Intersections of Voice and Identity: Discovering Jen Cheng
Host Quincy interviews Jen Cheng, poet laureate of West Hollywood, about voice, identity, community, and showing up authentically. After rapid-fire questions, Jen reads her poem “10,000 Butterflies,” written in 2023 for a Grand Performances opportunity, tracing family survival, war, displacement, and queer safety across Hong Kong, China, and Buenos Aires. Jen discusses her pronouns (“she/ke”) and how Cantonese lacks binary gendered pronouns, then explains Cantonese vs. Mandarin and efforts to suppress Cantonese. She describes writing in English while incorporating Cantonese pronunciation, teaching workshops through the West Hollywood Library and WeHo Arts Pride, and moderating a March 29 event with the Mazer Lesbian Archives honoring Eloise Klein Healy. Jen shares coping tools (listening to Maya Angelou and James Baldwin), performance-anxiety techniques, a short rainbow meditation, and closes by reading “Still I Stand,” plus where to find her classes and links.
00:00 Meet Jen Cheng
01:10 Rapid Fire Warmup
01:59 Poem 10000 Butterflies
06:56 Pronouns and Language
08:23 Cantonese vs Mandarin
10:48 Writing and Roots
14:07 Identity Shapes Art
17:14 Creative Breakthroughs
20:30 Finding Your Voice
23:37 Poet Laureate Life
27:33 Teaching and Queer Joy
31:46 Stage Fright Tools
35:50 Stress and PTSD Tools
36:40 Grandma Confidence Story
39:15 Grief and Spirit Guide
39:53 Visibility on National Stage
43:55 Coming Out and Pride
47:27 Proudest Personal Growth
50:00 Guided Rainbow Meditation
54:30 Chakras and Creativity Blocks
57:59 Courage Creativity Belonging
59:11 Closing Poem and Where to Find
https://linktr.ee/CocoonAfterDark
