EMDASH AKA EMILY LU GAO
(高璐璐)

EMDASH (She/They) is a writer, artist, and daughter of Chinese immigrants. She writes to heal, grow, and decolonize in community. A 2025 Lambda Fellow, her work can be found in Poetry Northwest, Alocasia, Underblong, Tinderbox Poetry, Sine Theta, Poetry.Online, The Bellingham Review, Kweli Journal, and others. Their poem "Letter B" was turned into an art installation at The Chinese American Museum of Los Angeles as part of the (Be)Spoken Poetry exhibit. They’ve received support from The Jersey City Arts Council, Sundress Publications, Sunday Jump (where she’s on staff as of ‘24), Bread Loaf Environmental Writers Conference, Kenyon Residential Writer’s Workshop, and more. They’ve learned as much from community organizing and open mics as they did from their MFA in Poetry from The University of Rutgers-Newark.  When not writing, they’re likely busy with their Teaching Credential Program at Cal State LA or playing tennis.