Bringing the stories of racial minorities, LGBT individuals and other marginalized groups to the stage is a difficult task.

It requires care and sensitivity to prevent it from being offensive, but also a brutal honesty. How does one strike a balance?

Enter Kit Yan, Chinese immigrant to America, queer and transgender activist, and slam poet extraordinaire.

Yan deftly uses spoken word to tell various stories of gender politics, life with his family, his experiences with racism and homophobia and everything in between. Queer Heartache is by turns, hilarious and gut-wrenching, sometimes harrowing but always fascinating. Whether it’s about his first sexual experience, a heart to heart with his brother, or the love between his pet turtles, every word out of Yan’s mouth is honest and heartfelt and sure to both entertain and enlighten.

Finally, a brief interview with the man himself:

Pierce: What made you want to get into the art of slam poetry? Was there some sort of event, or did it just sort of happen?

Kit: I just love poetry. The first time I went to a poetry slam, I saw the Literary form become a theatrical form, and I thought that was just a really powerful thing to witness.

Pierce: Do you feel as though this outlet helps express your creativity the most?

Kit: Absolutely, but that’s just because I work in theater, and I really appreciate the connection folks have to live performance, but that’s not the only way.

Pierce: Is it a way to raise awareness about the Transgender community or Asian-American community?

Kit: Because slam poetry is a personal narrative form, you can bring any of your identities. You can bring any identities you are exploring to the table.

Pierce: Do you see slam poetry as a form of catharsis?

Kit: Well, art certainly is an opportunity to bring that to the table. “Catharsis” wouldn’t be my word for it, but it definitely is an outlet for that.

Pierce: One last thing; is there any advice you have for someone who’d want to take up slam poetry?

Kit: Sure. I’d say practice and go for it. Practice your poetry with your friends, with people you trust. Especially if you are a queer person, a queer person of color, and someone [who] wants to talk about sexism, ableism, use those issues in your work and don’t be afraid to explore that. There are times you will feel uncomfortable because our society often marginalizes those voices, so don’t be afraid to bring your identity and your experiences to your performances.