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.

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 (she/her) 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 being a WFH plant mom, 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. 

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.

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 has been writing for Mixed Asian Media since 2022. She’s a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and a Certified HR Professional (SHRM-CP). When she’s not doing training classes and workshops, she reads comic books, novels, and fan fiction to relax and destress. She is mixed Chinese-Jamaican and she speaks Cantonese and Mandarin. You can follow her on Instagram @NaturallyMonaLisa.

Michaela Ternasky-Holland

MAM Digital Consultant

Michaela A. Ternasky-Holland is a Peabody-nominated and Emmy award-winning director who specializes in creating socially impactful stories using immersive and interactive technology. As a recent nominee for the Producers Guild of America’s Innovation Award, she is also a consultant, speaker, and thought leader, who has been recognized as one of the 100 Original Voices of XR and listed as one of Blooloop’s 50 Immersive Influencers.

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.

Rohan Zhou-Lee

Rohan Zhou-Lee, gender identity Firebird, is an international award-winning writer, public speaker, community organizer, curator, and performing artist with publications, performances, and presentations delivered in The United States, Canada, Switzerland, and Japan. In 2023, they became the first mixed race Black Asian Open City fellow for journalism at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. Publications can be read on Hyperallergic, Newsweek, and more.

Outside of journalism, they have spoken on human rights at Harvard University, Yale University, The University of Tokyo, and more. In 2024, they co-curated the Critical Connections exhibit at Pace University, combining the George Stephanopoulos photo collection with contemporary photography of the award-winning Blasian March, which Zhou-Lee founded. Performance credits include the 2019 Off-Broadway revival of Over Here! , their contemporary ballet solo Homage (A-Squared Theatre Asian American Performing Arts Festival, 2016; Unite Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, 2021,) and on trumpet with the Soundcake Orchestra at the 2024 Aural Confections concert at Lincoln Center. Follow them at @diaryofafirebird and book them at www.diaryofafirebird.com.

Pronouns: They | Siya | 祂 | Elle