Dechen Kelden

Dechen Kelden is a Tibetan and Kalmyk Mongolian storyteller whose work reflects themes of identity, memory, and belonging. Her stories draw from her roots- her father, a former monk of Nechung Monastery, revered as the seat of the State Oracle of Tibet, and her mother, a Kalmyk American whose family was among the first Kalmyks to immigrate to the United States in 1951. Kalmyks, also known as the Oirats of the Dzungar tribe, originate from western Mongolia and trace their ancestral origins to the Altai Mountains. Dechen’s work reflects the complexities of diaspora and the spiritual traditions that shape her worldview.

She produced My Sweet Pala, a short film directed by Tao Okamoto, about a Tibetan American child navigating the tension between her family’s past and her American present. As a cultural consultant at Avatar Studios, a division of Nickelodeon, Dechen collaborates with the original creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender across film, TV, publishing, and gaming.

She has used storytelling and community organizing to amplify the stories of her people. As Development Director at Students for a Free Tibet, she created messaging that inspired global donor support and produced Art for Tibet, a benefit art auction and exhibition featuring Ai Weiwei, Shepard Fairey, and Cey Adams. Her work encompasses community partnerships with The Tibet Fund, the Office of Tibet, Tibet House US, the Kalmyk Youth Coalition, and Mongolian Buddhist institutions.

Currently, Dechen is writing a feature film and is a mentee of Ryan Reynolds’ Group Effort Initiative.