Christy-Anne Lopez is a multidisciplinary artist based in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. After getting a taste of emceeing in middle school, she fell in love with entertaining and pursued it (between odd jobs as a zumba instructor, cheerleading, and go-go dancer!). She’s since worked on the Food Network docuseries Chef Dynasty: House Of Fang on Food Network and Fox's America's Most Wanted. Offstage, Lopez reigns in the pageant realm as CEO and Director of Regency International West Coast Pageant and owner of Studio Sash Pageant Consulting, a pageant coaching business for International, National, State, and Local pageant winners. She also serves as a content creator and advocate for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to bring endangered kids to safety. Her advice for young people in the arts? “Be brave and never give up.” Read on to learn more about Christy-Anne Lopez and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
The Cre8sian Project is thrilled to announce the winners of the
2022-2023 Cre8sian Project Scholarships! Because we had so many outstanding applicants, our scholarship committee decided to award an additional top prize this year! Click here to see this year's winners!
Sami Ma is an actress based in NYC and former band nerd. After taking up dance and piano classes at a young age, she auditioned for “a very illegalproduction of Wicked Hairspray” that shaped her career path! Since her days as Tracy Turnblad, Ma is currently in the world premiere of Nativity Variations at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, made her off-Broadway debut in Once Upon A (korean) Time (Ma-Yi Theatre Company), performed regionally in The Chinese Lady, The Great Leap,and Gloria, and starred as Jen in Tender Ears (a film to premiere this October)! Offstage, Ma is a diehard Celtics fan and “self-proclaimed Chinese grandma to all!” in the process of creating a cookbook with her family’s Indian and Cantonese recipes.Her advice for young artists? “Get into the habit of cheering for everyone and remembering that their successes are NOT your failures. There’s room for every single person in this industry and all you have to do is focus on enjoying your own path!” Read on to learn more about Sami Ma and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
The Cre8sian Project Scholarships, through Positively Arts (a 501c3 non profit) and in partnership with “In Her Purpose,” are open to female and female identifying high school and middle school students attending public, private, or home school with an interest in the arts, have some asian heritage, and live in Clark County. Students who are involved in any aspect of the arts, not just performance, are encouraged to apply. This can include writers, photographers, filmmakers, technical stage crew (carpentry, props, lighting, automation, audio, set design, stage managers), artists, graphic designers, directors, acrobats, singers, dancers, musicians, composers, arrangers, etc.
Jay Adana is a songwriter based in fabulous Las Vegas. Though a middle school play piqued her interest in the Arts, it wasn’t until Adana saw Bernadette Peters’ performance inInto The Woodsthat she decided to pursue a career in entertainment. After receiving her BFA at SUNY Purchase Acting Conservatory and attending several other schools for music writing and production, she’s gone on to win the Richard Rodgers Award for The Loophole, the Vivace Award for Vera and the Battle of New Seoul, and The Jonathan Larson Grant, and has had her work produced on the prominent stages of La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, New World Stages, and more. Her advice for young artists? “Take business classes and listen to your gut always.” An advocate for creating a broad foundation, Adana recommends budding performers and creators get as much experience in as many disciplines as possible – and to get comfortable asking for help. Read on to learn more about Jay and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Mariko is a cellist based in fabulous Las Vegas! As a child, Mariko was inspired by a children’s book that featured a cello-playing bear, and asked her parents for lessons. At the age of 17, she made the decision to turn her passion into her career, pursued a degree from the Tokyo University of Arts, and made the shift to playing professionally. After performing as the first Japanese cellist in Cirque Du Soleil’s Michael Jackson Immortal Tour (with some members of MJ’s original band!), she made the decision to stay in the United States, and has since played for Madonna’s Madame X On Tour, a Prince tribute at the T-Mobile Arena, Cirque’s Zumanity, and the rock band STARSET, as well as created and released her own album entitled “Artemis”! Offstage, she’s found a passion for ballet barre conditioning, and supports Room to Read, “a nonprofit for children’s literacy and girls’ education across Asia and Africa.” Her advice for young artists? “Listen to your heart, follow your passion, and the results will follow you.” Read on to learn more about Mariko and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
May May Luong is a film producer based in fabulous Las Vegas! After leaving the tech company she worked for, Luong began honing her craft in Las Vegas by joining the Film Department at UNLV. Since getting her MFA in Writing for Dramatic Media, she’s accumulated some impressive credits, including filming the Stanley Cup tour for the VGK’s first season, controlling the Bellagio Fountains and the Mirage Volcano, and the film Popovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West! Luong also works on advertisements and commercials, and teaches at Nevada State College and UNLV. She names writing, collaboration, and empathy as some of the most important skills in her arsenal, and advises young artists to “notice that everything around [them] is art,” and to press on as creators, no matter the obstacles ahead. Read on to learn more about May May Luong and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Nissa Tzun is a bilingual artist and advocate across multiple arts disciplines based in Las Vegas. Tzun’s artistry spans her entire life, but first truly fell into place as a special needs teacher in Brooklyn experiencing the “marginalization and oppression of Black and Brown [students].” This fueled her to seek outlets for her antiracist campaigns in New York. Her work has continued to include co-founding the Forced Trajectory Project (a PR and media advocacy organization for survivors and victims of police violence), producing at Residuum Docuseries (a series about police violence in Las Vegas), and co-establishing the New York City chapter of Families United 4 Justice (an organization made up of families and survivors impacted by police violence), later bringing another chapter to Las Vegas. In addition to her activism, Tzun is pursuing her Masters in Social Work and Masters in Journalism & Media Studies at UNLV! She urges young artists to discover their “why,” and is a firm believer in “being rooted in your purpose.. [to] help young people understand where their artistry can fit into society.” Read on to learn more about Nissa Tzun and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Jennifer Hartwick is a writer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate, mother of two boys and is currently working on publishing her first book about her father’s journey with early on-set Alzheimer’s disease. The inspiration for the literary work comes from her personal story as a caregiver to her dad and chronicles each chapter of the experience in a raw, truthful and authentic way. Jennifer’s hope is that her words “helps even just one person not feel alone in their journey.” She encourages everyone to love and enjoy the people around them because life is short. Along with her passion for writing, Jennifer is a full-time video game recruiter for Electronic Arts, a company that develops and delivers games, content and online services for mobile devices, personal computers and more. Read on to learn more about Jennifer and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Sujana Chand is a professional singer, actress, vocal coach, ESL teacher and food blogger based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She studied Acting, Music and Dance at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and ever since has continued to follow her love for the performing arts. Career highlights include the lead singer for three Cirque du Soleil shows; a cast member for the Broadway National Tour of Bombay Dreams; lead singer in Maui’s Ulalena; and premiering Stephen Schwartz’ “Secret Silk” on The Coral Princess as the Old Woman. Recently she produced her first CD, Sujana Chand – R&B Hits of Yesterday and Today -and has taken up food blogging, a new passion she thoroughly enjoys. She is inspired by successful people who remain humble and kind and admires her mother for her consistent and loving support throughout her life. Read on to learn more about Sujana and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Jenelle Catherina is an actor, singer and musician based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She stays very active in the local theater scene, having worked on productions with Super Summer Theater, Las Vegas Little Theatre, Vegas City Opera, and UNLV Opera. Her favorite credits include recognition as a Top 3 Finalist in BroadwayWorld’s Next on Stage; being part of the Swing It! Girls; and her role as Extraordinary Girl in Majestic Repertory Theatre’s production of Green Day’s American Idiot. Jenelle is currently in her last semester at University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she is completing her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Bachelor of Science in Human Services. Her future plans and dreams include being part of a Broadway production, leading a neo-soul/jazz group, traveling the world while making music and honing her musical instrument playing skills, which include focus on the piano, guitar, violin, and cello. The talented and busy artist also has made time to give back to the community. Jenelle recently was an intern at the Garden Foundation, an educational program for special needs adults. Read on to learn more about Jenelle and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Determin8sian Scholarship winner Brianna Gracia has been busy with rehearsals for Shrek the Musical at Seedling Theatre Company where she landed the role of Pinocchio and is part of Seedling’s Showcase Cast! She also just completed a 4-week course in Beginning Voiceover Acting at The Voice Actors Studio. At Coronado High School , where Brianna is a freshman, she recently got cast in the play “Clue.” During her free time, Brianna enjoys writing and graphic arts. Keep your eyes open for this rising #AmazingAsianintheArts as she continues to reach for the stars!
