My name is Annie Tan, and I am a special education teacher, storyteller, writer, and activist based in Chinatown, New York. The first thing people notice about me is my warmth and enthusiasm: I have a lot to say, hence my nickname “Annie Tangent.” I focus on issues around growing up Asian American and as a kid of immigrants, teaching, teachers unions and public education, and organizing for a better world. My work has been featured in The New York Times, Huffington Post, PBS’ Asian Americans, and The Moth Radio Hour. I am currently working on an epic book about my family and Asian American history.
I am available for speaking engagements and storytelling events. I keynoted the Museum of the City of New York’s “Teaching Social Activism” Conference in May 2019, have performed as a storyteller and speaker with the Moth Mainstage and other shows, and I have also hosted shows and fundraisers: you can see selected media and speaking engagements below. As a full-time special education teacher, I speak outside regular school hours.
You can find me on Twitter and Instagram at annietangent. To contact me, email at annietangent@gmail.com or fill out my contact form!
Selected Media
Interviews featuring Annie:
- Watch Interviews with Annie:
- PBS’ Asian Americans: “It Reminds Me I Have a Legacy To Live Up To” (YouTube link) (4:10)
- 2020 NYCAASC New York City Asian American Students Conference Keynote Speaker #1 with Crushing the Myth (starts 15:10; ends 40:10)
- The China Current: “A lot of people left New York’s Chinatown after 9/11” (5:16)
- Sunset Park Stories with Betty Yu: “Annie Tan” (3:14)
- Listen to Interviews with Annie:
- Warriors of Education Podcast: “Conversations with Annie Tan: Activist, Teacher, and Storyteller” (35:33)
- Plum Radio Podcast: “Different Skin, Same Blood ft. Annie Tan” (42:48)
- Class Time with Kenzo Shibata Podcast: “That Goddamn Racist Biden Ad with Annie Tan, Jaya Sundaresh, and Samuel Kao” (1:16:44)
- Activist NYC Podcast: “Annie Tan” (55:05)
- Class Time with Kenzo Shibata Podcast: “Model Minority Race Traitors w Annie Tan and Samuel Kao” (48:16)
- Immigrantly Podcast: “It’s Up to Us to Tell Our Stories” (50:52)
- Fish Out of Agua with Michele Carlo Podcast: “feat. Annie Tan” (59:31)
The New York Times
Articles featuring Annie:
- The New Republic: “I’m Teaching From Home and Don’t Know How Long We Can Keep This Up” (5/5/2020)
- New York Times: “Racist? Fair? Biased? Asian-American Alumni Debate Elite High School Admissions” (2/6/2019)
- deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider’s Blog: “Annie Tan: My First-Year Disaster with Teach for America” (5/27/2020)
- Labor Notes: “Interview: Coronavirus Pandemic Inflames Anti-Asian Racism” (4/6/2020)
- Truthout: “School Shutdown in Chicago Underscores Attacks on Public Education Nationwide” (4/1/2016)
- Diversity in Ed Magazine: “Julian Vasquez Heilig and Annie Tan: Uncloaking Inequity” (Fall 2015)
Articles Authored by Annie:
- Huffington Post: “Peter Liang Was Justly Convicted. He’s Not A Victim” by Annie Tan (2/23/2016)
- Black Lives Matter At Schools NYC: “Practicing the Intergenerational Work” by Annie Tan for (1/23/2018)
- Edutopia: “Why I’ll Keep Teaching, Despite the Hardships” by Annie Tan (10/31/2016)
- Fred Klonsky’s Blog: “I Don’t Want To Be Pushed Out” by Annie Tan (2/6/2016)
- Wanderlustingk: “Your insider guide to New York’s Chinatown by a native New Yorker” (12/18/2019)
Past Speaking Engagements
Photo: Dave Jeffers, for
Museum of the City of New York (MCNY)
Image courtesy of
NYCAASC
- “From Vincent Chin to George Floyd” Webinar, 6/22/2020
- 2020 NYCAASC New York City Asian American Students Conference Keynote Speaker #1 with Crushing the Myth (starts 15:10; ends 40:10), 4/25/2020
- 2019 Teaching Social Activism Conference, Museum of the City of New York (MCNY), Keynote Speaker, 5/19/2019
- Moth Mainstage, Storyteller, Fall 2017
- Moth “Play It Again, SLAM” Showcase, Storyteller, 1/22/2020
- NBC Asian America, Speaker/Storyteller, 9/19/2019
- 80 Minutes Around the World: Immigration Stories with Nestor Gomez, Host and Storyteller, multiple
- Crushing the Myth, Speaker/Storyteller, 8/8/2019
- Museum of Chinese in America, Storyteller, 10/26/2018
- Shoes Off, Mouths Off: An Asian American Storytelling Thing, Storyteller 2/29/2020
- Generation Women, Storyteller, 3/20/2019
- Teachable Moments, Storyteller, multiple
