Founder of Chopsticks Alley Art and Chopsticks Alley multi-media publication.  She is a cultural organizer, producer, and host of Chopsticks Alley talk show, podcast, and author of VietnamEazy.  She is an Emerging Arts Professional San Francisco Fellow and has a Business Marketing degree from the University of Utah.

​

A visual artist primarily known for her intaglio prints and watercolors. As an arts educator, she has led workshops at the Vietnamese-American Community Center, served as Gallery Teacher at the San Jose Museum of Art, and taught in private art studios in the South Bay. She is the Exhibition Designer and Teaching Artist. She earned her BFA in Pictorial Arts with a Minor in Art History & Visual Culture from San Jose State University.   

​

Hang is a contemporary artist who is interested in sculpture, photography, and oil painting. To her, kindness is the most beautiful thing that she appreciates and sees in humans. Pursuing a BFA degree in Spatial art and a minor in Photography, she hopes to help the world become a better place through her art.

Chris Locsin is a spoken word poet and emcee out of San Jose.  He is a mix of Guamanian, Filipino, Chinese, French, English, and German.  He cut his teeth writing and rapping for his 9-piece hip hop band, Bambu.  He has competed at the National Poetry Slam four times, twice for the San Jose team and twice for St. Louis.   In St. Louis, he was a member of the Soul Vibe Poetry Collective, which toured Canada and performed at countless festivals and events.  Chris is a member of MALI (Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute.)  Upon winning the MALI grant, he produced the APIA spoken word event, Slam and Rice, at San Jose Stage.

León (they/she) is a queer, Guatemalan American artist based in San Jose. Their primary medium is painting with acrylics, which they have done since 2018. She is mainly inspired by her journey discovering her gender, sexuality, and emotional world. Their work has been exhibited in multiple galleries across the Bay Area, including Chopsticks Alley.

Elizabeth is a Colombian visual artist and costume designer based in San Jose. She specializes in watercolor and acrylic painting, has an MFA in Costume Design and Production from The University of Alabama, and a BA in Theatre from the University of West Florida.

Harleen is a current student at UCLA finishing up her B.A. in philosophy. Growing up in San Jose, she hopes to amplify the voices of the Asian community. 

Harleen hopes to do this by attending law school after finishing her B.A. to become a lawyer who will give back to her community. 

Jiamao, a passionate lover of art and animals, originates from China. She completed her BFA in Pictorial Art from San Jose State University. Her artwork is deeply personal, drawing inspiration from her life experiences and the people and things she values. Her ultimate artistic goal is to achieve a sense of self-fulfillment through her creations.

Martin is a photographer and analyst turned UX Designer.  His academic background is in the social sciences, specifically an MA in Sociology (feel free to bring up social theory or statistical modeling with multiple variables any time). The multidisciplinary skillset gained from Sociology gives him a solid toolkit that can apply to the Design Thinking process, essentially improving the user's experience from the digital to the real world.

Isak is a Psychology major at Foothill College and a Seattle native that moved to the bay area in 2021. His most recent artistic outlet has been poetry ever since becoming a part of the poetry club at his school. He enjoys partaking in casual games of badminton and going for hikes whenever he gets the chance.

Coby is a Graphic Design undergrad at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is passionate about illustration and would love to work as an artist in the animation or gaming industries.

Vinh G. Nguyen (he/him/his) is an arts administrator, educator, and theatre artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He brings over a decade of experience in arts management to Chopsticks Alley Art, having previously worked at Montalvo Arts Center, Bay Area Children’s Theatre, and Theatre in the Mountains. As a seasoned theatre director, Vinh holds an MFA in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University and a double degree in Hospitality Management and Musical Theatre from San Jose State University. 

Enrique is a San José native who's all about making things happen. With over 20 years of diverse experiences in his pocket, including operations management, fundraising, special event planning, and program coordination, he's proven versatile. But when he's not tackling professional challenges, Enrique is globetrotting, playing musical notes on his flute, clarinet, or bassoon in various ensembles, or adding his baritone voice to a choir. He's even a proud Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute (MALI) graduate, showcasing his commitment to personal growth. Enrique is dedicated to delivering excellent service to the community of San José and is eager to bring his unique blend of talents to Chopsticks Alley.

Caitlin is a San Jose State University graduate in Anthropology with a double minor in Art History and Humanities. Her multidisciplinary educational background enables her to achieve her end goal of creating exhibitions that center BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) art, culture, and histories in nuanced displays. She is also a Chopsticks Alley 2023 Dr. Jerry Hiura Asian Artists Fellow.

Sabrina is a Chinese American visual and performing artist based in Mountain View. Her work delves into identity, culture, and mindfulness. Her pieces incorporate digital and fine mediums such as watercolor and acrylics. Inspired by themes of wellness, the human condition, the natural world, expressionism, and movement, she continues her work in art, music, poetry, and dance. Sabrina is also a graphic and content creator. She has a BFA in Digital Media Arts from SJSU.

Ouater is a Vietnamese American artist and filmmaker. He graduated from San Francisco Art Institute with a MFA and MA. He is also a Founding Board Member of Bent Boat Art, a Vietnamese dias;poric non-profit providing art services to preserve the Vietnamese Culture.

Sydney Calinisan (she/they) is a Filipino artist from Vallejo, CA.  They have graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in Graphic Design. They specialize in Visual Development in Film and Game Design and are passionate about storytelling through incorporating Filipino traditions and experiences with fantasy. With these mediums, Sydney wants to encourage other fellow Filipinos to activate their voices and imagination to embody Asian-American solidarity and representation.

Lin is a Chinese American artist and landscape designer in San Jose. She graduated with a fine art degree from UCIrvine and holds a master's in Landscape Architecture from USC. Specializing in oil painting and design, her works draw inspiration from California's natural landscapes, incorporating abstract forms and expressive strokes into her art pieces. Beyond making art in her studio, she also designs and manages the construction and renovation of public parks for San Jose.

Linh is a freshman at De Anza College pursuing journalism. She is dedicated to amplifying minority voices and using her influence to create social change. Linh believes "Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success." Besides journalism, she has experience in graphic design and cinematography, and she is willing to learn more about political science and human rights. In joining Chopsticks Alley, Linh hopes to contribute to raising awareness of Southeast Asian art and taking pride in her heritage as a Vietnamese immigrant.

Kristina Robertson is a Thai-American spoken word performer, writer, and arts advocate in San Jose, California. She has competed in 2 national poetry competitions and curated and hosted several spoken word events in the South and East Bay. Her work has appeared in multiple online/literary magazines and podcast publications. She is very excited to be a part of the Chopsticks Alley team and help share her love, passion, and appreciation for art and poetry with the community.

Aki Lam is a Vietnamese-Japanese freshman student at De Anza College, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and a former competitive dancer. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she is ambitious to express emotions, stories, and culture through many art forms, from dance performances to graphic design. She hopes to have a positive impact in the way people interact with the natural environment, and express the human condition through visual and performing arts.