Arts Chat: How to create an evolving community

Augustine Paredes

Augustine Paredes is a Filipino artist and photographer questioning what it means to desire in the light of love, loss, and longing. Augustine’s lyrical, contemporary, and sensuous visual narratives are derived from his many-storied travels, South East Asian consciousness, and queer gaze. He is the author of two self-published books: Conversations at the end of the universe (2020) and Long Night Stands With Lonely, Lonely Boys (2021). Along with collaborator and friend Anna Bernice, they founded Sa Tahanan Co., a collective that aims to create a platform for Filipino art and creatives through exhibitions, art sales, and collaborations.

Preston Martin

Preston is an actor, director, writer and video artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Preston has performed in over fifty venues in New York City and in eight countries across the world. Preston directs The Reality Show: NYU, a musical sketch comedy show centered around wellbeing and community which is performed on the New York City, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai campuses. On screen, Preston devised and starred in The Rest of Us, an ensemble drama produced by Mary Stuart Masterson, danced in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and will be seen in the upcoming Quinn Shephard film Not Okay.

Matthew Marsh

Matthew Dean Marsh is a composer, performer, and writer based in New York City.
Marsh has traveled the world as a vocalist, composer, and musician. His compositions have sounded at Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, The Public Theater, MassMOCA, The Goodman Theater in Chicago, and the White House in Washington DC.
Marsh is an alumnus of NYU Steinhardt, and has worked extensively with both undergrad and graduate performing arts students around the world; including at New York University, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYU Abu Dhabi (RealAD Music Director), Shanghai, and Cincinnati College of Music.

Sanam Parwani

Sanam is a junior studying Social Research and Public Policy from the U.S. She started stage management at a theater club in high school and has been excited to be able to pursue it at NYU Abu Dhabi. She is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the RealAD show for a second year. Sanam stage managed for the NYUAD Theater Capstone Festival, and performed for The Everywhere Classroom at Expo 2020 and with Exit 11 Performing Arts Company at Short & Sweet Dubai.

Tina Wadhwa

Tina Wadhwa is the founding Director of New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD)’s Department of Student Success & Well-being. Tina leads University-wide efforts in education, prevention, and awareness-raising related to improving community mental health, de-stigmatizing mental health concerns, communicating health-related information, and reducing risk on campus. She work collaboratively across the institution with faculty, staff and students to raise awareness about student challenges and how to to redefine and redesign student success. She is a founding member of NYUAD’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Tina has been involved in content development and management of the annual RealAD show since 2015. Before joining NYUAD, Tina worked as a therapist, providing individual and group therapy to children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Her areas of clinical expertise include anxiety and depression, trauma, gender and identity issues, and multicultural concerns. Tina earned a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University, and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. She is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California and New York in the United States.