Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Cheng.
Hi Jen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a writer working on books, TV, and film for young audiences and adults. I am a multidisciplinary storyteller who amplifies under-represented voices. Themes in my stories root for the underdog, shine on intercultural relationships, and cheer on big dreams.
Growing up, I didn’t see examples of strong Asian women in media except in kung fu movies from Hong Kong and it wasn’t until college that I learned about women of color writers. Finally, my outsider experience as an Asian American woman was mirrored back to me in writings from the feminist anthology, This Bridge Called My Back and in writings by critical race theorists like Mari Matsuda. My college experience at UC Berkeley validated for me how the world didn’t make sense until I had the concept of intersectionality expressed by women of color writers. My multilingual childhood experience as a cultural translator with frequent acts of borderland crossing was often unseen in mainstream media but reflected in feminist writing. This is why storytelling is so important to me – so that people won’t be lost in translation like I was – so anyone can find their way, a way to belong and find community.
As a writer, I’ve traveled in different circles such as working on teams of academics to publish economics and policy reports, designing community surveys for nonprofits, writing typewriter poetry for LGBTQ pride events, and ghostwriting an inspirational memoir-business book. Writing has led me to coaching for authors or experts who need to organize their thoughts into a book or presentation. Many people have great ideas that need help getting distilled into a container so it can be shared with the world. My analytical brain enjoys funneling ideas into a package.
I’m a writer who loves improvisation and I’ve studied at the Groundlings and currently a company member of Cold Tofu Improv. I discover my creative projects and characters by using the improv magic of saying “Yes, and.” You know how people say their dog adopted them? Stories find me and adopt me so I can shepherd us onto an adventure. The current stories I’m developing include a wide range of characters in very different fictional worlds featuring ambitious young tweens to a struggling detective in a mid-life crisis.
I have long admired the comedy sister duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and wanted to find that writing partner. During the social isolation of 2020, I met great colleagues through the Women of Color Unite network and found my wonderful writing partner, Leonora Anzaldua. We created a fun world that expands multicultural media representation. Our series, Fly Away, follows an intercultural friend group of tween girls—talented gymnasts and budding artists—who help each other navigate the challenges of adolescence. Set in 1990s San Diego, an exciting world of gymnastics, breakdancing stunts, and beachside hangouts, Fly Away is sincere, funny, and uplifting (especially for girls). It also tackles serious issues—from anti-immigrant xenophobia to anxiety, self-doubt, and body image issues—in a way that’s age appropriate for younger viewers. We’ll be sharing updates on social media if you want to find out more as we build our team of talent and other exciting developments.
As for how a detective story found me? I’ve been an avid fan of Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew books. As the eldest child of five kids who needed to stay out of trouble with our overworked immigrant parents, I sharpened my skills as a keen observer and detective to find the truth behind the hijinks of my younger siblings, with cases of kidnapped stuffed animals and stolen treasures.
The characters and stories in my writing are strongly influenced by my childhood musical training of piano and violin, my love for dance, and multilingual adventures of cultural travel.
So much of producing creative work is belief. Believing in a vision, believing that my stories can make a difference, and deciding it’s possible to be a magician to bring these stories to life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While I was encouraged at school for my writing and publishing in the school literary journal and newspapers, I was deterred from a writer’s career by the cultural messaging about the “starving artist.” After finding creative friends and examples of how other writers organize their careers, I’m a late-bloomer to professionally claim my identity as a writer. I have had other careers as an economics researcher, non-profit consultant, and rehab fitness trainer. The time spent in my other careers gives me insight into people’s lives to enrich my fictional characters and also to better serve commissioned projects when I write for other people, finding their voice more authentically.
For example, in the mind-body wellness education that complimented my work as a rehab fitness trainer, I learned spiritual perspectives to help with healing from injuries and that also taught me to be open to unexpected opportunities. With a creative career, I can try to plan for timelines but there are gifts that come along the way that I couldn’t predict, so I’ve learned to make space for surprises. Creativity is a muse that is sometimes a fickle elusive fairy.
As someone who grew up as an awkward, shy outsider, I didn’t have an easy-going social life. Taking improv has helped so much in connecting to classmates who might have very different lives. I say that improv training is yoga for the brain! It’s a playground for adult pretend games where we get to stretch our imaginations. With both spiritual education and improv training, I feel like it’s not one obvious road we travel on. Sometimes we take some field trips to explore something for a while and come back to a main road. Or sometimes that field trip might become the main road.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a writer, it’s important to find your people who support your values and your kind of work. I’m excited that my co-creator of Fly Away is a gymnast who appreciates my contributions of the music storylines, laughs at my Asian jokes, and finds the expressions of the immigrant characters charming. Not only do we both share the values of social justice, we believe our characters will expand media representation of what it means to get along. As Californians with urban public school backgrounds, we grew up with intercultural childhood friendships which we realize is not the norm for many Americans.
In today’s political climate, we have a chance to have difficult conversations to grow toward heartfelt inclusion and question stereotypes. My detective story includes themes of mental health trauma and displacement, played by a strong Asian American female lead. Another project talks about cross-cultural confusion and search for identity in the wild world of queer San Francisco.
As a culture creator, I allow for each story to find its best vehicle for expression and that’s why I’m a multidisciplinary storyteller. My writing also comes in other forms like poetry, which can be more personal and vulnerable. My poetry written with Pride Poets is an LGBTQ community effort funded by the City of West Hollywood. Being part of a team of LGBTQ poets has been key to building and supporting the community, as I was able to recruit my fellow Pride Poets to share their perspectives in an LGBTQ presentation I organized for a local high school. I didn’t have many queer role models growing up, and it’s important that we find ways to connect across different generations. I have also performed poetry with community events like Queer Slam and stand-up comedy with the Queer Comedy Festival at The Ruby LA.
Community connection has been a key part of my personal mission and informs my writing, as I currently volunteer with Youth Business Alliance’s Speakers Bureau and pick fruit for community food pantries with Food Forward. Being part of different communities is not only a way to give back but it fills the heart.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Be curious. Like other introverts, I used to be resistant about networking. However, when I tap into my curious journalist brain to learn about people’s lives, it can be so rewarding to meet a new friend! I develop friendships more easily on a 1-to-1 basis. At a social event that can be overwhelming to most introverts, I focus on my intention to see how I might connect with someone to develop a new friendship.
Because I love farmer’s markets, I go regularly, and I’ve gotten to know some farmers and made connections with other shoppers. This is the easiest kind of networking – connecting regular errands to develop friendships. I get my weekly Asian produce with a Hmong farmer in Santa Monica and know that in a small way, I’m connected to an Asian immigrant family by buying directly from them. It supports my values of “shop local, think global.” Meeting farmers with different lifestyles than my city life not only gives me great joy but also new characters in my writing.
What’s exciting is that online forums or groups have allowed me to meet great people and friends I would not have bumped into in live events. For years, I’ve taken improv and sketch writing classes hoping to find a writing partner, but it was thanks to the sisterhood of the Women of Color Unite network that I met my co-creator of Fly Away. I was also selected to be part of a peer mentoring with Women in Film and still stay in touch with those colleagues. Other online conferences and networks have allowed me to meet and be inspired by colleagues from all over the world.
As an example of how my efforts to live with the improv, “Yes, and…” principle: Because I saw a post on the online artist community opportunities curated by West Hollywood’s Arts Coordinator, I now have a mural of “playtiles” on display in Santa Monica’s Artist Alley by the Third Street Promenade. This visual artwork is inspired by my work in poetry. “Play” is a popular four-letter word from the poems I wrote for people’s stories and with my East-West perspective, the color palettes are inspired by Eastern 5-elements with a wink to Andy Warhol. Creating that public mural led me to a private commission where another version of “playtiles” is in a private gym in Culver City.
In daily life, my extroverted dog, Potato, is my social manager because he likes to stop and say hi to lots of people. Because he’s a social butterfly, we have an easy icebreaker and I end up meeting a wide variety of people or having surprising insights to topics I wouldn’t have thought to discuss. As a writer, I collect random facts and stories from people. I never know when something I heard becomes helpful to a story. For example, I have a neighbor who is an art expert consulting for big museums. Because of our nighttime dog walk connection, we’ve developed a friendship such that I can ask my neighbor anything about art, so I have a private think tank. The random facts I find feed my detective series because I need to create different mysteries and cases to solve. You never know when someone has some fun facts that make for a great story!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jencvoice.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen.and.potato/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jencvoice
- Youtube: bit.ly/youtubejencheng
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jencvoice
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/jencvoice
Image Credits
Kayte Deioma is the photographer for most of the photos. Photos in the Chinese dress and Thinker are by Mike Palma. Farmers Market photo is by Julia Jruyasetapong and Isabella Navarro.
