Poetry Electric – Special Chinese New Year Event – Jan 27

FEATURING

POET: SUSAN YUNG

Even though hyphenations are officially outdated in describing Asian Americans, I feel the conundrums as in my usual bio:

Anti-bullying, domestic–violence, misogynist–hater,  anti–racist, democractic–anarchist, ghetto–girl, Chinatown–Harlem, East Village–West Village, homesteading–gentrifier, yuppie–squatter, homeless–sheltered, American–Asian, World–Traveler, Adventuress–Common–Law–Wife, Photographer–Videographer, Martial–Fine–Artist, Musician–Drummer, Artist–Scientist, Geologist–Librarian, Mathematician–Designer, Collector–Exhibitionist, Buyer–Seller, Cook–Politician,  Migrant–Worker, Pacifist–Activist, Life–Death, Resurrection–Life

SINGER/SONGWRITER: SABRINA “NANI” LIN

Originally from the Bay Area, Nani Lin (she/her) is a queer Chinese-American musician, actress, and screenwriter based in NYC. Recently graduated with a BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU Tisch, Nani’s work commonly explores themes of identity, family, and love. As an actress she plays both on stage and screen and wants you to cast her! As a musician she recently released an EP, “Speaking Things”, available on all streaming services. She’s honored to be part of this show and hopes you enjoy! Insta: @Naniliin

ACTOR/PERFORMER: SHENG WEN

Sheng Wen is an actress who graduated from NYU in 2016 and later earned her Master’s in Acting from the Beijing Film Academy, widely regarded as China’s top film and acting school, in 2024. Over the past three years, she has focused on developing her craft while working as both an actor and model in China. Despite facing challenges as a U.S. citizen abroad, Sheng used this time to deepen her skills and grow as a performer. She recently returned to her hometown of New York, eager to embrace new opportunities and continue learning. Sheng is fluent in both English and Mandarin and has valuable experience in the film industries of the U.S., Mainland China, and Taiwan.

PERFORMER: ABEY LIN

Abey Lin is a Chinese American director, actor, and musician from San Francisco, CA. As a multi-disciplinary artist, his work has been featured by Bloomberg, Adobe, the FOX network, and more. After graduating from the Beijing Film Academy, Abey worked on NYC-based projects with companies like Apple TV+, while also directing his own international short films and developing his first feature. Most recently, he released his debut album, Savior, which he composed, wrote, and produced solo. 

ARTIST: DAVID MA

David Ma is an Asian-American-born interdisciplinary artist, raised in New York and Virginia. He received a BFA from New York University in 2022. 
Ma navigates the mediums of Sculpture and Painting, as he searches under the clutter of mainstream American culture to look for the vibrant, often complicated portrayals of Asian representation in American culture, swept by misconceptions and surface-level privileges. He uses traditional East Asian decorative motifs in tension with Western self-concepts of individualism to collage various paradigms of who he is and how he relates to society. 
Ma has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his artistic achievements. Notably, he received the Martin Wong Scholarship from the Martin Wong Foundation and the Richard Hirsch Memorial for Students in the Arts from New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.