Podcasts about Asian Americans

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.

**Special note to our listeners** Love the show? Help us keep the conversation going! Become a paid subscriber through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Your contributions help us continue to make content on issues related to the Asian-American, immigrant, modern parent experience.THANK YOU to our super awesome listeners who have already signed up!---------------------------------------On this episode, we get down to the nuts and bolts of what happens to your stuff and kids after you die. Yes, we are getting into that thing that's on every parent's to-do list but somehow keeps on slipping down to the bottom: Estate Planning. :)We brought on Jenny Ling, who is founder and head of The Law Offices of Jenny Ling which has won a number of awards for their work in estate planning in the Pacific Northwest. We asked her all the questions you may be thinking but were afraid to ask: Is a will enough? Are trusts only for the uber wealthy? How will someone actually find all my accounts after I die? How do I convince my parents to do their estate planning? ... And we hear of some horror cases that she's seen to help motivate you to finally take action on this :)Important notes:- Since this episode was recorded, the Washington State Estate Tax laws have changed. The new law went into effect this month. Instead of the estate tax exemption being 2.193 million, it is now 3 million with a tax rate of 10-35%- As always, when we bring legal, medical or other experts on the show, everything we say on the episode is entirely informational and should not be construed as advice for your specific situation. Always seek out a qualified professional for your specific context and goals.

Do you mentor others?   In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Fernande (Nan) Duffly, the first Asian American Judge appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court.   Nan shares how mentorship played a critical role in her journey. Her mentor, Sam Adams, encouraged her to consider becoming a judge—something she hadn't envisioned for herself. At the time, there were very few people who looked like her in those roles.   Now, Nan pays it forward. She actively mentors young lawyers and students, especially those from diverse backgrounds. For Nan, mentoring isn't about formal programs—it's about real conversations. Demystify the role: Nan is intentional about helping others see that judges aren't untouchable. “I was you once,” she says. “And you could be me.” Build belief: She focuses on helping others believe they're capable and ready. It's not about who you know—it's about being prepared, having the right experience, and doing the work. Stay grounded: Nan makes space for real connection. She listens, shares her story, and lets people see the person behind the title.   Thank you, Nan, for sharing your story—and for showing how powerful mentoring can be.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/episode-110-be-a-mentor-with-fernande-nan-duffly  

The New Capes & Lunatics Ep #35 (LGY #390): Superman Smashes The Klan This episode your team of Phil, Lilith, Justin and Kristen review the 3 issue series Superman Smashes The Klan (December 2019-April 2020). Superman battles to help an Asian-American family in 1946 while dealing with new revelations about his own origins. Tune in today and don't forget to review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you can!  Capes & Lunatics Links  → Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/capeslunatics.bsky.social → Twitter https://twitter.com/CapesLunatics → Instagram https://www.instagram.com/capeslunatics/ → Facebook https://www.facebook.com/capesandlunatics → YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/CapesandLunatics   ==================  

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what's exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Queer Muslim coming-of-age on stageAnita Chikkatur of Minneapolis is an educator and theater enthusiast. She's excited for Theater Mu's production of “Maybe You Could Love Me,” a new play by Samah Meghjee.The story follows the evolving friendship between two queer Muslim women across three stages of life — childhood, adolescence and adulthood — all portrayed by the same pair of actors. Directed by Katie Bradley, the play opens Theater Mu's 2025–26 season.“Maybe You Could Love Me” runs through Sept. 28 at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, with previews beginning today.Anita says: One of the things that I love about Theatre Mu is that it showcases the very diverse experiences of the Asian American communities in the United StatesWe need to kind of understand how diverse Asian Americans are across sort of cultures, nationalities, religion, sexuality, immigration status and so on.— Anita ChikkaturA celebration of children's literature in Red WingChildren's book author Peter Pearson of Minneapolis is looking forward to the Minnesota Children's Book Festival at the Anderson Center in Red Wing.The event gathers a wide range of Minnesota writers and illustrators to speak, sign books, and lead activities for children and families. Attendees can explore the estate's Art Barn, sculpture garden, and grounds.The events has a strong lineup this year, including Art Coulson, Justice Alan Page, Cristina Oxtra, Chris Monroe, Pete Hautman and Molly Beth Griffin.The Minnesota Children's Book Festival takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Anderson Center in Red Wing.Peter says: It's just really wonderful. They have a really good lineup this year.Just a lot of really good folks, picture book all the way up to YA stuff. So there's really something for everyone.— Peter PearsonMusic on every block at Rochester PorchfestKen Simurdiak of Rochester recalls the first time he and his wife stumbled upon Porchfest, a grassroots neighborhood music event in the Kutzky Park area.Local bands perform on porches across the neighborhood while audiences stroll, bike, or bring lawn chairs to enjoy the performances. With four bands playing each hour, attendees can hear a wide variety of styles, including blues, rock and folk.Porchfest takes place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Rochester's Kutzky Park neighborhood.Ken remembers: Every hour, four bands would play, all located at different houses. And so we walked around looking for music that we liked, and there's a variety, everything from blues to rock to folk.And after that, we were hooked, and we have been attending ever since— Ken Simurdiak

Today our friends Aileen and Harpreet join us to talk about bringing your social A game to events and hangouts! We chat about what kind of events make us feel the most comfortable socially, and dive into any tips or tricks that help to set the vibes of an event. We discuss whether we actively try to set the vibes or whether we passively enhance it. Support the showFollow us on social media @eatyourcrustpod

It's not often that I'll get to introduce a guest whose moniker is “banana-brained and voice-trained”!  But joining me today is a woman who is the embodiment of quirkiness, versatility, and her own words “a bit unhinged”.  From clown noses to stage and to your favorite streaming platforms, Jo Yuan has covered a lot of ground...and that's saying something given she's been in the entertainment industry just shy of 6 years, and in voiceover for five of those years. She's made audiences laugh, cry while pondering social biases through the roles and characters she's played, whether it's in a packed house, on a TV set, or through your earbuds while narrating the Harper Collins' audiobook Counterattacks at Thirty. An Asian American actor of Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean heritage, Jo's career spans theatre, television, voiceover, and comedy, and brings authenticity, wit, and heart to every role. She's trained in the Meisner technique, on-camera acting, clown and sketch comedy to long-form improv, as a graduate of the now defunct Second City Conservatory, in Hollywood. Her stage work includes performances at East West Players, IAMA Theatre, Artists at Play, and as a company member of PlayGround-LA. As a voice actor, Jo's credits read like a streaming guide - with an impressive list of dubbing credits, lead and recurring roles on Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+, and Amazon Prime and Nat Geo.  In 2024, Jo was named one of 24 New Digital Audio Narrators by Macmillan Audio, selected from over 350 applicants.  Jo is also a proud and active member of the Television Academy, the Asian American Theatre Artists Collective, and the century old Los Angeles Breakfast Club, to name a few.  In addition, she is my fellow Door Builder in the Building Doors VO Campaign!  From the stage to the booth, Jo's work is a testament to the power of curiosity, craft, and connection. To contact Jo, you can reach out to her via the followng: Business email Address: joyuanactor@gmail.com Business Website:  www.jo-yuan.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/itsme.joyuan/ For more information on Jo Yuan's one woman show on September 21, 2025 'Something Borrowed. Something Blue. Something Tesla. Something True.': https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=brea For more on the Building Doors VO Campaign: https://www.buildingdoorsvo.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow 19 Stories wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. It would be greatly appreciated if you gave a nice review and shared this episode well :-) To give feedback or a story idea: 19stories@soundsatchelstudios.com To listen to my demos: https://www.cherylholling.com/ To contact me for voiceover work, or to host your podcast, reach out to me at: cheryl@cherylholling.com Follow me on Instagram: @cherylhollingvo Theme Song Credit:  'Together' by For King & Country Proverbs 23:18 "Surely there is a future, and your Hope will not be cut off."

There's no such thing as a neutral reading of the Bible. Every reading is inflected by first-person experience, cultural context, history, and more. In this episode, biblical scholars Janette Ok and Jordan J. Ryan join Mark Labberton to reflect on The New Testament in Color, a groundbreaking new biblical commentary that brings together diverse voices across racial, cultural, and social locations. They share how their own ethnic and cultural backgrounds as Asian American and Filipino Canadian readers shaped their understanding of Scripture, the importance of social location, using the creeds as guardrails for hermeneutics, and how contextual interpretation deepens biblical authority rather than diminishing it. Episode Highlights “There is no such thing as a neutral reading of the Bible.” —Mark Labberton “It really dawned on me the importance of being aware of who I am, my family background, my history in the United States, all these things.” —Janette Ok “Filipinos I think are always sort of on the margins… trying to understand how Asian we really are or aren't.” —Jordan J. Ryan “Objectivity is nothing more than the fruit of authentic subjectivity.” —Jordan J. Ryan quoting Bernard Lonergan “Colorblindness is actually something that's not true… particularity is fundamental to the gospel.” —Janette Ok “It was one of the most freeing experiences that I've had because it finally gave me permission to do the thing that I'd always wanted to do.” —Jordan J. Ryan Helpful Links and Resources The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Commentary on the New Testament (IVP Academic) About Janette Ok Janette Ok is associate professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. A leading scholar in Asian American biblical interpretation, she is a co-editor of The New Testament in Color and author of Constructing Ethnic Identity in 1 Peter. About Jordan Ryan Jordan Ryan is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School, and author of The Role of the Synagogue in the Aims of Jesus and From the Passion to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. His research explores Acts, archaeology, and Filipino American biblical interpretation. Show Notes The New Testament in color and contextual biblical Interpretation “There is no such thing as a neutral reading of the Bible.” Janette's growing up in a Korean immigrant church in Detroit, carrying “the weight of assimilation.” Asian American literature, especially Bone by Fae Myenne Ng Opening our eyes to the power of articulating immigrant experience Jordan Ryan's mixed-race Canadian upbringing—Filipino mother, white father—and early encounters with Scripture through unhoused communities. “Filipinos are always sort of on the margins of Asian America.” —Jordan Ryan Contextual reading of the bible All readings are contextual, contrasting liberation theology, unhoused readers, and Western academic traditions Challenges and dangers of contextualization “The first danger is to think that we can remove ourselves from the work of textual interpretation.” Social location is not an external lens but intrinsic to the gospel. “Objectivity is nothing more than the fruit of authentic subjectivity.” Archaeology that informs contextual questions “Colorblind” readings ignore particularity and miss the incarnational nature of Scripture. Biblical authority and the living word Biblical authority as central: “It's why I teach at Wheaton College and not somewhere else.” “When we say the Bible is the living Word of God… it means it has to speak to us today.” Preachers already contextualize every Sunday; The New Testament in Color makes this explicit and communal New Testament in Color was initiated by Esau McCaulley in 2018 Preceded by works like True to Our Native Land and Women's Bible Commentary Distinctive by gathering scholars from African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American, and European American backgrounds in one volume Goal: Embody diversity without sacrificing particularity or biblical trust. Commentary on Acts, including Filipino American theology and diaspora identity “It was one of the most freeing experiences that I've had.” He traced themes of foreignness, colonialism, and God's care for the imprisoned in Acts 1 Peter and Asian American biblical interpretation, wrestling with exile, belonging, and “perpetual foreigner” stereotypes Home as central theological concern—“not everyone feels at home in the same way.” —Janette Ok Editing, diversity, and reader reception Balancing freedom with theological boundaries rooted in the creeds Diversity created unevenness, but also richness and authenticity. “The fingerprints that make it so living.” —Janette Ok Professors report the book resonates with students of color whose lived experiences often feel absent in traditional scholarship “Sometimes people don't know where to begin… I encourage my students to always consult scholars who read and look differently from themselves.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

In this powerful episode of Asian Pacific Voices Radio, Emmy-winning actress and SAG-AFTRA leader In this compelling episode of Asian Pacific Voices Radio, Emmy-winning actress and union leader Jodi Long joins host Rasha Goel for an inspiring conversation about her lifelong mission to amplify underrepresented voices on stage, screen, and beyond. Jodi opens up about her groundbreaking career as an Asian American actress, the lessons she learned from her vaudevillian parents, and the resilience it took to navigate an industry riddled with bias. As a former Los Angeles Local President of SAG-AFTRA, she shares candid insights about fighting for equity, ageism protections, AI safeguards, and performers' rights. Now running as an independent candidate for National President of SAG-AFTRA, Jodi reflects on what it means to lead with integrity and why empowering every performer to own their unique story is at the heart of great acting—and lasting change.    

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.

Send us a textIt's conversations like this that make us remember why we are still here after 12 years and over 800 episodes. Filmmakers/activists/return guests Julie Cohen, and Ramona Diaz join us to discuss the intersection between art and activism, and how important it is for us to stay engaged. Ramona, who grew up under Marshall Law in the Philippines, shares how what is happening in the US feels very familiar to her, and Julie discusses how she's found a way to fight back with her community in her own backyard. They share why they decided to join forces, and some examples of what's bringing them joy in these tough times. Then we end the episode with our newest segment, This Bitch, and you won't want to miss their inspirational answers. Prior Bitch Talk episodes with Julie Cohen: Episodes 272 RBG, 524 My Name is Pauli Murray, 625 Julia, 686 Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down, 751 Every Body, 826 The Path ForwardPrior Bitch Talk episodes with Ramona Diaz: Episodes 483 A Thousand Cuts, 785 And So it BeginsFollow filmmaker Julie Cohen on IGFollow filmmaker Ramona Diaz on IGSupport the showThanks for listening and for your support! We couldn't have won Best of the Bay Best Podcast in 2022 , 2023 , and 2024 without you! -- Fight fascism. Shop small. Use cash. -- Subscribe to our channel on YouTube for behind the scenes footage! Rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts! Visit our website! www.bitchtalkpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram & Facebook Listen every Tuesday at 9 - 10 am on BFF.FM

Episode SummaryErin and Rachel wallow through an elderly man's grief journey with Pixar's critically acclaimed Up (2009). They argue the beautiful art and cute sidekicks aren't enough to redeem this (admittedly beloved) film, especially since the (admittedly moving) love story invokes the classic “dead wife” trope. We'll keep sailing our balloon house onto the next one, please and thank you. Episode BibliographyAdler, S. (2008, August 7). 'Up' And Coming: 3-D Pixar Movie Tells A 'Coming Of Old Age' Story, Director Says. MTV. https://web.archive.org/web/20100318060539/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1592302/story.jhtmlThe Associated Press. (2009, May 12). Q&A: Pete Docter. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/qampa-pete-docter-83783/Berardinelli, J. (2009, May 26). Up (United States, 2009). ReelViews. https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/upBlock, A. B. (2009, November 17). Anatomy of a Contender: ‘Up'. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/anatomy-contender-91440/Brooks, X. (2009, March 19). Curtain will go Up on this year's Cannes with 3-D yarn | Cannes 2009. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/19/up-first-animation-to-open-cannes-film-festivalChen, D. (2009, May 28). Marketing Up's Asian-American Lead Character. SlashFilm. https://www.slashfilm.com/503927/marketing-ups-asian-american-lead-character/Coconut Press. (2023, August 16). The Making of Up: Pixar Travels to Venezuela 4k. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXCHlcrMgLYCorliss, R. (2009, May 7). Going Up. TIME. https://web.archive.org/web/20090513203932/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1896685-1,00.htmlCorliss, R. (2009, May 28). Up, Up and Away: Another New High for Pixar. Time Magazine. https://time.com/archive/6688401/up-up-and-away-another-new-high-for-pixar/Docter, P. (Director). (2009). Up [Film]. Pixar Animation Studios.DVDFilmBonus. (2023, July 16). Up 2009 ( Pixar ) Making of & Behind the Scenes. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPQuzPm73foErikson E.H., & Erikson, J.M. (1982). Life cycle completed. W.W. Norton & CompanyFreer, I. (2009, October 3). Up. Empire Online. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/movie-2-review/Hartlaub, P. (2009, May 27). Oakland's Fentons Creamery in Pixar film 'Up'. SFGate. https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Oakland-s-Fentons-Creamery-in-Pixar-film-Up-3297072.phpHauser, T. (2016). The Art of Up. Chronicle Books LLC.Hogan, R. (2009, June 1). Pixar's Up review. Den of Geek. https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/pixars-up-review-2/Horn, J. (2009, May 10). up, up and away. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-may-10-ca-up10-story.htmlHornaday, A. (2009, May 29). Up. The Washington Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20091027073954/http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/up,1156226.htmlKhoo, I. (2015, July 13). Pregnancy Loss: The Surprising Movie That Understands Miscarriage. HuffPost Canada. https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/pregnancy-loss-the-surprising-movie-that-understands-miscarriag_n_7786224King, S. (2009, May 28). Jordan Nagai, 'Up'. Los Angeles Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123435/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/28/entertainment/et-jordanpete28The Korean Face of Pixar's Latest Star. (2009, June 3). The Chosun Daily. https://www.chosun.com/english/people-en/2009/06/03/NXQOOEMZNUTRQNAZ7NTDTTGBUU/Ksieh, K. (2009, May 29). Jordan Nagai as Russell in UP. Channel APA. https://web.archive.org/web/20121110102130/http://www.channelapa.com/2009/05/jordan-nagai-as-russell-in-up.htmlMedia Action Network for Asian Americans. (2009, September 2). ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUP PRAISES DISNEY/PIXAR'S "UP" FOR CREATING ASIAN AMERICAN PROTAGONIST. MANAA. https://web.archive.org/web/20090902105114/http://www.manaa.org/up_press_release.htmlMeinel, D. (2014). Empire is out there!?: The spirit of imperialism in the Pixar animated film ‘Up'. Traces. NECSUS. https://necsus-ejms.org/empire-spirit-imperialism-pixar-animated-film/#_edn12Meinel, D. (2016). Pixar's America. Palgrave MacMillan. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-31634-5_7Morgenstern, J. (2009, May 14). Reaching for the Sky, 'Up' Fails to Soar - WSJ. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124226358415817813Piane, C. (2010, April 9). EWP Honors Pixar Films And Jordan Nagai At 44th Anniversary Visionary Awards 4/19. Broadway World. https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/EWP-Honors-Pixar-Films-And-Jordan-Nagai-At-44th-Anniversary-Visionary-Awards-419-20100409Press Release. (2009, November 8). Interview: Pete Doctor on Disney/Pixar's UP. Major Spoilers. https://web.archive.org/web/20100208140509/http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/27376.htm/Rechtshaffen, M. (2009, May 12). Up - Film Review. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20120315171219/http://www1.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/up-film-review-1003972156.storySchilling, V. (2019, September 15). Boy Scouts ‘have been one of the worst culprits' of cultural appropriation. ICT. https://ictnews.org/news/boy-scouts-have-been-one-of-the-worst-culprits-of-cultural-appropriation/Tell Me More Staff. (2013, September 9). Angry Asian Man Not So Angry : Code Switch. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/09/219725276/angry-asian-man-not-so-angryUp (2009 film). (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_(2009_film)Wooden, S.R., & Gillam, K. (2014). Pixar's boy stories: Masculinity in a postmodern age. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Young, S. (2020, January 16). Exploring the dead wives in family movies trope. Nerdist. https://nerdist.com/article/dead-wives-family-movies-dolittle/Zacharek, S. (2009, May 29). Up. Salon. https://www.salon.com/2009/05/29/up_review/

Asians and Asian Americans are numerous within the classical music industry, but their identities are often politicized and racialized in this Eurocentric musical genre. For the third episode of Obbligato on APEX Express, Isabel Li discusses this intersection with Mari Yoshihara, Professor of American Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Professor at the Center for Global Education at the University of Tokyo, Japan; author of many books, including Musicians from a Different Shore: Asians and Asian Americans in Classical Music (2007) and Dearest Lenny: Letters from Japan and the Making of the World Maestro (2019). Tonight's episode features music by Chinese American composer Zhou Tian. To learn more about Mari and her work, please visit her website: https://www.mariyoshihara.com/index.html  Musicians from a Different Shore: https://tupress.temple.edu/books/musicians-from-a-different-shore-2 Dearest Lenny: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/dearest-lenny-9780190465780?cc=jp&lang=en&  Transcript  Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.    00:00:53 Isabel Li  Good evening. You're listening to KPFA 94.1 FM. My name is Isabel Li and I'm delighted to be hosting a new edition of Obbligato on Apex Express, which is a semimonthly segment specifically about AAPI identities in classical music. Tonight's guest is someone I have been incredibly excited to speak to because her writings have actually very much informed my studies and research. In fact, her books are exactly about the subject matter of Obbligato. I am honored to be speaking to Mario Yoshihara, Professor of American Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Professor at the Center for Global Education at the University of Tokyo, Japan; author of many books, including Musicians from a Different Shore: Asians and Asian Americans in Classical Music, published in 2007, and Dearest Lenny: Letters from Japan and the Making of the World Maestro, which was published in 2019. Welcome to Obbligato on Apex Express. Mari, how are you doing?  00:01:55 Mari Yoshihara  I'm doing fine. Thank you for having me.  00:01:58 Isabel Li  Of course, my first question for you is how do you identify and what communities are you a part of?  00:02:06 Mari Yoshihara  Oh well, that's actually a little bit complicated I am. I am a Japanese woman who have spent a little bit over well, maybe not more than a little more than half of my life in the United States. Born in New York but raised in Tokyo, educated mostly in Japan, but also earned my graduate degrees in the United States and most of my academic career has been in Hawaii, so I've been in American academia for almost 30 years now, but I also have a dual appointment with the University of Tokyo in Japan. So I split my time between Japan and Hawaii now.  00:02:54 Isabel Li  Can you tell us a little bit about your work and your books? I had a chance to read Musicians from a Different Shore, but how would you summarize your research to someone who might not have read your book?  00:03:04 Mari Yoshihara  So I am a scholar of American studies, which is an interdisciplinary field that has anything to do with America broadly defined. And within that, my area of expertise is about, well, I would say I'm a scholar of US cultural history. US Asian relations, mostly US, East Asian relations, especially in the cultural dimension, cultural studies, gender studies, Asian American studies, etc. And so I have written a number of books, both in English and Japanese, but the one that you're referring to, Musicians from a Different Shore, is a book that I did research for more than 20 years ago and was published in 2007. It's a study of Asians and Asian Americans and classical music. So it was partly historical in that I examined the ways. which Western music, so-called western classical music, was introduced to East Asia and how also East Asians became have become so successful and prominent in this field that is generally considered a white European elite art form, so it was partly historical, but then the rest of the book was based on my ethnographic field work and interviews among Asians and Asian Americans in classical music looking at how well who these people are in the first place and then also how musicians, Asian and Asian musicians themselves, understand the relationship between their racial and cultural identity on the one hand, and their practice of Western classical music on the other, so that was my study.   And then I also wrote another book called Dearest Lenny. It's about—the subtitle is Letters from Japan and the Making of the World Maestro. It's about Leonard Bernstein's relationship with two very special individuals in Japan. And through that story, I interweave an account of various things. For one thing, how Leonard Bernstein became a world maestro and also the relationship between politics and arts, gender, sexuality, art and commerce, etcetera, etcetera. So that was my most recent book published in English and then, I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but I'm currently doing a follow up research on the on Musicians from a Different Shore, taking into account all the changes that have been taking place in the classical music industry in the United States in the past, I would say five years or so especially so that's my that's the abbreviated version of my research.  00:05:55 Isabel Li  That's really cool, and I also want to ask you about these changes, if you can talk a little bit about the classical music world. I feel like classical music is one of those genres that seems to be unchanging on the outside. But as a scholar of classical music, what types of changes have you observed that has influenced how AAPI identities play into this world?  00:06:18 Mari Yoshihara  Yeah, I think especially in the last, I would say, yeah, 5 to 10 years, especially in the last five years, classical music industry in the United, I mean I say specifically in the United States because I don't see the similar kind of changes taking place in Japan where I'm currently located. And I also don't really know the situation in Europe. But the field of classical music in the US is changing. I think most significantly because of movements like the Black Lives Matter movement and also with the onset of COVID and the rise of anti Asian hate, there's been a lot more heightened awareness about how issues of race and also class shapes classical music. So there's a lot more vibrant conversations and debates about these topics in the industry and also in terms of AAPI community, are the biggest changes, the biggest change I'm seeing is that Asian and Asian American musicians themselves are being a lot more vocal and active in issues of race and racism in the field and there I've encountered many Asian and Asian American musicians who have, for instance, you know organized events or organizations, or taken up various forms of advocacy and activism on these issues. So compared to, say, 20 years ago, 20, 25 years ago, when I was doing the original research, I see a lot more kind of, you know, explicit awareness and awareness and articulation of these issues by Asian and Asian American musicians themselves.  00:08:12 Isabel Li  That's really interesting. Just because classical music is also one of those genres, that doesn't seem like a genre that most people explicitly associate with politics or activism. What are some examples of these, like activist movements that you've observed within the Asian American community in classical music?  00:08:32 Mari Yoshihara  So for instance, some Asian and Asian American musicians are are becoming a lot more vocal about the actual like racism or sexism that they have themselves experienced, or that they witness in the industry, like in in schools, conservatories, orchestras, opera companies, etc. Either through the media or you know their own writing, and also like speaking up within the organizations that they work in. So that's one. There are other kinds of advocacy and activism in that they demand more diverse repertoire, and I think the repertoire is in terms of the industry industry changes. That's the area that's changing the most, the the kind of repertoire that many orchestras for instance perform have become a lot more– I mean overall it's still very white, European centered– but in terms of the actual numbers of pieces that are performed, works by living, composers and composers of color, women composers, etcetera. That is significantly increased in the last 10 years and that is, you know significantly to do with the advocacy and activism on the part of, you know, artists of color.  So yeah, so things like that and then, you know, many Asian, Asian American artists are doing their own programming, for instance, like event organizing programming. So yeah, those are the areas that I see changes. I see things happening that I didn't see 25 years ago.  00:10:20 Isabel Li  Definitely. I remember reading your book, and your book has been published since 2007, so a lot of changes have happened since then. But in general, when you did your research at first, what how would you summarize the dynamic of Asian identities, Asian American identities in this very Eurocentric field, it's a juxtaposition of two different cultures and identities that a lot of people also observe in orchestras. There's a large population of Asian and Asian American musicians, conductors just in general. It's a very large population, but yet this identity is still not quite represented in media. It's not quite seen, so talk to us a bit about this juxtaposition and how you observe these dynamics in your research.  00:11:10 Mari Yoshihara  Yeah. So. The thing is, Asians and Asian Americans are indeed numerically overrepresented in classical music, in the sense that compared to the general public, the the the proportion of Asians and Asian Americans in the overall US population, the number of Asian and Asian Americans in classical music indexed by things like the student body at major conservatories or membership roster of US orchestras, etcetera, Asians and Asian Americans percentage is higher than the general population, right. So in terms of the numbers, Asians and Asian Americans are, quote unquote overrepresented. But those numbers are not reflected in the actual like voice, power and influence that they have in the industry.   So that was my finding back 2025 years ago and I think that's still true today. Also, the thing about Asian, Asian American musicians is that it's a racialized category. They are seeing and treated as Asian. It's this racial category. But their identities and experiences as Asians is not at all uniform, right?   Some of these Asian musicians are Asian Americans, like multi generational Asian Americans whose parents or grandparents or great grandparents etcetera have come to the United States and they themselves are U.S. citizens. So that's one group.   Many Asian musicians working in the United States are people who were born and raised in Asia, places like China or South Korea, Japan, etcetera, and came to the United States as international students to study music, often at the college level, college conservatory level, so obviously these people have very different sense of identity and experience as Asians compared to say, you know 3rd, 4th generation Chinese Americans or 1.5 Korean Americans.   There are other people who live in the United States because they were very talented, very young musicians, and the whole whole family immigrated to the United States specifically for their music education. So Midori, the famous violinist, Midori is a case, example of this, but there are also a number of other, especially among Koreans and Chinese. There are families, the whole family immigrated to the United States when the child was a very promising musician at age 7 or something. So that's one group. They too have a different sense of identity and experience of Asians than the two former groups that I that I talked about.   There are other people who also came to the United States because not because of the music education, but because of their parents' profession, for instance. And they have transnational kind of family ties and you know, they move, they go back and forth between US and Asia, for instance. And then there are also mixed roots families where one parent is Asian and the other is non Asian.   And then there are also Asians who were born and raised in Europe for other parts of the globe and then came to the United States, for either personal or professional reasons.   So in other words, they're all Asians in terms of their racial identity. But what that means is really quite diverse and their experience as Asian and Asian American musicians is also quite diverse. So it's not as if you know, just because they're Asian, they share some kind of experience and identities around which they coalesce. So that's, you know, that was true 20, 25 years ago. And I think that's still true today.  More and more Asian musicians are coming to the United States to study, study or work in classical music, but especially because of this, like new influence, this Asian category is becoming even more diverse. However, because of the COVID, you know the rise of Anti Asian hate during the COVID pandemic, I think that heightened the awareness of, you know, these different kinds of Asians, the heightened awareness that they are Asians. First and foremost, you know, in, in that in the sense of being racialized in the United States. So I have talked with a number of musicians, Asians and Asian American musicians, who did not really, hadn't thought about their Asianness before. It wasn't at the forefront of their identity before, but during this rise of anti Asian hate it they became they basically became more politicized. You know, they had quite a politicized language and awareness to think about race and racism especially against Asians and Asian Americans.  00:16:31 Isabel Li  Yeah, that's a great point. It is a such a diverse group and there are so many different identities, even within just the Asian American framework AAPI, as a label is very, very diverse. And that applies to classical music as well. But I think there's also this social perception of Asian and Asian Americans as a group that also relates to the model minority stereotype that's historically been present and, for example, a lot of people might think of, like a young Asian or Asian American musician as being like a prodigy because they are technically skilled at their instrument, where like these social perceptions that exist both in media and in the culture around us, why do you think that is?  00:17:15 Mari Yoshihara  Well, that as you said, there is a model minority myth and there is a stereotype of Asians and Asian Americans as being very studious and diligent, but also quiet, right? I mean, they just quietly follow, like, obedient, obediently follow the instructions and that translates in the field of music as the stereotype that Asian musicians are technically very proficient but artistically non expressive. I mean, that's a very common stereotype that yeah, you know, practically any Asian, Asian Americans in classical music have been subjected to, you know, quite regularly and frequently. And I think that, yeah, that just comes with the overall kind of racial stereotype of Asians and Asians and Asian Americans in American society at large. And also the fact that, you know, classical music, especially in terms of instrumental performance, it is an area that is, it's something that is, indeed, technically very demanding, right? You need many, many years of disciplined training and a lot of practice. And there is a myth of merit– well, no, not entirely a myth– but there is this this very, you know, dearly held faith in meritocracy in classical music. The idea that if you have the chops you will be rewarded, you will be recognized and you know, no matter what kind of great artistic idea you might have, if you can't play the notes, you can't play the notes. That kind of ethos of meritocracy is particularly strong in classical music because of the technical demands of the genre, and that and that kind of, you know, goes hand in hand with the model minority methods for Asian Americans.  00:19:20 Isabel Li  Definitely. That's really interesting and another part of your book that was quite fascinating to me when I first read it was chapter 3. You talked about the intersection of gender as well as, you know, racial identity in classical music. The chapter is called Playing Gender and you talk about, I think at large don't necessarily associate classical music with a discipline that provides a stable job. It is an art form and there is kind of an uphill battle for artists in a sense like a starving artist myth there. We're not even a myth. Like if there's a starving artist image, whereas the image of a very successful classical musician there's this duality that you also mentioned in one of your other chapters about class. So what really interested me in for this chapter was that there was this intersection of power in classical music of who would go down the path that might not be traditionally as successful. How do you think gender dynamics play into this and how do you think they might have shifted within the last two decades or so?  00:20:20 Mari Yoshihara  Huh. I'm not sure if it has shifted all that much in the last two decades, but as you said, because music I mean, not just classical music, but music. Like, you know, arts in general is a field that is very like economically insecure in terms of career, right?   But at the same time. Classical music is associated with kind of, you know, bourgeois identity and just kind of overall cultivation and so, many Asian, Asian American parents are very eager to send their kids to, say, piano lessons, violin lessons, cello lessons, etcetera. To, you know, give them a well-rounded education and also because it is considered useful tool, you know, when you're going to college and stuff like, you know being, you know, being able to show that you're very talented violinist, for instance, is believed to help your college application.  So there's this, you know, both stereotype and reality that like, you know, places like Julliard Pre-College, very competitive, you know, school, like music education program for kids is filled with Asian, Asian American, you know, students and their parents who are waiting, waiting for them to come out of school.   So there's that. But how gender plays into this is that while both men and women are do study music at a young age. When it comes to, you know, choosing say, college, like what they would, what they would pursue at the college level, far fewer male students tend to choose music as their college major or go to conservatory and pursue it as a as a career. But I think it's both their own choice. And also especially for Asian and Asian Americans, like parental pressure to not pursue music professionally because of, you know, financial insecurity.   So there's that, and also how that plays into the actual experiences of Asian, Asian Americans musicians who do study music is that I have heard from a number of female Asian musicians that either their peers or especially their teachers are doubtful that they are actually serious about music. There is a stereotype that, you know, say for instance, Japanese or Korean female students at Juilliard School, Manhattan School or whatever, they are there because they, you know, they want to study music and then find a good husband and marry, you know, a lawyer or doctor or engineer or something. [laughs] And and not that that doesn't happen. But that's a stereotype of, you know, that's a racialized and gender stereotype that comes from these, you know, gender and class and racialized dynamics.  00:23:35 Isabel Li  And just for clarification, is the classical music world at large still a male dominated field?  00:23:41 Mari Yoshihara  Yes. Oh yes. Definitely. I mean, it depends on the segment of you know, I mean classical music is itself quite diverse. So if you look at, for instance, the string section, especially the violin section of the New York Philharmonic for instance, you will find that like, I think the majority of those violin players are Asian women, perhaps. But if you look at say for instance, the Faculty of Conservatories or music directors and major orchestras and said, I mean still very male dominated.  00:24:23 Isabel Li  Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I like how your book also has so many different layers for each chapter. So Chapter 3 was about the gender intersection with this, with this identity, and Chapter 4, was it Chapter 4, I believe it was about class, Class Notes, and you've already mentioned a little bit about how class plays into the perception of music, how class influences gender even. But there's a statement in there that you said that, “it's misleading to characterize Asian musicians as just coming from the upper middle class.” And it makes sense that people would think of musicians coming from this economic bracket, because classical music is an in and of itself a very kind of expensive undertaking. You need so many lessons, so many instruments. But tell us why this statement would be misleading.  00:25:15 Mari Yoshihara  Because I mean, first of all, most of the overwhelmed, I would say overwhelming majority of the Asian, Asian American musicians that I interviewed come from middle class backgrounds, many of them from so-called like professional executive class backgrounds in, meaning that their parents hold these professional executive positions, right. And that's why they were able to afford advanced musical studies from a fairly young age. They need, you know, sustained and disciplined and often costly, you know, lessons, you know, competitions, etcetera, auditions, travel, etcetera. So that's for sure, yeah.   At the same time, there are also Asian musicians who come from less privileged backgrounds, you know, immigrant families who have, because quite a few. I mean overall Asian American population, many immigrants experience downward social mobility upon immigrating to the United States because of, you know, oftentimes linguistic barriers or you know, or plain old racism. And so you're not Asian families that immigrate to the United States, like, for instance, if the parents have professional positions back in South Korea, oftentimes they become, you know, for instance, you know, small business owners and they experience downward social mobility. I mean, that's a very common scenario. Yeah, so now all Asian, Asian American musicians grow up in a privileged environment.  00:27:06 Isabel Li  Definitely a great point. Now before we move on to some discussions about Mari's research. First of all, thank you for tuning in to Obbligato on APEX Express, we'll be taking a short music break and as mentioned earlier, a great way to increase diversity within classical music is to uplift works by living composers. If you're listening to my first.  00:27:26 Isabel Li  Episode 2 months ago, you'll know that I featured music by Chinese American composer Zhou Tian. I'm happy to say that coming up next is one of Zhou's compositions inspired by a trip to Italy. This is a piece called Hidden Grace performed by the Formosa Trio.  27:45 – COMP MUSIC – Hidden Grace  00:35:34 Isabel Li  That was a piece called Hidden Grace, composed by Zhou Tian for a fascinating instrumentation of flute, Viola and heart coming up for our second piece. In this interview, break another movement by Zhou Tian, the third movement of his double concerto for violin and Viola, called Rendezvous.  35:58 – COMP MUSIC – Double Concerto for Violin and Viola, III. Rendezvous  00:41:09 Isabel Li  Noah Bendix-Balgley on violin, Shanshan Yao on viola, and the Hangzhou Philharmonic, playing the third and final movement of Zhou Tian's Double Concerto for violin and viola. So back to the conversation with Professor Mari Yoshihara.  00:41:25 Isabel Li  As you also mentioned before, you're working on an updated version of Musicians from a Different Shore. Can you talk–I don't know how much you can talk about your, like upcoming projects, but are you using similar research methods to what you've done before using ethnographic field work? You've mentioned the new changing dynamics of classical music in the United States with new waves of activism and awareness. What are some new topics of your chapters that you might focus on? So for your 2007 publication, you talked about your gender and class and how these intersect with identity. Are there any new things that you're drawing upon here?  00:42:02 Mari Yoshihara  Yeah. So I'm using basically the same research method. I'm interviewing actually some of the same people that appeared in Musicians from a Different Shore. Some people kept in touch with over the years, I've gone back to them and interviewed them to see the trajectories of their careers since the first time I interviewed them. But then I've also interviewed a bunch of other, you know, new musicians that I'm speaking with for the first time. So it's essentially an interview and ethnographic fieldwork-based research.  I told you earlier about I think one of the biggest changes is, as I said before, the activism and advocacy on the part of Asian, Asian American musicians themselves. So I have one chapter about that. Like, what? How? What kinds of advocacy and activism they're engaged in.   Another big change that I'm seeing is that compared to 20 years ago, there are a lot more Asian musicians in the field of opera.  00:43:01 Isabel Li  Ohh yeah.  00:43:02 Mari Yoshihara  Uh. Both as singers. Yeah, many of them singers, but also in other, you know, like for instance opera, you know, pianist for opera or be opera directors, et cetera. There are many more Asians in this particular field than what I saw 20 years ago. And I talked about this a little bit in my first book, but opera is a very particular kind of field within classical music.   How race plays into opera is very different from other areas of classical music because it's a theatrical art form. It's visually oriented, you know art form. And because singers have to be cast in order to, you know, sing on stage. So the racial politics in opera, you know, unfolds very differently from, say, for pianists or cellists or conductors or or composers.   So I now have a whole chapter about opera, especially Madame Butterfly, that this very fraught work, you know, opera that many Asian and Asian Americans have love hate relationships. A lot of pigeon-holing that happens in that through that opera. But also, production of new opera by Asian and Asian American artists, composers, directors, singers, etcetera. So I have a whole chapter about that.   And then I also will have another chapter about, you know, what it means to, you know, sit at the table, basically. Like stand on the podium and sit at the table, stand on the podium. Not only, I mean I will, I will have a whole discussion about Asian and Asian Americans conductors, but not only in that literal sense of, you know, standing at the podium, but like being at the table like in other words, not only, Asian and Asian American musicians playing music that are given to them and they are assigned to them that they're hired to play, but also having a real voice in the organizational and institutional dimensions of classical music industry. So the kinds of people, Asians, who are in these positions more executive positions with decision making power what their experiences are like. I'm going to have a chapter about that.   So those are some of my ideas. I'm still in the middle of the project, so I can't. I can't see the whole picture, but those are some of my current ideas.  00:45:48 Isabel Li  I see. And do you have an idea of when this book will be published or an updated version?  00:45:54 Mari Yoshihara  Well [laughs], my goal rather ambitious goal is to have it published in 2027, because that would be 20 years since Musicians from a Different Shore, so that would be ideal if I can make that.  00:46:08 Isabel Li  Well, yeah. Nice. That's really exciting, definitely. I will also kind of bridge, I guess my part of the research into this part of the interview, since I'd love to talk to you a little bit more about how classical music in general is portrayed in media.   So as I've introduced myself before, I had a back, I have a background in media studies as well as music history and theory. And what was really interesting to me in my senior thesis while I was doing research for that was I coined this term and it could just be loosely associated with the genre of film. But it's the “classical music film.” So think of any narrative fictional film you can think of with a classical musician in there. So it could be like Amadeus, where I think of like Tár. If you watch Tár like a lot of these depictions are quite understandably white and European, but they my senior thesis I've never really seen any depictions of Asian American or Asian classical musicians? I was wondering if you have ever watched a film like that, or could maybe talk a bit about maybe the lack of representation in media, how media plays into how people perceive classical music as a genre as a whole.  00:47:23 Mari Yoshihara  That is a very interesting question. I think you know, because of the stereotype of Asian and Asian American model minority and model minority stereotype often is associated with, you know, violin or piano-playing Asian American kids, I think. Asian, Asian American characters who are, you know, these kind of musical classical music geniuses appear here and there. But the ones that center on such a character as the main, you know, like the protagonist, come to think of it, I'm not sure if I've seen. I mean, I've seen several Korean dramas, you know, character, but those are Korean dramas, not Asian American, so more American works with Asian classical musicians…  00:48:21 Isabel Li  And I think also classical music as a genre is. It's interesting because classical music is also kind of underrepresented. It's not quite in the mainstream. And then one of my final questions for you is I do also want to take a second to acknowledge that your book was actually one of the only books that I could find about this topic. I think there are not that many other books about Asian and Asian Americans in classical music. I think there are a few other books and a few and definitely some papers that talk about this, but what got you interested in this field? And I don't know if you think there's a scarcity of information, but do you think there's relative scarcity of information about this topic?  00:49:01 Mari Yoshihara  Yeah. So how I got into it is. So I was a pretty serious student of piano when I was a child. That's like, yeah, that really kind of preoccupied my childhood and adolescence. But then I, for various reasons I ended up not going to a music Conservatory and became an academic.   And then once I entered academia and became a scholar of American studies, all I was studying was like race, gender, class. I mean, that's what  we do in American studies. And my first book, which was originally my doctoral dissertation, was a cultural history of orientalism and white women. So that was a study of the intersections of race and gender and to some extent class in American history.   So once I finished that book, I was thinking about what projects to work on next. And I happened to turn on the TV, and it just so happens that the Vienna Phil New Year's concert, conducted by Seiji Ozawa was playing on the TV and that was sort of my “aha” moment because I had always known or, you know, kind of generally aware that Asians and Asian Americans are, if not necessarily overrepresented, but, you know, they're quite numerous, you know. They're present. Their numerical presence is quite notable in classical music that is often associated with white, you know, European culture, elite culture.  So I was kind of curious about that phenomenon, but I hadn't really thought too much about it until I watched Seiji Ozawa were conducting the Vienna Phil. And that's when I thought, well, maybe I can kind of combine my classical music background and my academic training in studies of race, gender, class into this project. So that's when I decided to work on. You know, this topic of Asians and Asian Americans, classical music.  I think the reason that there hadn't been at least a book-length study on the topic until my book is that for one thing, classical music is considered to be kind of a very abstract absolute form of music. This ethos that it is kind of transcends– that it is a universal, transcendental kind of genre, that is sort of above things like politics or race or gender. Like it shouldn't matter that these, you know, individual identity, racialized gender identity shouldn't matter vis-à-vis the universalism of classical music. I mean that kind of ethos is very strong in this particular genre of music. I think that has a lot to do with it.   And also the study of classical music until rather recently, like musicological study of classical music, really tended to be focused on the study of composers and their works, right? It was the textual that, like it, was an analysis of Beethoven Symphony or, you know, Bach Fugues, etcetera. Yeah. It was really focused on the study of the score, the study of the composer's ideas, as reflected in the score, I mean that was the centerpiece of musicological approach to classical music.  And so sort of more sociological anthropological study of the musical practice is a relatively new approach in in the field of musicology. I'm not a musicologist. So that's not how I'm trained. But I think the academic approach to classical music was not very, kind of, open to the kinds of topics that I raised in Musicians from a Different Shore.  00:53:12 Isabel Li  Definitely. I see. And my very final fun question for you is can you name three of your favorite classical music pieces for any recommendations you have for the audience who might be listening, who might be wondering what they will listen to next?  00:53:27 Mari Yoshihara  Well, OK well. Pieces well, because I wrote a book about Leonard Bernstein. I mean, I ended up– I wrote a book about Leonard Bernstein. Not necessarily because I was an avid fan of Bernstein. It just kind of happened this this project. But nonetheless of while I was doing research and writing the book I did listen to a lot of Bernstein. I and I have come to really love Bernstein music and so. And you know, of course, everybody knows West Side Story, but he actually wrote many other pieces that may not be as well known.   Well among the pieces that I like, I like…which one should I choose? I will choose. Ohh well, I'll choose a piece that I learned myself as a pianist.  I learned the piece called “Touches” that he wrote. It was a commission piece for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and it's kind of yeah, it's a chorale and variation. So that's very interesting and very interesting and very Bernstein-esque so well.   I'll OK, as an American study scholar. I'll, I'll stick with American pieces. I like someone Barber a lot. I like Barber “Excursions,” which I also learned to play.  00:55:04 Isabel Li  Yeah.  00:55:09 Isabel Li  Tough question.  00:55:11 Mari Yoshihara  Umm, Mason Bates piece that I also learned, “White Lies For Lomax.” This one was also, I believe…was it commissioned by the Cliburn? But no, maybe it wasn't. Yeah, I think it was commissioned. But anyway, I played it at the Van Cliburn International– the amateur competition of the Cliburn competition.  I did all these. So like Bernstein, Bates, Amy Beach piece I also played. Yeah, I'll stop there. I I wish you had prepped me for that then [laughs]–  00:55:42 Isabel Li  Oh my gosh. Great responses.  00:55:46 Mari Yoshihara  Hard to think on the spot.  00:55:47 Isabel Li  Yeah, I totally get that. Whenever people ask me for my favorite composer, I never have an answer. No, so I totally get it.   Well, thank you so much for your time, Mari. And thank you for your wonderful insights. I'll put the link to your books so that people can learn about your works on APEX Express on kpfa.org. So thank you so much for your time, Mari.  00:56:07 Mari Yoshihara  Thank you.  00:56:09 Isabel Li  As mentioned, please check our website kpfa.org to find out more about Mari Yoshihara, her scholarship, and links to two of her books. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world. Your voices are important.  00:56:31 Isabel Li  APEX Express is produced by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Anuj Vaidya, Swati Rayasam, and Cheryl Truong. Tonight's show was produced by Isabel Li. Thanks to the team at KPFA  for their support. Have a great night.  [OUTRO MUSIC]  The post APEX Express – 09.04.2025 – Obbligato with Mari Yoshihara appeared first on KPFA.

What happens when we confront the ways we've perpetuated stereotypes?Kaila Yu joins me to discuss her raw, unflinching journey from pin up girl and import model to memoirist.Kaila's memoir "Fetishized" emerged from the aftermath of the Atlanta spa shootings, forcing her to reckon with her own relationship with Asian fetishization. With remarkable candor, she reveals how she initially welcomed the attention that came with being an "exotic" Asian American woman after feeling invisible during her youth. "Getting older and discovering there are people who like us, it's like a compliment at first," she explains, before describing how this validation ultimately became a trap.Her memoir weaves in fascinating historical context, exposing how military occupation and media stereotypes created the dual images of Asian women as both submissive geishas and dangerous dragon ladies. And Kaila doesn't shy away from difficult subjects, including her experiences with substance abuse, cosmetic surgery, and sexual assault. Her reflections on changing her name from Elaine to Kyla reveal a poignant attempt to escape feelings of inadequacy—creating a character she thought the world would find more valuable than her authentic self.What makes this discussion particularly powerful is Kaila's willingness to examine her own complicity in these systems before finding a path toward healing. Through therapy and self-reflection, she's learned to embrace her authentic identity while using her experiences to educate others and articulating how fetishization disguises objectification as appreciation.Have you considered how stereotypes might be shaping your own perceptions? Listen to this episode for an enlightening conversation that will challenge assumptions and expand your understanding of how race, gender, and media intersect in today's world.Support the show:On Patreon Buy us a book Buy cute merchHave you read “Fetishized"? Share your thoughts with us! Connect with us @babesinbooklandpod or email babesinbooklandpodcast@gmail.com.If you leave a kind review, I might read it at top of show!Buy "Fetishized" by Kaila Yu Transcripts are available through Apple's podcast app—they may not be perfect, but relying on them allows me to dedicate more time to the show! If you're interested in being a transcript angel, let me know. This episode is produced, recorded, and edited by me.  Theme song by Devin KennedySpecial thanks to Kaila and Lisa! Xx, AlexConnect with us and suggest a great memoir!

Just as easterners imagined the American West, westerners imagined the American East, reshaping American culture. Back East: How Westerners Invented a Region (University of Washington Press, 2025) by Dr. Flannery Burke flips the script of American regional narratives.In novels, travel narratives, popular histories, and dude ranch brochures, twentieth-century western US writers saw the East through the lens of their experiences and ambitions. Farmers following the railroad saw capitalists exploiting their labor, while cowboys viewed urban easterners as soft and effete. Westerners of different racial backgrounds, including African Americans and Asian Americans, projected their hopes and critiques onto an East that embodied urbanity, power, and opportunity.This interplay between “Out West” and “Back East” influenced income inequality, land use, cultural identities, and national government. It fueled myths that reshaped public lands, higher education, and the publishing industry. The cultural exchange was not one-sided; it contributed to modern social sciences and amplified marginalized voices from Chicane poets to Native artists.By examining how westerners imagined the American East, Back East provides a fresh perspective on the American cultural landscape, offering a deeper understanding of the myths that continue to shape it. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this episode, Dr. Harlan Krumholz reviews the September 9, 2025 issue of JACC, covering key studies on artificial intelligence in cardiovascular research, the effects of tirzepatide in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), and how social, racial, and genetic factors influence heart failure risk. He discusses the growing burden of heart failure in the elderly, the need to disaggregate data in Asian American and Pacific Islander populations, and the role of rare genetic variants in atrial fibrillation outcomes. The episode also features perspectives on clinical trial design, complex case reports, and emphasizes the need for AI submissions to meet high standards of clinical relevance, feasibility, and long-term impact.

Today's guest is Michelle Aguillon. Michelle is a theater artist, producer, director, actor, writer, and sometimes scenic designer. In this episode, we talk about Michelle's career path in theater, the challenges of representation in theater, particularly for Asian Americans, and her efforts to diversify casting and provide opportunities for people color. We also chat about her upcoming projects in greater Boston. I'm so excited for you all to get to know her. Enjoy!  Stay in touch:  BOSFilipinos - IG: @bosfilipinos, Email: info@bosfilipinos.com Michelle Aguillon - IG: @meeshaguillon Key links: Asian American Playwright Collective: IG: @aapcboston  // website: https://aapcboston.wixsite.com/mysite Creative Arts School: IG: @creativeartsschool  The Kittie Knox Plays with Plays in Place tickets (which are free!): https://www.tickettailor.com/events/playsinplace1 // IG: @plays_in_place For the full transcript, head to BOSFilipinos.com/blog

Just as easterners imagined the American West, westerners imagined the American East, reshaping American culture. Back East: How Westerners Invented a Region (University of Washington Press, 2025) by Dr. Flannery Burke flips the script of American regional narratives.In novels, travel narratives, popular histories, and dude ranch brochures, twentieth-century western US writers saw the East through the lens of their experiences and ambitions. Farmers following the railroad saw capitalists exploiting their labor, while cowboys viewed urban easterners as soft and effete. Westerners of different racial backgrounds, including African Americans and Asian Americans, projected their hopes and critiques onto an East that embodied urbanity, power, and opportunity.This interplay between “Out West” and “Back East” influenced income inequality, land use, cultural identities, and national government. It fueled myths that reshaped public lands, higher education, and the publishing industry. The cultural exchange was not one-sided; it contributed to modern social sciences and amplified marginalized voices from Chicane poets to Native artists.By examining how westerners imagined the American East, Back East provides a fresh perspective on the American cultural landscape, offering a deeper understanding of the myths that continue to shape it. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Just as easterners imagined the American West, westerners imagined the American East, reshaping American culture. Back East: How Westerners Invented a Region (University of Washington Press, 2025) by Dr. Flannery Burke flips the script of American regional narratives.In novels, travel narratives, popular histories, and dude ranch brochures, twentieth-century western US writers saw the East through the lens of their experiences and ambitions. Farmers following the railroad saw capitalists exploiting their labor, while cowboys viewed urban easterners as soft and effete. Westerners of different racial backgrounds, including African Americans and Asian Americans, projected their hopes and critiques onto an East that embodied urbanity, power, and opportunity.This interplay between “Out West” and “Back East” influenced income inequality, land use, cultural identities, and national government. It fueled myths that reshaped public lands, higher education, and the publishing industry. The cultural exchange was not one-sided; it contributed to modern social sciences and amplified marginalized voices from Chicane poets to Native artists.By examining how westerners imagined the American East, Back East provides a fresh perspective on the American cultural landscape, offering a deeper understanding of the myths that continue to shape it. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Just as easterners imagined the American West, westerners imagined the American East, reshaping American culture. Back East: How Westerners Invented a Region (University of Washington Press, 2025) by Dr. Flannery Burke flips the script of American regional narratives.In novels, travel narratives, popular histories, and dude ranch brochures, twentieth-century western US writers saw the East through the lens of their experiences and ambitions. Farmers following the railroad saw capitalists exploiting their labor, while cowboys viewed urban easterners as soft and effete. Westerners of different racial backgrounds, including African Americans and Asian Americans, projected their hopes and critiques onto an East that embodied urbanity, power, and opportunity.This interplay between “Out West” and “Back East” influenced income inequality, land use, cultural identities, and national government. It fueled myths that reshaped public lands, higher education, and the publishing industry. The cultural exchange was not one-sided; it contributed to modern social sciences and amplified marginalized voices from Chicane poets to Native artists.By examining how westerners imagined the American East, Back East provides a fresh perspective on the American cultural landscape, offering a deeper understanding of the myths that continue to shape it. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-west

Mic has a really big announcement. THE FAREWELL TOUR KICKOFFhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/asian-not-asian-live-the-farewell-tour-kick-off-tickets-1656778251349?aff=oddtdtcreatorC O M E S E E H A C K C I T Y C O M E D Y TicketsF O L L O W U Shttps://www.instagram.com/asiannotasianpodhttps://www.instagram.com/nicepantsbrohttps://www.instagram.com/jennyarimoto/P A T R E O Nhttps://www.patreon.com/asiannotasianpod P A R T N E R S -Check out friend of the pod John's cabin on Airbnb! https://www.airbnb.com/slink/penXRFgl - Helix Sleep Mattress: visit helixsleep.com/asian - Nutrafol: www.nutrafol.com (Promo code: Asian) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ASIAN and get on your way to being your best self.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Judy Yushin Nakatomi talks about her practice in the Zen and Shin traditions. She also discusses how she is practicing with her Bodhisattva vows through engaging with the current internment of minority people, while practicing awareness of her own family's history with war wounds. Judy and Rev Liên share with each other some of the nuances of having or not having access to ancestral languages and culture, and how they navigate being Asian American Buddhist practitioners in the United States. People/Organizations mentioned in the episode:Dr. Satsuki Ina  Dr. Duncan Ryūken Williams Bishop Marvin Harada Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh  Tsuru for SolidarityVista Buddhist TempleGUEST:JUDY YUSHIN NAKATOMI (she/we) is a mother, partner, auntie, writer and community cultivator, nurturing BIPOC sangha. past work/life as tea ambassador/ importer, congressional field rep and hospice caregiver. Judy  is an ordained dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, certified ministerial assistant, and descendant of ancestors incarcerated during war; dedicated to understanding the wisdom of intergenerational joy and sorrow.  Writing highlights:https://littleawakenings.blogspot.com/https://www.okaeri.org/okaeri-bookhttps://www.lionsroar.com/the-evolutionary-journey-of-mothering/Connect with Judy:IG: judy_yushin_nakatomiSubtack: Judy NakatomiHOST:REV LIÊN SHUTT (she/they) is a recognized leader in the movement that breaks through the wall of American white-centered convert Buddhism to welcome people of all backgrounds into a contemporary, engaged Buddhism. As an ordained Zen priest, licensed social worker, and longtime educator/teacher of Buddhism, Shutt represents new leadership at the nexus of spirituality and social justice, offering a special warm welcome to Asian Americans, all BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and those seeking a “home” in the midst of North American society's reckoning around racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Shutt is a founder of Access to Zen (2014). You can learn more about her work at AccessToZen.org. Her new book, Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path. See all her offerings at EVENTS

When Chriselle Lim started blogging 18 years ago, she didn't know she was building a career in what would become the most powerful industry today. During our conversation, Chriselle talks about watching the influencer industry develop from within, and how it led her to the most unexpected places. Growing up in Northern California and Korea, Chriselle felt pressured by national beauty standards, neither of which she thought she quite met. With limited Asian American representation in popular culture, she turned to fashion to project an air of confidence. She became the representation she always wanted as her digital audience grew.Her success in creatively directing her online presence resulted in an opportunity to join Phlur as co-owner and creative director. As with her own style, she merged her passion for storytelling with a beautiful product and helped turn the fragrance brand into one of the most popular on the market. Her impeccable taste and close attention to what fans want have led to Phlur's placement in 500 Sephoras and other international retailers. During her rising professional success, Chriselle went through a divorce. Again, she turned to her creativity to project closeness and confidence in her life, which led to the development of Phlur's hero scent, Missing Person. Her talent and storytelling led to a 250,000-person waitlist of people who resonated with Chriselle's visionary approach to scent and story.Tune in as we discuss:(4:16) What her beauty experiences were like as an Asian American teen(7:08) What led her to dissolve her facial fillers (27:30) Her scent predictions for the future(43:34) The books she can't get enough of Rate, Subscribe & Review the Podcast on Apple Join the Naked Beauty Community on IG: @nakedbeautyplanet Thanks for all the love and support. Tag me while you're listening @nakedbeautyplanet & as always love to hear your thoughts :) Check out nakedbeautypodcast.com for all previous episodes & search episodes by topicShop My Favorite Products & Pod Discounts on my ShopMyShelfStay in touch with me: @brookedevardFollow Chriselle @chrisellelim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The need to belong is powerful. But, what do you do when being a Christian makes you an outsider? Nick offers fresh perspectives from Dr. Ok for how to read 1 Peter as an Asian American.

When a white actor was recently announced to replace Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending, it sparked a fresh wave of debate over racial casting on Broadway. For Asian Americans like playwright David Henry Hwang and actor B.D. Wong, it felt like déjà vu, echoing a controversy they had spoken out against more than 30 years ago with Miss Saigon. That blockbuster musical became the center of a storm back in 1990 when Jonathan Pryce was chosen to reprise his Eurasian character from the London production when it transferred to Broadway. This decision ignited protests, ultimatums, and the first major reckoning with yellowface in American theater. In this episode, we look back at Miss Saigon, the clash between producer Cameron Mackintosh and Actors' Equity, and how that moment set the stage for Hwang's satirical play Face Value—and continues to reverberate today. --- Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a transcript and list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How should federal governments attempt to right, or at least remedy, past wrongs? Is it appropriate for victims of group-based harms or their descendants to press current generations to atone for the sins of their predecessors? Grace Kao, Professor of Ethics and the inaugural Sano Chair in Pacific and Asian American Theology at Claremont School of Theology, explores these questions by drawing upon the emerging human rights standard for reparations, theological resources from her Presbyterian faith tradition, and four case-studies of acknowledged wrongdoing against AAPI communities. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 40876]

How should federal governments attempt to right, or at least remedy, past wrongs? Is it appropriate for victims of group-based harms or their descendants to press current generations to atone for the sins of their predecessors? Grace Kao, Professor of Ethics and the inaugural Sano Chair in Pacific and Asian American Theology at Claremont School of Theology, explores these questions by drawing upon the emerging human rights standard for reparations, theological resources from her Presbyterian faith tradition, and four case-studies of acknowledged wrongdoing against AAPI communities. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 40876]

How should federal governments attempt to right, or at least remedy, past wrongs? Is it appropriate for victims of group-based harms or their descendants to press current generations to atone for the sins of their predecessors? Grace Kao, Professor of Ethics and the inaugural Sano Chair in Pacific and Asian American Theology at Claremont School of Theology, explores these questions by drawing upon the emerging human rights standard for reparations, theological resources from her Presbyterian faith tradition, and four case-studies of acknowledged wrongdoing against AAPI communities. Series: "Ethics, Religion and Public Life: Walter H. Capps Center Series" [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 40876]

**Special note to our listeners** Love the show? Help us keep the conversation going! Become a paid subscriber through our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Your contributions help us continue to make content on issues related to the Asian-American, immigrant, modern parent experience.THANK YOU to our super awesome listeners who have already signed up!------------------------------------------------The final final episode of our Going on 40 series... we promise! Some of the TLDRs are below but you'll have to listen to the episode to get the commentary on Havenese farms, how Susan will become a media mogul-politician-cult-leader-pleasure seeker by 50 and whether we will be wearing Skechers or Hokas by then.- How we viewed and experienced our parents set the default for our other relationships with adults and authority figures.- How living a life true to yourself is easier said than done but will ultimately lead to more gratification and less regret later.- In life and work, realizing what "game" you're playing is important and also recognizing that there are many different kinds of games in life and you have some choice in the matter.- Your body and emotions send you important messages. If you spend your life suppressing them, they will catch up with you sooner or later.- Sometimes, letting go of an issue you're struggling with is the only way out! See: Susan's thoughts on body image.

Atlanta, get ready for an unforgettable two-part celebration! Panda Fest, one of the nation's fastest-growing outdoor Asian food and culture festivals, is making a highly-anticipated return to Atlanta. As the first city to ever host Panda Fest, Atlanta has earned the unique honor of hosting the event twice in one year. The panda-monium is set to take over Atlantic Station from September 5–7, 2025. Early Bird tickets for this one-of-a-kind Atlanta festival go on sale Friday, July 11 at 10 a.m. EST. What to Expect at Panda Fest Atlanta This September, Panda Fest will bring back the vibrant celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures that Atlanta has fallen in love with. Guests can embark on a culinary journey across Asia with more than 80+ food vendorsserving over 300 delicious dishes. You'll find everything from authentic street food to creative fusion bites from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and beyond. Beyond the food, explore a curated marketplace with over 25 vendors offering unique crafts, clothing, and artisan goods. The festival also features a dynamic lineup of live entertainment, including modern K-pop dance routines, traditional lion dances, theatrical performances, and more. And of course, the pandas take center stage, with Instagram-worthy installations like a 15-foot inflatable panda and a panda bounce ring, along with themed games and merchandise. Tickets & Details Dates: * Friday, Sept. 5: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 6: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. * Sunday, Sept. 7: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Location: * Atlantic Station, Pinnacle Lot * 221 20th St., Atlanta, GA 30363 Ticket Info: * Early Bird tickets go on sale Friday, July 11, at 10 a.m. EST at www.pandafests.com. * General Admission and VIP tickets are also available. VIP perks include shaded seating, private bars, and exclusive experiences. For more information, visit www.pandafests.com. Follow @pandafestatlanta on Instagram for festival updates and sneak peeks! About Panda Fest: PANDA FEST is one of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals in the US with experiential activities, tastings, and market fairs that showcases the vibrant food, art and cultural traditions from Asia. Ash Brown: Your Ultimate Guide to Inspiration, Empowerment, and Action Are you searching for a dynamic motivational speaker, an authentic podcaster, or an influential media personality who can ignite your passion for personal growth? Look no further than Ash Brown. This American multi-talented powerhouse is a captivating event host, an insightful blogger, and a dedicated advocate for helping people unlock their full potential. With her infectious optimism and genuine desire to empower others, Ash Brown has become a leading voice in the personal development and motivation space. Discover the World of Ash Brown: AshSaidit.com & The Ash Said It Show AshSaidit.com: A vibrant lifestyle blog and event platform, AshSaidit.com is your gateway to Ash's world. Here you'll find exclusive event invitations, honest product reviews, and a wealth of engaging content designed to inform and inspire. It's the perfect online destination to stay connected and get your daily dose of Ash's unique personality and insights. The Ash Said It Show: With over 2,100 episodes and over half a million global listens, "The Ash Said It Show" is a powerful and popular podcast. Ash engages in meaningful conversations with inspiring guests, diving into topics that truly matter. Listeners gain valuable life lessons, encouragement, and practical advice to help them navigate their own journeys. Why Ash Brown is a Leading Voice in Personal Development What truly distinguishes Ash Brown is her authentic and relatable approach to personal growth. She builds a genuine connection with her audience, offering practical advice and encouragement that feels like a conversation with a trusted friend. Ash doesn't shy away from life's challenges; instead, she provides the tools to tackle them head-on with confidence. Authentic Optimism: Ash's positive energy is contagious, empowering her audience to embrace new challenges with a more capable and hopeful mindset. Relatable Advice: Ash offers unfiltered, real-world guidance that resonates with people from all backgrounds. Her understanding that life can be tough makes her advice both honest and deeply encouraging. Actionable Strategies: Beyond just feeling good, Ash provides practical tips and strategies designed to help you turn your aspirations into tangible results. For a consistent source of inspiration, genuine encouragement, and actionable advice, Ash Brown is your ultimate resource. Her incredible positivity and unwavering dedication to helping others make her the ideal guide for maximizing your life's potential. Connect with Ash Brown: Goli Gummy Discounts: https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 Luxury Handbag Discounts: https://www.theofficialathena.... Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/po... Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSa... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1lov... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsa... Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog #atlanta #ashsaidit #theashsaiditshow #ashblogsit #ashsaidit®Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-ash-said-it-show--1213325/support.

August 27, 2025 - The Korea Society and the Korean American Community Foundation's (KACF) Associate Board are pleased to present Rooted in Giving: Leading Korean Voices in Philanthropy, a panel discussion featuring three Korean leaders working at the forefront of non-profit and philanthropy: Jeannie Park, Sue Kim, and Abraham Kim. Together, they will share their experiences and insights on what it means to lead with purpose, build strong communities, and drive meaningful change through service, advocacy, and giving. This panel will be moderated by Emil Kang, the Agnes Gund Visiting Professor of the Practice of Arts at Brown University and Former Program Director for Arts and Cultural Heritage at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.  The KACF Associate Board (AB) is a group of community-minded young professionals based in the New York Metro area who serve as ambassadors of KACF's mission, helping to build awareness of issues of economic security and shape the next generation of Korean American philanthropy. KACF funds community-based non-profit organizations working to improve lives and transform communities in the Korean and Asian American communities in the greater New York area. KACF transforms and empowers communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and inter-community bridge building. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/corporate/2032-rooted-in-giving-leading-korean-voices-in-philanthropy

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Important Links: Hmong Innovating Politics: Website | Instagram Asian Refugees United: Website | Instagram Bhutanese American Refugee Rights website Transcript Swati Rayasam: You are tuned in to Apex Express on KPFA. My name is Swati Rayasam.  Since the onset of the Trump administration, immigrant and refugee communities have been under increased attack, being kidnapped in broad daylight, detained in unsanitary and unsafe conditions, and deported to countries many of them barely know. All without due process or communication to their loved ones and communities. On tonight's episode, we're focusing on a particular segment of our immigrant and refugee community, Hmong and Bhutanese refugees. Both of these targeted communities are stateless with no land to call their own, and their deportation carries the very real danger of disappearance and death. Robin Gurung from Asian Refugees United and Kao Ye Thao from Hmong innovating Politics, discuss their community and personal refugee stories, and talk about the intersection of the US' deeply broken immigration and criminal legal systems, otherwise known as crimmigration. We also get to hear from the wives of two detained refugees, one Bhutanese and one Hmong, who are currently fighting to keep their families together and to protect their loved ones from the dangers of deportation as stateless people. I also want to note because this is a rapidly developing situation, that this episode was recorded on August 13th, 2025, and is being released on August 28th, 2025. For the most recent updates, please go to bhutaneserefugeerights.org or check out the Pardon Refugees campaign. Now, here's Miko. Miko: Welcome to Apex Express. Thank you so much for being here today. I'm so glad to bring you all together in this time. I'm wondering if I could ask you each to introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the community your organization serves and what you do, and let's start with Kao Ye.  Kao Ye: Hello everyone, and thank you for making space- my name is Kao Ye Tao. I use she her pronouns, and I work as the director of policy and partnerships with an organization called Hmong Innovating Politics. We are an organization that serves Hmong youth and families in Sacramento and Fresno, which holds two of our largest Hmong American communities in California. And our work with Hmong youth and families is really about developing their leadership to organize towards social justice and to get the resources that their communities deserve. Miko: Thank you, Kao Ye and Robin, could you please introduce yourself? Robin: Sure. My name is Robin Gurung. I use he, him, his, I'm from the Nepali speaking Bhutanese community. I live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. my role at Asian Refugees United is the co-founder and the co-executive director. We have our program in California and Pennsylvania. California programs are, are serving Asian diaspora and then, Pennsylvania programs are focused serving the Nepal speaking Bhutanese community. We work in the intersection of arts and healing, storytelling, civic engagement, leadership development. Thank you. Miko: Thanks Robin and I am your host Miko Lee, lead producer at Apex Express. And all of us are part of a network called AACRE Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, which is a network of progressive Asian American groups. So you all work with refugee populations. I'm wondering if you could tell a little bit more about the backstory of your community, and also if you feel comfortable about how you personally came to be a refugee in the United States. And, Robin, I'd love to start with you on that one. Robin: Sure. My community is Nepali speaking, Bhutanese refugee community. And we are ethnically Nepali, which means culture wise and language wise we speak Nepali and follow the Nepali culture tradition. Our ancestors like maybe in 18 hundreds, 19 hundreds migrated from Nepal to Bhutan and became the citizen of that country. And most people don't know about Bhutan, it's a very tiny country between China and India. And, if people know about Bhutan, then people know it through the cross national happiness concept, Bhutan is considered the happiest country in the world. So our ancestors were in mostly in the southern area of Bhutan for generations, they became the citizen. They had their own home, their own land. And then later, 1980s, early nineties, there was a policy by the government of Bhutan, which is the monarchy government system- king rules the country. They brought a policy called One Nation, One People Policy. Which means all different groups of people would have to follow the same culture, same religion, kind of follow the same dress code and because of that policy all people were forced to stay away from following our own culture or our own religion, which, most of our folks were Hindu. Our people protested against it and because of that, the government expelled over a hundred thousand of our community members. And, they expelled to India and then from like India wouldn't allow us to stay and we had to resettle in Nepal in seven different refugee camps under different international agencies like U-N-H-C-R and other agencies. Miko: And then Robin, can you tell a little bit about your personal story and how you came here? Robin: Yeah. Yeah. So 1992 is when my family had to leave Bhutan. And at that time I was three years old. I remember growing up in a refugee camp in Nepal, from three years until I was 23 years. So 20 years of my life I was in a refugee camp in Nepal. And in 2012, I came to US through the refugee resettlement program introduced to our camps in 2008, and through it US agreed to resettle 60,000 of our committee members. By 2017, I think US has resettled about 70 to 80,000 of our Bhutanese community members.   Miko: Thank you so much for sharing. Kao Ye I wonder if you could talk about your community and the refugee resettlement program that your community was a part of. Kao Ye: The Hmong American community, or just the Hmong community overall, is a group that's indigenous to East and Southeast Asia. And through our ancient history, we've always been a stateless, people fighting for our autonomy to live to practice our customs and our culture. And particularly where we come into this history of refugee is during the Vietnam War where many Hmong people, alongside other ethnic groups in Laos, were caught in the crossfire of the United States conflict in Southeast Asia. And so with the Vietnam War. The Hmong as well as many other ethnic communities that lived, in the hills and the mountains were recruited in covert operations by the CIA to fight back against the Vietnamese, the Northern Vietnamese communist forces, as well as the Putet Lao. And so once the US withdrew from Southeast Asia, it created a vacuum of conflict and violence that our people had to escape from in order to survive. And so after the Vietnam War in 1975, we saw the mass displacement of many Southeast Asian ethnic communities, including Hmong families. And that is where my history starts because my parents were born in Laos and because of this war, they fled to Thailand refugee camps and lived there for a few years until they were able to come to the United States in 1992. And I'm actually I'm a child of refugees and so what I know about this part of my history comes from the stories of my grandparents who raised me as well as what little I could learn in the textbooks of public education. And so it wasn't actually until going to college and. Being able to access more of this literature, this history that I really learned about what the United States had done in Southeast Asia and the ramifications of that for myself and my family and so many others, refugees that. Have to have had to resettle in the United States. And so it's definitely a history that runs very close, because we have relatives that live through that refugee experience. And so it is very well and alive. And so as we now approach this conversation around ICE and deportations, it really is a reminder of the trauma that our people face, but are still facing as a people that have been seen as disposable to the United States government. Miko: Thanks, Kao Ye. Let's talk a little bit more about that. But first I wanna say, did either of you ever hear about refugees in your textbooks? I never did. So I'm wondering if, you said you learned a little bit about that from textbooks. Was that something you learned in public education. Kao Ye: I did not learn about refugees or refugees experience. I learned about the war and as a Hmong kid it brought me so much delight to try to scroll through the history books just to see if Hmong people were mentioned. And even then the refugee experience was not ever something that we talked about. I felt like definitely not in, in high school. I think it was college really, that then started to articulate those terms and that Southeast Asian identity, that is really where I think I also became politicized in that. Miko: Yeah, because I think in textbooks there might be a little section on the Vietnam War, but it does not talk about the, all the Southeast Asian ethnic peoples that actually fought in the war. We have to dig that information out on our own, but I wanna move us to what is happening right now. So the Trump administration has created. Culture of fear among immigrants and refugees, these ICE raids and disappearances. It is so intense and using immigrants as a fear tool to prop up white supremacy is so blatant right now. I'm wondering if you can each talk about, how this administration's policies are impacting your communities. And, Robin, let's start with you. What is happening right now? I know since the end of March, can you share a little bit about what's been happening with Bhutanese Americans? Robin: Sure. Sure. So our people were settled to this country with the hope that this is going to be our home. But starting March of this year, with the new policies of this current administration, we started seeing abrupt, ICE arrest in our communities. People were picked up from home, their workplaces, and from their ICE, check-ins. And, since March, within I would say two to three months, more than 72 of our community members were picked up, mostly from Pennsylvania and then Ohio, and also from other states like New York, Georgia, North Dakota. So until now, we have, the records of at least 50 people who have been deported to Bhutan and at least 72 who are detained. So more than 30 people are [at risk] of getting detained. The nature of the ICE arrests that we have seen is we don't know whether the due processes were followed. They made it so hard for the families to look for attorneys, and also to track their family members. Within days family members would find their loved ones disappeared, and then they wouldn't be able to talk to them they wouldn't be able to track them and provide the support that they needed. So for us as a community organization we did not anticipate this and we were not prepared for this. And, and we didn't have the infrastructure to really address this, right? So it became such challenging work for us. Like within days we had to mobilize our people. We had to mobilize our teams to help family members with legal support, emotional support, mobilize our community members to update what's happening with this situation. The rapid response work, know your rights clinics that we had to set up. So on one hand it's the detention and deportation in the US and on the other hand, when our people were deported to Bhutan, what we're seeing is within 24 hours, they are being expelled from Bhutan to India, and then from India because India wouldn't accept them as well, they had to enter Nepal because for most of these Deportee, they're very young, they were born in refugee camps, and for most of them, the only known land is Nepal. Right. And they had to enter Nepal without documentation. And then some of them were found in refugee camps. And most of them are unknown. Like they're, they have disappeared. Miko: So that is so much over the last few months that ARU has had to step in and take a leading, role in this situation that has impacted the Bhutanese community from focusing on wellness and youth development to suddenly translating materials into Nepali, translating, know Your Rights materials into Nepali, hosting all these different events, the work that you have been doing is really powerful. I wonder if you could share with us the story of Mohan Karki, who is a community member that's currently detained in Michigan. Robin: Sure. So, Mohan Karki is now in detention in Michigan and he's a community member member who lived in Ohio. So he was detained by ICE during his regular ICE check-in , I believe in April, they detained him and then he was taken for deportation. And last minute, the families and the community had to come together and then appeal the deportation. Right now he's in Michgan detention center and his wife, who was pregnant and had due date, when Mohan was being deported on June 10, is now fighting day and night to stop the deportation and also to bring Mohan home. Right now, Asian Refugees United and other community partners, like AWPAL, Asian Law Caucus are working together to support Mohan's family, to bring Mohan home and also running a, GoFund me fundraiser, to help the family pay the legal fees. Miko: Thanks Robin. And we're gonna listen to Tikas story right now. Tika Basnet: Hi, my name is Tika Basnet I'm from Ohio and I'm fighting my husband deportation case.  So on April seven, a lot of people told us not to go to the ICE office, but my husband wanna follow the rules, he wanna go there. We went to the Westerville office inside And we sit down, we talk to each other. Nothing will go wrong. And suddenly ICE told us to come inside and they told us that my husband got travel documents from Bhutan. I told them like it is not safe for my husband to get deport in Bhutan, all the Bhutanese people run away in 1990s due to the ethnic cleansing and if my husband get deported in Bhutan, he will either gonna get killed, tortured, disappeared, imprisoned, I don't know what will happen, but they did not listen to me. So they detained my husband and I came at the parking lot and his mom saw me coming alone. So they start crying and I told them like, Mohan is gone and this is the last time I think I'm gonna see my husband. the time that my husband was taken away from Butler County on June 10 I was 41 weeks pregnant. I was supposed to deliver on, June 10. But no, I told the doctor I change my delivery time. I am not gonna go now like I need to fight for my husband. Like, When Bhutanese people started coming here in 2007. Third party promise us that in here in United States, we will get our identity. That identity will never taken away. They promise us that the way Bhutan take our identity, they will not gonna do that. we thought that this is our home. We thought that having a green card, having a citizenship, it is permanently, but no, we are, we all are wrong. And that identity is taken away within a second. And we became stateless again. So, my husband, Mohan Karki he just arrived in the United States he been here less than two years when the incident happened. He did not understand the law. He did not understand the culture. He did not know anything.  My husband he was only 17 years old, high school student coming from school to home. On the way to reach their apartment, there is one private house. They are just trying to go to the shortcut from the backyard. So some neighbor call 9 1 1. And that only one mistake lead to deportation.  The place that we come from, there is no boundaries. In Nepal, we are allowed to go anybody property We are allowed to walk somebody else house and because of the cultural difference, he's paying price right now.  At that time, nobody can speak English. They cannot understand what police were saying and Nepali interpreter told my husband that if you say I'm guilty, you'll out of prison soon. But if you did not say I'm guilty, you'll end up in prison for 20 to 25 years. High school student he's scared he just say, I'm guilty, and he did not know what is deportation mean. He did not know what he was signing. Nobody informed him what he was signing. That signing was deportation. What happened in 2013 is impacting us in 2025 and still he wish he did not cross somebody else backyard at that time. He wish he knew that he wasn't allowed to cross somebody else's backyard. I don't know what will our future is gonna be, but I hope that he gets second chance. His community love him. He love people. He was working as a truck driver. He paid taxes. He was supporting his parent. He was supporting me. My daughter deserve to have a father. You know, she's just one month. But now the dream that I was hoping one day I'm gonna build with my husband that is taken away and I'm left alone with this child. I already went through a lot without him, i'm the only one that fighting for my husband case. The deportation is not only breaking one family, but it is breaking everybody, the community and the family. And I hope that people can support me so I can fight for my husband case. Like I really need so many attorney. I need criminal attorney to open up his 2013 case. And I have wonderful, wonderful attorney, my husband get stay off removal, but that is not guarantee my husband can get deport anytime. The attorney fee are really expensive and he still needs support. The US made bhutanese people a promise of home. We belong here. Stop the detention and deportation. Stop deporting Bhutanese people. We are stateless. We don't have country, don't have a home. This is our home. US is our home. We belong here. Miko: Of the 72 people, Mohan is the first Bhutanese refugee that we actually have a stay of release on, as Robin was saying earlier, most of the folks were moved from state to state, so you can't really get a lawyer in that time. And as we all know, nonprofit immigration lawyers are under a lot of stress because of the attack of this administration. So it makes it incredibly complicated, let alone the legal fees that it costs to help support people going through this. And right now, Mohan has a stay on his, deportation and the lawyer that they do have is drafting up a letter to be able to release him into the community and also overturn his original case that happened as a minor in Georgia, which was a ridiculous case where he was leaving school, early high school, first year in the country, leaving high school early, and walked with his friends across a backyard. And the neighbor that they walked through their yard called the police, and they arrested him along with his friends for trespassing, they gave him paperwork that he didn't even understand. He signed it along with a interpreter they gave him false information to say he'd be locked up for 25 years, or if he signed this papers, that would be fine. He could go and what the papers said was it changed his charge into a felony and had him sign a letter of deportation. So this is part of the failure of our American legal system that we're not providing adequate information. It is a lack of due process. Thankfully, the work that Asian Law Caucus and United States of Stateless and other community activists are doing to call this out and help work with us is really critical. I wanna turn now to Kao Ye how this administrations is impacting Hmong refugees, and how is it similar or different to the experiences that Robin is describing for the Nepali speaking Bhutanese community? Kao Ye: I echoed many of the sentiments and the challenges that Robin shared around what we as nonprofit, grassroots organizations are having to build and grapple with just the limited infrastructure that we have to deal with the current ICE disappearances and deportation and all the support that's needed for the families. And so thank you Robin, for sharing that. I wanted to start broad a little bit because I think that this Trump administration is happening in the backdrop of the 50th year commemoration of the end of the wars in Southeast Asia and the refugee resettlement. We had over 1.1 million Southeast Asians resettle to the United States, the largest immigration resettlement, in American history. And so this year brings so many complexities, I think as a Southeast Asian community where there is a level of looking back at policies that have impacted us and have failed, but also looking forward what is the community that we are building together to move and progress together. And so there are those complexities, I think as the fact that it's the 50th year and like, this is what we're dealing with. This is the trauma that we are grappling with. And so I wanted to put that out front and center because even I think within our communities , there is no necessarily enlightenment in terms of how we talk about what is happening to our people and how they're getting deported unjustly. So that is why it is so important to have this dialogue within our communities as well as the solidarity that we also share with the Bhutanese community and other immigrant groups too. I think that in many of our Southeast Asian communities, their reasons for deportations is very tied to past convictions, and so this is the intersection between criminal law and immigration law. And it makes it complex because our people are now having to consult not just an immigration lawyer, but like criminal attorney so that they could really assess like what kind of relief they can get in order to mitigate, impending deportations. And then also miko you had shared about the lack of adequate legal service or representation because many of these folks, right, that have had these convictions that have now served their time and are simply members of our community that make our community rich. They are now having to revisit removal orders that they signed, thinking that, oh, nothing necessarily was gonna happen because they don't have a repatriation agreement. So, in our community, there was never a thought that we were going to be deported back to our home country because of that policy. And so that is a big contributing factor as to why the Hmong community, we don't have that infrastructure to really support our members who have gone through the criminal justice system and now have those removal orders. And so HIP, as well as many other grassroots. Sadly we did have to scramble to put this know your rights information together because again, I don't think that there was visibility in the need for us in this conversation around immigration Southeast Asians are a segment of our API community and so it just, I think, multiplied the invisibility that we already faced as a group of Southeast Asians. And so the support was definitely not there. And, to Robin's point, we did our best to try to put this information together to our community, starting with the Know Your Rights. And then we also realized like it was more complex than that, and that the legal supports were so necessary because everyone's case was different. I think what we're still dealing with now is that there's always been a lack of trust between our community members and government entities and nonprofit organizations. And so, if someone is dealing with the situation, they wanna go to, a partner that they trust to help them, even if they're not necessarily equipped to do that work, is that they're going to only the people that they trust because there is such a big mistrust. And so I think that, there is still the level of trust building that is needed to be done within our community so that folks feel comfortable to come to us or come to other people for support. And I think what makes me feel emotional is just when I hear about community members feeling hopeless and just feeling like there's nothing that they can do and that level of disempowerment to me, I think is something that is real. And I can't say that we can't combat it, but I think that it is about being able to find different outlets of support for them. Miko: Thank you for lifting that up. And just , in terms of the numbers, over three months, March, April and May, there were about 72 Bhutanese Americans that have been detained. And this is just kind of starting up with the Hmong community. So we had 15 that were detained from Minnesota and another 10 right now are being held in Michigan. And we also see this happening with Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodians, and Myan folks. All of these folks as Kao Ye you're pointing out, have had common threads, which is connections with the system, with the criminal legal/ justice system and crimmigration is something that in the AACRE network we've been talking about and working on, which is really about the education to prison, to deportation pipeline. And one of the things that this administration had talked about is, let's get rid of all the murderers and the rapists. You know, this like scare language about people that are convicted criminals, let's get rid of them all. But the fact of the matter. The vast majority of all of these people are people like Mohan Karki, a cultural misunderstanding that happened when he was a child. Like Lou Yang, who is Hmong refugee detained in Michigan right now. Somebody who was involved in something as a kid, but has since then become a leader in the community. So let's take a moment and listen to the spouse of Lou Yang, a Hmong refugee detained in Michigan in July. Anne Vu: My name is Anne Vu and I come before you today with a heart full of hope. Sorrow and a plea for justice. I am a proud American, a mother of six, the daughter of Hmong refugees who would gain their citizenship, and the wife of a man called Lou Yang, who is now detained and faced with potential deportation from the only country that he's ever known. Lou has lived in Michigan since October, 1979. He was born stateless in a refugee camp in Nongkai Thailand and his family fled Laos due to persecution. His father and like many others, served with the United States force during the Vietnam War as part of the Secret War, recruited by CIA in Laos, a conflict that most Americans do not know has happened. The Hmong were recruited by the CIA as part of the Secret War to help America during the Vietnam War. But when the war ended and the US withdrew, we were as the Hmongs declared enemy of the state. What followed was genocide, polarization and persecution by the state, and it was because of our alliance, the promise made by the US government that the Hmong refugees were legally settled here under certain migration of refugee laws and acts. And Lou arrived here as a young, toddler in infancy. In 1997, he was arrested on an alleged accomplice in an attempt home invasion, second degree. He was in the vehicle at the time. He never entered the home. He literally was still a juvenile at that time. He had a court appointed attorney and was advised to take a plea without being told it would affect his immigration status for the rest of his life. This is the reality of our immigration system – long, complex, confusing and devastating, unforgiving. It is not built for people like us, people like Lou, people who have served their time, rebuilt their lives and have nowhere else to go. We've walked this legal path, we've stayed together in the lines, and yet we are here punished today. Lou has no other charges, no current legal issues, no history of violence. He is not a flight risk. He is not a danger to our public safety. He is a father, my husband, a son, a son-in-law, a grandson and a brother to many, and our leader and a provider to our community, and to my family. He renews his work authorization and follows every rule asked of him no matter how uncertain the future felt. Together, we've raised six beautiful children. They're all proud Americans. Lou has contributed to Michigan's economy for decades working in our automotive industry and now he is gone and all that he is built is unraveling and the community is heartbroken. We didn't come from wealth. We didn't have every opportunity handed to us because we didn't come seeking a land of opportunity. We came here because of survival. We had to build from the ground up. But the most important thing was Lou and I, we had each other. We had our families, our friends, and our neighbors. We had a shared commitment to build a better life, grounded in love, respect, and purpose. And somehow that's still not enough. For years, we were told like other Hmong families that Laos in Thailand would never take us back. And that has changed. In June, 2025 the US imposed a partial travel ban on Laos, citing visa overstays, and lack of deportation cooperation. And in response, Laos began issuing these documents under pressure. Today over 4,800, including Hmong, Myan, and the other ethnic minorities are facing removal to Laos and to many other countries, many have never stepped foot in a country that they are now being sent to. Lou is Stateless like many others that is detained with him. None of these countries recognize him. He was born in the Thailand refugee camp, it does not recognize him nor qualify him for any sort of Thai citizenship and I'll tell you guys right now if forced to return, he will face danger because of his family's deep ties to the CIA and United States military. Deporting him turns him, a civil servant and respected community leader, into a political casualty, it would be a grave and irreversible injustice. To deport him now is to punish him to death. Once again, 50 years later, as we celebrate resilience this year across the nation, we are now celebrating a fight within our own grounds, right here in United States, right here in Michigan. We're now fighting the same fight within our own country. Thousands of Southeast Asian Americans, many that entered legally admitted as refugees are being deported for decade old offenses they've longed paid for. America is our country. All we ask is the right to stay in the home that we've helped to build and work hard to protect. We are not seeking special treatment. We are asking for justice, compassion, and a second chance in this country to claim what we believe in. To Governor Whitmer and members of Congress and all elected officials, please help bring Lou and the many others home. Urge ICE and DHS to release him on humanitarian grounds. Help his case. Help us preserve the integrity of our laws and the dignity of our families. And to the public allies and the media. Please call our elected officials. Please call these offices.  Please share Lou's story. We need voices. Voices louder than ours alone. It is hard times you guys. It is real. And I speak to you from the bottom of my heart. Please help me and our families in the many that are suffering. This is our home. These are our children. This is my husband and this is our fight. Let him come home. Let our families be whole again, and let America keep its promise. Thank you guys for hearing me. Miko: Lou Young is a community leader. Michigan, who actually runs a nonprofit in support of Hmong folks in that community, and is targeted and also has a stay of removal. So we're doing a targeted campaign for both of these folks, Lou Yang and Mohan Karki, to be able to get them released to overturn their original convictions and they also have spouses that are telling their stories and telling the impact these detentions have had. Because while this current administration talks about getting rid of criminals, what they are actually doing is breaking apart families and community. Swati Rayasam: You are tuned in to Apex Express on 94.1 KPFA, 89.3 KPFB in Berkeley, 88.1 KFCF in Fresno and online@kpfa.org. Coming up is Deporting the Pilgrim from the Anakbayan Long Beach Mayday Mix tape.   Swati Rayasam: That was please be strong, featuring Hushed, loudmouth and Joe handsome. And before that was deporting the pilgrim from the Unec Bayan Long Beach Mayday Mixtape. Now back to the show. Miko:  I wanna shift us a little bit to talking about Asian american representation in the larger fabric of immigration justice in the United States. Mostly many of our Asian communities have been like isolated, not really involved in the broader immigration movement. And I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit about the difficulty and nuance of bringing your community struggle to the forefront because many of us heard about the Venezuelans and the Mexicans that have been deported and what was going on, but we don't hear as much about these stories of our Asian sisters and brothers. I wonder if one of you could give voice to that. Robin: Before going there can I add something to  Miko: of course.  Robin: crimmigration conversation? So when you all are sharing about that, I was thinking about, the justice system in this country and what we are seeing right now is a broken justice system. Like you said, Miko, where families are separated where families are broken, and what I don't understand is, when, let's say your loved one gets into trouble, makes a mistake, and gets into a trouble, then, as a human being, like, don't you want your loved ones to rebuild their lives? Like Yes, of course there is a system that you have to follow, the laws that you have to follow, but at the end, I think we all want our loved ones to come back, rebuild their lives, right? And what we're seeing in this country is they're constantly breaking the families. And I don't see how we are going to build a better future when we are constantly, hurting the families. And in the cases of detention and deportation, what we're seeing is the double punishment. Like the mistakes that they had made, but then throughout their life, they have to go through that, a continuous cycle of being punished. And not just the individuals, but their family members have also go through the challenges, the suffering, right? And in the case of Bhutanese from double punishment to double expulsion to this, the state of being statelessness. Right? So what kind of future we are imagining when an individual has to go through that continuous cycle of being punished and not having the opportunity to rebuild their lives. So that's a big question mark that I think, we all need to think about. To your later question around my community and the larger Asian American context or the national context. My community is relatively new to this country. We lived, almost two decades in a refugee camp, which was a enclosed camp. And our lives were dependent on foreign aids like UNHCR or ILWF. Pretty much I would say we had our own world over there. And for us to work outside the refugee camp was illegal. There was no laws that gave us the permission to work outside. So we were not pretty much exposed to the outer world. So for us to come to US was a big step. Which means pretty much from basic every day stuffs like, you know, using a bathroom, using a kitchen, taking a bus. All of those were foreign for us. So for our community to really tap into the education system, the political landscape of this country. And also like the experience of being expelled for voicing our, our opinions, for fighting for our rights. Right? So for us, for our community to kind of step in into the politics, it's like re-traumatizing ourselves. I would say there are a lot of barriers, multi-layered barriers for our community members to really tap into the larger political, like socio political landscape, from language barriers to culture barriers to education, to pretty much everything. So right now, the way our committee has been being attacked. It's a surprise to the community. And also it is like kind of traumatizing the community and taking us back to the same place of feeling, insecure, feeling like we don't have a home. And we did hope that this is legally, this is going to be a home. Because after coming to the US most of us became the legal citizens of this country and we started rebuilding our lives. Now it's kind of like going back to the same circle of statelessness. Miko: Thank you for sharing about that. Kao Ye, would you like to add to that? Kao Ye: When I think of the Hmong American community and even the Southeast Asian community and why the narratives of what is happening still feels very invisible. I think of how our community, we were assimilating for survival. And I speak on that as a child of my refugee parents and siblings where growing up we were taught to, listen, not speak out, not cause trouble. Go through the system, listen to authority, listen to law enforcement. And because of that, I feel it's shaped a culture of fear. Fear to dissent and fear to speak out because we care so much about the stability of our families. And we wanted to protect ourselves, because of everything we've gone through with the war. And we are finding that it's been challenging for our community members to come forward with their stories. Honestly, we're still sitting on that and we're still kind of sitting through like, why is there that tension? You know, I feel like folks are going through a lot and even folks have, our impacted loved ones, but they're afraid to tell their story because of fear of of retaliation. And so I think that there is a level of, I think that lack of even psychological safety, but real, physical, real financial safety that people have. And I think that being a factor to the assimilation, but also this facade of like the American dream and like if we don't just disrupt, if we don't speak out, we will be protected. And, white supremacy, right? Like we will be okay. And it's a facade because we know that because our communities are the ones getting kidnapped and getting deported. Right. And so I think there is that fear, but there's also recognition of this now, this facade that the silence doesn't protect us and that there is a real need for us to really, be strong in speaking out, not just for our SEA siblings that are impacted, but for all of our immigrant groups, even the Bhutanese community, right. That's been impacted during this time. And so I, yeah, I think it is that multi-layered experience of being a Southeast Asian refugee community on top of, being part of this AAPI umbrella. AAPI we are not homogenous. We all have very unique histories as to how we have dealt with the systems in this country and how we came into this country. And so I think it's been challenging to make space for those nuances. And at the end of the day, I still see the interconnections that we all have together too. And so, I think it's the willingness to make space for those different stories. And I am finding that more of our ethnic media, our smaller news outlets are more willing to cover those stories as opposed to, these larger mainstream outlets. Like they're not covering those stories, but we are. Miko: Thank you. Oh, both of you have brought up so much today about our failed criminal justice system, about us punishing people as opposed to rehabilitating people and punishing them more than once. We brought up questions around statelessness and the impact that it has, and I just recently learned that the United States does not have any policy on Statelessness. So one of the things that this coalition of folks is trying to do is to get a congressional hearing to help the United States develop policy around statelessness, because it is actually our responsibility and our duty to do that. The other thing I hear you both talking about is this good immigrant, bad immigrant trope, which we've heard of a lot, but I think that's also very much connected to why so many members of our communities don't wanna speak out because this connection with, you know, quote unquote criminal history might be something that's shameful. And I'm wondering if you both see that as a divide mostly between elders in the community and younger folks. Robin, do you wanna talk about that? Robin: Yeah. I mean, initially when we were mobilizing our community members to fight against the the unjust and unfair detention and deportation, this issue around the perception around good immigrants and bad immigrants became one of the main topic of discussion. We had to deal with people, and mostly elders, but I would say some young folks as well, who would pull themselves back on speaking against this issue because for them people who are being deported or detained are criminals and they deserve this kind of mindset. And not being able to see the larger picture of how the administration is targeting the immigrant and the refugee population of this country and really trying to dismantle community power, right? So, yes, it is a challenge that we are, we're going through and I think it's going to be quite a bit of work, to really build solidarity within our own communities. Kao Ye: I feel that the divide in the Hmong community is stemming from class and education. I feel as though when folks are articulating, regurgitating these justifications of the bad immigrant as to why folks should be deported it's folks that maybe kind of made it in their lives and now they're comparing themselves to folks that were not in that situation. And there is this growing within our community as well, where some folks are getting that education, getting, good jobs. But so much of our community, we still suffer from poverty, right? And so, I think that has been really interesting to witness the level of division because of class, because of income and also the education piece. Because oftentimes when folks are feeling this, it comes from a place of ignorance as well. And so that's why I think the education piece is so important. I actually feel though our elders are more understanding because these are their children that are being separated from them. And Robin's point is that when we have loved ones that go through the system, we just want them to rebuild their lives and be self-sufficient. And I feel like those are the values that I grew up in my community where our parents were always about keeping the family together to a fault, you know? And so they don't want separation. They just want us to be well and to do well, and to turn our lives around. And so, I feel strongly that our elders, they do understand that the importance of giving this opportunity for us to, to stay together and turn our lives around. Miko: Thank you so much, both of you for joining me here today to talk about this important conversation. I'm wondering if you could provide our audience with how they could find out more about what is going on and what are next steps for our audience members. Robin, let's start with you. Robin: Yeah. I just wanted to add what, Kao Ye talked about. I do agree the patterns around the divide is based on class. And I do see that in the community, and not just the class, but in our community class and caste, I would say. And in terms of the class, there were some instances where we had to deal with even the highly educated like PhD holders kind of, questioning us like, you know, what we are advocating for, and, I couldn't understand like, I couldn't relate the education, the title, the degree that he holds and the perception around this issue. Right. So, I just wanted to echo that. So, in terms of our work and Asian Refugees United, our website is www.asianrefugees.org And you can find us in our Instagram, Facebook, Asian Refugees United. Miko: And you can also get latest news about what's happening at bhutaneserefugeerights.com. Yeah. And Kao Ye how can folks find out more about your work? Kao Ye: Right now HIP is part of a statewide network in California called the Pardon Refugees Campaign, where we are really pushing Governor Newsom to pardon all refugees, not just Southeast Asians because of everything that we talked about, about how our families, they deserve to stay together. And so, I don't think we have a website up yet, but you can follow this campaign with us. We will be having a rally and press conference, coming up soon, in the next few weeks. And so, I would say that please follow us in that work where we are really moving in coalition with all of our uh, grassroots partners to advocate for our loved ones that are currently being impacted. Miko: Thank you so much, Robin Gurung, Asian Refugees United and Kao Ye Thao from Hmong Innovating Politics. Thank you so much for being with us here today, and I hope you listeners out there take action to keep our families together, to keep our people in the communities as loved ones where they belong. Thank you all. Have a great night. Swati Rayasam: I'm so grateful that Miko was able to talk to Robin and Kao Ye. And for those who missed it, visit bhutanese refugee rights.org for the most recent updates on the Bhutanese refugees. The press conference in rally Kao Ye mentioned took place last week on August 21st, 2025, but check out the Pardon Refugees Campaign for updates from the coalition supporting Hmong, Cambodian Laotian, Myan, and other refugees facing deportation. Thanks so much for tuning in to Apex Express. Please check out our website at kpfa.org/program/apexexpress to find out more about the show tonight and to find out how you can take direct action. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world. Your voices are important. Apex Express is produced by  Miko Lee, along with Jalena Keene-Lee, Ayame Keene-Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar,  Anuj Vaida, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Ravi Grover, and me Swati Rayasam. Thank you so much to the team at KPFA for their support and have a good night.   The post APEX Express – August 28, 2025 – “And we became stateless again” appeared first on KPFA.

Today we talk about how we decatastrophizing when we feel overwhelmed or anxious. We dive into some of our most common cycles and coping mechanisms, as well as ways we've learned to break out of our negative thought loops and combat our bad habits. We also evaluate how often our catastrophes tend to happen & how intense they can be.Support the showFollow us on social media @eatyourcrustpod

May is the month of Mary. In this week's episode we visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to learn about the history of the month of Mary and popular Marian devotions, such as praying the rosary. The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. St. Pius V officially added the second part of the Hail Mary. The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ's life. There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and––added by Saint John Paul II in 2002––the Luminous. Learn more about how to pray rosary. https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary May is also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this week's episode we highlight a story out of the Diocese of Tulsa which reflects the diversity and richness of our faith! Fr. Samuel Perez, Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Miami, Oklahoma celebrates mass every weekend in Chuukese for local Micronesian Catholics in addition to five other masses in English and Spanish. People in the pews wear brightly colored traditional clothing and hairstyles. One Micronesian family from southwest Missouri makes the almost two-hour drive to hear Scriptures, prayers and songs in Chuukese. Adding a weekly Mass in Chuukese has improved not just Mass attendance but religious education enrollment at Sacred Heart, from 30 students to 120. Baptisms are up too: Father Perez's calendar in May had 11 baptisms for members of the Micronesian community. Farming jobs attracted many of Oklahoma's Micronesian natives from the island of Chuuk in the South Pacific. For their part, the community members are grateful that Father Perez has worked to learn their language and integrate their culture into the worship experience. “It shows that he really cares,” one altar server said. Father Perez points out that he made a lot of pronunciation mistakes early on, and he's still learning. There was no textbook; he caught on by repeating words his parishioners taught him. “They were very patient with me,” he said. “My accent is thick. I don't know how much they understand me, but it looks like they're OK with it.” Father Perez wants every Catholic to feel welcome and included in their Church home. “When God calls you to be a priest, you are called to serve all people.” The Diocese of Tulsa is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary jubilee year. Click here learn more about the Diocese and the Chuukese Catholic Community at Sacred Heart Church: https://dioceseoftulsa.org/ Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt, was at the Vatican to mark the 50th anniversary of a joint declaration signed by St. Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III in 1973 outlining the beliefs shared by their churches. Pope Tawadros II called for unity between Catholics and Copts during Pope Francis' general audience. Read the CNS Rome story: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/pope-pope-let-our-churches-be-united-christs-love Watch the video of this historic meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCTAC7dE_uI

Today, I'm joined by Matthew Veland, President of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Metro DC and Dyanna Volek, proud Filipina American and native San Franciscan who during the day, works in government affairs and is a champion of the Filipino community. We discuss: Biggest challenges that Filipino business owners face Need to address mental health and business owners' relationship to money Entrepreneurial and mental health resources for business owners Ways we can support Filipino-owned businesses on both coasts ========================================= Matthew Veland is a highly respected financial planner with Prudential Financial in the Washington D.C. area, distinguished by his deep commitment to empowering Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) business owners and medical professionals. Beyond his professional expertise in financial planning, Matt is a leading advocate for the local Asian American business community, with a particular focus on the significant economic contributions of these enterprises. As the current President of the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Metro DC, Matthew spearheads an organization dedicated to uplifting and empowering over 200 entrepreneurs and business owners across the DMV region. Under his leadership, the Chamber actively promotes economic development, fosters networking opportunities, and amplifies the voices of Filipino American businesses. Further demonstrating his dedication to community development, Matthew is also a co-founder and Treasurer of FilExcellence, a non-profit committed to fostering personal empowerment and professional development within the Filipino diaspora. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgveland/ IG: mgveland Dyanna Volek is a proud Filipina American and native San Franciscan who blends civic service with cultural passion. By day, she navigates government affairs with over a decade of experience in public affairs—but her heart beats for community, culture, and connection. Outside the office, Dyanna is a champion of holistic wellness and vibrant living, spotlighting the local businesses that are the lifeblood of cities. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dyannavolek/ IG: dyannaluna ================================================= For more mental health and entertainment content,   Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/color_of_success/ https://www.facebook.com/colorofsuccess https://www.tiktok.com/@colorofsuccesspodcast Subscribe to our YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiaS5_HScsbFOJE5lYrEsxw To purchase Dr. Wong's book: https://www.amazon.com/Cancel-Filter-Realities-Psychologist-Podcaster/dp/1960299239/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ESHqItd-7JIevntWhPXNHw.D6QfeRDu2mzbsQQ9vUM-uSzxKxxYNNsNxjw2DOzSrfI&qid=1705532812&sr=8-1

In this week's episode of The Fake Ass Book Club, the hosts welcome author, journalist, singer, and cultural critic, Kaila Yu, to discuss her brand-new memoir-in-essays, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty. The conversation is equal parts funny, insightful, and timely, as Kaila unpacks her personal journey through the lens of identity, beauty standards, and the harmful stereotypes that shaped — and often constrained — her sense of self. With unflinching honesty and reflection, she shares what it means to reclaim your story in a world that insists on defining you. From laughter to hard truths, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of culture, resilience, and healing that listeners won't want to miss.

Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton! If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too. Here’s a sample episode recapping four takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Democrats vs. Law Enforcement The show features a critical breakdown of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s MSNBC interview with Joe Scarborough, where Johnson repeatedly avoids answering whether adding 5,000 police officers would reduce crime. Clay and Buck argue this reflects a broader Democratic reluctance to support law enforcement, driven by ideological commitments rather than public safety. They cite crime statistics—such as Chicago’s 629 murders in 2022, exceeding the entire United Kingdom’s total—to underscore the urgency of the issue. Real-World Consequences A gripping firsthand account from a young Asian-American reporter who was violently mugged in Washington, D.C., highlighting the real-world consequences of urban crime. This sets the stage for a broader conversation about President Trump’s aggressive crime-fighting strategy in the nation’s capital, which the hosts frame as both morally necessary and politically effective. The show explores how Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and law enforcement has led to a notable drop in violent crime, including a 13-day streak without a homicide—an unprecedented development in a Democrat-run city. The hosts contrast this with Democratic messaging that downplays violent crime in favor of focusing on homelessness and mental health, arguing that Trump’s results-driven approach is resonating with everyday Americans. Rep. Chip Roy Congressman Chip Roy joins the program to discuss his campaign for Texas Attorney General, his push to ban congressional stock trading, and his support for raising the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots from 65 to 67 to address pilot shortages. He also weighs in on the Texas vs. Ohio State football game, predicting a win for the Longhorns led by Arch Manning. Anything to Not Thank Trump The hosts dive into the political and cultural impact of President Trump’s crime-fighting strategy, particularly in Washington, D.C., where violent crime rates have dropped significantly following federal intervention. They frame Trump’s approach as a bold, results-driven solution that contrasts sharply with Democratic leadership in cities like Chicago and Baltimore. The segment emphasizes how Trump’s actions—such as deploying federal resources and supporting law enforcement—are reshaping the national conversation around urban safety, law and order, and public accountability. The hosts also highlight Trump’s stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports, positioning it as a common-sense issue that resonates with a majority of Americans. They argue that Trump’s ability to solve real-world problems, from securing the border to reducing crime, is what sets him apart from traditional politicians. The discussion underscores how Democrats’ resistance to Trump’s policies—even when they improve public safety—reveals a deeper ideological divide, with some voters prioritizing political identity over personal security. Make sure you never miss a second of the show by subscribing to the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton show podcast wherever you get your podcasts! ihr.fm/3InlkL8 For the latest updates from Clay and Buck: https://www.clayandbuck.com/ Connect with Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on Social Media: X - https://x.com/clayandbuck FB - https://www.facebook.com/ClayandBuck/ IG - https://www.instagram.com/clayandbuck/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ClayandBuck TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clayandbuck YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar feels urgently contemporary in Rosa Joshi's new production at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival—one of America's largest and longest-running theater festivals, now in its 90th season. Staged in partnership with Seattle's upstart crow collective, the production explores the threat of autocracy, drawing on global histories of dictatorship. Performed entirely by women and nonbinary actors, Joshi's Julius Caesar offers new perspectives on a historically male-dominated political landscape. The result is a fresh reading of Shakespeare's classic tale of power, loyalty, and betrayal. In this episode, Joshi reflects on the production, the politics of performance, and why Shakespeare's plays continue to illuminate moments of crisis. >> Discover more about Julius Caesar at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published August 25, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Rosa Joshi (she/her) is a director, producer and educator. She currently serves as Associate Artistic Director of Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Rosa's directing work spans from Shakespeare to modern classics and contemporary plays. Throughout her career she has created work independently through self-producing, and in 2006 she co-founded upstart crow collective a company that produces classical plays with diverse casts of women and non-binary people. With upstart crow, she has directed King John, Bring Down the House, Richard III, Titus Andronicus, and Coriolanus. She is committed to creating ambitious productions of classical work featuring women, non-binary, and BIPOC artists. As Interim Artistic Director of Northwest Asian American Theatre, Rosa produced a range of Asian American performances, including: A-Fest, an international performance festival; Traces, a world premiere multi-disciplinary, multi-media, international collaborative work. She was also a Resident Director and Artistic Director of the Second Company at New City Theater, where she directed and produced various classical and contemporary plays. Rosa has been a faculty member at Seattle University and has also taught at The Old Globe University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and Cornish College for the Arts. Rosa holds an MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama and a BA in Theatre and Psychology from Bucknell University.

What happens when your earliest moments of intimacy are taken from you? In this raw and powerful conversation, author Kaila Yu shares the truth about a traumatic experience in her early twenties that splintered her sense of self. Raised in a household where emotions were rarely named, Kaila spent years seeking validation outside herself. When a modeling opportunity turned into a violent betrayal, she dissociated to survive. For a long time, she told no one. But silence has a way of catching up to you. In time, Kaila found the strength to tell the truth and honor the version of herself who got through it. Three key takeaways from Kaila’s life shift: Sometimes survival looks like silence, but healing begins when we tell the truth Dissociation is a form of protection, not weakness Self-worth is something we can reclaim, even after it’s been stolen This episode holds space for the complexity of trauma, cultural expectations, and the slow, brave act of integration. Listen at www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/202 Kaila Yu is a luxury travel and culture writer and on-camera correspondent based in Los Angeles. Her work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Rolling Stone, Condé Nast Traveler, and National Geographic. In her powerful debut memoir, Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty, Kaila explores the intersections of racialized desire, consent, trauma, and identity. The book will be released on August 19, 2025, by Penguin Random House’s Crown Publishing. Through her writing and advocacy, Kaila brings voice to the often-overlooked realities of Asian American women and invites deeper conversations around healing and self-worth. More from The Life Shift Podcast:

We're back from our summer break! In this episode, we are joined by Tyng Kam, a certified career coach with thousands of hours of coaching experience. Tyng shares insights from what she refers to as a "non-linear" career journey, which spanned multinational corporations, startups, and educational institutions across the U.S., Germany, and Malaysia. Tyng highlights her involvement with the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and the value of mentorship and leadership development. Tune in to learn about the strategies she uses to help Asian professionals overcome cultural challenges and recognize potential in others.

On this episode, we sit down with author Benedict Nguyễn to chat about her debut novel Hot Girls with Balls, a romantic sports satire about two Asian American trans athletes at the top of their game as stars of the international men's pro indoor volleyball league (who also happen to be girlfriends)! Follow Benedict on Instagram at @xbennyboo and check out her debut novel Hot Girls with Balls available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authorsSupport the Books & Boba Podcast by:Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merchFollow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebookThe Books & Boba August 2025 The Wangs Vs. The World by Jade ChangThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

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.

진행자: 박준희, Chelsea Proctor기사 요약: 가수의 꿈을 안고 케이팝 명가 SM엔터테인먼트에서 10년 넘게 연습생 생활을 했지만 데뷔에 실패한 케이팝 데몬 헌터스 수록곡 ‘골든'의 작곡가 이재는 이제 그래미상 수상이라는 새로운 꿈을 꾼다.[1] For 33-year-old Korean American singer-songwriter Ejae, born Kim Eun-jae, the dream was to debut as a K-pop idol after spending 10 years training at SM Entertainment. But the call never came. Neither in a group nor as a soloist did the powerhouse label see her fit to debut.* singer-songwriter: 싱어송 라이터, 직접 노래를 쓰고 부르는 가수* neither A nor B: A도 B도 아닌* powerhouse: 막강한 집단이나 기관, 영향력자[2] Instead of turning her back on music, Ejae found another path — one that would lead her to co-write "Golden," the soaring anthem from Netflix's megahit "KPop Demon Hunters," released in June.* turn back on: 등을 돌리다[외면하다]* path: 길, 방향* anthem: (국가·단체 등에 중요한 의미가 있는) 노래* megahit: 대형 히트[3] Ejae's next goal is no longer about becoming a famous singer. It is about winning a Grammy — an achievement she says would carry a meaning far beyond her own career.* no longer: 더 이상 ~이 아닌* achievement: 업적; 성취* beyond: ~를 넘어서는[4] "It wouldn't just be a personal milestone," she said. "It would be a message to every Asian American girl who's ever felt impostor syndrome in this industry," she said in an email interview with The Korea Herald.* milestone: 이정표, 중대한 사건이나 시점* imposter: 남의 이름을 사칭, 다른 사람 행세를 하는 사람 (imposter syndrome: 가면 증후근)* industry: 산업, 업계기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10552221[코리아헤럴드 팟캐스트 구독]아이튠즈(아이폰):https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2네이버 오디오 클립(아이폰, 안드로이드 겸용): https://audioclip.naver.com/channels/5404팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638

Rebeccasode! Answering patron emails.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/KIRK to get 10% off your first month.05:22 Atsuko Okatsuka & Asian-American comedians12:57 How would you define Jungian Shadow work?25:00 Can you experience countertransference in academics?30:40 Why is it so hard to find a good therapist?00:00 Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and comorbiditiesBecome a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUZWV1DRtHtpP2H48S7iiw/joinBecome a patron: https://www.patreon.com/PsychologyInSeattleEmail: https://www.psychologyinseattle.com/contactWebsite: https://www.psychologyinseattle.comMerch: https://psychologyinseattle-shop.fourthwall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychologyinseattle/Facebook Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/PsychologyInSeattle/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirk.hondaAugust 22, 2025The Psychology In Seattle Podcast ®Trigger Warning: This episode may include topics such as assault, trauma, and discrimination. If necessary, listeners are encouraged to refrain from listening and care for their safety and well-being.Disclaimer: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, therapy, diagnosis, or creates a counselor-client relationship. Topics discussed may generate differing points of view. If you participate (by being a guest, submitting a question, or commenting) you must do so with the knowledge that we cannot control reactions or responses from others, which may not agree with you or feel unfair. Your participation on this site is at your own risk, accepting full responsibility for any liability or harm that may result. Anything you write here may be used for discussion or endorsement of the podcast. Opinions and views expressed by the host and guest hosts are personal views. Although, we take precautions and fact check, they should not be considered facts and the opinions may change. Opinions posted by participants (such as comments) are not those of the hosts. Readers should not rely on any information found here and should perform due diligence before taking any action. For a more extensive description of factors for you to consider, please see www.psychologyinseattle.com

President Trump got the redistricting maps he wanted from Texas, but it may come with a big political price tag. The Democratic Party, so fractured after the 2024 campaigns, suddenly found a rallying issue that washed away many of its own internal divisions - at least temporarily. Brad Johnson of The Texan and Kat Vargas of Howdy Politics join host Jeremy Wallace to break it all down. Plus, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called out Gov. Greg Abbott again for his stance against banning all THC products in Texas, further muddying what the Legislature will do in the closing days of the special session of the Legislature. And finally, Texas House Democratic Leader Gene Wu joins the show for a deep dive on how his recent national media attention has helped illustrate how he's had to navigate racism and generational norms in the Asian-American community.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWe're on location at USF for the SFFilm Youth Filmmakers Camp! (see below) We're joined by SFFilm's Director of Education Keith Zwölfer and Education Manager Soph Schultz Rocha who discuss the importance of a thriving film culture. We also sit with two filmmaking students - Aisha McCulloch and Sky Hsu who share what kind of stories they'd like to tell, and finally we cap it off with filmmaker/mentor Jessica Jones.Support SFFilm Education Programs HERE!Follow Jessica Jones on IGA Little About SFFILM Youth Filmmakers CampSFFILM Education's Youth Filmmaker Camp is an intensive summer program for teens ages 14–18 to learn from world-class film professionals in a fun, interactive, and collaborative environment. The program is broken up into two experience levels: the Starter Lab, which is for beginner students looking to learn the basics of filmmaking and enhance their storytelling skills; and the Advanced Lab, which is for students who want to build upon their existing skills. All students dive deep into the filmmaking process by learning about screenwriting, storyboarding, production, cinematography, sound, editing, and much more.Through a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, guest speakers, discussions, and workshops, campers form a deeper understanding of the production process from conceptualization to post-production, transform their ideas into proper screenplays, and create group short films of their own. Throughout the duration of camp, students create a short film and rotate roles to experience all positions on a film set including director, cinematographer, sound, and grip. Students will gain technical skills such as editing with Adobe Premiere Pro, screenplay formatting, learning how to use professional cameras, as well as lighting and sound equipment. Camp culminates with a screening of the student's final films and a walk on the red carpet!The curriculum is supplemented with guest speakers of SFFILM supported and Bay Area filmmakers. In recent years guests have included Academy Award nominated Jim Lebrecht (Crip Camp), Bret Parker (Pixar), Academy Award nominated filmmaker Trevor Jimenez (Weekends), Alice Wu (The Half of It), aSupport the showThanks for listening and for your support! We couldn't have won Best of the Bay Best Podcast in 2022 , 2023 , and 2024 without you! -- Fight fascism. Shop small. Use cash. -- Subscribe to our channel on YouTube for behind the scenes footage! Rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts! Visit our website! www.bitchtalkpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram & Facebook Listen every Tuesday at 9 - 10 am on BFF.FM

When Scott Shigeoka, a queer Asian American progressive, packed everything into his Prius and spent a year seeking out conversations with people who held opposing views, he discovered something remarkable about the relationship between fear and curiosity.In this transformative conversation, Scott shares insights from his book "Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World" and reveals how genuine curiosity can turn our deepest fears into bridges of understanding. You'll learn his practical DIVE framework for navigating difficult conversations and discover why the people who scare us most might hold the key to our own transformation.You can find Scott at: Website | Instagram | Episode TranscriptIf you LOVED this episode:You'll also love the conversations we had with Brené Brown about how vulnerability and courage can deepen the connections and transform our lives.Check out our offerings & partners: Join My New Writing Project: Awake at the WheelVisit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount CodesCheck out our offerings & partners: Beam Dream Powder: Visit https://shopbeam.com/GOODLIFE and use code GOODLIFE to get our exclusive discount of up to 40% off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could you walk away from a life you were good at to chase the one you were meant for? Dara Woo did exactly that, trading software engineering for the bright lights of Broadway. In this inspiring conversation, she shares how a tech job lunch break turned into a career-changing audition, and the mindset shifts that made it possible. Sometimes the most strategic move isn't doubling down on what's safe. It's daring to step into the unknown.   What You'll Learn: 2:44 Balancing auditions with a full-time tech job 5:09 Weighing stability vs. pursuing passion 8:09 The reality of performing eight shows a week 12:18 A simple daily habit to build a creative career 16:59 The kind of roles Dara wants for Asian American actors Today, Ginni welcomes Broadway actor Dara Woo, whose precision on stage rivals the demanding tech projects she once led as a software engineer. Dara reveals what it's really like to perform in the elaborate multimedia Broadway production The Picture of Dorian Gray.  You'll hear how she overcame Silicon Valley-bred imposter syndrome, why she swears by her “one thing a day” rule to keep momentum, and how she applies the same strategic thinking from coding to navigating the unpredictable world of acting. Dara also shares her vision for more nuanced Asian American representation on stage and screen, and her dream of one day merging her tech and creative worlds. Connect with Dara Woo: Website: https://darawoo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverdare/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@silverdare Connect with Ginni: Website: https://ginnisaraswati.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theginnishow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginnisaraswati Ginni Media: www.ginnimedia.com Got a great show topic idea? A guest you'd love to see on the Ginni Show? Tell us about it: (844) 543-1772

Jenny saw a moose. Mic gets into it at a Walmart.C O M E S E E H A C K C I T Y C O M E D Y TicketsF O L L O W U Shttps://www.instagram.com/asiannotasianpodhttps://www.instagram.com/nicepantsbrohttps://www.instagram.com/jennyarimoto/P A T R E O Nhttps://www.patreon.com/asiannotasianpod P A R T N E R S -Check out friend of the pod John's cabin on Airbnb! https://www.airbnb.com/slink/penXRFgl - Helix Sleep Mattress: visit helixsleep.com/asian - Nutrafol: www.nutrafol.com (Promo code: Asian) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ASIAN and get on your way to being your best self.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel Dae Kim became the first actor of Asian descent to be nominated for a Tony, for his performance in Yellow Face, in the role of a playwright trying to deal with Asian American representation. His new Amazon Prime Video spy series Butterfly premieres today. Kim spoke with Ann Marie Baldonado about his career, his big break with Lost, and filming his new series in his hometown in Korea. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reflects on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for its 100th anniversary. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy