THE MIXED ASIAN MEDIA TEAM
Alex Chester-Iwata
Founder / CEO
Alex (she/her) has been acting since she was 5 years old. Growing up as one of the only mixed Asian kids in the entertainment industry, she never saw anyone that looked like her on stage and screen. The lack of representation for the mixed API community led her to create Mixed Asian Media.
With a passion and desire for community building, she has been featured by Shout Out LA, East Side Stories, The Mixed Space, AAPI Democracy Project, Theatre Art Life, No Cilantro Please, and Worst Asian Pod. She was honored as one of the top 50 Unsung Heroes at Asian Hustle Network’s Uplifted Conference in 2022 and is also a board member of Strong Asian Lead. Follow her @alexfchester.
Sam Tanabe
Co-Founder / Editor-in-Chief
Sam (he/him) is a NYC-based actor and writer. Struggling to find his identity as a mixed race actor led this kawaii yonsei hāfu Bb to co-found Mixed Asian Media. Sam has performed on Broadway (as part of the original company of Allegiance, the musical inspired by George Takei’s experience in the Japanese internment camps), Off-Broadway, in theatres across the country, and on TV. He was honored as one of the Top 50 Unsung Heroes at Asian Hustle Network's Uplifted Conference and has spoken on panels/events as a mixed Asian artist for NYU, The Mixed Space, AAPI Democracy Project, and more.
You can find Sam around Manhattan with a bubble tea in hand, and online at @tanablems.
Lauren Nakao Winn
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Lauren Winn is a pop culture whackjob who works in fashion. She is a sucker for genre-meshed aesthetics, a textbook workaholic, a bonafide digital media queen, and the sum of many rotating hyperfixations. If you want to get on her good side, greet her with a LaCroix or follow her on insta @laurennakaowinn.
Melissa Akiko Slaughter
Co-Founder / Contributing Editor
Melissa Akiko Slaughter has lived in all four time zones in the continental United States. She is a podcast producer based in Brooklyn, New York. You can hear her work at Pineapple Street Studios (Magnificent Jerk, Project Unabom), Netflix (Behind the Scenes: Stranger Things, Shadow and Bone), HBO (Hacks; Last Call; Chernobyl), and Amazon Studios (Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power).
Lauren Hardie
Managing Editor
Lauren is a Jamaican-raised American who doesn’t consider herself “exotic” because she’s not a fruit or a plant. She’s “really from” South Florida (yep, like, born there). Her “English is pretty good” for a person with an MA in journalism and a few years of copyediting experience at major news outlets. Aside from referencing silly things people have said about her otherness, Lauren enjoys talking about her unborn cryo-kids and playing with other people’s dogs.
Alison Lea Bender
WRITER
Alison Lea Bender is a multi-hyphenate who defies conventional categorization and refuses to be pigeonholed. She is an avid champion for diversity, representation, inclusion in the arts, and the AAPI & POC communities. Some have called her the voice of a generation, some have called her a dangerous threat to society, but most of us just call her "my friend." The self-proclaimed "Hello Kitty meets Marilyn Monroe," Mizz Bender has performed on many a NYC stage as a muse to her many theatre friends and family. She can be followed on Instagram @alisonleehwa.
Matt Blank
Content Editor / Writer
Matt Blank, an insufferable dilettante known across the globe for his trademark sophistication and unpredictable bladder, has seen some things in his life. And by "things," he basically means musicals. Lots and lots of musicals. In the midst of his 30+ years of watching musicals, he stumbled into an Editor role at Playbill.com, a role as frustrating as it was pointless. Still, this sassy man of the people stayed with the company for a decade, mostly for the parties and nice-looking ladies, but did manage to publish over 7,000 articles and cover five Tony Award ceremonies as his precious youth slipped through his fingers. Now, staring down the barrel of age 40, Matt is somehow still considered an arts journalist, educator, designer and lecturer. His work in theatre has taken him to South Korea, Manila, India and loads of other places that don't sound nearly as interesting because they actually aren't. His Twitter never gets used, his Instagram is private, and you don't want to see what he posts on Reddit and 4chan. So please, for the love of God, just don't follow him on social media.
Matt has a kitty named Mogget, who you can follow on Instagram @moggetthekitty. Mogget is a bad cat, and Matt loves him so much. Matt is also married to Alex Chester, who founded this platform, or something like that, and these days he works on an airplane.
Stephanie Mieko Cohen
WRITER
Stephanie Mieko Cohen is a Los Angeles native who made her way to New York City. She is Yonsei, and a proud member of the NYC MAM Fam! Performing since the age of 5, Stephanie has appeared on Broadway, national tours, regional theatre, television, film, and in the voiceover world. She is a certified Vinyasa yoga instructor and dvocate for mental health awareness, equality, and spreading kindness. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys crafting, writing, eating as much Mexican food as she can, reality television, and playing with kitty cats. Follow her on Instagram @stecohen and online at www.stephaniemiekocohen.com.
Erica Ito
Writer
Born and raised on the east side of O’ahu, Erica learned about improv comedy in 7th grade, and has been a public menace ever since. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and can be found yelling about coming of age love stories, pop culture, and mythology with her genius co-host/best friend on their podcast Seaweed Brain.
Check it out @SeaweedBrainPodcast. www.ericaito.com
Jalen Jones
Copy Editor / Writer
Jalen Jones is a Black and Filipino writer, poet, director, and all-around creative from Los Angeles. He has directed an Emmy Award-winning public service announcement, produced the NAACP Image Award-nominated short film The Power of Hope, and is currently pursuing his MFA in Fiction at Louisiana State University.
Through his writing, Jalen seeks to spotlight marginalized voices and explore the intricacies of navigating the world as an intersectional person of color. Find him on Instagram @jalen_g_jones and online at jalen-jones.com.
Meeja Kinsey
Writer
Meeja Kinsey is a culture and media enthusiast who works in soccer. She is a fanatic of contrasting images and concepts, coming from a background blended with Korean roots and Deaf parents. As a result of moving frequently, she relies heavily on her social media network to build a sense of community. You can always initiate a convo with a good dad joke or follow her on Instagram at @nicetomeeja.
Rebecca Lerman
WRITER
Rebecca Lee Lerman is a New York City based writer and performer. Her plays and screenplays were featured at Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, The Midtown International Theatre Festival, Universe Multicultural Film Festival and We So Hapa, which celebrates people of mixed race. Most recently, PheLerm Productions, for which she is writer, participated in the 72 Hour Shootout competition, and their short film was selected as the top 40 out of 400 to be screened at the Asian American Film Festival.
Brittany Anikka Liu
Photographer / Writer
Brittany is a half Chinese, half white, queer actor and photographer based in Brooklyn, NY. She’s been performing her whole life and has acted Off Broadway, in television, film, and at Tony Award-winning regional theaters across the country. She discovered her love of photography when she got a Barbie polaroid camera and started crafting photoshoots with her American Girl doll. Brittany especially loves shooting collaborative portraits all over the dirty streets of New York, but she also shoots actor headshots and behind the scenes photos on sets.
If she’s not performing or holding her Canon, Brittany is most likely dancing to ABBA on her roof (or really anywhere), shooting hoops, camping by a lake, joining a drum circle, hiking a mountain, at the movie theater, or finding the best doughnuts in town. As someone who felt disconnected from her biracial identity, Brittany is thrilled to be a part of the MAM fam. There is healing in community!
Acting: brittanyanikkaliu.com, Photography: b-liustudio.com, Socials: @brittany_anikka_liu
Naturally MonaLisa
Writer
Naturally MonaLisa wears many hats and has many passions. She is an ATD Master Trainer and a SHRM-CP certified HR professional. She has a small YouTube Channel where she shares her personal experience with eczema and asthma, and she promotes nontoxic and vegan products that are safe for everyone to use. And of course, she writes for Mixed Asian Media! You can follow her YouTube Channel called “NaturallyMonaLisa” and follow her on Instagram @NaturallyMonaLisa.
William Noguchi
Fashion Consultant
William is a proud Leo living in Brooklyn, NY. He has a flair for the dramatics and a love of all things miniature.
William comes from a theatrical design background, but got his start in fashion working for the legendary stylist Patricia Field. Since then, William has collaborated on a myriad of projects for various brands, publications and productions both local and international.
When not on set, William is most likely exploring a museum, getting lost in a cemetery, or taking a deep dive into some niche of fashion period history. Check out more at williamnoguchi.com or follow him on Instagram @thesassyzebra.
Michaela Ternasky-Holland
MAM Fest producer
In one dimension, Michaela Ternasky-Holland is a multi-racial Emmy, Webby, and Sheffield Doc/Fest award-winning creative, who combines immersive and interactive mediums with non-fiction content. Her work has been featured by TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, Cannes Film Festival, New York Public Library, and Tribeca Film Festival. You can learn more about her latest projects @michaelaternaskyholland.
In a parallel dimension, Michaela is also an athletic movement artist, who performs and trains as a professional dancer, aerial artist, and long-distance running coach. You can catch her @michaela.moves.
When she isn’t traveling between dimensions, you will find her obsessing over Star Wars, Avatar the Last AirBender, and Hippopotamuses.
Bri Ng Schwartz
Writer
Bri (she/her/hers) is an artist and administrator based in Brooklyn, NY. She is committed to the dismantling of gatekeeping in arts & culture and uses her experience in community engagement and education to develop meaningful partnerships. Her current roles include Education & Community Outreach Manager at Primary Stages and is a teaching artist at Girl Be Heard. Having received a double major in Dramaturgy/Dramatic Criticism and Women's & Gender Studies from DePaul University, her early credits come from her time in Chicago, notably at Free Street Theater in various titles. Since relocating to New York, she has served in various administrative capacities. She has also written for publications such as HowlRound and American Theater Magazine. www.bringschwartz.com
Madeline Carpou
Senior Editor
Madeline (she/her) is a writer, editor, and musician with roots up and down the West Coast. She studied Asian history in college in an attempt to better understand her Chinese heritage, but ultimately became fascinated with the history and execution of race as a concept. Now, she hopes to provide a greater sense of confidence and selfhood to other mixed people through her work, because she sincerely believes we can all get to a place where we no longer let others define who we are, as individuals and as artists. You can find her writings on various corners of the internet, including some selected pieces at madelinecwrites.com.
Lauren Lola
Writer
Lauren Lola is an author, freelance writer, playwright, and screenwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the author of the novels, An Absolute Mind and A Moment’s Worth, as well as the graphic novel, Dasig. She has written plays that have been produced both virtually and in-person for theatre groups on the West Coast of the United States, and has penned the short films, “Breath of Writing” and “Interview with an Aswang.” Aside from Mixed Asian Media, Lauren has also had writing featured on The Nerds of Color, CAAMedia, PBS, YOMYOMF, and other outlets and publications.
You can find Lauren on Instagram @akolaurenlola and on her website, www.lolabythebay.wordpress.com.
Kylen Chen-Troester
Content Creator
Kylen is an L.A.-based actor and content creator. Her advertising agency background made the swivel to content creation a natural one, and she has worked with multiple brands across the food, fashion, tech, lifestyle, and beauty industries. She’s also the oldest of three and a Capricorn, so if you ask her if she’s doing OK, the answer is, “maybe.” She is unfortunately Very Online, but if you’d like to join her, you can find her on IG @nihaokylen or TikTok @kylenct.
Hayley Palmer
Writer / Social Media Contributor
Hayley is a student living on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She spends her free time sitting around with friends, re-reading the same books, and playing ice hockey. Hayley makes all sorts of art, from digital illustration to photography to collages. You can find her work on Instagram @twohalftruths.
Jaime Schwarz
Writer
Jaime Schwarz, the daughter of a Jewish father and a Korean mother, is an actor, singer, and writer based in both NYC and LA. She has worked Off-Broadway and in television, appearing in shows like Difficult People, Younger, Jane the Virgin, and Sorry for Your Loss with Elizabeth Olsen. In addition to acting, Jaime is writing several projects, one of which is a story about being the child of a mixed race family, and has written, starred in, and produced a short film called “On a Scale.” Along with storytelling and the arts, she’s passionate about social justice, with a personal interest in women’s and immigration rights, mixed race advocacy, and men having a skincare regimen. Instagram: @jaime.jpeg_ Twitter:@jaime_schwarz