Remembering Carl Han, a Houston Community Builder and Activist

Carl Han, a beloved member of Houston’s LGBTQ community, passed away on January 26, 2026, at age 60. His legacy is one of compassion, activism, and love for both his family and his community.

Last year, Han traveled to New Orleans with his partners, Gary Giddings and Ian Campbell, and his nephew for the No Kings March protest. While there, all four contracted an RNA virus; Han’s illness escalated to carditis and a stroke. Despite being on the heart transplant list, he suffered a fatal brain bleed during surgery, passing away on the operating table.

In 2017, Han and Giddings became organ donors, motivated by the low donation rates within the Asian community. At Han’s passing, over 90 Asians were awaiting transplants. Although Han himself was next in line for a heart, he left this life being a donor instead. The hospital honored him with an “honor walk,” acknowledging his final, generous act.

Born in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1965, Han’s early life was shaped by war. His father was a South Vietnamese army pilot, his sister was born on a military base, and his aunt worked as a U.S. Army interpreter. Following the fall of Saigon in 1975, Han fled to Guam, then the U.S., finally resettling in Houston. The rest of his family joined him in America, although tragedy struck when his father, a convenience store owner, was killed during a robbery.

Han identified as a gay man, coming out at a time when it was unsafe to do so. Giddings remembers Han as exceptionally generous, which inspired them to engage deeply with LGBTQ groups. Han was one of the first members of Asians & Friends, a group offering a supportive space for gay Asians and those interested in Asian culture. He helped grow the organization and served on its board.  He was an accomplished deejay under the stage name Diva Lotus Blossom.

Together, Han and Giddings organized the first Gay Day in Rhea County, Tennessee, after hearing the county’s passing of a troubling discriminatory law against LGBTQ residents. They also played a role in opposing Rev. Grant Storms, who attempted to shut down New Orleans’ annual Southern Decadence festival and accused Han of assaulting him with Silly String. Storms was later charged with criminal behavior unrelated to Han.

Locally, Han and his partners supported numerous charity events, providing sound and lighting for Hatch proms, Kindred Spirits dances, and Outreach United, with Han often serving as deejay. He contributed monthly to the Montrose Center and the ACLU, and supported the landmark Supreme Court case, Lawrence v. Texas, celebrating the ruling at the official victory party.

Han’s passions included food, travel, and music. He met Giddings in 1989 at Giddings’ Montrose record store, and their bond grew strong. Han’s family embraced Giddings, forming a close-knit unit. In 2000, the couple joined forces professionally. They enjoyed weekend trips to Lake Charles casinos and, eventually, international travel to destinations like Paris, Italy, Portugal, Monaco, Spain, and Vietnam.

They often filled their Lincoln Towncar with friends for road trips. On one occasion, the men took 30 people to Disney World for an all-expenses-paid stay. Han always had a guest list of friends who couldn’t afford to come to the fundraisers they hosted and gave them free entrance.

In the early 2000s, Han, Giddings, and Campbell moved in together, forming an open throuple relationship. Their companies flourished, allowing frequent trips to New Orleans and annual visits to Las Vegas for the Electric Daisy Carnival. Han, an avid fan of Mylene Farmer and electronic dance music, traveled to Nice, France, for a Farmer concert.

Giddings retired in 2015, while Han continued working until 2024. One of Han’s personal highlights was attending the Olympic gymnastics finals in Paris in 2024. Even as his health declined, Han planned ambitious trips for the last year of his life, including Germany’s Beerfest, a CC Catch concert in Belgium, New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans, though illness kept him from traveling.

Han was known for his catchphrase “ghetto fabulous”—looking fabulous on a budget.

Although an atheist, he practiced ancestor worship linked to Buddhism. Following a Buddhist ceremony and cremation—provisionally scheduled for January 29—his ashes will be interred alongside those of his family at a Buddhist temple in Houston.

Han is survived by his partners, Gary Giddings and Ian Campbell; sisters Lan and Mini Han; brother Caoky Han; extended relatives; and many friends. In lieu of flowers, donations in Han’s honor may be made to the Montrose Center. A memorial service is being planned for early February at the Montrose Center. A second service will be held in New Orleans. Details will be shared via Carl Han’s Facebook page.

For more info: https://www.facebook.com/carl.han.5891