PLASMA 2025 Speaker Series Presents: Althea Rao

"Commit to Memory"

Althea Rao creates social engagement models to facilitate playful conversations that unpack normalized systemic power imbalance. She draws influence from media studies, design justice and community organizing.

Her project Vagina Chorus, a bio-responsive, socially-engaged multimedia performance provoking conversations around gender justice and healthcare accessibilities, is a recipient of the 2020 MAP Fund and premiered at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Rao has lived and worked in China, Japan and the US, and received training in journalism, media arts and filmmaking.

She participated in fellowships and residencies at MIT Feminist Future(s) Hackathon, Theater MITU, More Art, Artspace New Haven, Flaherty Film Seminar, NYFA, Signal Culture, and Halcyon Arts Lab.

In her spare time, Rao writes for Chinese readers about gender justice, as well as translating manifestos, film scripts and poetry between English and Chinese. Rao is currently a PhD Student at DXARTS in University of Washington. Prior to that, she worked professionally as a project manager.