ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST

This week I'm bringing you two exceptional guests. With the much-anticipated nationwide release of feature film Rental Family on November 21, my first interview is with the Japanese co-writer and director Hikari! Her latest creation has already garnered a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I feel that it's one of the best films that I've seen in years. I'll go out on a limb and predict that Brendan Fraser will be nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role, Hikari will get the nod for Best Director and/or Best Original Story, and Rental Family will be nominated for Best Picture. My main interview is with South Asian American music prodigy Neil Nayyar, who is the current world record holder for playing 130+ musical instruments from all over the globe. You'll get to know how he discovered his innate gifts and abilities, and even though he loves it, how hard he keeps working to improve his prowess on all these diverse instruments. And I doubt that you'll be surprised when he tells you about the new musical skillset he began developing during the COVID shutdown. You can learn about his 2024 debut album "Breaking Barriers" and his 2024 illustrated book "Passion to Exploration of 107 Sound Machines" by visiting www.neilnayyar.com. #rentalfamilymovie #breakingbarriers

John Wang is a motivational speaker, leadership coach, podcaster, and the founder of Big Asian Energy. Having just published a much-needed book of the same title, John's unswerving mission is to help Asian professionals break through hidden barriers and unlock their innate potential. With over 250,000 followers and 25 million views on social media, John is now recognized as one of the most effective voices for Asian professionals who are ready to unleash their full potential. His weekly Big Asian Energy Show podcast is designed for Asian Americans, Asian Canadians, or just about anyone wanting to learn more about psychology, mindset, and personal growth. www.bigasianenergy.com

When Henry King Fong was born in Sacramento, his immigrant father was already 58 and his straight-from-the-village mother was 48. Henry was the youngest of five and was only two years old when his father died. Their family was quite poor, but his mother made every penny count. Henry eventually graduated from UC Berkeley with an engineering degree, and went to work designing rockets. Even after he got married and became the father of their two sons, a part of him still had a deep yearning to know who his father was. Which is why he began to search high and low for the essential missing pieces of his dad's life-puzzle. As a result, Henry became the Fong family's historian. My late father was Uncle Henry's oldest brother, so I grew up spending a good amount of time with my uncle and his family. But it really wasn't till I began to spend more time back in Sacramento that we really got to know each other as adults. Uncle Henry turned 96 this past July, so I was determined to make a recording of what he's come to know about my grandfather whom I never knew. 

Vicki Tan has written a "one-of-a-kind guide to smarter decision-making based in the science of cognitive bias and the wisdom of storytelling Her new book Ask This Book a Question is "an interactive game that empowers you to understand yourself in a new way, inviting you on a playful journey of self-discovery." @vickiheart #cognitivebias #storytelling #decisionaking

Cindy Lim is the founder and Head of Brand for a new app called Yuzu. Launched in early 2024 by Match Group (the same company behind Tinder, Hinge, etc), Yuzu brands itself as a social + dating platform aimed at the Gen Z Asian community (but open to all). Many mainstream dating apps are generalized; Yuzu is part of a trend of “niche” dating/social apps catering to specific demographics (in this case Asian community) and offering more than just dating.  The social mode emphasizes friendship/community (not just hookups/dating) which is increasingly important to younger users.  By embedding culture (heritage, interests, community events) it hopes to foster deeper connections rather than superficial ones. The core target is the Asian diaspora (Asian Americans, Asian immigrants, pan-Asian culture) looking for social or romantic connection. It also welcomes people of any race/ethnicity so long as they engage respectfully with the cultural focus.  It's especially for people who want both friendship/community and the option of dating in the same space: Yuzu tries to blend those rather than only romance. It's attracting people who are comfortable with culturally-aware branding (celebrating Asian heritage, culture, shared values) — it's not a purely “swipe and date” generic app. www.joinyuzu.com

Harvard Associate Professor of the History of Science Dr. Eram Alam has just published "The Care of Foreigners: How Immigrant Physicians Changed U.S. Healthcare." Her extensive research revealed that, over decades, foreign medical graduates (FMGs) have become a sizeable and stable part of the U.S. physician workforce--at least a quarter since 1965. Their presence has shaped aspects of healthcare delivery, especially in underserved areas. But also, their presence raises questions about responsibility: what does it mean for U.S. healthcare to be so dependent on immigrant labor? What are the costs--to the physicians, to their home countries--to the idea of "universal" or equitable care?

In this latest edition of the recurring The Two Kens collaborative series, Fong and Kemp explain both the irony of how he died and the Right's insistence on nationwide posthumous empathy and acclaim for him. Using his own words to substantiate their opinions, they make the case that Kirk's inflammatory rhetoric should not now be santized, nor should he be lionized and honored as an American hero and icon of free speech. 

Thai American playwright Prince Gomolvilas first appeared on this show in 2019 to promote The Brothers Paranormal which would soon become his penultimate play in his long career. This week I invited him back because he's written the much-awaited 'spiritual sequel' Paranormal Inside, which will begin its rolling world premiere at East West Players' David Henry Hwang Theater from October 12 through November 2. (www.eastwestsplayers.org) The story returns to Max and Delia, two characters introduced in The Brothers Paranormal. They're dealing with what's come after the events of that play--trying to build dsome kind of peace in their lives. Over the ensuing years, their relationship has become strained, and they are somewhat estranged. Gomolvilas' new play digs into what people inherit--not just family or culture, but emotional history, loss, and unresolved pain. This too being a supernatural thriller with horror elements, a malevolent spirit reappears (or emerges) andf threatens to disrupt the fragile life Max and Delia built after earlier events. Theres's even the possibility of possession! You don't need to have seen the earlier play to understand Paranormal Inside.

As the last of my short Honeymoon Reprise series I'm sharing what originally aired in June 2018 with medical doctors Allie and Joyce Taur. It's truly one of the most remarkable stories that I've ever shared on my platform in the entire eleven-plus years that I've been recording weekly stories. You'll soon learn that while Allie was identified as a cis-het male at birth and named Steven, after he and Joyce got married and where raising their three boys, the former came out as a trans-female. Their commitment to and love for each other enabled them to remake their marriage and family.

Today, in 2025, there are numerous mental health professionals on television and streaming podcasts who talk openly about the state of President Trump's mental health. They don't pull any punches, given the ample evidence from his public appearances and his frequent online diatribes. They say he has a personality disorder, that he's an antisocial malignant narcissist who's in serious cognitive and physical decline. The irony is that, back when I recorded this interview with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Bandy X. Lee, she and the other 27 contributors to their 2017 book The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump knew that they would be accused of violating the American Psychiatric Association's "Goldwater Rule." This principle states that psychiatrists are prohibited from offering opinions on the mental state of individuals that they have not personally evaluated.  This rule was created after, in 1964, Fact magazine published a survey asking psychiatrist to state whether they thought presidential candidate Barry Goldwater was psychologically fit to be President. The survey's results led to widespread ethical concerns and public outcry, prompting the APA to develop a formal set of ethics rules for its members. However, in her book and in the part of our conversation that was unfortunately edited out, Dr. Lee asserted that if a mental health professional saw someone publicly and repeatedly displaying behavior that gave her or him cause for concern, they have every right to sound the alarm, even ask the authorities to put the person in a 72-hr involuntary hold for evaluation. But Yale Medical School and the courts did not agree with her, and she was shown the door.  That was just 3 years ago. And yet, as I stated up front, mental health professionals are publicly calling out Trump's mental health problems and not suffering any consequences. As you listen to Dr. Lee, I think you'll agree that she and the other writers correctly described and predicted the how problematic it would be if Trump were put in power.

First aired in 2018, this episode still ranks in the Top 5 of most popular ones. I'm sharing it here as part of my short Honeymoon Reprise series. Dr. Joseph Lee shares about effective parenting skills for raising children to be secure, mature, and fulfilled people. Joseph also discusses why authoritarian parenting leads to bad outcomes, how surprises in life reveal our blind spots, and why parents should be gardeners not carpenters. 

Fetishized is a memoir-in-essays by Kaila Yu--a former pin-up model and lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. The book delves into her personal journey as she confronts--and unpacks--the complexities of being both the object and agent of fetishization in a media landscape shaped by stereotypes and colonial mindsets. Her memoir interrogates harmful portrayals--from geishas in Memoirs of a Geisha, to the Austin Powers twins in Goldmember, to the character in Full Metal Jacket, and even pin-up iconography figures like Sung-Hi Lee. These archetypes--and the lack of diverse Asian representation--led Yu to internalize the painful belief that sexualizing herself was her only path to perceived value or desirability. Ultimately, Fetishized is a path toward self-reclamation. It's an unflinching look at the violence of objectification, balanced with deep empathy for the fractured relationships we might have with beauty, desire, and our own bodies.

Water Mirror Echo is Dr. Jeff Chang's ambitous and deeply empathetic cultural biography of Bruce Lee that goes beyond myth, revealing the man behind the legend while tracing how Lee's life helped shape the emergence of Asian America. Chang's storytelling deftly intertwines Lee's personal narrative with broader social currents--highlighting Asian American student activism, racial solidarity, and cultural resistance. By drawing from in-depth interviews, newly released personal papaers, and rare family photographs, Chang is able to pierce the iconography and reveal Lee's complexity--his vulnerabilities, perseverance, and influence. And by humanizing Lee, Chang reframes him as a creator of cultural identity, not just an action hero. Chang delivers more than a portrait of Bruce Lee--he offers a meditation on identity, visibility, and the shaping of Asian American culture. Lee's life becomes a lens to explore how individuals and symbols can birth movements, challenge stereotypes, and redefine belonging. His book will be available for purchase on September 23, 2025.

Jackie Dallas was only a year from finishing her residency in pathology when she decided to leave medicine, move to California, and pursue acting. Through hardworking and perverance, she has appeared on many hit shows, including playing "Jen Woo" (science teacher Mr. Clarke's girlfriend) in Season 1 of "Stranger Things." You can see her now in The Hunting Wives, which is currently the No. 1 show on Netflix. You'll also get to know how she's using her current platform and her training as a medical doctor to help countless women understand the importance of pelvic health and to get help if needed.

For nearly 50 years conservative Christian psychologist Dr. James Dobson influenced countless couples, families, and churches through his globally ubiquitous Focus on the Family broadcasts, books, videos, and lectures. In the immediate aftermath of his death last week at the age of 89, podcasters Fong and Kemp talk openly about the way his influence impacted them and their ministries, the unspeakable harm his teaching did to countless children and queer people, and the little-known fact that it was all shaped by the debunked racist theory of eugenics.

Teenaged Sabrina Wang has the distinction of being one of the first girls--Asian American or otherwise--to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout in what is now known as Scouting America. Formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, the organization recently fully embraced a significant rebranding, opening its programs now to girls and LGBTQ+ youth while retaining traditions like the Scout Oath and mission. Sabrina's enthusiasm for becoming a Scout speaks volumes to the success of this effort. And her attaining the rank of Eagle Scout speaks volumes to her leadership abilities and determination.

Actor Sean Dulake is part of the stellar cast of Amazon Prime's new Butterfly series, an espionage thriller set in Seoul, ROK, starring and executive produced by Daniel Dae Kim. What's unique about this spy show is that it revolves around the dynamics between a father and daughter, and a mother and son. Which of course, makes an already immensely complicated situation even more convoluted. As a hapa Korean American (from Arcadia, CA), Sean is also the co-founder of the highly successful Third Culture Content production company.

In this latest installment of the collaboration between podcasters Fong and Kemp, they describe America's state of "disaggregation" and implications for this country's future, given that it's only going to keep increasing. They also explain the mounting threat to the separation of church and state posed by the growing prominence and power of the Christian nationalist movement, e.g., Pastor Doug Wilson, SecDef Pete Hegseth.

Best-selling novelist Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest offering is a present-day re-imagining of the ancient Chinese folktale about a Chinese daughter who masquerades as a man in order to battle China's enemies. It's the most recent book in the Disney Hyperion's "Meant to Be" series, which is a contemporary romance collection featuring reimaginings of classic Disney stories, written by various authors. @jesseqsutanto

Kenny and Chizuko Endo met in 1975 when he was first embarking on what would become his lifelong passion for Japanese taiko drumming, ultimately using it to honor its role in the past, but also using it as a springboard to innovate compositions and collaborations that have established these ancient Japanese drums as clearly belonging to the future of music as well.  Now celebrating his 50th year with taiko, Kenny and wife Chizuko reflect on how their personal and professional lives have been shaped and sharpened by their mutual love of taiko drumming.  To find out more about the 50th anniversary shows, go to www.kennyendo50.com. You'll also find dates and locations for the subsequent shows on the Mainland. And to find out more about their Taiko Center of the Pacific, go to www.taikoarts.com.  

Mari Fong is a music journalist who not long ago launched the "Check Your Head" podcast because of being deeply troubled by the number of professional musicians who struggle with their mental health and addictions, with some even choosing to take their lives. Her show provides these artists a safe and empathetic space to share their stories honestly, and she then brings on different mental health professionals who can articulate what needs to happen in order for them not just to recover, but to thrive as people and as musicians.

Michael Luo is an executive editor at The New Yorker and writes regularly on politics, religion, and Asian American issues. His first book, “Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America,” is a well-researched history of Chinese Americans from the Gold Rush until the 1960s. Using his skills as a former investigative reporter, Luo manages to bring back to life the myriad Chinese Americans who struggled, suffered, and even were murdered in their persistent efforts to make this strange new land a new home for themselves and for those who would one day follow in their footsteps.

Shin Yu Pai was already a published poet and museologist when she entered a contest by the Pacific Northwest's National Public Radio to pitch an idea for a new podcast that focused on Asian Americans. Around seventy people submitted concepts, but NPR picked Shin Yu's. That propelled her into the very formulaic world of NPR podcasts. She learned quickly, and her show became a huge hit in that region. But after three years, she was told that it had come to an end. Shin Yu found ways to identify and process her grief, and then decided to reboot her podcast with the help of an independent production company. But now, unfettered by NPR's way of doing things, Shin Yu is bringing much more of her own voice and perspective to Ten Thousand Things, the award-winning podcast about modern-day artifacts of Asian American life.

In this latest installment of the recurring collaboraton between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they attempt to ascertain why Trump and MAGA folks enjoy being cruel to others. Especially those that they believe robbed them of previous stature and status in America. Fong and Kemp also bring in David Brook's recent piece in The Atlantic as he attempts to unpack why so many Americans think Trump is good. And they found a perfect example of where some people choose to ignore cruelty because they've become so acclimated to it in the 2024 German film The Zone of Interest.

Guest Bryan Yamami is the co-founder and executive director of the acclaimed and award-winning drumming group TAIKOPROJECT (www.taikoproject.org). You'll learn why he was a less than enthusiastic young taiko student, but why he returned to this ancient form of Japanese drumming with fervor while a college student. Notably, Bryan shares why and how he and co-founder Masato Baba felt led to start their own group with the emerging vision to create a uniquely Japanese American version of taiko ensemble performances.  TAIKOPROJECT will be celebratinig its 25th anniversary with a culturally collaborative show featuring Chicanx band Quetzal and Berklee-trained Japanese musician Sumie Kaneko, who will be performing vocals, on koto, and on shamisen. More information about buying tickets can be found at www.taikoproject.org/25th.

Long-time friend and Christian colleague Diane Ujiiye, the co-director of nonprofit www.api-rise.org, introduced me to her Program Director Kanaka Mālia Luna Jennings, a proud Native Hawaiian and Filipina who, while a juvenile, had been incarcerated for 23 years. Her father died while she was inside, which served as a desperately needed wake up call to grow up, turn to God, and begin turning her life around. After she was released from prison, however, ICE swooped her up, and those seven months of detention were more dehumanizing and difficult than anything she'd experienced in prison. Hers is a remarkable and inspiring story of how true change that begins within can ripple outward to heal communities and generations.

Third generation Japanese American Philip Kan Gotanda has gained renown as one of the most prolific Asian American playwrights, filmmakers, and musicians, but he came this close to becoming a lawyer. East West Players (www.eastwestplayers.org) is remounting his seminal play Yankee Dawg You Die in July 2025 after first staging it in 2001. Here's your chance to let him educate you about the (sadly) still-relevant message of this play, while he regales you with astonishing and hilarious stories of his journey to embrace his calling as a pioneering artist.

Regina Linke was born and raised in Texas, and she always enjoyed the creative arts, but she didn't learn traditional Chinese painting until after moving with her young family to Taiwan in her mid-thirties. Holding management degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and Cornell University, she worked in marketing technology and information systems for the travel and tourism industry. Now, however, she creates and illustrates stories that celebrate East Asian folklore and philosophy in an accessible way. Her most notable creations are the characters from The Oxherd Boy, a single-panel, webcomic that started on Instagram. A young boy, his family ox, and a rabbit living in his garden convey the three core schools of Classical Chinese thought: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The best-selling collection of these inspirational pieces called THE OXHERD BOY: Parables of Love, Compassion, and Community released in 2024, and was followed in 2025 by its first original story for children called Big Enough. A second picture book, Little Helper expanding on this world is slated for release in Summer 2026. Here's a link for behind the scenes of her painting: https://oxherdboy.org/pages/digital-painting And here's a link if you'd like to purchase "Big Enough": https://oxherdboy.org/pages/big-enough  

After a much-too long break, podcasters Fong and Kemp are finally back, this time tackling the uprising within the DNC by young leaders like vice chair David Hogg, the messy public break up of Trump and Musk, and Trump's sending the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles as part of a false narrative to fuel his fascist desires. To find a "No Kings" peaceful protest rally on June 14, just go to www.nokings.org and type in your Zip Code.

Alaska's Perseverance Theatre's Artistic Director Leslie Ishii has the distinction of recently being awarded to prestigious awards: The 2024 Stage Directors & Choreographers Foundation Zelda Fichandler Award and the 2025 Paul Robeson Award. To win either of these honors is remarkable; but to win them both, back-to-back, is nothing short of extraordinary. Here's your chance to get to know why and how this fourth generation Japanese American grew up doing acts of social justice, and when she realized the power that storytelling has to educate and motivate people to act on things that truly matter.

Maxwell Lee's Malaysian immigrant parents first put a violin in his hands when he was just three years old, but he soon demonstrated that he had precocious and exceptioinal musical abilities that he would later display as a classical pianist. As he focused on his music in college and graduate school, he seemed destined to make music his career path, either as a performer or an instructor. But after getting married, he dropped music altogether, becoming a successful real estate investor instead. A few years ago, however, he learned that the musician inside of him was slowly waking up. He and his family moved to Taipei, Taiwan, and he secured a coveted 3-year visa for foreign professionals.  This is Part 1 of a special series where Maxwell has graciously agreed to let us tag along with him on his dream to become a professional, performing musician. For now, you can follow him on Facebook. In Part 2, I'll share one of his latest original songs!

Pakistani American actor Taha Mandviwala is now starring as "Pi" in the highly acclaimed theatrical adaptation of the bestselling novel and award-winning film of the same name. As part of the cast that is currently touring stages across America and elsewhere, Mandviwala reveals the depths of his character and what he has to do to come across as a believable teenaged boy. He also unpacks the artistry and athleticism that's required by the puppeteers who bring the zoo animals to life for the audience. 

Scholar Dr. Anne Soon Choi has just written L.A. Coroner:Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, the first-ever biography of Dr. Tsunetomi "Thomas" Noguchi, the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner of the County of Los Angeles from 1967 to 1982. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Noguchi conducted autopsies on some of the most high profile and controversial figures in American history, including Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate and other victims of the Manson Family, Janis Joplin, John Belushi, and Natalie Wood. His elaborate press conferences, which often generated more controversy than they did answers, catapulted him into the public eye and made him a celebrity in his own right. He was the inspiration for the popular television drama Quincy, M.E. starring Jack Klugman, and penned the bestselling 1983 book Coroner.

Even though New Jersey freshman Senator Andy Kim has already served three terms in the House of Representatives, he still primarily sees himself as a life-long public servant rather than a politician. Prior to becoming a member of Congress, Kim served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as an advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen. The proud son of South Korean immigrants, Senator Kim also has the distinction of being the first Asian American that New Jersey has elected to the Senate, and the first American of Korean ancestry to be a senator. Many people in the world first came to know about him when a photo of him cleaning up the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, went viral.

With federal agency USAID now struggling to survive after being unfairly demeaned and discounted by Elon Musk and his DOGE crew, it's crucial that you hear the story of how USAID helped a poor Thai student to become a board certified radiation oncologist. Dr. Vitune Vongtama inspired both Roy and his brother Danny to follow in his footsteps. All told, the three of them have saved tens of thousands of people from dying from cancer. Dr. Roy Vongtama is also a veteran actor. You can learn why and how he continues to juggle both of his passions here: https://asianamericapodcast.com/2019/01/ep-175-roy-vongtama/

Certified leadership coach and consultant Tracey Gee has recently published her first book. Entitled The Magic of Knowing What You Want: A Practical Guide to Unearthing the Wisdom of Your Desires, it's a much-needed resource for knowing who you really are and then identifying and pursuing what you really want. If you'd like to know more about her, her work, and her fantastic new book, simply go to www.traceygee.me.  

In this episode Bay Area filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi goes into great detail about the myriad little-known incarceration camps that the federal government created to keep Japanese American "troublemakers" away from those confined in the larger and better known incarceration camps following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI. Her first two documentaries--"A Bitter Legacy" and "Community in Crisis" offer a fresh retelling of the courageous efforts of the Japanese Americans to endure terrible injustices and hardships, while fighting back against the forces of anti-Japanese racism. Today, many Japanese Americans are pushing back against the unjust deportation and incarceration policies of the Trump administration aimed at brown-skinned people. You can find out how you can watch her first two films by going to www.abitterlegacy.com. And you can also learn about her third film "Exiled" by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/doj-film-fund-raiser  

Sarah Ahn is America's Test Kitchen's social media manager and the creator of the Ahnest Kitchen website (www.ahnestkitchen.com). She records her experiences on Instagram and Tik Tok of living with her Korean immgrant parents, chronicling her mother's cooking, grocery shopping trips, and more. Many of Sarah's posts have gone viral with 10+ million views and they have sold grocery stores out of product. She has been featured on NBC News, ABC News, Yahoo News, and Good Morning America.  Nam Soon Ahn, her mother, is a former restauranteur whose culinary wisdom and recipes from the foundation of Sarah's book Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes. Together, they honor their heritage with love, flavor, and authenticity. You can follow Sarah @ahnestkitchen.

Kaya of the Ocean is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Gloria Lai Huang that explores themes of mental health, the immigrant experience, and self-acceptance. The story follows Kaya, a thirteen-year-old girl who struggles with anxiety and a fear of water, as she discovers her lineage as a descendant of the Chinese water goddess Mazu. This heartfelt adventure combines elements of friendship, humor, and Chinese mythology, set against the backdrop of the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. It has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and chosen by the American Booksellers Association as one of the best debuts on the Winter/Spring 2025 "Indies Introduce" list, as well as a great read on the January 2025 "Kids' Indie Next" list. www.glorialaihuang.com

Bay Area artist and activist Nancy Wang has recently written a captivating fictional historical account of the Chinese who built and worked out of the fishing villages in the Monterey Bay area during the 1850s in California. Entitled Red Altar, her book brings to life the experiences of these early pioneers from China, including her fiesty multilingual ancestor who was the first Chinese American female born in California, and who made a name for herself as "Spanish Mary." If you'd like to buy an autographed copy of Red Altar, just go to www.ethnotec.org.

Whether or not you identify as spiritual or some kind of Christian, I'm pretty sure most of us are quite familiar with the tendency--if not the temptation--to live as if the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank. Armed with this mindset, many of us move on, move away, or just keep on moving rather than stay put in hopes of finding what we're looking for where we are. As you'll soon learn, Rev. Lydia Sohn was preprogrammed by her Korean American immigrant parents to be a nomad. That was her first and most basic instinct. But at some point she was made to consider the potentially greater value of staying, which has long been a spiritual practice of Benedictine monks. Energized by what a difference this made in her life and her work, Sohn eventually wrote Here: A Spirituality of Staying In a Culture of Leaving. I have no doubt that much of what she shares in our conversation and in her new book will be life-giving, if not life-saving. You can learn more about her at www.revlydia.com.    

In this latest installment of the Two Kens collaborative series between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they introduce a term that respected German sociologist Max Weber first introduced 100 years ago that they believe best describes what Donald Trump is working hard to accomplish in his second term, and how knowing this term also tells us how best to thwart Trump's efforts. They were inspired by Jonathan Rauch's article in The Atlantic that appeared on February 24, 2025, entitled One Word Describes Trump: A Century Ago, A German Sociologist Explained Precisely How the President Thinks About the World. Fong and Kemp then look at the different responses to Trump's recent State of the Union address, especially how Senate Majority Leader John Thune appears to be subjugating his evanglical convictions to appear steadfastly loyal to President Trump.

Dr. Grisma Shah's debut novel Anagram Destiny is a soul warming love story nestled in an inspiring tale of the American dream, manifesting an Indian immigrant success story shattered by the evils of globalization– paying homage to a generation of immigrants who held their heads low so one day, their children could lift theirs high. To learn more about Dr. Shah and her novel go to www.shahgrisma.com. 

If you're one of the fortunate people who know who Tyrus Wong was and what a pivotal role he played in getting the classic Disney film "Bambi" made, I think you'll still be blown away by what Dr. Karen Fang has revealed in her recent book, "Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong." I'll give you two hints: Christmas cards and custom kites.

In this episode seminary professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reiterates that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID should serve as a serious wake up call to American Evangelical Christians because now Christian relief agencies will no longer receive gifts in kind of grain from the federal government. However, if they continue to celebrate USAID's demise, they are telling us that they really aren't "evangelicals," who take the Bible and Jesus quite seriously. 

As a nod to this being Black History Month and also as a form of pushback against the current dismantling of meritocracy in the U.S. Military by the Trump administration, I invited Dr. Roger Newman to talk about his latest novel Boys, a work of historical fiction based on what he learned about his Black Uncle Alex growing up in the Jim Crow South and facing systemic racism while serving in Army during World War II and beyond.

In this latest episode in the Two Kens collaborative series on American politics and Christian nationalism, Fong and Kemp point out the jarring historical parallels with how Germany's Hitler and Hungary's Orban were able to dismantle their countries democracies so quickly. This episode is a call to action and resistance for every American who is now seeing the clear signs of decay in our democracy. Transition and outro music credit to The Isley Brothers and their "Fight the Power" anthem from 1975.

Celebrated playwright, director and producer Chay Yew is once again directing Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, this time in its Los Angeles debut at East West Players David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo from February 13-March 9, 2025.  A poignant new classic of the Asian American theater canon, Cambodian Rock Band explores the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor as he returns to his homeland after thirty long years. While his daughter prepares to prosecute one of the country's most notorious war criminals, the ghosts of their shared past begin to stir. This deeply moving story weaves back and forth through time as father and daughter confront history, turning to music as a path towards healing. You can listen to my 2018 interview of Lauren Yee when her play was first being produced at the South Coast Repertory Theater: https://asianamericapodcast.com/2018/03/ep-141-cambodian-rock-band/ Please go to www.eastwestplayers.org to find a performance that fits your schedule.

Hawaii-based writer Chris McKinney has edited Honolulu Noir, the latest in the Akashic Noir series of location-based dark short stories. Comprised of stories about the people of the city, written by those who know this place best. The volume opens with a story featuring Chang Apana, the Native Hawaiian/Chinese real-life cop who was the inspiration for the controversial Charlie Chan. It ends with a supernatural journey from the Philippines to Hawaii. In between, readers will find multicultural tales of invasion (whether yakuza, ISIS recruiters, or vampires), madness, addiction, and murder—all the stuff that many people don't know happens here. Unbeknownst to the rest of the country, Honolulu can be a very dangerous place. Here, even the alluring crystal-blue waters might kill you.

Doreen and Ken were high school sweethearts more than half a century ago. (You can hear more about their love story in EP 496.) But they parted ways in 1973, met and married their spouses, and had children. Doreen's marriage ended in divorce 27 years ago, and Ken's marriage ended in July 2023 when cancer took his wife Snoopy from him. Her dying wish was that he remarry and find happiness again. Since they were living in different halves of California, Ken phoned Doreen and asked if she'd be open to getting "reaquainted" after all these years. She quickly said "yes," and on January 18th of this new year, they got married!  In this special edition of the podcast, Doreen and Ken open up about what was extra special about their ceremony and how their relationship now feels even closer after getting married to each other.

My longtime friend and fellow podcaster Ken Kemp (The Beached White Male) lives on the far end of Orange County, so his house is far from the fires in SoCal. But many of his out-of-state friends don't know this, so they've been reaching out to he and his wife for reassurances of their safety. They've suffered several days-long power outages due to the high winds, though, so it's not like he's been spared. Knowing that our house is in one of the areas threatened by the Eaton Fire, he called first to hear how Janessa and I were doing. Once he heard that my family and my house were fine, he then suggested that we should do an episode about this current conflagration. Of course I agreed. We also compared notes on the legacy of Pres. Jimmy Carter, who'd recently died at the age of 100. In editing this episode, I realized that Kemp and I had confused two previous California wildfires. He talks about the Paradise Fires in 2003, and I was referring to the fire in Butte County that destroyed the town of Paradise in 2018.