Stockton artist wins Anh Phoong billboard contest

CBS News

08-05-2025

STOCKTON -- Asia Lamela has been creating art since childhood.
Growing up in the Bay Area and moving to Stockton a few years back, she knows that iconic saying many locals know: "Something Wrong? Call Anh Phoong."
"How could you not know Anh Phoong?" Lamela asked. "Her face is everywhere. Her name. We all know who Anh Phoong is."
When friends started sending Phoong's billboard art contest to Lamela on social media, she went for it.
"I thought about it for like, maybe a month or so, just thinking about what could work and then maybe a week before, I started executing and using my Photoshop and painting a little bit too," Lamela said.
She submitted her work, and not too long after, she got the call from Phoong herself, saying she won.
Lamela says she was inspired by the iconic Rosie the Riveter posters she learned about in school.
"I just think it's a very strong symbol of womanhood, and it's also turning into a symbol of Asian-ness through the Anh Phoong likeness," Lamela explained.
She says this is one of her best accomplishments so far in her career as an artist.
But for her, the meaning behind it is much bigger than any billboard.
"Growing up, there wasn't too many people that kind of looked like me, you know, Asian Americans," Lamela said. "We're not really seeing too much in the media, and I think it's important for Asian Americans to use their voice creatively, so that we can have some representation and kind of claim some land, you know? So this was really important to me, and it was awesome that I could work with someone like Anh Phoong."
On top of the recognition, she also took home a $5,000 prize.