Jen Cheng
Jen Cheng (born 1975) is an American poet, writer, musician, songwriter, composer, and filmmaker.
Biography
Cheng was born in Oakland, California and currently lives in West Hollywood, California where she currently serves as the West Hollywood City Poet Laureate (2023-2026).[1]. She is known for founding and leading the Holiday Poetry Hotline for the last three years[2]. Cheng is the City’s first BIPOC poet laureate and she is also the first Asian American lesbian poet laureate in the state of California.[3]
Career
Cheng was selected as one of the 2025 Poet Laureate Fellows with the Academy of American Poets.[4] Her project, “Feng Shui Poetry in the Parks”[5] is with Bravo Magnet High School, teaching high school students about native plants to write ecopoetry.[6]
As a community leader, she was recognized by Los Angeles Magazine as Top 50 LGBTQ Impact Leaders.[7] Cheng’s work celebrating sapphic poets was presented at the 2025 Lesbian Lives Conference at CUNY.[8]
Cheng founded Palabras Literary Salon[9] in 2023 and continues to serve as a facilitator for this BIPOC-centered salon featuring poets and writers.
Prior to being a poet, Cheng worked as a researcher at Public Policy Institute[10] and is author “At Home and in School: Racial and Ethnic Wage Gaps in Educational Preparedness” (November 2001) [11] of and co-author of several publications.[12]
As a musician, Cheng has been a singer with Vox Femina Los Angeles[13], Stonewall Chorale[14], and Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble[15]. Cheng is the composer for a short film, Persuasion (2022)[16]. Cheng is part of the songwriter and producer team for Found[17], performed by the artist Shiah Luna on the Women’s Stage at 2023 WeHo Pride[18].
Bibliography
Cheng's works include: Braided Spaces, poetry, (Wokelicious Press, 2023)[19]
Cheng’s poems and essays have appeared in LA Parent[20] , Passengers Journal[21], The Cafe Review[22], Colossus:Current, The Santa Barbara Independent[23], and among other publications.
Her poetry has also been featured at performances with the Library of Congress National Book Festival[24], Grand Performances[25], KCRW[26], Writing Remix Podcast[27], and KPFK’s Feminist Magazine[28] and Poets Cafe[29]
Awards and honors
2025 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow[30]
2023 California Arts Council Fellow[31]
References
- ↑ "City Poet Laureate | City of West Hollywood". www.weho.org. Archived from the original on 2025-11-09. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Chiriguayo, Danielle (2025-12-09). "Feeling the holiday blues? Call the 24/7 WeHo Poetry…". KCRW. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Reports, Rafu (2024-01-18). "'Celebrating Civil Rights Heroes' Panel Discussion in West Hollywood to Include Activist Miya Iwataki". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Poets, Academy of American. "The Academy of American Poets Awards $1.1 Million Total to 23 Poet Laureate Fellows Across the United States". poets.org. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Pingel, Mike (2025-08-30). "West Hollywood Poet Laureate Jen Cheng Honored With National Laureate Fellowship - WEHO TIMES West Hollywood News, Nightlife and Events". Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ HUANG, MIRANDA (OCTOBER 1, 2025). "Poet laureate fellows of Los Angeles bring change". Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Rosemberg, Jasmin (2025-06-04). "Profiles in LGBTQ+ Pride: 50 Angelenos Making an Impact". LAmag. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "Journal | Sinister Wisdom". www.sinisterwisdom.org. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Cheng, Jen. [https.//www.jencvoice.com/palabras "Palabras"] Check
|url=value (help). - ↑ "Home". Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "At Home and in School: Racial and Ethnic Gaps in Educational Preparedness". Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "Jennifer Y. Cheng". Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "Vox Femina Los Angeles", Wikipedia, 2025-09-14, retrieved 2026-01-03
- ↑ "The Stonewall Chorale", Wikipedia, 2025-10-22, retrieved 2026-01-03
- ↑ "Home". Voci. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Persuasion (Short 2022) - Full cast & crew - IMDb. Retrieved 2026-01-03 – via www.imdb.com.
- ↑ Found, performed by artist Shiah Luna, retrieved 2026-01-03
- ↑ Desk, News (2023-05-10). "L-Project LA is Bringing 2023 Women's Freedom Festival to WeHo Pride Street Fair - WEHO TIMES West Hollywood News, Nightlife and Events". Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Braided Spaces. 2023-10-24. ISBN 979-8-9893846-0-0. Search this book on
- ↑ Harada, Nina (2025-03-04). "7 Ways to Craft a Nutritious (and Delicious) Emergency Go-Bag". L.A. Parent. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "Volume 5, Issue 4: Poetry". Passengers Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ kbenedict (2024-10-21). "From Rachel*". The Cafe Review. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Staff, Indy (2025-06-04). "Poetry Connection | Connecting with Fellow Communicators". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Library of Congress (2025-09-23). Readings from the 2025 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellows. Retrieved 2026-01-03 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Grand Performances (2024-07-12). LA STORIES POETICS OF PRIDE + LEGACY live at Grand Performances in Los Angeles. Retrieved 2026-01-03 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Chiriguayo, Danielle (2025-12-09). "Feeling the holiday blues? Call the 24/7 WeHo Poetry…". KCRW. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Dissinger, Dan. hollywood-poet-laureate-jen-cheng/https://writingremixpodcast.com/2025/04/23/113-creating-joy-and-community-through-poetry-w-west- hollywood-poet-laureate-jen-cheng/ "113. Creating Joy and Community Through Poetry w/ West Hollywood Poet Laureate Jen Cheng" Check
|url=value (help). - ↑ "FM Sept 25, 2024: Bridges Across Homelands / She's Beautiful When She's Angry - Feminist Magazine". Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ Palabras Literary Salon- Poets Cafe KPFK 06/21/23, retrieved 2026-01-03
- ↑ Poets, Academy of American. "Jen Cheng". poets.org. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ↑ "California Arts Council's Individual Artist Fellowships – Los Angeles County". Los Angeles Performance Practice. 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
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