Street Walkers NYC would love for you to get to know Kit Yan...
Recently Featured in the HBO Documentary Asians Aloud, Kit Yan tell stories through slam poetry from the lens of a transgender Asian American from Hawaii now lost in the big city of New York. Through touching love poems, dirty sex accounts, and comedic tales of his childhood –Kit takes you on a journey that is raw, real, heart-wrenching, and unforgettable. Kit’s work has been taught at universities coast to coast, from San Francisco State to Harvard. He spoke to over 200,000 from the stage of the 2009 National Equality March, performed on the San Francisco Pride main stage, and is a nationally ranking slam poet. Kit Yan is the first ever and reigning Mr. Transman 2010.
I vividly remember Kit from the Boston scene way back. However, Mike Milan and I actually got the pleasure of meeting with Kit personally back in June for a show my friend Riayn Fergins was hosting to promote her amazing short film "The Filter Project," bringing awareness to women who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. After having a little more than a hello/goodbye and listening to Kit expel what to us was hypnotic character and deeply pleasing as well as humurous spoken word that night, It came to no avail that we wanted to feature him. Kit has gotten rave reviews from the media and frankly from us at Street Walkers NYC as well...enough of my babbling here's the Q&A we got to engage in with the amazing Kit Yan...
SWNYC: In your own words, tell us who Kit Yan is?
KIT: I'm a nationally touring slam poet based in Brooklyn. I write about my cultural background, queer life, and gender in many different contexts.
SWNYC: How long have you been writing and performing, and where did it all begin for Kit?
KIT: I have some baby poems from around 6 years old, but I didn't hit the slam circuit until 18 in Boston. I have always loved poetry, but never found the exact medium I wanted to work in until I discovered the theatrical form of spoken word.
SWNYC: What would you say the reasoning for planting your feet here in NYC is?
KIT: I came here for a change and like many other wanderers and artists, I came to be inspired and surrounded by other artists. Admittedly, I hated it for a while, but have recently found a community that I love and now feel like I have a semblance of a home here.
SWNYC: Where do see your career leading you in the near future, say 5 years?
KIT: I spend most of my time on the road and I would love to actually sit still a while. All this touring is kinda like paying my dues, but also give me much to write about. The people I meet, stories I hear, and places I now an familiar with all find their way into my work. But I'd like to experience the luxury of staying and working in NY half the year and then doing a little more international touring.
SWNYC: We hear you've been getting a great response on this tour, what's next for Kit?
KIT: My tours with others have been fabulous, but you can find me around the country the rest of the year Stag. Lots of new work, a new cd/book, and some potential collabs with come really talented artists.
SWNYC: What would you say is your most frequently asked question?
KIT: "What do you really do?" No one seems to believe that I make a living as a performance poet. I guess I don't either with all the time I spend on Facebook.
You can catch up with Kit at any of his websites and also keep an eye open for shows near you! You definitely want to catch one at some point...we insist.
“Knockout spoken-word!” -New York Magazine
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| Photo by: Caleb Cole |
"Incredible Spoken Word"-Curve Magazine
“The eloquence of Kit’s spoken-word delivery lies in the anti-racist, anti-homophobic, gender-inclusive, language that ties his lyrics together.”- Bitch Magazine
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