Arriving from the depths of Southern California, Lenan Choto waltzes into the Emerald City as a soft ray of sunshine (or so they’ve been told). With a background in TV & Radio, they wish to use their new media expertise to continue promoting a sense of community within CHID.
Lenan Choto was born and raised in Los Angeles, California (a fact they can’t stop mentioning). In retrospect, growing up in Koreatown near Rampart Village was key to Lenan’s early childhood development, especially considering the history associated with that certain Central LA area. Maybe it’s their admiration for the supernatural though Lenan believes the city’s longing past can still be (meta)physically felt, like the ghosts of Echo Park and its relation to the neighborhood’s ongoing gentrification (a purposely obscure reference for the socio-politically curious).
A graduate of UC Santa Cruz, Lenan spent four years exploring the intricacies of daily conversation & media’s influence in our ongoing cultural zeitgeist. Although they’re thankful for their undergraduate Literature classes, Lenan found them to be more of a necessary supplement to navigating professional workspaces. From being New Media Director at KZSC FM to working as Programming Manager at SCTV, they discovered the importance of considering the intellectual ponderings of a Humanities course in our practical world; a scenario in a novel can deliver clarity in tough social situations.
After college, Lenan spent time working in Finance in Orange County, California, a decision influenced by their desire to experience the LA metropolitan area as an adult. They felt their presence was needed elsewhere, however, and set their eyes on the Pacific Northwest. Following a foreseeably difficult job hunting period, they accepted an offer to be CHID’s Outreach Coordinator. Although challenges continue to await them, Lenan knows they will persevere (with style).