges from folks and organizations we’ve popped up with or mutually supported to those that we patronize for ingredients and materials. While it isn’t possible for us to shop, support, or source locally for everything, we do our best. We are also proud to declare that these efforts are majority BIPOC-owned or operated.
Circulating money and resources throughout the local New Orleans economy with an emphasis on BIPOC businesses is not just a plus — it’s a must.
Community and small business: VAYLA (Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association) New Orleans, OFF.gp, NOLA Objects, New Orleans Community Fridges
Food, beverage, agriculture: Crescent City Farmer’s Market, Hong Kong City Market, Kien Giang, Golden City Supermarket, VEGGI Farm Cooperative, Bite Size, Jonny and Jolie’s Macarons, Orleans Coffee, Flora Narra, Baby T-Rex Farms, Jojo’s Garden, House of Brown Sugar, Kimi Bakes, Edith and Edgar’s Cafe at Longue Vue Gardens
Venues: Okay Bar, the flagpole, Disco Warehouse, Undergrowth Coffee
PROOF OF CONCEPT
Rad Joy started as a cookie shipping business and pop-up shop. When COVID rates surged and our volume became too high, we evolved into a preorder porch bakery and custom cake shop. In 2021 alone, we’ve made over 100 custom cakes, 500 cookies, and so many more treats.
In its first six months of operation, Rad Joy has been profiled in Gambit, Dirty Coast, and has pending features in Diasporic Vietnamese Artists’ Network and Taste of the South Magazine.
Rad Joy also has 7 sold-out pop-ups under its belt, 3 of those in which we ran a full-service kitchen with a team primarily comprised of women of color (and 100% BIPOC, we love to see it!). If you were there, you saw that the demand was real, and you know we can show up and throw down.
THANK YOU
Although I, Vivi, am the “face” of Rad Joy, our growth would not be possible without the labor, love, encouragement, and foresight of my beautiful, talented community of friends/family here in New Orleans and across the country.
You believed in me, and you have no idea how much that means. I owe everything to you all for where Rad Joy is today and I’ll continue to listen and learn from you. Please contact me at [email redacted] with any of your feedback or suggestions.
I hope you’ll consider donating some funds towards this radical, joyful, well thought out vision to help Rad Joy grow. Thank you so much for reading and considering! #SmallBusinessRelief 
Photography/creative: Kim Ha of Off GP
Hair color/styling and production assistance: Ai Vi Dang
Makeup: Tamara Camille Soublet
Location: Gezellig Home
