Let's Have This Conversation

What brings us joy? Do we treat ourselves nice? Do we know how to be honest with ourselves? Today, we are talking with April Yee, a Holistic Life Coach, about self-care, how we can practice care, support and kindness for ourselves. She points out that when we are kind and love ourselves, our whole life changes. We are connected to our inner self and will make positive decisions for our life that will bring us joy. Listen to April's story to find out how a life changing health emergency transformed and changed the direction of her life. Connect with April and learn more about her work: • Learn more about transformative self-care on April's website: https://thehealingmodalities.com • Subscribe to April's newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/3de0d09e3d8d/exploring-self-care • Email April: aprilyeeHLC@gmail.com Connect with Jane and myself. We would enjoy hearing your feedback. Please share your ideas for future topics. Email us at LHTCpodcast@gmail.com. Follow and direct message us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lets_have_this_conversation/

Let's Have This Conversation has reached a crossroads. This episode marks the end of another season of telling compelling stories about the lives of Chinese American women and braving intergenerational challenges to land at a place of acceptance and understanding. Our next season will begin soon and already we're very excited about the next chapter because as always, we are committed and invested in telling stories that resonate and move us. Today, we share what we've been thinking and where we want to go as well as what we've been up to during our break. During today's conversation we focus on the current “We are Bruce Lee: Under the Sky, One Family” exhibit. Information about the Bruce Lee exhibit at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco's Chinatown: https://chsa.org https://www.wearebrucelee.org

What drew us to Mary Chan? Not only is she a fellow podcaster, she is also a 2nd generation Chinese Canadian! She adds a new flavor to our mix. We hear what it's like to be 2nd gen Chinese in Canada! Mary tells wonderful stories of her experiences growing up in Vancouver, talks about traditions passed to her from her mom and what she will pass to her daughter.At a young age, Mary knew her life work would be to follow her passion, she would do work that she would enjoy. A high school career prep test points her to a career in broadcasting. All her accomplishments prove that the test result was correct. She progressed from her radio days as a production manager, producer and voice over artist to having her own podcast and a business where she supports podcasters as a strategist, editor, engineer and voice coach.We enjoyed all the topics we touched on, passing traditions, finding your passion, being aware of our voice and being attuned to the love language of those closest to us. Most of all, we enjoyed hanging out with Mary where we can chat about anything from food to love language.Listen to Mary's podcast "The Podcaster's Guide to a Visible Voice" at https://www.organizedsound.ca/podcast/ where she talks about the nuts and bolts of podcasting, especially using your voice to make a connection with an audience. If you're interested in learning more about podcasting, visit Mary's website, https://www.organizedsound.ca/Connect with me. I would enjoy hearing from you!My email is LHTCpodcast@gmail.comFollow and direct message me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lets_have_this_conversation/ 

Can anyone say they've fulfilled their parents' dream for them almost to perfection? What an amazing accomplishment. Listen to Jamie Chan tell her story of growing up in a warm and nurturing family where she is influenced by a dad with a definite vision for her life and a mom who is practical and solution driven. What she's achieved has surely made her parents happy. We are trying a different approach in today's episode. Join us for a 2-part conversation, we lead off with our chat with Jamie and then transition to Jamie's conversation with her 94-year-old mom, Helen Chan. Enjoy listening to heartwarming stories!

Would a 14-year-old daughter join her mom for a podcast conversation? We are thrilled Summer Yang joined her mom, Vanessa Yang, for this episode of Let's Have This Conversation. This season we are featuring mother and daughter relationships so inviting Vanessa and her daughter, Summer, is perfect. As a high school freshman, Summer is thoughtful and mature beyond her age. Summer is already a seasoned YouTuber with her own channel where she offers her fresh perspective and analysis of Chinese dramas. Transition describes Vanessa's life. At 2-years-old, she is a Chinese Vietnamese refugee landing in Malaysia while her father secures her family's passage to Germany. Eventually, her life journey leads her to the United States where she becomes an accomplished CPA and hybrid “tiger” mom. Recently, she has the courage to take a hiatus from her professional career to become a podcaster! Our professional and podcasting networks intersected and I knew I wanted to invite Vanessa to join our show.Listen to Vanessa's story of life changes and accomplishments. Enjoy Summer and Vanessa's sincere and connected relationship as they chat with us.Explore Vanessa's podcast and Summer's YouTube channel mentioned in this episode:Vanessa's podcast is “1st Mentor Podcast”. This educational and stimulating podcast explores soft skills, life lessons and general knowledge for teens and young adults. They can listen by themselves or together with their parents. She explores a variety of topics including: Personal Development, Finance, Health and Wellness, Foreign Languages, Diversity, Travel, Career Preparations, General Knowledge and many other topics that are normally not covered through their education in school.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1st-mentor-podcast/id1554036380Summer's YouTube Channel name is “Worship Asian Drama”.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBYTXeDNbhf2wm9gYFy3q0A/about Connect with me.My email is LHTCpodcast@gmail.comFollow and direct message me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_have_this_conversation/

How do you become your own person? How do you give yourself permission to accept being confused about your identity? For a unique perspective on these questions, listen to our conversation with Dr. Laureen Chew who offers profound and practical pearls of wisdom. She learned from facing challenges head-on while embracing life. From appearing in 2 films to a respected educator then named Associate Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies @ SFSU, a program she helped create in 1969, Laureen does not hesitate to be honest. Listen to Laureen describe her mom, how it felt to grow up in San Francisco Chinatown and how she became her own person. Read more about Laureen and her involvement in AAPI issues:Laureen Chew on Maintaining Vigor for Sustained Change on Asian American Issues:https://medium.com/intertrend/maintaining-vigor-for-sustained-change-in-asian-american-issues-2ae199654237Fireside Chat with Dr. Laureen Chew by a UW Hybrid MBA Student:https://blog.foster.uw.edu/mba-student-interview-with-prominent-chinese-american-activist/The Strike that Led to the Country's First Ethnic Studies Department:https://www.kalw.org/show/crosscurrents/2018-11-29/the-strike-that-led-to-the-countrys-first-ethnic-studies-departmentEthnic Studies 50 years later: Where are we now?https://www.kalw.org/show/crosscurrents/2018-11-29/ethnic-studies-50-years-later-where-are-we-nowAsian Americans PBS documentary, Laureen Chew: “I Was Trying to Figure Out Who I Was”https://youtu.be/B9LGuHDjTmQLaureen Chew's starring role in film, "Dim Sum":https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dim-sum-a-little-bit-of-heart-1985SFSU Profile and Contact Information:  https://news.sfsu.edu/experts/laureen-chew

We lead off the season with mother-daughter duo, Lil Hom and Rhea Wong. Dorinda and Jane are excited to welcome them to the conversation because we want to hear about their special relationship. When Lil talks about Rhea, we hear how she is supportive and encourages Rhea regardless of the endeavor. Influenced by her mom’s fearlessness and toughness, Rhea faces life with confidence and tenacity. Listen to them tell stories that demonstrate their mutual affection and respect for each other. 

This season, our conversations will be with mothers and daughters and sisters. We'll be talking about how being a 2nd generation mom, daughter or sister influenced their lives. 

Emmy So describes growing up in Portland, Oregon. She felt the loneliness of growing up straddling 2 cultures and not fitting into a typical Asian stereotype. After college, Emmy's careers range from interior design and construction to her current interest in food and launching her own food business. In the midst of navigating careers, she receives a life changing medical diagnosis that causes her to pause and think about what is important to her.

Stacey describes her experiences growing up in Fremont, California. Both of her parents immigrated from Hong Kong but met in the United States. Her multi-generational household included her paternal and maternal grandmothers. Stacey tells of her experiences in Cantonese Chinese opera, as a voice over actor and her current profession as a social dance instructor.

Grace talks about wanting to fit in to American culture as a young person and how in adulthood she is beginning to explore more of her Taiwanese heritage: Grace's parents both came to the U.S. from Taiwan.  She also discusses her strong relationship with her grandmother, growing up in New England and then Arizona, and how her mother's powerful independence influenced her. 

The story Cindy Molloy shares of growing up in a Chinese American immigrant family is certain to resonate with many women who grew up with parents who immigrated from China. Her family owned and operated a Chinese restaurant, and she experienced first hand the Chinese tradition of the family favoring boy children over girl children. Cindy also shares how she had a rebellious streak and found her calling of being a pharmacist at a young age. She also talks about how she left her pharmacy career to pursue a passion for the craft of sewing. 

Shirley Ng shares her story and also tells Cherie and Dorinda about her parents' journey to the US and experiences starting life in a new country where they had very limited finances and didn't speak the language. Shirley recounts her own experiences of not speaking and then learning English, and how teachers inspired her to become more outspoken to the point of wanting to major in speech when she went to university. Shirley also tells Dorinda and Cherie about her traditional Chinese household growing up, how she raised her own children, and her experiences of being one of the first female drug sales reps in the Bay Area back in the 1970s. 

Angela Zhang shares her story about growing up in Seattle and then moving to the East Coast for college and now medical school: she is currently studying at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Angela has given much thought to living a life that straddles two cultures, not only reflecting on her own experiences but also through investigations with others who are on that journey. Angela's photo- and text-based thesis project "The Hyphenated American" is one such investigation. Angela also has passionate interests in health journalism, anti-racism, and justice/equity work. In our conversation, she delves deep, and her thoughts are insightful and inspire contemplation. 

Muriel Kao shares her story about being a third-generation Chinese-American woman growing up in Hawaii, and then moving to California, as well as living for a time in Hong Kong. Muriel, who is now in her 80s, discusses what it was like growing up in a very traditional household, and how her grandparents had a very influential role in her life. She also talks about what it was like to transition from the more culturally diverse population of Hawaii to the Caucasian-dominated area of Berkeley, California, in the 1960s. 

Mai Li shares her story about being born in the US but spending her formative years in Hong Kong, always with an eye to returning to the US, which she did for college, and never left. Mai fully embraces her Chinese and American identities and talks about how she values and sees the benefits of having two cultures to draw from.Cherie and Dorinda begin the episode with a mention of the podcast conference Sound Education. 

Dorinda and Cherie were very honored to get to speak to Martha Wong. Now in her 80s, Martha, a second generation Chinese American, shares her life journey from her family's experiences in the segregated South to becoming a groundbreaking city and state politician who opened the door to many leadership positions for Asian Americans in Texas and helped give the Asian American community a voice in governance there. 

In this episode, second-generation Chinese American woman Karen Lew-Tom tells her story to Dorinda and Cherie.

This is part 2 of 2, of Jeanne Lew's story, where we discuss how she overcame the challenges of a strict and unsupportive upbringing to arrive at a fulfilling and successful self-styled life.

This is part one (of two) of Jeanne Lew's story. We tell the story of how Jeanne overcame significant family pressure and criticism to successfully strike out on her own.

Second generation Chinese American women share their stories through interviews, one woman at a time, with cohosts Dorinda Wong and Cherie. Because through sharing we inspire courage and strength in each other.