Meet Xin Zinc” Tong | Director & Artist Facilitator “

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xin “Zinc” Tong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xin “Zinc”, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
I’d say for people who are doing the kind of work I’m doing, which is storytelling, rarely do we think about the financial outcome in the end. Does it make money? You’d never know. Does it make our lives easier? Depends. Will you ever be successful? Who knows. So why do we do it? You might ask. I know at least for me, I tell stories so that other people like me could see a light that is so empowering that maybe, just maybe they’d feel a little bit more hopeful for their lives. I know I’m a storyteller and a theater maker at a very young age. Growing up, as an introverted nonbinary child, fit-in was never possible for me. I struggled so much to understand why such an easy task for everyone else seems to be so damn difficult for me. That’s where I found comfort in storytelling. I burry my head in all the stories I could find – literature, novels, movies, theater, etc., anything and everything. In those stories I realized that I’m not the only one who have this kind of struggles – many people do. I found belongings in stories, and stories as a result sparked my imaginations. I started to write since I was 10 and started to make home-made films way before tik-tok was a thing. All those small steps bring me to where I am today.
In many ways, the impact of telling stories is what keeps me going. I know that somewhere out there, some other quiet child might see themselves in stories I wrote, in theater pieces I direct, and know that they’re not alone, that there are always other possibilities than being popular among your peers – then I’m doing my job. People could feel seen and heard through my work – then I could say I’ve done something in my life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Originally from a small city called Hefei in Anhui Province in China, after spending five years in So-Cal, currently I’m a multidisciplinary theater maker based in NYC. Being where I am today, I’ve faced tremendous difficulties as well as enjoyed many privileges.

Growing up in China, I didn’t have many opportunities being involved in theater, especially raw theater that empowers people to feel seen and heard. It was a coincident that I discovered the magic of this storytelling form after I travelled to England for two weeks. I became obsessed. I made up my mind that I want to pursue this art form for the rest of my life, because it simply feels like it makes sense for this young quiet thinker to use this tool to express and make my voice heard. Now that’s un-heard of for any pre-college Chinese kid at the time. Many adults and other relatives were stunned when they heard the news. After years of trying to convince me otherwise, they realized they couldn’t affect my determination.

While I was getting my Psychology degree in college, I spent crazy amount of days and nights working in theater to work on any job I could find – from sweeping the floor to pushing buttons. I’m always proud to say that I never really got an official theater education through the college – but my best kind of education is something that I make it happen for myself – through working.

Now that being a professional director and artist facilitator in NYC, I know how lucky I am. I’m able to be here today, because of both my struggles and my privilege. I’m privileged enough to have such supportive family and friends. At the same time, life has never been easy to me as a nonbinary Chinese person working in the western art field. Both my luck and my hardships make me who I am today. That’s why I’m able to keep putting on plays that center around trans/nonbinary stories and immigrant experience in theater. I’m always proud of telling the stories that empower myself, by and for people who’re like me, both lucky and struggling. I hope that I could create similar impact as storytellers before me did – always give by to the community and pass the torch of human souls from one generation to the next.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite spots is Los Angeles equestrian center. Horses are my favorite animal companions in life. LAEC has the best spots for not just professional and amateur riding, but places to relax as well. The scenery is the best.

Vasquez Rocks is another favorite spot of mine. Being a Star Trek nerd, I’ve climbed this pointy rock for more than three times. Just an hour north of LA. But you have to be careful of the heat.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my partner Christian Johnson. Just like me, Christian is a theater director, a scholar, and also the best chef. He’s not only my family, my life partner, but also my best friend. He’s always been there for me when I’m away from the family for the longest time. He gives the best advice both for life, and for my career. He’s the best conversationist I’ve ever known, who always challenges me intellectually. He knows the most uncommon fun facts, that I can listen all day long. He’s the funnies, kindest, wisest, coolest virtuoso. I’m super lucky and honored to have you beside me in life. Thank you. I love you.

Website: www.xinzinctong.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuprum_zinc/?hl=en

Image Credits
Photography by Nathaniel Johnston and Christian Johnson