Lisa Ellsmore

Today, our performers took part in a parade in New York’s Chinatown, commemorating 26 years since the start of the persecution of Falun Gong in China—a campaign of oppression that continues to this day. The story of Falun Gong and its persecution is deeply intertwined with the founding of Shen Yun. It’s a cause close to our hearts and one we believe the world needs to know about. We asked several of our artists to share why they chose to attend today. Here's what they had to say. 🧵

July 20, 2025 marks 26 years since the CCP launched a violent campaign against Falun Gong—a peaceful practice embraced by millions. What began in China has rippled across the globe, leaving a legacy of hardship, courage, and unyielding faith. #26YearsTooLong #FreeFalunGong

This case is not only about a shocking level of CCP influence over U.S. institutions, it could also be a watershed moment in the defense of religious schools.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tried painting itself as the face of “the new China” and destroy traditional Chinese culture. Yet that culture is now being revived by New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts. To learn more about this, we speak with Jared Madsen, a master of ceremonies at Shen Yun.

"If you look at the [lawsuit] against Shen Yun, and if you were to replace all of the words 'Falun Gong' with the word 'Christian' or 'Catholic,' it would be completely unremarkable the activities that they're complaining about.” “Fundamentally, the things that they are complaining about and calling ‘human trafficking’ are volunteering for your religious organization, attending a religious boarding school—things that happen in hundreds of thousands of religious communities all across the United States every day.” “But here the Chinese Communist Party's ideas are getting out there that, well, when the Falun Gong does it, something's wrong with it.” Religious freedom lawyers Lea Patterson and Justin Butterfield explain a recent lawsuit against @ShenYun, the performing arts group founded by Falun Gong practitioners in America. The company has faced an unprecedented onslaught of threats, lawfare, and disinformation in the past year and a half. Shen Yun has long drawn the ire of the CCP for exposing the regime's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and performing around the world with the tagline "China before communism."

Delicious birthday cake made by Xyla for Gunnar’s 9th 😋

"China is trying to use laws in the US…to target the same groups that they would target in China. They're trying to impose their own concept of what is legal, what is right, what is orthodoxy,” says religious freedom lawyer Justin Butterfield. In recent years, the CCP has been escalating its tactics against the religious group Falun Gong here—on American soil—with an onslaught of disinformation, violent threats, and lawfare.

Sent to reform school at 12. Lost her father as a child. Lost her husband to cancer. Gillian Thorp shares how she rebuilt her life after tragedy—and why reclaiming her story was the first step to freedom.

How Art Comes to Life: The Myth of Pygmalion When something is created with love, the resulting products are imbued with vibrant life. theepochtimes.com/bright/how-art…

Shen Yun-affiliated schools have the right to educate young artists in an environment of faith and morality, the company's lawyers say.

"I forgave my father, so I let go of my anger, my depression, my feelings of rejection. I let all that stuff go, so I don't have anything dragging me back, and I can move forward in my life. And so, if you were abused in some particular way, is it beneficial to hold on to anger - that feeling when you were a child that was abused? Is it beneficial to hold on to that, or is it beneficial to release it? And so, the forgiveness is to release that. It's not to excuse their behavior, It's not to rationalize their behavior. Now, from there, if you want to get into a new relationship with that parent despite them abusing you, then that's purely up to you. In those situations, I would never say, 'No, you must take them back,' or anything like that. These are very difficult, extenuating circumstances." @wrong_speak

Enormous plasma filament arches on the sun right now. 304Å view from GOES SUVI from 9 minutes ago

Villagers hang lanterns to light up the night and tell stories that have been passed down for generations. This piece was choreographed and performed by Fei Tian College students as part of their Mid-Autumn festival celebration. ept.ms/40mFbCD

🌊🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♂️🌊Перший комплекс вправ Фалунь Дафа «Будда розтягує тисячу рук». Завдяки ньому пробиваються всі енергетичні канали в тілі. Ця вправа швидко наповнює тіло енергією. #FalunDafa #FalunGong #Ukraine

“Tuttle Twins,” the hit show teaching children about free market principles, is going global. And according to creator and showrunner Daniel Harmon, the success of “Tuttle Twins” is based on its focus on the principles of freedom, not politics.

In 1995, a drug to increase bone density came out. It didn't sell until Merck put bone density scanners everywhere and mass marketed "pre-osteoporosis." Unfortunately, Fosamax made bone more brittle and had many severe side effects...including fractures. midwesterndoctor.com/p/the-great-os…

We are deeply alarmed by reports of plans to expand organ transplant facilities in Xinjiang, China. This move raises urgent concerns that forced organ harvesting is escalating, especially given Xinjiang’s extremely low voluntary organ donation rate.

NEW: Two brothers explain their terrifying night and how they survived the Kerr County floodwaters. The brothers were sleeping at Camp La Junta when they started floating. At least 24 people have lost their lives in the flood. Authorities say more than 20 girls are missing from Camp Mystic in Kerr County, according to CNN. Pray for these children 🙏

Nearly all Chinese media outlets have been bought out by the CCP— only one or two remain independent. This massive disinformation campaign hides human rights atrocities like the persecution of Falun Gong — but there is trails of evidence that we can look into.

The Moon Floating Among Colorful Clouds In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, students at Fei Tian College bring us two classic Chinese folk songs. ept.ms/40gSNzh