Meet The
Team
Work by Anise Kim @photogr.anise on Instagram
Editors
Faith
Faith Choe is a Korean-American writer and poet that was born and raised in Northern Virginia. Growing up in an area with a large Asian American community, she saw the unique cultures and struggles her peers have gone through. She wanted to start Temple Lit Mag so people could express their voices on a safe platform. She has been published in JUST POETRY!!! and Apprentice Writers, as well as being a three-time Scholastic Awards recipient in poetry and fiction. She enjoys reading, playing piano, and writing poetry in her free time. You can find her at @ivory041020 on Instagram.
Founder, Editor-in-Chief
Anisha Arvind is an Indian-American journalist and multidisciplinary artist from Seattle, Washington. She has been recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, receiving two Gold Keys and a National Silver Medal. Several of her works have also been published in the LA Times High School Insider, PBS NewsHour SRL, and The Teen Magazine. Beyond writing, she is an advocate for mental health and education equity, leading community-based initiatives through student leadership. You can find her at @homoattorney on Instagram and TikTok.
Co-founder, Poetry Editor
Anisha
Vienna Lui is a Chinese-Korean American writer with nearly a decade of experience. She is proud of her heritage and is grateful for the opportunity to create a space where other Asian American teens are encouraged to feel the same. Vienna is passionate about breaking down language barriers to facilitate the inclusion and connection of different cultures and works as a translator for small volunteer organizations such as 1001 Languages and large entertainment corporations such as Viki. Apart from writing, Vienna is also a competitive aerialist, avid reader, and cellist.
Non-fiction Editor
Vienna
Bobin
Bobin Shim is a Korean-American poet based in Queens, New York City. Their works have been recognized by Projekt NYC and GirlsWriteNow, and they are a resident poet for Magnolia Magazine. Having spent their childhood in both boroughs with the highest and second-lowest concentrations of Asian Americans, they have experienced a wide range of sentiments regarding Asian American identity and culture. They are so excited to be a part of a magazine that celebrates and highlights all aspects of the Asian American experience! Outside of writing, they enjoy reading, playing the guitar, and volunteering for local Korean American grassroots organizations.
Poetry Editor
Swati Premkumar is an Indian-American teen writer and poet based in Seattle, Washington. Growing up ashamed of her Indian identity, she now embraces it through writing, hoping to turn alienation into appreciation. She believes that diverse elements should drive literature, and not just exist as tokens, and so she incorporates her own culture in the stories and poems she writes. Aside from her Asian American identity, she works to raise awareness of important global and personal issues, such as immigration and mental health, through her writing. She’s also the co-founder of English and Tamil literary magazine The Lotus Paper. In her free time, she enjoys art, classical dance and singing, and brainstorming her next literary work.
Fiction Editor
Swati
Katelyn
Non-fiction Editor
Katelyn Deng is a Chinese-American writer and poet from Fremont, California. Her work in poetry, prose, and creative non-fiction have been recognized nationally by YoungArts, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and The New York Times. She has also been published in the Myrina Journal and the HotPot Magazine. Through her writing, she often likes to explore questions of memory, belonging, and the elaborate relationships that form the Asian-American experience. Outside of writing, Katelyn enjoys watching films of all genres, playing the piano, and visiting her local coffee shops.
William
William Liao is a Chinese-American writer and poet based in the D.C. metro area. His works explore the loss of culture and identity in the Asian-American context as well as the challenges faced by the community today, and have been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Gannon National High School Poetry Contest, and other national and local competitions. He also attended the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop in 2025, and hopes his writing can serve as a bridge between cultures. Outside of writing, he also enjoys robotics and playing the flute, in addition to having a special interest in Chinese and East Asian linguistics.
Fiction Editor
Designers
Amie
Amie Shen is a Chinese-American writer, artist, and poet. Born in New York City, she enjoys expressing her thoughts through writing, music, and design. She has been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for her detailed personal memoirs, and has formerly attended the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop and the Writopia Lab summer programs. Currently, Amie is a senior at the Spence School, where she runs the American Sign Language club, and Juilliard Pre-College, and is situated in Bergen County, New Jersey. You can find her at @amie.shen on Instagram.