Vanessa Chen

- Lead Fellow

My name is Vanessa and I am currently a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. This is my first year at First Generation Politics as a fellow. I’m grateful to have discovered a welcoming, engaging, but most importantly, a respectful community. It was such an eye-opening experience that I knew I would like to stay for the long term. I am now a part of the podcast team as a part-time on-air personality as well as an editor. 

During my free time, I’m a policy debater, theater-enthusiast, and a writer for the school newspaper. I’m especially passionate about topics revolving around gentrification and displacement. Having grown up in the heart of Chinatown, preserving culture is definitely a huge pillar of mine. Listening and participating in cross-partisan discussions is the first step in creating meaningful change.