Tessa Lena is an immigrant New Yorker with a dramatic survival story, a performing artist, and a dialogue coach. She has fought off a sex trafficker in China, survived domestic abuse, and now uses her experience to inspire and to teach people to remain strong, happy, and kind.
Featured / interviewed / quoted: @InsideEdition, @TeamHuman, @Univision, @ChicagoReader, @IndianCountryToday, and more.
I curate The Museum of Interesting Things, I do many events both educational and entertainment. We do a Speakeasy and I have worked with Tessa many times. She is Creative, Brilliant, reliable and easy to work with! Her performance mesmerizes the audience and her knowledge of so many things inspires them. I will certainly have her back again in the future!
Tessa Lena has a gift of explaining complex topics in simple language. She is charismatic and knowledgable, and her stories are powerful. Not only she is an inspiring speaker, she is also a great panel moderator. She spoke (and moderated several panels) at an artists' conference in Brooklyn alongside other great participants (notably, Marc Ribot), and the audience was thrilled. We received many comments thanking us for putting together sessions that were both engaging and educational, and it would not have been possible without Tessa. I highly recommend her.
Price Range: Contact for rates
Gig Length: 30 - 600 minutes
Languages: English
Unions: AFM
"Tessa Lena is a charismatic speaker with a powerful story. Whether she is talking about serious topics or entertaining, she has a gift of captivating the audience immediately and keeping them engaged."
~ Eric Goodman, Educator / Founder of the Spectacle Show
Depending on your needs, Tessa is available for speaking engagements, on-campus / community dialogue workshops, and one-woman spoken word / multimedia performances. Any combination of these services is available as well.
SPEAKING TOPICS & ANGLES
Immigration
Domestic Abuse & Dealing with Violence
Art of Dialogue and Importance of Respect
Inner Strength & Happiness
Staying Human in a World of Digital Technology
DIALOGUE WORKSHOPS
Dialogue workshops last from one to three hours (depending on the size of the group). They are designed to unlock the participants' potential for self-respect and intelligent, productive exchange. The topic of the workshop can be selected by Tessa Lena or specifically requested by the client. In the course of the event, two or more audience members are invited to present their stories related to the topic. The focus of the guided conversation is always on direct personal experiences. The workshop teaches participants to turn the universal human condition of vulnerability into empowerment, kindness and strength – through fostering dialogue rooted in self-confidence.
Tessa Lena is a performing artist, a dialogue coach, and an immigrant New Yorker with a dramatic survivor story. She has been featured in a documentary about her adventures and on Douglas Rushkoff’s Team Human. She is on a mission to create social change by bringing people closer together. Using her experience of turning trauma into joy, Tessa helps fellow community members tap into their own inner confidence and have an easier time talking to others.
Tessa has traveled the world, done academic research in Tibet, performed her music at the Moscow Conservatory, worked as a developer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield, written about technology, fought off a sex trafficker in China, survived an abusive marriage while maintaining her professional career, and even spent a month in immigration detention after being set up by her abusive ex-spouse (yes, she was able to successfully prove her case before the immigration judge, and she is currently a proud U.S. citizen).
In addition to that, Tessa has spent a few years in the newsroom working with some of the brightest indigenous writers in the country, as well as with some of the classiest people in the media.
Topics and program ideas:
Domestic abuse and gender-based violence: what you need to know
Tough and beautiful immigrant's journey
Emotional intelligence: how to get there
From grieving to happiness: respecting your own voice
The art of dialogue is an emergency
Responsible Innovation: progress, excitement, and bleeding noses
Recent interview (11/5/2018):
Univision podcast 'In Our Words' with Tessa Lena as a guest: (link hidden)
Featured / interviewed / quoted: @InsideEdition, @TeamHuman, @Univision, @ChicagoReader, @IndianCountryToday, and more.
Malidoma Some, Angelique Kidjo, Douglas Rushkoff.
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