We recently connected with Wenting Zhang and have shared our conversation below.

Wenting, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learn through discovery and experience. I wish I had been more attuned to my surroundings and more self-aware—perhaps that would have accelerated my learning. However, given my awareness at the time, I don’t think I could have approached it any differently. I believe everything I encounter in life holds messages that reveal themselves when I’m ready to receive them.

For me, the most essential skill is the ability to think critically from different perspectives.

My greatest obstacles to learning are the realities of life and constant distractions—inescapable challenges we all face. I’m learning to navigate them every day, to filter out the noise, and to find harmony within the chaos. And yet, the journey itself is fascinating.

Wenting, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am the founder and director of Tea Arts & Culture, a nonprofit organization committed to cultivating connections to ourselves, nature, and one another through sharing the art of tea. We believe that tea can nurture creativity, mindfulness, and community. We organize public arts and culture programs in green spaces across NYC, including parks and community gardens. Through our partnerships, we train local community members to use tea as a tool for community engagement. We also curate tea experiences to serve the older adult communities.

I am most proud that our work has created countless moments where people from all walks of life can experience the beauty of an experience with mindful and meaningful connections—something increasingly needed in today’s world.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

You truly see how an idea takes shape over time, at its own pace. The process is not forcing things to happen but rather cultivating the environment both internally and externally so they can be one. Often, it doesn’t turn out exactly as you first imagined, yet when you give space to it, it evolves into something more beautiful—as if it has breathed magic into its existence.

Any advice for managing a team?

Keep it authentic for yourself and your team. There will be moments when morale hits rock bottom. Acknowledging that this is inevitable—and we can’t deny how we feel—is a conversation in itself, but it is also an important first step.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://teaartsculture.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaartsculture/

Image Credits

Photos by Kristina Clark, Katie Gee Salisbury & Juyi Mao