You Don't Have to be a Doctor: First-Generation Open Mic Night

Every 60 seconds, a child of an immigrant does not attend medical school. Often, these lost souls turn to drugs, or worse, comedy. Tales of triumph, dangerously low THC levels, and lost-and-found virginities. Please, join us to hear their tragic stories.

Tanael Joachim is a standup comedian who has made appearances on Gotham Comedy Live on AXS TV and on Good Day New York on FOX. He is based in New York City but was born and raised in Haiti. Tanael has a very laid back, smooth, and conversational style and he jokes about race, society’s idiosyncrasies, and the inherent contrast between life in Haiti and America. Some people say his humor is smart and eye-opening; he would probably agree with these people.

Marina Gasparyan was born in Russia and raised in Brooklyn. She is an actor and a comedian. Her mom still thinks she's going to be a dentist.

Dave Hu: Raised in the Bronx, Brooklyn’s David “Dave” Hu overcame his fear of public speaking by taking a storytelling class in 2013. Little did he know storytelling would become his true passion. A committed member of NYC’s vibrant storytelling community, he also enjoys running stories by bartenders, coffee shop baristas, and patrons at his Park Slope laundromat.

Aditi Natasha Kini: human buzzkill, hometown brown, talks more about writing than actually writing, which is going pretty okay for now. Aditi's life motto is if you don't laugh at your own jokes, nobody will.

Sooyah Jun: Sooyah, a product of South Korean immigrants who were musicians. Raised mostly by 90's cable TV. Flash forward to now, 34-year-old; part time comic, part time paralegal, 24-hour wine drinker.

And more!

This event is coordinated by NWS Programming Coordinator: Meriam Raouf