Podcasts about taiwanese american

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. Tonight's show is June 19th. We are all connected. We are talking with Asian and Asian American Children's book authors. PowerLeeGirls host Miko Lee talks with Chi Thai and Livia Blackburne about the power of storytelling, maternal heritage, generational trauma, and much more. Title:  We Are All Connected Show Transcripts 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.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:01:17] Welcome to Apex Express. Tonight's show is June 19th. We are all connected. We are talking with Asian and Asian American Children's book authors. PowerLeeGirls host Miko Lee talks with Chi Thai and Livia Blackburne about the power of storytelling, maternal heritage, generational trauma, and much more. First, we want to start by wishing everyone a happy Juneteenth, Juneteenth commemorates, an end to slavery and the emancipation of Black Americans after the Civil War. In 1865, 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally learned of their freedom. Juneteenth marks the day the last enslaved people learned of their freedom. Though outright slavery became illegal, the systematic oppression of African Americans continues to this day. We see that show up in almost every aspect of American culture, from the high rate of infant mortality to the over punishing of Black children in schools, to police brutality, to incarceration. We must continue to recognize the importance of championing Black lives and lifting up Black voices. We are all connected. June 19th is also an important day in Asian American history. In 1982 in Detroit, Vincent Chin was at a bar celebrating his bachelor party prior to his wedding the next day. Ronald Ebens, a white auto worker, and his stepson Michael Nitz taunted Vincent with racial epithets. They thought he was Japanese and were angry about the Japanese rise in the auto industry. When Vincent left the bar later, the two men attacked and killed Vincent with a baseball bat. He was 27 years old. Ronald Ebens never did time for this murder. Ronald Ebens is 85 years old now. Ebens not only skirted prosecution, he has used bankruptcy and homesteading laws in Nevada to avoid a wrongful death civil suit settlement. Ordered by the court in 1987 to pay $1.5 million to Chin's family, the Chin estate has received nothing. Lily Chin, Vincent's mom could have stayed silent about the racist attack on her son. Instead she spoke out. She took a courageous stance to highlight this most painful moment in her life. In doing so, she helped ignite a new generation of Asian American activists working for civil rights and social justice. We find ourselves in a new wave of activism as our communities band together to work against the injustices of the current regime. And what does this have to do with children's books? It is all connected. We highlight children's books by Asian and Asian American authors because we want our next generation of children to know and appreciate their own heritage. We want them to proudly represent who they are so that they can work in solidarity with other peoples. Our struggle is interwoven. As Grace Lee Boggs said, “History is a story not only of the past, but of the future.” Thank you for joining us on apex express. Enjoy the show.   Miko Lee: [00:04:24] First off. Let's take a listen to one of Byron Au Young's compositions called “Know Your Rights” This is part of the trilogy of the Activist Songbook. This multi-lingual rap, give steps to know what to do when ICE officers come to your door.    MUSIC   That was “Know Your Rights” performed by Jason Chu with lyrics by Aaron Jeffries and composed by Byron Au Yong Welcome, Chi Thai to Apex Express.    Chi Thai: [00:07:13] Hello. I'm really happy to be joining you, Miko.  Miko Lee: [00:07:16] I'm really happy to meet you and learn about you as an artist, as a filmmaker, as a children's book author. And I wanna first start with a personal question, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Chi Thai: [00:07:30] Ooh, what a great question. You know what? I love being asked stuff that hasn't been asked kind of before. I mean, there's a kinda really kinda natural answer to that, which is, you know, family are my people. Of course. 100%. And certainly, you know, the reason why I'm talking to you today, you know, in regard to the, to the book, you know, it's about my family's journey. But I found, and I don't know if this is. Somewhat to do with, you know, being a child of two cultures and you know, being a child of the diaspora that you really have to kind of find your own family too. 'cause I suppose I grew up feeling, I didn't quite relate to maybe my parents in a way that, you know, you normally would if you weren't part of the diaspora. And I felt estranged from my birth country and I didn't really feel like British either a lot of the time. So in terms of like, who are my people? I've gathered those people as I've kind of grown up and it's, it's a kind of strange feeling too. I feel like it's taken me a really long to grow up and to figure out who I am. And I suppose that's why, you know, the people that I have a really, a lot of people that have come, kinda later in my life, I actually have no friends in my childhood as an example of that. I've had to kind of find these people as I've grown up, but it's taken me a long time to grow up because growing up in the UK there wasn't any literature to read about what it was like to be Asian. And British, to be a refugee and things like that. So it just took me longer and I then, as a result, it just took me longer to find my tribe. but I have it now, but it's still work in progress. That was a very convoluted answer. I'm very sorry Miko.    Miko Lee: [00:09:15] No, it wasn't. No worries. It's fine. And what legacy do you carry with you?   Chi Thai: [00:09:19] Kind of an extension to that answer, I think when you're an artist, practicing your voice, figuring out your voice, can take a while. And I think I've only really started maybe the last like five to 10 years at the most really figured out what I want my legacy to be. The things I wanna talk about are really about s tories from the diaspora, certainly, and about community and healing. These are the things I think that are really important to me, especially when we talk about maybe coming from struggle. I don't feel it's enough to be an artist today and just talk about struggle. I want to talk about justice as well. And justice really is about healing, you know?    Miko Lee: [00:10:00] Oh, that's beautiful. Can you talk a little bit more about that healing and what that means to you and how that shows up in your work?    Chi Thai: [00:10:07] A couple years ago, no, not even that long ago, I produced a, a feature film. This is probably the best example for it, but I produced a feature film called Raging Grace, which we called it Horror with a small H and it. Basically took the story of what it was like to be, undocumented Filipina in the uk who was also a mother. And I think if that film had been made 10 years ago, it would just shown how hard her life was, and unrelentingly. So, and I think the reason why Raising Grace is so special is it goes beyond the trauma, it takes us to a place of justice, of being able to speak out for someone who has felt invisible, to be visible for someone who's not. Had a voice, to have a voice and to begin that kind of healing process of sticking up for herself, making a change transforming herself from maybe the good immigrant to the bad immigrant and things like that. I think that's a really great example and I think I read a really wonderful thing. It might have been in a Guardian article where we, so a lot of my work is around, inclusion representation of like diasporic stories. And I think when you have, when you exist in the poverty of like representation, I. the solution to that is plentitude. I think that Viet Thanh Nguyen probably said that, so I don't wanna take credit for it. He comes up with so many wonderful things, and that's a wonderful thing to be able to move from poverty, like to plentitude and that be the solution, is kinda really wonderful. So I enjoy being really prolific. I enjoy supporting artists to be able to do their work. So as a community, we can also be prolific and I wanna support, narratives that. Take us beyond a place of struggle and trauma to a place of like healing and justice and so forth.    Miko Lee: [00:11:57] Your work crosses so many genres. You were just mentioning how that film was kind of a horror film and, and then you've done these kind of dreamy animation pieces and then now this children's book. Do you select the genre and the format and the medium, or does it select you?   Chi Thai: [00:12:16] Oh, I think the story chooses it. I like 100% believe that. I just actually was thinking about this 'cause I was doing an interview on something else, people, often ask about the creative process and I, can only speak for my own. But usually when I get an idea for a story, the general shape of it comes almost like really well formed. There's a sense of a lready kinda what genre it'll be. There's a sense of the character, there's a sense of the journey and all these things. I felt the same about, writing The Endless Sea I knew it would be from the voice of a child. This probably sounds like my creative process is terrible, but it was just. This is how it was going to be. That kind of part was writing itself, or at least I feel that it'd been writing itself like that in my subconscious for many, many years before it kind of surfacing and writing. Like the writing bit is just the tip of the iceberg at the end of the day. there wasn't like a kind of decision about that. the story in that sense was quite intact. So I often feel like the story is demanding something about kind genre and for, for Raging Grace 'cause I've talked about this a lot, not just in listen to me, but other things. But we always said like if you are an an undocumented person, every breath you take is taken in a hostile environment. It's so natural for it to be a horror. So there's not a sense that you kinda decide that it's like that is the very reality of someone who's going, you know, that's their lived experience. And if you're going to represent that truthfully, it will be through the prism of horror. And I suppose that's how I think about genre. the story is kind of telling you what it needs to tell its emotional truth. and I felt that way, with The Endless Sea same thing with the Raging Grace, with Lullaby. And I think you talked about The Promise, I suppose I, with The Promise, which is an adaptation I had less choice about that because that was a book and it was a adapted into an animation. I've heard Nicola, who's the author of the book, talk about that and she talks about like the story coming to her in a dream and tiptoeing down her arm coming onto the page, she like describes it really beautifully. so maybe our processes are the same. It feels that way. there's not long deliberations. I mean, that's not to say the writing process isn't difficult. It is. But that, I've never found the, [genre] the difficulty or the bit that's required a lot of, I don't know soul searching with it.    Miko Lee: [00:14:28] So with that being said, how did Endless Sea your latest children's book? How did that tiptoe into your imagination?    Chi Thai: [00:14:36] This is a strange one because this is probably the closest thing to like, almost autobiographical work. What I can say is like, it's the true story o f how I and my family, which would've been at the time my mom and dad, my older sister, me, how we fled Vietnam after the fall of an Saigon. we actually left quite late we left in 1979 w hen things were tr were getting truly, truly, truly, quite terrible. And, this was very much a last resort. I think my parents would try to make things work, but realized that they couldn't. This journey that we took on these, boats that were made badly, made poorly, that many of which sank has become almost like the genesis story of our family. It's like it's a big, it has a long shadow, right? Ever since you know I, it is like the first story that I can remember. It's one of the few stories my mom would tell me again and again when we, when they see their old friends, it's something they talk about. So it's something that has happened to it to us, but it's such a big thing that it's just, echoed In my life growing up, as I've you know, got older and older, and the wonderful thing about having a story kinda live with you eventually it's in your blood and in your bones, but also if it's a thing that's kinda shared with you again and again, you actually build up this, there's something about the repetition of it, and then every time you hear it told from an uncle or a family friend or from your mom, a new little detail is embroidered that someone adds. So I've kinda lived with this story for 40 plus years and I've been collecting all these little things about it all this time and all that time it was, I think, kind of just writing itself, you know? You know, it was doing all that work before I actually put like pen to paper. Um, yeah.    Miko Lee: [00:16:31] Was there a catalyst or something that made you actually put the pen to paper?   Chi Thai: [00:16:36] That's really interesting. You know, I probably don't mind it is probably something really banal like. I think I probably wrote it during Covid and I had more time. Um, I think there are probably be some bigger forces in place. And you know what, I can tell you what it is actually if I'm, I'm forcing myself to think and examine a bit closer so when this is totally true. So I remember hearing the news about Viet Thanh Nguyen win winning the Pulitzer for The Sympathizer. And it made such a mark on me and I kind of felt, wow, someone from our community has achieved this incredible thing. And I thought, why? Why now? Like, and I was like, well, you know what? It's probably taken our community certain amount of time to come of age, to develop not just the abilities to write, to create, to make art, but also to have possibly the relationships or networks in place to be able to then make the art and get it out into the world. And I kind of felt when he was able to do that and came of age, I kind of felt there was going to be like other people from the kind of diasporic Vietnamese community that would also start to flourish. And that made me feel really good. About probably being a bit older than the average kind of artist, like making their, kinda like their pieces and everything and saying, you know what? My time can be now. It's okay. And I just find it just really inspiring that, you know our community was kind of growing, growing up, coming of age and being able to do these, these things And I kind of felt like it had given me the permission, I suppose the, the confidence to go, “Oh this story that I've been carrying my whole life, which I don't really see a version of out there I can write that and now I can write it and I'm the right person to write it.” And I had just done The Promise so I had a relationship with Walker. I was like, I have a, you know, a relationship with the publisher. I feel my writing is matured. Like I can do this. And so it was like a culmination and, you know, convergence of those things. And, but I do remember having that thought thinking, “This is a good time to be alive in our community 'cause we're actually able to make our art and get it out there now.” I, I felt it was like a real watershed moment really.   Miko Lee: [00:19:11] What made you decide to do it in this format as a Little Kid's Children's Illustrated book? We were talking earlier about how to, to me, this is the first more realistic version of a boat people experience in a very little kid's voice. What made you decide to do it in this style?    Chi Thai: [00:19:33] So interesting. At the same time, I was writing The Endless Sea. I was writing also the script for a short film, which is called Lullaby, which is takes an incident that happened on my boat but expresses it as a film, as a little kinda horror kinda drama, but a kid cannot watch that. It's like too terrifying. Um, and I wrote, you know, The Endless Sea at the same time. And again, I can't, it's really hard for me to articulate. I just knew it was gonna be a kid's book, like, and I knew it'd be written from the voice of a kid, and I didn't actually, can I say I didn't even ascribe a particular kind of value to that. It wasn't until I had started conversations with the publisher they're like, you know, we see like there's a really high, like this is really great that it's written in the voice of the kid. It somehow gives it something else. Something more is something kind of special. I didn't set out to like, overthink, like what was the most effective way to tell this story? I, I think I just told the story as honestly as I could, you know, with the words that I felt that, you know, I had in me to de, you know, to describe it. In the most authentic way to, to me. And like I say, at the same time, I knew, like I knew that was a kid's book. There was another part of that I wanted to express that was really important to me and that was survivor's guilt. But that I felt was like, that was a horror, so that was really not gonna be suitable for kids. So I was definitely thinking about lots of things to do with the same subject of the same time, but they were definitely being expressed in different ways. And again, Lullaby came to me very kind of quickly, almost fully formed. And I knew, you know, it would be a ghost story. I knew it would be the story of a mother and things like that. And I often maybe, you know, I should, I, I should interrogate more, but I kinda, I take these kinda. These ideas, which are quite well shaped and, and then I just like lean into them more and more and more. But they, the way they arrive it, I've kinda, I, I can see a lot of what is already about to unfold.   Miko Lee: [00:21:43] And do you still dream about that experience of being on the boat as a kid?    Chi Thai: [00:21:52] It's, it's a really difficult thing to explain because you know that that happened now so long ago, and I've probably heard the story thousands of times. I've watched all the terrible Hollywood movies, I've seen all the news clippings, I've watched all the archive. I've listened to, you know, people talk, and I have my own memories and I look at photographs and I have memories of looking at photographs. I feel like, you know, my memory is really unreliable, but what it is instead is it's this, this kind of, kind of tapestry of, you know, of the story of memories, of, you know, images as I grow up of hearing the story, like all coming together. One of the things I did when I wrote, I wrote The Endless Sea, is I then went back to my mom and I did a recorded interview with her 'cause I was really worried about how unreliable my memory might be. And I interviewed her and I asked a lot of questions and I said, and I, it was like, you know, in the way I would've just like listened to the story quite passively before this time I interviewed her and I asked a lot of questions about details and all sorts of things. 'cause I really wanted to be able to represent things, you know, as factually as I could. And that was kinda one of my kinda kind of fact checking kinda exercises I did 'cause I was, I was much quite worried about how unreliable my memory was about it all. And you know, what is, what is a memory of a memory of memory, like, you know, especially when it comes to thinking about that time on the boat and the feelings I had. Yeah. So, you know,    Miko Lee: [00:23:34] and you were so young also to    Chi Thai: [00:23:37] Totally 100%. And sometimes, I don't know, you know, is it a memory of a memory? Is it a dream of a dream?   Miko Lee: [00:23:44] Mm-hmm.    Chi Thai: [00:23:44] Or just some, yeah.   Miko Lee: [00:23:46] Was there anything that your mom said that surprised you?    Chi Thai: [00:23:50] Yeah. Um, she didn't realize how bad it was gonna be and she was like, “God, if it, I'd known how terrifying it was I dunno if I, we could have done it.” I think there's a certain amount of naivety involved and I suppose that surprised me. You know? 'cause we know already now how bad it was. Um, so things like that surprised me.    Miko Lee: [00:24:15] and your mom, the dedication of the book is to your mom. What does she think when she first read it?    Chi Thai: [00:24:22] I've got a funny story. My parents, you know, they, we left, they were in their early twenties and I think it was, you know, the escape was hard for them, but settling in new country was really hard for them. That's. That's been kind of their struggle. They had to work so hard, so many hours to kind of, you know, give us a great life. And, I think a lot of that meant they weren't people that could go out, enjoy, enjoy movies, look at art, read lots of literature and things like that. They're very, very simple, very working class. Simple life or working class kinda life. Very much all about, uh, the work. Um, and I remember when I had a, the publisher had made like a mockup of the book and I gave it to my mum to read 'cause I wanted her to be happy about it too, and she's probably been my toughest critic. I think everything I've done, she hasn't really liked, to be honest. Um, and when I gave her the mockup to read. She went, “Yeah,” but she said it in such a way I knew what she meant was Yeah, that's right. You know, that's the truth. That's the, you know, the book isn't the testimony, but it felt like she was saying yeah. It was like the simple kind of approval. It wasn't like a lot    Miko Lee: [00:25:50] That is the most Asian mom's approval ever.    Chi Thai: [00:25:54] It's so funny, like people say to me, oh Chi, it's such a beautiful book. Oh, the writing so lit, like lyrical. It's stripped back, it's elegant. Like, you know, Viet Thanh Nguyen , like God bless his like consults, gave me a comment to put in the book, said these wonderful things, and my mom goes, “yeah.”. You know, it made me laugh at the time, but I knew what it meant. And I also was old enough, I was mature enough, you know, God, if she'd given me that, if I'd been 20 written that I might have cried and my heart might have broken. Right. But I, I knew I had, I've so much compassion, you know, for my parents. Mm-hmm. And people like my parents, what they've been through and, you know, but    Miko Lee: [00:26:38] That was incredibly high praise for her.    Chi Thai: [00:26:40] It was, I couldn't have asked more.   Miko Lee: [00:26:47] Oh, I totally get that. I think that's such an Asian thing. That is so funny.    Chi Thai: [00:26:53] It is, it is. I didn't feel bad. I, I remember showing her Lullaby, um, and she didn't like it at all.    Miko Lee: [00:27:02] What did she say? What is her not like voice? What did she say to that?    Chi Thai: [00:27:05] Oh, she. Well, firstly, she, well, the, the film is almost silent because basically it tells a story. It's inspired by a mother that was on our boat who lost her baby on the border crossing, and I was very much ever, for as long as I knew about this woman's story, I was like, I was very much haunted by it, and I was haunted by, you know, the fact that that's how she felt and her guilt. Over losing her baby on this journey. And I knew, I knew I wanted to tell her story. 'cause one of the things I feel very strongly about is when you are on the losing side. So I'm from South Vietnam, like that's not the, you know, that's not the story that's told, the story is told of who triumphs at the end of the day. And I was just like all those people that we lost at sea, this mother, her baby. The stories kind of aren't told. So I kind of felt really strongly that this was somehow a very creative way to put down like a, an historical record like this happened. And actually I found out after making the film that five babies were lost in our boat, not just one.   Miko Lee: [00:28:24] Wow. So what did she say, your mom say?   Chi Thai: [00:28:28] Yes. So I made this film, which was for the most part, a silent film. This is a woman that's shut down. She barely speaks anymore. She is living with the guilt ever. You know, when she was on the boat before her baby died, she sang a lullaby, and ever since then, she hasn't been able to speak again. And then we find out that she has been haunted by the ghost of her child that she lost. And then a bit too, you know, to kind of free herself from that. She, she actually sings, you know, the, the film culminates in her singing the Luby one last time. S saying Goodbye finally being able to move beyond her Gild and I Griffin, saying goodbye and hoping she's able to, you know, progress. So I made a film about that was largely silence except for this lullaby, and my mum watched it. She went, next time you make a film, you know you need more words. I was just like, oh, I think my heart probably did crumple off a bit a bit at that point.    Miko Lee: [00:29:30] Aw.    Chi Thai: [00:29:31] You know? Um, but yeah. But yeah, it's okay. It's okay because you know what? My mom doesn't get to see stuff like that very often. So sometimes she doesn't have the wider, and this is why, I mean, like, the life that she's had, you know, hasn't been one where she's been able to surround herself with, oh, I'm so lucky. You know, my life has been so different, but it's been different. Different because of, you know what she's, what she's done for us, so it's okay. I can take it on the chin when she says my film doesn't have enough dialogue in it.    Miko Lee: [00:30:04] I love that. For you, have you had conversations with your mom about your life as an artist, and what are her thoughts on that?   Chi Thai: [00:30:16] Well say. So I, so my mom, I don't really like, you know, she's probably not that into it. I'll be honest about being an artist. I can understand why she wants you to have a good life. And I would say for the most part, being an artist is, is a, is a tough life because it's hard to make, you know, the, the pennies work, right?   Miko Lee: [00:30:44] She wants stability for you, right?    Chi Thai: [00:30:45] Yeah, exactly. But she's made a peace with it. And basically what happened, I think all the best story is gonna be about my mom, right? Is that she basically, I, I, um, I have a partner, we've been together for 15 years. Um, he's a really nice guy and he has a reliable job and we have two kids together and i,    Miko Lee: [00:31:08] So that makes it okay.   Chi Thai: [00:31:10] So yeah, this is what I was saying. So she said to me like. It doesn't really matter what you do now. 'cause she, you are already peaked. You're somebody's wife. We're not married. But she told everyone in Vietnam we were married 'cause she couldn't cope with this not being like having kids out of wedlock. In her head. She's rewritten that we are married. Right. She's like, you are married, you're somebody's wife and you mother, it doesn't get better than that. So if you are an artist or if you're a filmmaker, whatever, it doesn't matter. 'cause nothing can be better than that. Right. So she's accepted on the basis that I've already fulfilled, kind of my promise.   Miko Lee: [00:31:46] Wow. Interesting.    Chi Thai: [00:31:50] And she means that in the nicest possible way.    Miko Lee: [00:31:52] Yeah.    Chi Thai: [00:31:52] That she feels like you have a home, you have stability, you have someone who loves you, you know, you have a, a purpose in life, but really her value, you know, the way, I think, the way she measures my value is like, that's how she looks at it. The, the art is something else.    Miko Lee: [00:32:10] Well, I really appreciate you sharing your art with us in the world and your various, um, genres and styles. And I'm wondering how our audience can find out more about your work. Clearly we'll put links to where people can buy the book and let's see, but how do they find out more about your films?   Chi Thai: [00:32:28] Um, so that like, because it is the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War in 2025. Actually the very anniversary of that is the tomorrow, the 30th, April, right? Um, you can watch Lullaby on Altar, which is a YouTube channel. Um, and I can give you the link for it. Rating Grace is on Paramount Plus if you want to, if you've got Paramount Plus, but you can also buy it from all the usual kind of places too. Um, and you know, and we'll see us from all great book stockists, I imagine in, in the us.   Miko Lee: [00:33:07] Thank you so much. Um, I'd love to get, I'd love for you to send me the link so I could put 'em in the show notes. I really appreciate chatting with you today. Um, is there anything else you'd like to share?    Chi Thai: [00:33:19] Um, no, I think, I think that's good. Your, your questions are so good. Mika, I'm already like, kinda like processing them all. Uh, yes.    Miko Lee: [00:33:30] Well, it was a delight to chat with you and to learn more about your artistic vision, and my wishes are that you continue to grow and feel blessed no matter what your mama says, because deep down, she's still proud of you. Even if she doesn't say it out loud.    Chi Thai: [00:33:47] I believe it. I totally believe it.    Miko Lee: [00:33:50] Yay. Thank you so much for spending time with us on Apex Express.Next up, listen to stay, go from dark heart, a concert narrative by singer and songwriter Golda Sargento.   MUSIC   That was the voice of Golda Sargento from the new Filipino futurism punk rock sci-fi dark heart. Welcome, Livia Blackburne Children's book, author of Nainai's Mountain. Welcome to Apex Express.    Livia Blackburne: [00:38:56] Thank you so much for having me.    Miko Lee: [00:38:58] I wanna start with a personal question, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?    Livia Blackburne: [00:39:05] I am Chinese American, and so I carry the stories of my grandparents who fled China to Taiwan, fled that war. And I also carry the stories of my parents and myself who immigrated. To America, and I am, I grew up in New Mexico, so I have fond memories of green chili and new Mexican food. I went to college, Harvard and MIT on the east coast. So I've got a bit of that kind of ivory tower. And now I'm in LA and, you know, my people are, my family and my community, the writing community here. So I, I'm a big mix. Yes.    Miko Lee: [00:39:44] What legacy do you carry with you?    Livia Blackburne: [00:39:47] I mentioned a bit of my grandparents and my parents. What they went through in the war in China, and then my parents and me coming here. the experience of being here in two worlds, coming from Taiwan having that cultural background and also, growing up in the United States. The culture I've been surrounded with here as well.    Miko Lee: [00:40:06] Thank you so much for sharing. Can you tell us about your new illustrated children's book? Nainai's Mountain. What inspired this work?    Livia Blackburne: [00:40:14] The story of this book actually started with another book that is coming out in a couple years that actually I can't share too much about. My grandparents fled the war in China and then my. Parents grew up in Taiwan and I wanted to preserve that family story. My parents are getting older. So I started doing oral interviews with my parents about their childhood, what it was like, growing up. I wouldn't say they weren't refugees in Taiwan. It's a very complicated political situation, but they were transplants to Taiwan, and what it was like growing up there, their daily life. What kind of things they did when they were a child, their pastimes, I wanted to preserve their stories and I got a lot of great material., A lot of that is going into a novel that I'm currently working on. But also as I worked on it, there were so many great details that I thought would be really good in a picture book as well. Also, I'm a mother now. I have an 8-year-old daughter, and she is half Caucasian, half Asian. She has never gone to Taiwan before and I. As I'm writing this, I'm thinking, it would be really great to, I do want to share Taiwan and, my own childhood, home with her at some point. And so I start imagining what would it be like to bring her back to Taiwan and show her everything. And that became the seed for Nainai's Mountain, which is a. Story of a girl visiting Taiwan for the first time with her grandmother. And her grandmother shows her around and tells her stories about her childhood, and the girl through her grandmother's eyes, sees Taiwan, you know, for the beautiful place that it is.    Miko Lee: [00:41:56] You also wrote the book I Dream of Popo. How are these companions to each other and also for audiences that might not speak Chinese. One is a grandmother on the mother's side, and the other is the grandmother on the father's side. Can you talk about how I dream of Popo is linked to Nainai's Mountain?   Livia Blackburne: [00:42:15] Thank you for pointing that out. Yes. So Popo is maternal grandmother, and Nainai is a paternal grandmother. And that is a fantastic question. So I dream of popo is kind of my story. So it's about a little girl who moves from Taiwan , to the United States and it's about her relationship with her grandmother who stays in Taiwan. And it talks about, how a close relationship, navigating long geographical distances about the language barrier that comes up. And that was very much me, Nainai's Mountain. It's kind of like Popo in reverse, you know, it's now it's someone going back to Taiwan and kind of getting in touch with those roots. That, as I mentioned, that's inspired by my daughter. And you'll see in Nainai's Mountain, I specified that the child should be, half Asian, half Caucasian. Because, I wanted more of that representation in the children's literature.    Miko Lee: [00:43:07] Thank you. I, I wonder if you could talk a little bit about the artistic style. So you are the author, but you had different illustrators for both of the books and the style is really different. The in, when I look at Nainai's Mountain, which I'm holding here, it's sort of collage and really vibrant colors. Where I Dream of Popo has a different, more. I'm almost realistic, kind of look to it. And I'm wondering what your process was like in collaborating with illustrators.    Livia Blackburne: [00:43:37] That's one of the best things about being a picture book author, is that you get to collaborate with so many illustrators and they all have such different styles, such different visions. Most of the time it's the publisher who chooses the illustrator, although they. Consult me usually. My editor for I Dream of Popo picked Julia Kuo. And she sent me samples and I loved it. And, it was great. I'm friends with Julia now and that book did really well. It was very well known, especially in kind of Taiwanese American, Asian American circles. And so when I did, Nainai's mountain, that was with a different publishing house and my editor. He very consciously said, you know, because it's also a book about Taiwan and a grandmother. We don't want to get it confused with I dream of Popo. So, we made a conscious decision to pick an artist with a very different style and Joey Chou is fantastic. He's very well known for his Disney art. You can see his art in a lot of the hotels and cruise ships. And, he, very bright, vibrant, and I, he's also from Taiwan. I think he did a fantastic job.   Miko Lee: [00:44:41] And have the artistic work ever surprised you as being really different from your imagination while you were writing?    Livia Blackburne: [00:44:48] That's a great question. I don't think they've ever surprised me. By being different. They surprised me in the specifics that they've chosen. For example, I dream of Popo. Julia, spent a lot of time in Taiwan and she put in these great, Taiwan details that, you know, if you're from Taiwan, you would know for sure. There's like a specific brand of rice cooker called the rice cooker, and she has one there and like the giant bag of rice in the corner, and the calendar on the wall.   Miko Lee: [00:45:16] Even the specificities of the food and the trays and everything is quite lovely.    Livia Blackburne: [00:45:20] Yeah, yeah. You know, every time I read that, I look at that spread, I get hungry. So surprise there. And, with Joey, I, I love how he does the different, there's kind of flashback pictures and there's, pictures now and. The thing about him, his color, I just love the color that he put in from the greens, of Taiwan to kind of the bright fluorescent lights, neon lights of Taipei, and then there's kind of the slight sepia tones of the past and he just, you know, brings it so to life so well.   Miko Lee: [00:45:49] I didn't know he was a Disney animator, but it totally makes sense because it feels very layered. It does feel animated in a way and kind of alive. So I appreciate that.   Livia Blackburne: [00:45:59] I'm not sure. If he's an animator. He does a lot of art for the theme parks and like products and the cruise ships and stuff. I'm not sure.    Miko Lee: [00:46:07] Oh, interesting.   Livia Blackburne: [00:46:07] He does like movies and  stuff.    Miko Lee: [00:46:08] Interesting. It looks like animation though. Your book.    Livia Blackburne: [00:46:13] It does look very, yeah. Lively. Mm-hmm.    Miko Lee: [00:46:16] That I'm looking forward to that series. That would be so cute. The grandmother series as a whole little mini series traveling to different places. can you tell us about your new book, Dreams to Ashes? Has that been released yet?   Livia Blackburne: [00:46:29] Dreams to Ashes? That has been released that, released about a month before Nainai's Mountain. Yeah, that one's quite a bit different. So that one is a nonfiction book and it's a picture book, and it's about the Los Angeles massacre of 1871. Whenever people, I tell people about that, they're like, wait, you wrote a picture book about a massacre? Which is slightly counterintuitive. So I never knew about the Los Angeles massacre growing up. And, and, given that I am a Chinese person in Los Angeles, that is kind of weird. Basically, it was a race massacre that occurred. One of the biggest mass lynchings in history, uh, where there was a between two rival Chinese organizations and a white bystander was killed. And because of that, , a mob formed and they rounded the Chinese population up basically. And. Blame them for that death. In the end, 18 Chinese men were killed and only one of them were involved in the original gunfight. It was a horrible tragedy. And unfortunately, as often happened with these kind of historical tragedies in our country, nobody was really punished for it. A few men were indicted and convicted, but their convictions were overturned and it just kind of disappeared into history. And it really struck me that, you know, nobody knew about this. I wanted to kind of bring this to light and unfortunately when I was writing it, it was also, during the Covid pandemic and, I was seeing a lot of anti-Asian rhetoric, anti-Asian hate crimes were going up. And I saw so many parallels between what happened. Back then, because, you know, Chinese people specifically were being vilified , they were being called immoral, stealing people's jobs. And you can see in the years before the massacre the newspapers were saying horrible things and, you know, the hate was just becoming very strong and all that exploded one night into an unspeakable tragedy. Unfortunately as an author, you want your work to be relevant, but sometimes you don't want your work to be relevant in this way. Right. Nowadays I'm seeing so much rhetoric again against immigrants and not of many ethnicities. And in some ways I'm sad. That, this is happening now. And I also hope that this book will contribute to the conversation and show how the danger of racism and xenophobia and hate and what, what can happen because of that.   Miko Lee: [00:48:55] So this occurred in the late 1800s, right? Was it before the Chinese Exclusion Act?    Livia Blackburne: [00:49:03] Yes, it was before the Chinese Exclusion Act. So you'd hope that people kinda learn from these things. And it was just kind of one of the, one of the horrible things that happened on the way to the Chinese Exclusion Act and Chinese immigrants being excluded basically Chinese laborers at least.   Miko Lee: [00:49:23] Oh wow. Okay. I'm looking this up now. And 1882 we know was the Chinese Exclusion Act and this incident actually happened in 1871. Yes. A decade beforehand, Helen Zia always talks about these moments that are missing. MIH missing in history and this is clearly another one of, another time of just wiping out a population.I'm wondering if you could speak a little bit more about how Children's Books can make a difference in the world that we're currently living in, where our government is banning books and you know that there's a narratives that they want to align with a certain kind of conservative ideology. Can you talk about the power of being a Children's Book author in this time that we're living in right now? . I'm really thinking about dreams to Ashes and even I dream of Popo and even Nainai's Mountain, which you would think, oh, they're, you, they're visiting their grandparent, their grandmothers, that would not be controversial. But now when even words like inclusion and diversity are threatened and books are being banned, I'm just wondering if you could. Share a little bit more about your superpower as a children's book author?    Livia Blackburne: [00:50:31] Yeah, that's a fantastic question. We live in a time right now, there's, a lot of hate, a lot of intolerance, a lot of fear of different people groups. And a lot of that I think is because people are unfamiliar with people unlike themselves. They see. People who are different, look differently, act differently, speak differently, and it scares them. And I think the best way to get around that is to actually get to know people of other backgrounds, to see them as human. And I think that's where children's books come in. ‘Cause we don't, children are not born. With this hate of the other. They learn it. But, if they grow up being familiar with people of different backgrounds seeing their stories seeing them as, normal human beings, which, should be obvious, but sometimes it's hard, for adults to realize. Then, I'm hoping, as a children's book author that it will lead to a more empathetic world. And perhaps that's why the government sometimes in certain groups are wanting to, censor this and control the flow of children's books because, children are the most their minds are still open. They're still able to learn.    Miko Lee: [00:51:48] And Livia, tell us what you're working on next.   Livia Blackburne: [00:51:53] So right now I am. Working on a historical middle grade. We haven't quite announced it yet, so I can't say the title or too many details, but it is based on my family history of my parents and grandparents who moved from China to Taiwan after the civil War.   Miko Lee: [00:52:12] Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preti Mangala-Shekar, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tanglao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.   The post APEX Express – 6.19.25 We Are All Connected appeared first on KPFA.

Meaningful relationships are mutual. Balanced with give and take, equal influence between partners, and a vibrant dance of loving responsiveness and caring attention.Marriage and Family Therapist and professor Dr. Jessica ChenFeng is calling us toward a more justice-oriented approach to relationships and to mental health and well-being, She invites us to open-hearted and empathic perspective taking, and seeking an integrated wholeness that incorporates all of who we are—highlighting the gift of mutuality in our most intimate relationships in marriage and family life.In this conversation with Jessica ChenFeng, we discuss:The importance of integrated and whole experience of ourselves—allowing racial, gender, and cultural identities to weave together in our sense of vocation and contribution to the worldThe importance of mutuality in relationships—but particularly in marriage and family systems.The ways emotional power flows in a relationship and impacts marriage and family dynamicsThe difference between partners focusing on meeting their individual needs and caring for the health of an intimate relationshipAnd she offers a guided practical exercise to help us lovingly notice and accept our inner experience with a heart open to justice, vulnerability, and the reminder that we are beloved in the eyes of God.Episode Highlights"Systems of power harm everyone—and to live life to the full, we have to see each other fully.""I believe our move toward life to the full requires us to see the world through a third-order lens: not just family systems, but the racial, gender, and societal systems they exist within.""Mutuality means not just expressing our needs but being willing to be changed by the needs of others.""If we're not attuned to the pleasant sensations in our bodies, we miss the invitations to thrive.""Cultural norms are not God-given realities; they are social constructs we are invited to discern and transform.""Knowledge without authentic relationship keeps us from truly seeing the embodied experiences of others."Helpful Links and ResourcesCheck out the programs in Marriage & Family Therapy at Fuller School of Psychology www.fuller.edu/school-of-psychology/Fuller Asian American Center aac.fuller.edu/Socio-Emotional Relationship Therapy (SERT) OverviewCircle of Care Model ExplainedPositive Psychology and EmotionsJeanne Tsai's Research on Culture and EmotionAsian American Values Scale ReferenceRace and Trauma ResourcesJeanne Tsai's research on culture and emotion – Stanford SPARQJohn and Julie Gottman Relationship ResearchAsian American Values Scale – Paniagua & Yamada (Academic resource)Show NotesJessica ChenFeng shares her "yes and" identity as a second-generation Taiwanese American grounded in both math and creativity.How earthy aesthetics and connection to nature shape Jessica's professional and personal flourishing.The integration of Christian faith with clinical work at Fuller Seminary."Seeing systems of systems" — why thriving requires understanding how race, gender, and cultural forces shape individuals and families.Introduction to socio-emotional relationship therapy (SERT) and the value of mutuality in relationships.Defining mutuality: mutual attunement, mutual influence, mutual vulnerability, and mutual relational responsibility."Mutuality asks: Are both people tending to the relationship itself?"Practical signs of mutual and non-mutual relationships, including emotional attunement and willingness to be influenced.The importance of humility and relational awareness in building mutual relationships.The Circle of Care model: cultivating healthy relational dynamics through attunement and responsiveness.Discerning relational power dynamics in marriages, friendships, and work relationships."Thriving is an open heart, even on a stressful day."How emotional self-control in Asian American cultures is often rooted in relational ethics, not personal repression.The risk and gift of navigating cross-generational emotional communication in immigrant families.Differentiated selfhood: balancing authenticity with cultural respect in relational dynamics.Race, culture, and relational healing: why systems of privilege harm everyone."Love your neighbor as yourself" as an ethic for mutual flourishing across racial and cultural difference.Building trust by leaning into discomfort and courageous conversations.The need for embodied encounters with real people beyond theories of race and difference.Mindfulness practice: Jessica leads a guided exercise in attuning to pleasant sensations in the body.The transformational power of positive emotions and embodiment for creativity and resilience.The relational impact of systemic racialization and why "colorblindness" fails to honor real lived experience.Final reflections: How knowing who we are through systemic and relational lenses allows deeper thriving.Pam King's Key TakeawaysEach of us in the human family is a beloved child of God—and we need to continue to shape society to reflect this foundational truth.The path to meaning and fulfillment in a relationship starts with noticing and acknowledging the flow of emotional power, and its destination is mutuality and humilityThriving means incorporating all of who we are—our heritage and histories especially—into our love of ourselves, our love of others, and love of God.Our intimate relationships need care and attention as a third reality beyond our selves and our partners.And finally, thriving means opening our hearts each day, connecting our inner and relational realities, and learning to love patiently the multitudes we all contain.About Jessica ChenFengDr. Jessica ChenFeng is Associate Professor at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary, and is also Director of the Asian American Well-being Collaboratory at Fuller's Asian American Center. Prior to her time at Fuller she was a professor at Loma Linda University and California State University, Northridge.Jessica is known for her clinical expertise and scholarship integrating socio-contextual lenses of race, gender, and generation into work with minoritized individuals, families, and communities. In the last few years, her primary clinical focus has been the well-being of physicians, especially through pandemic-related trauma and burnout. She's co-authored two books, Finding Your Voice as a Beginning Marriage and FamilyTherapist, as well as Asian American Identities, Relationships, and Cultural Legacies: Reflections from Marriage and Family Therapists. She received the 2022 American Family Therapy Academy Early Career Award. About the Thrive CenterLearn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on X @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam KingDr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenConsulting Producer: Evan RosaSpecial thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.

Hi Everyone! My guest today is the lovely, Jasmine Fang, kidlit author. Here is more about Jasmine:Jasmine Fang (she/her) is a Taiwanese American writer and civil servant. She started writing poetry in high school and later performed spoken word in coffee shops. With a deep commitment to community building and amplifying minority voices, Jasmine's work reflects her motto to "livekind." Her book Beneath The Same Round Moon will be published in Fall 2026.Visit Jasmine's website or Instagram!Thanks for listening!

This past Sunday, May 26th we stopped by the annual Passport to Taiwan that's held in New York City's Union Square Park. The first Passport to Taiwan was held in 2002 and it's become the largest outdoor Taiwanese American event in the entire United States. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/ While there I spoke with the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) Executive Director Luchia Meihua Lee, Ambassador Tom Lee of TECO-NY, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, and Ben Hedges, host of Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo also known as the A Laowai's View of China & Taiwan YouTube channel. Passport to Taiwan is a celebration of Taiwanese art, culture, music, community, and of course food. Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: ·   The Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) house on Governors Island, House 17 is twice the size of last year's house ·   The theme of the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island is Eco Art on Island ·   How the Taiwanese American Arts Council's (TAAC's) House 17 on Governors Island will be open from May 17 to November 2 ·   Ambassador Tom Lee mentioned this is the first time that TECO-NY (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York) has had a booth at Passport to Taiwan ·   Ben Hedges, host of the YouTube channel, Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo has emceed Hello Taiwan events ·   How 7-11 stores in Taiwan sponsored travel videos on Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel ·   How Ben will be relaunching the Lao Wai Kan Zhongguo's YouTube channel   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/passport-to-taiwan-2025-ben-hedges-a-laowais-view-of-china-and-ambassador-lee-of-teco-ep-313/

This episode is dedicated to my family, especially my parents, who I appreciate more and more every year for everything they equipped my arsenal for life with. Happy AAPI month! This week, we are diving into my personal experiences as a first generation female Asian American from growing up in the 90s/2000s to understanding how to break generational habits and trauma as an adult. I chat about the obstacles this specific generation of American-born Asians go through from managing expectations to teaching our elders how to be emotionally equipped and break the chain of harmful cultural beliefs. Lastly, we discuss the phenomenon of "woke" culture and how to properly navigate it as a curious outsider and as an Asian American with the capabilities to educate others. Please keep in mind that this is just touching the surface of my experiences. I did my best to summarize. These are also solely my own experiences, so I am not speaking for anyone but myself. 

Are you ready to step into a world where style is personal, bold, and non-binary? In this episode, I chat with Shao Yang, the visionary behind Shao New York, a bespoke suiting brand that's pushing the boundaries of what tailored clothing can be. From creating custom pieces for both men and women to blending tailoring with streetwear, Shao is redefining how we think about fashion and identity. We discuss her journey, the challenges she's overcome in a male-dominated industry, and how she crafts pieces that are as unique as the people who wear them. If you're ready to transform the way you look and feel, or simply want to hear more about Shao's innovative approach to fashion, this episode is for you. Join us as we talk about the future of fashion and how you can start your own journey of self-expression through custom tailoring. “A custom suit isn't really particularly a man's garment or a woman's garment. It is just a piece of garment that you can use to tell your own story.” ~ Shao YangIn this Episode:- Meet Shao Yang- Shao's vision behind tailoring- Breaking gender norms in fashion- The fusion of tailoring and streetwear- Client transformations and personal stories- The custom tailoring process- The flexibility of custom tailoring vs off-the-rack fashion- The unique vision behind Shao's ready-to-wear brand- Inspiration behind Shao's latest collection- Upcoming projects and future plans for Shao New YorkAbout Shao Yang:Shao Yang is a Taiwanese-American fashion designer and the founder of The Tailory New York, a bespoke tailoring atelier renowned for its inclusive approach to custom clothing. After immigrating to the United States at age five, she pursued her passion for fashion design at Parsons School of Design, graduating in 2002. Drawing inspiration from her heritage and a decade of experience in the fashion industry, Shao established The Tailory New York in 2013. Her atelier offers a personalized, gender-neutral suiting experience, catering to individuals across the gender spectrum and emphasizing self-expression through custom garments. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaoy/ Website: https://www.thetailorynyc.com/ Connect with me here:

  In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, we chat with the inspiring Dave Lu.  Dave is a Taiwanese American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and activist.  Dave shares his remarkable journey growing up as the child of Taiwanese immigrants to now being the Founder & Managing Partner at Hyphen Capital,  Co-Founder & President of Expo, and Co-Founder, Stand with Asian Americans.  From his experiences as a child of Taiwanese immigrants and a tech industry veteran to his powerful advocacy against anti-Asian hate, Dave's story is one of resilience and empowerment.  Dave recently produced the Emmy-winning documentary short 38 at the Garden about NBA player Jeremy Lin, which was acquired by HBO.  Dave sits on the advisory board of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Asia Pacific Fund.  Dave received his bachelor degree in finance from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.   In this episode, we dive deep into: How growing up as a Taiwanese American impacts your career and life choices. The rise of anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, and the importance of telling our stories (as seen on the Wall Street Journal). How the courage to speak up and organize led to the founding of Stand With Asian Americans. The power of representation in sports and media, including Jeremy Lin's story.   Challenges and opportunities for Asian American founders in venture capital and technology. Strategies for building your own opportunities and taking control of your narrative. The power of storytelling in fostering understanding and driving social change. The importance of creating inclusive environments and supporting diverse founders, especially women founders. Finding purpose and joy in the face of challenges. Connect with us: Connect with Dave Lu on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davelu/ and on substack at https://substack.com/@davelu.  Follow Samorn on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/samornselim/. Get a copy of Samorn's book, “Belonging: Self Love Lessons From A Workaholic Depressed Insomniac Lawyer” at https://tinyurl.com/2dk5hr2f.  Get weekly career tips by signing up for our advice column at www.careerunicorns.com.  Schedule a free 30-minute build your dream career consult by sending a message at www.careerunicorns.com.   

This episode is a live recording from a recent SAND Community Gathering (April 2025) facilitated by Jungwon Kim. Join Buddhist scholars and activists Rev. Duncan Ryūken Williams, Ph.D. and Funie Hsu/Chhî, Ph.D. for an illuminating dialogue exploring the intersection of Buddhist practice and social transformation. This conversation weaves together Buddhism, remembrance, healing, and liberation, examining how the dharma offers both a path to personal awakening and Social-Spiritual Liberation. Our guests shared how Buddhist teachings help transform grief into connection, particularly in response to racially motivated violence against Asian American communities. The conversation challenged conventional Western Buddhist approaches to Secularization and Individual Awakening. Duncan Ryuken Williams is a Professor of Religion and the Director of the Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religions and Culture at the University of Southern California; previously, Chairman of Japanese Buddhism at UC Berkeley, Director of Berkeley's Center for Japanese Studies, and Buddhist chaplain at Harvard University where he received his Ph.D. An ordained priest since 1993 in the Soto Zen tradition, he received Dharma transmission in 2024 at Kotakuji Temple, Japan. His latest book, American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War, an LA Times bestseller, won the 2022 Grawemeyer Religion Award. He also wrote The Other Side of Zen . Funie Hsu/Chhî, Ph.D. is a transdisciplinary scholar from a working class, Taiwanese-American family, raised in a Taiwanese Humanistic Buddhist tradition. Her work melds American, Asian-American, Buddhist, and Taiwan Studies. Currently Associate Professor of American Studies at San Jose State University, she received a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality from UC Berkeley. Aspects of her work explore issues of language, education and colonialism. She is a co-organizer of May We Gather, a national Buddhist memorial ceremony for Asian American ancestors and a former Board Member of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship where she advocated for the recognition of Asian American heritage Buddhist communities in the organization and beyond. Jungwon Kim is an award-winning writer and cultural worker. She is also a communications leader, organizational strategy consultant, and journalist who has dedicated her professional life to human rights and environmental advocacy. As Head of Creative & Editorial at the Rainforest Alliance, she directed a multimedia team of writers, videographers, and graphic designers. Earlier in her career, she served as the editor of Amnesty International USA's human rights quarterly that featured the work of award-winning journalists and documentary photographers (circulation 300,000). She began her storytelling career as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and on-air correspondent for nationally syndicated public radio programs. Topics 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:41 Introducing the Conversation Topic 01:36 Meet Jungwon Kim 03:20 Introducing the Guests: Funie Hsu/Chhî, and Duncan Ryuken Williams 06:30 Funie Hsu/Chhî's Path to Buddhism 10:19 Duncan Ryuken Williams' Path to Buddhism 13:02 Buddhism as a Cultural Ecosystem 22:16 May We Gather: A Collective Healing Initiative 32:42 Decolonizing Buddhist Practice 37:07 Lessons from Japanese American Buddhists 44:48 Bridging the Gap in American Buddhism 58:02 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member

I'm so excited to be back with a brand new season, and this time, we're diving deep into the experiences of women of color in business. My first guest of the season is the incredible Cher Hale - founder and director of Ginkgo PR, an agency committed to creating a more equitable media landscape by amplifying historically excluded voices.Cher's story is deeply personal, incredibly inspiring, and wildly relatable, especially if you've ever struggled with stepping into your identity or navigating the expectations placed on you as a woman of color.What we cover in this episode:- Cher's early love for reading, writing, and storytelling (and yes, she wrote a novel at 13!)- How a “wrong” college class led to her first PR opportunity- What it felt like to be young and burned out working in nonprofits- The challenges she faced breaking away from traditional career expectations, especially in a multicultural family- How Cher stumbled into communications career by accident, and started her first business even though she was encouraged to find a more stable job- How the loss of her mother became a turning point in reclaiming and embracing her heritage- Why she walked away from telling stories that didn't feel aligned - and who her agency is really here to serveWe also got into some honest talk about internalized oppression, learning to find pride in our identity, and the pressure to “perform” in professional spaces that weren't made for us.This episode is for you if:- You've ever felt the pull between “security” and your dreams- You've wondered what it looks like to build a mission-driven business as a woman of color- You're navigating identity, legacy, and visibility in your own workCher's vulnerability and clarity are such a gift, and this conversation set the tone for what's to come this season.About Cher Hale: As a first-generation Taiwanese-American, Cher is passionate about leveraging the power of media to tell diverse stories through online, print, TV, radio, and podcast mediums. She is the founder and director of Ginkgo Public Relations – a national boutique agency that believes in using storytelling and public relations as a force for good. They specialize in boosting visibility for underrepresented or marginalized authors, experts, and entrepreneurs through comprehensive communication and media relations effort.If you enjoyed the show and you want to join our community of other women of color who are embracing their voice head over to https://embracingyourvoicepod.com/Connect with Atima on:InstagramLinkedin

Do you speak more than one language—but feel truly fluent in none? You're not alone. In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Saadia Khan is joined by Angela Lin, founder of Real You Mandarin, to explore how language shapes our identities, relationships, and sense of belonging. Angela, a Taiwanese American polyglot, believes language learning should center on cultural connection—not grammatical perfection. We unpack what it means to “feel” fluent, how multilinguals navigate identity through code-switching, and why speaking imperfectly can still be powerful. Angela shares how her platform is changing the game for Mandarin learners who want to express themselves authentically—not just pass a language test. If you've ever lived between languages or felt like your voice changes depending on the one you speak, this conversation will hit home.  Bonus: Angela is offering Immigrantly listeners an exclusive 10% discount on all Real You Mandarin courses with code immigrantly10. Learn more: www.realyoumandarin.com We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Regina Linke|Author|Ilustrator|Art, Storytelling, and Cultural Identity The Power of Visual NarrativesToday, we're joined by Regina Linke, a Taiwanese American artist who brings ancient Chinese art and philosophy to a new generation. She specializes in contemporary Chinese gongbi-style painting and is the creator of The Oxherd Boy, a bestselling webcomic-turned-book that shares heartwarming stories inspired by Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian wisdom. Her work makes these timeless ideas accessible and engaging for modern audiences. With a background in marketing tech and a passion for East Asian folklore, Regina continues to bridge past and present through her art. Her next picture book, Big Enough, arrives in April 2025.Link:https://reginalinke.com/Support PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprPEG uses StreamYard.com for our live podcastshttps://streamyard.com/pal/c/6290085463457792Get $10.00 Credit for using StreamYard.com when you sign up with our linkRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rss

Bing Chen is the Executive Chairman, CEO, and Co-founder of Gold House, a leading cultural ecosystem dedicated to empowering Asian Pacific creators and entrepreneurs to drive societal change. A visionary leader in media and diversity, Bing was formerly YouTube's Global Head of Creator Development and Management, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the global creator economy. He has been recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and honored as a Hollywood Reporter Next Gen Leader and ABC News History Maker. Bing also serves on numerous boards, including the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers. He is a Harvard-educated strategist known for building community-driven initiatives that amplify underrepresented voices. Through Gold House and beyond, Bing continues to push boundaries in media, venture capital, and cross-cultural innovation.In this episode, Bing brings wit, vulnerability, and visionary insight to the conversation. He discusses his upbringing as a Taiwanese-American in the South, his early confidence, and how experiences in Shanghai helped shape his understanding of racism and privilege. He gives a masterclass in the creator economy, offering tips for monetization, longevity, and community building. He also dives into Gold House's mission to make Asian-led creativity mainstream, explaining its work in film, venture, music, and health. Throughout, Bing emphasizes the importance of shared humanity over divisions and champions a collaborative, abundance-minded future.  Parents, Prom, and the Cabbage Patch: Childhood and Family Stories: Bing shares hilarious and heartfelt stories about his parents' immigration, cultural quirks, and growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee. This includes some very memorable (and very real) parental sex talk. (2:25) Magic Bikes and Southern Roots: Growing Up Asian in the South: Bing reflects on his unique childhood experience in a mostly white Southern town, noting how he didn't face racism until moving to California. He discusses confidence, energy, and how being different can actually attract others. (5:45)Band Geeks and Prom Regrets: High School and Identity Formation: In this personal segment, Bing opens up about high school, popularity, belonging to many social circles, and his bittersweet prom story. He touches on early lessons in connection and rejection. (8:00)Buffets, Boys' Clubs, and Chubby Cattle: Food as a Love Language: Ami and Bing bond over their love of buffets, with Bing recounting how he formed a boys' club just to avoid eating alone at Hometown Buffet. He drops a hidden gem recommendation in NYC and name-drops Chubby Cattle Group. (12:45)Building YouTube and the Creator Economy From Scratch: Bing gets into the serious stuff: his pivotal role at YouTube, how he helped coin “creator,” and what current creators need to know about sustaining success. This is a goldmine for anyone working in media or content creation. (14:00)Gold House = The Asian Disney?: Changing Culture at Scale: Bing breaks down what Gold House actually does—from investing in ventures to pushing Asian narratives in film, music, and business. He compares it to the rise of hip-hop and explains the long-term cultural strategy. (20:30)We're More Similar Than We Think”: Stereotypes and Species-Level Thinking: In a profound and slightly controversial segment, Bing argues that the most damaging stereotype isn't about race—but about our belief that we're all so different. He emphasizes unity over hyper-specificity. (30:00)Candy, Concerts, and Cracking From Burnout: Rapid Fire and Vulnerability: In a fun, fast-paced wrap-up, Bing talks about burnout, sour candy as therapy, why he doesn't complain, and his love for Tupac and Hans Zimmer. He ends on a strong note about ethics, ambition, and resilience. (37:30) Connect with Bing Chen:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInX Let's Connect:Instagram This podcast is produced by Ginni Media.

Gi Shieh is a travel content creator known for her travel brand “The Sensible Fay” online. Gi is a Taiwanese American passionate about mindful living, slow travel, outdoor adventures, and sustainable fashion, who is alternates between New York City and Taiwan for her home base. on this episode, we chat about:- Gi's favorite places in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Italy - benefits of slow travel - how can we ensure we are shopping sustainably?- and much more!!featured questions:1. On your blog, you feature 4 countries with jam-packed insider information for travelers — which are Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and Italy. Which country left the biggest impact on you? 2. Is there anything you wish you would've done differently on your trips?3. Of the places you visited, where were the best beaches?4. How has your traveling style and mindset changed since your first trips until now?5. Why and how do you practice slow living in your travels?6. Why is sustainable fashion such a huge passion for you and how does it leak into your travel experiences? 7. Do you think traveling is subversive or supportive to capitalism? ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━sustainable fashion database name:https://directory.goodonyou.ecoconnect with Gi here!✨ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thesensiblefay?igsh=d2hkOXBzeDJsNG41✨ Travel blog:https://thesensiblefay.com/destinations━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━connect with me here :)Instagram:✨ @lydiaschultzzhttps://www.instagram.com/lydiaschultzz/ ✨ @gottacaseofwanderusthttps://www.instagram.com/gottacaseofwanderlust?igsh=MTJjZ2p6bWZpdXBrYw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr✨Travel Blog:gottacaseofwanderlust.com✨Travel Guides: https://www.thatch.co/@gottacaseofwanderlust ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━

Forest Lin (they/them) is a queer 1.5-generation Taiwanese-American kinesthetic artist, Asian diaspora community organizer, and BaZi Chinese astrology practitioner based in Ohlone territory (Oakland). As a "Dragon meets Goat" Mycelium connector, they cultivate spaces for deeper embodiment, authentic expression, and ancestral healing. Through 1:1 BaZi consultations, Forest helps individuals uncover their potential and align with their deeper calling. They honor their teacher, Meng Yu of Tiger Eye Astrology, and their Mycelium Network kin for shaping their vision. In the Wood Snake year, Forest is especially eager to see their budding healing collective, @qiki.club, grow—we provide free/donation based acupuncture pop-up clinics for those who need to restore, rest, build, resist, and withstand the current movements of today's world. During this Snake year, forest will be offering sliding scale BaZi sessions $120-250 and commit to moving 20% to QiKi Club - to sustain movement organizers and provide healing support to those who need it the most. ⏰ Timestamps ⏰ 1:22 When it's your animal year 2:25 BaZi Chart 3:04 Yang Wood Dragon Year 4:49 Yin Wood Snake Year 7:19 Forest's own transformation 10:42 Yin wood 13:55 Snake year 26:00 Snake shadow side 28:30 The invitation of a snake year 31:17 The snake is the mystic 40:10 Talking about $ with the community  48:29 Animal compatability with snake 52:03 Forest's advice 57:00 How to work with Forest Show Notes: Natal Chart & Transit Readings  ORDER MY BOOK HOW TO MANIFEST Laura Chung Instagram Laura Chung's Website  Laura Chung's Tik Tok Forest website: www.forestlin.co Forest IG: @forestxrrei QiKi Club: https://qikiclub.carrd.co/ QiKi IG: @qiki.club YouTube Channel Awaken and Align Instagram Connect with Awaken and Align: If you enjoyed the podcast and you feel called, please share it, and tag me! Subscribe, rate, and review the show wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help more people discover it! Follow on Instagram @awakenandalign Let me know your favorite guests, lessons, or any topic requests.

I met Dara Huang at an event in London last year when I first moved to town. Dara is one of those people who lights up the room she walks into.  As a Taiwanese-American architect and designer, renowned for her innovative contributions to contemporary architecture, Dara was born in Florida to Taiwanese immigrants, where she pursued a master's degree in architecture from Harvard University.   In 2013, Dara founded Design Haus Liberty, an international architecture and design practice based in London, with additional offices in Hong Kong. The firm offers a wide range of design services across residential, commercial, hospitality, and retail sectors, establishing itself as a tastemaker and game-changer in the industry. On a personal note, Dara was previously engaged to British property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, with whom she shares a son, Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi, affectionately known as "Wolfie." Despite their separation, they continue to co-parent amicably, with Wolfie also being the stepson of Princess Beatrice.  Follow Dara on social media here. Follow Alexa Curtis here. Buy Chief Swag Officer microphone covers here!

Taiwanese-American comedy sensation Atsuko Okatsuka speaks to Eve Jackson about building a global fan base with her offbeat humour, her viral dance routines with her grandmother and her groundbreaking HBO special "The Intruder", which solidified her as a comedy star. They also dive into the Parisian audience's unexpected liveliness during her latest show "Full Grown" and how she accidentally created the viral Drop Challenge that had everyone from Serena Williams to Kerry Washington squatting to Beyoncé. Tune in to hear more about her rise in comedy, the challenges she's faced, and what audiences can expect from her upcoming shows in the US and on Disney+.

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Joanne Fan is a Taiwanese American social media travel influencer extremely knowledgeable about Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. on this episode, we chat about:- how Joanne moved to Seoul, South Korea- expectations vs. reality about living abroad - working as a content creator on social media featured questions:1. What were some of the initial biggest challenges you faced when adjusting to life abroad?2. What advice would you wish you would've known beforehand?3. If you had to choose, what's your favorite and least favorite part about living in Seoul?━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━connect with Joanne here!✨ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/joanneffan?igsh=b2w5cnlmYmFhbDl1✨ Travel guides:https://www.thatch.co/@justjoanne━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━connect with me here :)Instagram:✨ @lydiaschultzzhttps://www.instagram.com/lydiaschultzz/ ✨TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lydiaschultzz ✨Travel Blog:gottacaseofwanderlust.com✨Travel Guides: https://www.thatch.co/@gottacaseofwanderlust ━━━━━━━━ ⟡ ━━━━━━━━

She made history by becoming the first woman to win to the Malko Competition -- an international competition for young conductors held every three years by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Taiwan American conductor Mei-Ann Chen talks about her trailblazing journey which took her from Taiwan's music schools to the best-known classical music chambers in the United States and Europe. Hosted by ICRT's Hope Ngo. -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

In this episode of Talking Taiwan, I started off speaking with Taiwanese American documentary filmmaker Hsuan Yu Pan about how she got interested in documentary filmmaking. As we talked about her films, we covered a broad range of topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to parallels between the 2017 travel bans that barred people from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S. and internment of Japanese Americans in the1940s. Time and time again entire groups of people have been targeted and blamed groups.   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/documentary-films-on-the-pandemic-immigration-and-human-rights-issues-our-talk-with-taiwanese-american-filmmaker-hsuan-yu-pan-ep-301/   This led us back to the pandemic and recalling the high incidence of Asian hate that happened at that time. Her current film project Hear, Eat, Home touches on many of these topics including the Syrian Revolution and Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After speaking to Hsuan Yu I get the sense that through her documentary filmmaking she wishes to create understanding so that history doesn't repeat itself and to foster more empathy in the world.  Below in the Related Links section is a link where you can support and watch a work in progress version of Hsuan Yu's film Hear, Eat, Home.   Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: Hsuan Yu's upbringing and how she initially had aspirations to be a visual artist How Hsuan Yu got interested in documentary filmmaking How Hsuan Yu's early experiences editing wedding videos taught her how to use video footage to tell a story How her work at Bric TV taught her how to find stories How she came up with the concept for her documentary film Alone Together that was shot during the pandemic How footage for Alone Together was gathered and planned How Alone Together featured footage from 11 different countries What Hsuan Yu learned from making the film Alone Together Hsuan Yu views her filmmaking as being about telling people's stories How she met the Taiwanese puppeteer, Mr. Tsai who is the subject of her documentary film project I, Puppet How Hsuan Yu was able to encourage Mr. Tsai to do some impromptu puppetry in New York's Washington Square Park How Mr. Tsai attended a Puppet Slam event in Coney Island, NY and brought the puppet slam concept back to his puppet museum in Taipei, Taiwan The relationship between Mr. Tsai and his father who is also a puppeteer How and why Mr. Tsai's parents didn't want him to become a puppeteer What Hsuan Yu loves about making documentaries Her documentary film project Hear, Eat, Home How two of the subjects of the film Hear, Eat, Home, Kinan Azmeh and Kevork Mourad are members of Yo-yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble How the internment of Japanese Americans and the travel bans of 2017 (aka Muslim bans) are examples of how the U.S. government has labeled certain groups of people as a threat and discriminated against them How Kinan Azmeh was affected by the travel bans of 2017 (aka Muslim bans) How different groups have been blamed such as the Japanese Americans, Muslim Americans and Asian American How as a documentary filmmaker Hsuan Yu feels that sne should document history so that people can learn from history Kevork Mourad's background and family story What the film Hear, Eat, Home is about Hear Eat Home tells the story of Syrians, Japanese Americans and Ukrainians What Hsuan Yu believes makes a good documentary How Hsuan Yu was trying to finish working on Hear, Eat, Home in 2020, but she wasn't satified with it When the Russian invasion of Ukraine happened in 2022 Hsuan Yu felt that she should include stories of her Ukrainian friends in to the film Hear, Eat, Home Hsuan Yu plans to complete Hear, Eat, Home me next year Hear Eat Home is available for view as a work in progress until January 5th Anyone wishing to support the completion of Hsuan Yu's film Hear, Eat, Home can make a donation on the link provided on TalkingTaiwan.com for this episode   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/documentary-films-on-the-pandemic-immigration-and-human-rights-issues-our-talk-with-taiwanese-american-filmmaker-hsuan-yu-pan-ep-301/

[REBROADCAST FROM July 17, 2024] Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sean Wang's latest feature film, "Didi," is a slice of life story about Chris, an impressionable teenager living in Fremont, California. It's summer, and the 13-year-old spends his time aimlessly skateboarding and flirting with his crush on Myspace. Chris often clashes with his immigrant mother whose rigid expectations for her son clashes with his own desires and ambitions. Wang joins to discuss his feature directorial debut, which is streaming on Peacock.

NATWA (the North America Taiwanese Women's Association) has been around since 1988 and for this episode about NATWA I interviewed Elena Ling, one of NATWA's founding members, Hui-Na Lin, a past NATWA national president, Susan Liao, two-time president of NATWA's Toronto chapter, and Sue Kuo NATWA's current vice president and president elect for 2025. It is impossible to properly acknowledge the unique contributions of each NATWA national president, or all of NATWA's board and committee members, NATWA's supporters, donors, and countless others who have made NATWA what it is. Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-natwa-unique-contributions-by-three-national-presidents-ep-300/     As I reflect on this, I'd like to share a poetic analogy that Hui-Na Lin, 2022-2023 NATWA national president shared with me to describe the essence of NATWA. It's from a short story she wrote “Fly Together Over Mountains” which she told me was inspired by the Canadian geese's migration down south for the winter each year. A single goose could not make the trip as efficiently alone. Several geese fly together as a group in a V formation. There is one bird that leads the group initially, but when the lead bird gets tired, it moves to the back for a rest, and another bird takes the lead. The birds all take turns leading the group to their final destination. Like the Canadian geese NATWA's members work together to support each other in turn. It's not about one single leader.     As you listen to this episode you'll learn more about how NATWA meets its five point mission statement which is: 1. to evoke a sense of self-esteem and enhance women's dignity, 2. to oppose gender discrimination and promote gender equality, 3. to fully develop women's potential and encourage their participation in public affairs, 4. to contribute to the advancement of human rights and democratic development in Taiwan, 5. to reach out and work with women's organizations worldwide to promote peace for all.   Special Thanks to Elena Ling and Alvina Ling for providing useful details about NATWA's formation and history for this episode. And a very special thank you to NATWA and its members for all of the encouragement and support that you've given to our two-person team here at Talking Taiwan. Thank you for making our work possible.   Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   How and why NATWA (the North America Taiwanese Women's Association) was founded Annette Lu's (former Vice President of Taiwan) connection to NATWA How Annette Lu was one of the Kaohsiung Eight (one of eight people arrested as a result of the Kaohsiung aka Formosa incident) The first meeting with the 30 founding members of NATWA How NATWA has a President-elect who serves as Vice President the year before becoming President How NATWA started off as a national organization The early formation of NATWA How progressive it was at the time to form NATWA How NATWA has grown from 30 to 1,000 members How NATWA became a 501(c)(3) organization How NATWA has 2 major events a year, an annual convention (in April) and a mid-year leadership meeting (in October) The impact that NATWA has made in the lives of its members How Hui-Na Lin and Susan Liao got involved in NATWA initially and later took on leadership roles in the organization NATWA's early struggles in attracting members due to pressure from Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) government at the time NATWA's early successful fundraising efforts Why NATWA avoided accepting any government funding NATWA's early successful projects NATWA's charitable fundraising efforts How NATWA's members are aging How NATWA's membership and programs grew during the pandemic What made NATWA's WebEx programs during the pandemic successful What types of WebEx programs NATWA offered during the pandemic Major activities organized by NATWA Toronto The first NATWA event that Felicia Lin, the host of Talking Taiwan was invited to attend How Hui-Na and her team got NATWA's members to attend the first in-person mid-year meeting and annual conventions that took place after restrictions on COVID were eased How NATWA addresses women's issues and promotes women's dignity The formation of NATWA II an organization for second generation Taiwanese American women Questions about the future direction of NATWA What Elena, Hui-Na and Susan have each gotten out of their involvement with NATWA   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-history-of-natwa-unique-contributions-by-three-national-presidents-ep-300/

He's a rockstar in Taiwan; swarmed by the media as he grabs a snack at a local night market while wearing his trademark leather jacket – there's almost no chance you've never heard of him: Jensen Huang 黃仁勳, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia is now probably the most famous person of Taiwanese heritage in the world.    His company is creating wonderfully terrifying chips that power AI concepts which will either help solve the world's major problems or fulfil “The Terminator” movies prophecies.    But how did this kind-looking 61-year-old Taiwanese American rise from his reasonably humble background in Tainan City into the ranks of IT megatitans? Formosa Files brings you the story of his early years in this week's episode... well, as much as of it as we could find, at least. PLEASE DO US A FAVOR and sub, follow, or 'like' us on social media - it really helps! Thanks!

On this episode we're talking to author Ellie Yang Camp about her new book Louder Than The Lies: Asian American Identity, Solidarity, and Self-Love, and just as importantly, we talk about soups!! Yes, not one, but two family soups: beef noodle soup made by her dad, and chicken broth made by her mom.  We talk about growing up Taiwanese American in not-so-Asian California suburbs, chasing taste memories, and passing on culture through food (our fave!) Of course we dive into Louder Than The Lies, which we can't recommend enough. We love how it succinctly articulates so much of what we've been feeling about being Asian in America. Ellie reminds us that the fight for equity requires practice and stamina, and offers us a way forward, which we'll probably need now more than ever. Plus the scurry-and-hide method of cooking, lightly dunking on Dr. Oz, and dismantling systems of oppression while being a full-time introvert parent! In true Asian parent form, we have no exact recipe, but we have it on good authority that Clarissa Wei's recipe for beef noodle soup hits exactly right for many Taiwanese families, which you can find in her book Made in Taiwan.

In July we brought Talking Taiwan to the 53rd annual Taiwanese American Conference, East Coast (aka TAC-EC) at West Chester University where we set up an on-location podcast studio and I interviewed 12 people in 3 days. It was pretty nonstop but it was well worth it. One thing we strive to do with Talking Taiwan is to record oral histories, so it was my pleasure to sit down with several of TAC-EC's past organizers to talk about the conference's history.   First, I spoke with Powen Wang aka Ong Po-bun (王博文), who told me about how TAC started out as a summer retreat for Christian families in 1970 and later evolved into a conference for the entire Taiwanese American community. At the time Taiwan was under Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese Nationalists authoritarian regime, and Pok-wen recounts how the Chinese Nationalists (KMT) tried to interfere with TAC in those early years.   I also spoke with past TAC organizers Su-Mei Kao, and Shih-Chieh or Terry Tsao.   TAC is a conference with a 50 year plus long history and its programs have covered diverse issues impacting Taiwanese Americans, including human rights in Taiwan, and momentous social, historical, political events related to Taiwan and their implications.   About TAC-EC:   The first Taiwanese American Conference East Coast (TACEC) was held in 1970 in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. It was a summer retreat for the area's Christian families but has turned into an event for the entire Taiwanese American community. Over the years, the conference has expanded its programs to encompass diverse issues impacting Taiwanese Americans, including human rights in Taiwan, and momentous social, historical, political events and their implications. TACEC invites Taiwanese and Taiwanese Americans from diverse professional backgrounds to share their experiences. The number of participants has steadily grown, numbering over 2,000 in the late 80s and 90s.   TAC-EC is hosted by Taiwanese Communities in five different regions: New York, New Jersey, Washington and Philadelphia (including south Jersey and Delaware). Each region is currently on a four-year rotation and takes turns chairing the TACEC board that oversees the operation of TAC-EC.   The conference today draws about 600 - 800 participants annually, with the majority being first generation Taiwanese Americans. Many second generation Taiwanese Americans who now have children have eagerly expressed interests in developing TAC-EC programs for their children and re-engage their peers who were past participants.     TAC-EC's MISSION:   To stimulate public interest in the cultural, religious, educational, socioeconomic and other activities of Taiwanese/Taiwanese Americans To pass down Taiwanese cultural and religious heritage in the Taiwanese Americans community To facilitate exchanges among Taiwanese Americans organizations, and to foster exchange, mutual support and collaboration between Taiwanese American organizations and Taiwanese or other ethnic groups' organizations To organize an annual conference or workshops of various topics about current affairs and future development of the United States and Taiwan   This episode is sponsored in part by the Taiwanese American Council of Greater New York.   Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: Powen Wang aka Ong Po-bun (王博文), an early participant and organizer of TAC-EC talks about how he got involved in TAC-EC, the formation of TAC-EC, and its early years How the conference started as a Christian summer camp and then the Formosan Club (aka Taiwanese Association) joined What caused a split between the Christians and Formosan Club The year Powen Wang aka Ong Po-bun (王博文) organized the conference (1989) How TAC-EC has evolved from the 1970s to 2013 The formation of TANG (Taiwanese American Next Generation) Su-Mei Kao, organizer of TAC-EC in 2015 talked about her experiences organizing the conferences and how changes were made to create more interaction and shared events between TAC-EC and TANG attendees The speakers and topics covered at TAC-EC 2015 How Su-Mei Kao had attended TAC in the southern region before TAC on the East Coast and how the conferences in these regions differ Shih-Chieh (Terry) Tsao, organizer of TAC-EC 2023 talked about how he got involved in TAC-EC Shih-Chieh (Terry) talked about the theme of TAC-EC How China reacted to Nancy Pelosi's (former speaker of the United States House of Representatives) visit to Taiwan in August of 2022 Some of the most memorable speakers that were invited to speak at TAC-EC 2023 How FAPA (Formosan Association for Public Affairs and GTI (Global Taiwan Institute) and WUFI (World United Formosans for Independence) were instrumental in helping to organize TAC-EC 2023 How Shih-Chieh (Terry) hopes that TAC-EC can welcome more participants with a wider spectrum of political leanings on Taiwan Related Links:  

We've often talked about how food is one of the most easily accessible ways into a culture, and this episode's guest is a perfect living example of that. Lisa Cheng Smith, founder of Yun Hai Shop in NYC, started Yun Hai as a way to explore her Taiwanese identity. Growing up as a half-Taiwanese/half-American individual, the question of "but where am I really from?" has always been something she was trying to figure out, and Yun Hai allowed her to explore that answer for herself. Today, Yun Hai is not only a brick and mortar shop in NYC that features artisanal food ingredients from Taiwan, it's also an online retailer, a wholesaler to restaurants, and an important English-based online resource about Taiwanese food and culture through its highly popular Substack. It even made waves last year when it was chosen as one of the few stops former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen made on her trip to the US! Listen in to hear about how and why Lisa got started with Yun Hai, how it allowed her to tap into both her Taiwanese and Taiwanese-American parts of her identity, why she cares about giving more spotlight to the art of Taiwanese home cooking, and the upcoming launch of Yun Hai's new Taiwanese cooking show coming out in early December that'll help share more of that spirit to the masses. If you have questions for Lisa or thoughts about the episode, let us know in the comments below or on our social media! For all things Yun Hai, find them at: Instagram: @yunhaishop YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@yunhaishop Online shop: https://yunhai.shop/ Substack: https://yunhai.substack.com/ Cooking show waitlist: https://yunhai.shop/cooking-show ------- Use promo code "whereareyoufrom10" for 10% off the Real You Mandarin online course co-founded by Angela, designed specifically for ABCs & ABTs. Preview a free lesson and check out the full syllabus at www.realyoumandarin.com ------- Follow us on Instagram at @whereareyoufrompod and on TikTok at @butwhereareyoureallyfrom --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/butwhereareyoureallyfrom/support

Jocelyn Chung is a Taiwanese-American graphic designer and writer whose new children's book "When Love Is More Than Words" was just released this week! In this episode we of course discuss the book, including its inspiration being a beautiful real life realization she had with her grandfather, all the fun Taiwanese easter eggs, and more, and also discuss her recent journey of claiming her Taiwanese citizenship and starting a life and community in Taiwan, and how all of this helped her feel at home within herself in reflecting on her own identity. If you've had a chance to check out "When Love Is More Than Words," what did you think about it? If not, what stood out most to you from this episode? Let us know in our comments on social media! "When Love Is More Than Words" is available everywhere books are sold, and if you happen to live in Southern California, Jocelyn wanted to especially plug a local bookstore called Bel Canto Books in Long Beach. You can follow Jocelyn on Instagram at @jocelynschung and on her website at www.jocelynchung.com Follow us on Instagram at @whereareyoufrompod and on TikTok at @butwhereareyoureallyfrom ------- If you're interested in the Mandarin course for ABCs/ABTs that Jocelyn references in the episode that Angela co-founded ("Real You Mandarin"), check what the course is all about at www.realyoumandarin.com and use promo code "whereareyoufrom10" for 10% off as a thank you for being a listener of the pod. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/butwhereareyoureallyfrom/support

Steve and Paul sit down with Cinder Chou (Writer/Director) and Kerry Lacy (actor) about their feature film Artist Unknown.Cinder Chou is a Taiwanese American writer, director, and producer originally from the oft-maligned state of New Jersey and currently resides in Brooklyn. An early love for comic books turned into a passion for visual storytelling. Her work explores themes of otherness through a comedic and surreal style. Cinder's early career as a production coordinator (The Big Sick, Jack Ryan, Red Oaks) gave her the professional know-how to launch her own films. Her work has screened at many festivals in the U.S. Artist Unknown is her debut feature film and has won numerous awards, including the Jury Award at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, Best Feature at the Broad Humor Film Festival, and Best Narrative Feature at the Artists Forum Festival of the Moving Image. Kerry Lacy was raised in Malibu, California, by two professional actors and fell in love with acting at a young age. Her childhood was spent in theaters and television studios, and dinner table conversations included lessons on comedic timing and notes on dialects and accents. Kerry studied Tang Soo Do for twelve years, earning her third-degree black belt and working as an instructor before moving to New York City, where she studied acting at NYU's Tisch. She is a graduate of The New School, where she studied film, fine arts, and Spanish. In addition to acting, she is also an artist and DJ based in New York City. Artist Unknown is Kerry's first leading role in a feature and she has been nominated for the Iris Prize Best Female Performance and won Outstanding Performance in a Feature Film at Art of Brooklyn Film Festival.Cinder's Website: https://www.cinderama.com/Cinder's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3364818/Cinder's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinderblockade/Kerry's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7466039/?ref_=tt_rv_t0 Kerry's Website: https://www.kerrylacy.com/ Kerry's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerry_lacy/Kerry's short film Viola: https://vimeo.com/225143857 Artist Unknown IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24329424/reference/ Artist Unknown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artistunknownfilm/ Artist Unknown Trailer: https://vimeo.com/843981392Do you listen to our show as an audio podcast? Give video a try. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the video version with awesome behind the scenes pics and video! https://www.youtube.com/@FilmFightsFriendsPod?sub_confirmation=1Dig the show? Consider supporting our Patreon. There are some cool perks! Patreon: http://patreon.com/FilmFightsFriendsPodJoin our...

Join us for this episode with my guest, Dr. Jasmine. She is a mom of one, a clinical pharmacist, and she holds a perinatal mental health certification. As a survivor of severe postpartum depression, anxiety, and insomnia, she has also served as a peer mentor volunteer for Postpartum Support International (PSI). A fierce maternal mental health advocate and second-generation Taiwanese-American, Dr. Jasmine hosts a podcast called Healing the Tigress, which features conversations around Asian American Pacific Islanders' (AAPI) maternal mental health. Her newsletter, blogs, and Instagram focus on motherhood, mental health destigmatization, and gentle parenting. Her writing has been featured in Mother.ly, Psyched Mommy, and she was interviewed last fall about her PPD story by Women's Health.  Show Highlights: Dr. Jasmine's story of infertility, her pregnancy, and her daughter's birth The super storm that drove Jasmine's postpartum depression into a downward spiral Feelings of worthlessness, failure, and asking, “Why did we try so hard for this?” Addressing the problems with her Ob-gyn at her six-week checkup Facing the combination of insomnia, intense anxiety over feeding issues, and worry about bonding with her baby Jasmine's experience with taking an antidepressant, opening up to her husband, and seeing a psychiatrist Seeing improvement in small steps with medications and therapy Finding joy again and feeling confident in motherhood Being on “the other side” of medications as a pharmacist Cultural factors that clouded Jasmine's thinking and stigmatized medications and therapy Learning to function in a “mid-generation” of a very different culture Factors behind Jasmine's decision not to have a second child An overview of Jasmine's podcast, Healing the Tigress, to make space for AAPI moms Jasmine's advice to other moms Resources: Connect with Dr. Jasmine:  Blog Instagram Healing the Tigress podcast Connect with Dr. Kat: Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be a better support in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients!

In this heartwarming episode of No Dumb Questions, I'm thrilled to welcome Jocelyn Chung, a graphic designer, creator, and newly-published children's book author, to the podcast! We instantly connected during my last visit to Taiwan, and today we're diving into her debut book, “When Love is More Than Words”, a story that beautifully captures how love transcends language, especially within Asian families—a theme that deeply resonates with me, having grown up with my grandparents and extended family. Jocelyn shares the inspiration behind her book, how her upbringing in a Taiwanese-American household influenced her storytelling, and the creative journey from designer to author. We also explore the challenges she faced as a first-time author and the cultural values she hopes to pass on through her work. Whether you love children's books or simply believe in the power of love beyond words, this episode is a must-listen! Become an ABG Bestie to get new audio episodes ad-free, monthly “Dear ABG” AMA sessions, discounts on merch, and shout-outs in our episodes. https://abg.supercast.com/  __________________________________________ Host: Melody Cheng Editor: Victoria Cheng __________________________________________ P A R T N E R S • BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month with code “ABG” at betterhelp.com/ABG __________________________________________ C O N N E C T W I T H U S • Subscribe and Follow us @asianbossgirl on Apple Podcasts/Spotify/Amazon Music/YouTube/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook • Listener Survey: Let us know your thoughts on the podcast here • Email: hello@asianbossgirl.com __________________________________________ S U P P O R T U S • Merch: asianbossgirl.myshopify.com • Donate: anchor.fm/asianbossgirl/support • More about us at asianbossgirl.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Miranda speaks with Anthony Huang, a Taiwanese-American artist with a background in journalism, theater design, and professional ballroom dance. We talk about coming to art making from a prominent acting family, moving from figurative to abstract art, and how Taoism helped him through a profound loss during the pandemic. Anthony's website https://www.anthonyhuangtn.com/ Anthony on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anthonyhuangtn/ VOTE for Reinaldo! www.sgcinternational.org/midcareervo YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/channel/UCOMIT3guY5PjHj1M7GApouw MERCH www.teepublic.com/user/helloprintfriend WEBSITE www.helloprintfriend.com Instagram www.instagram.com/helloprintfriend ✨patreon✨ www.patreon.com/helloprintfriend SPONSORS Speedball www.speedballart.com Legion Paper www.legionpaper.com/

MITSUI OUTLET PARK 林口 超日本週年慶 10/4(五)-10/27(日)

【聊了什么The What】 疲惫娇娃的这期节目聊了在美国上映的电影“Didi (弟弟)”。这部电影探讨了成长的阵痛和13岁的男主角在加州的移民身份的问题。它是台裔导演王湘圣Sean Wang的长篇初作，也是一部自传性质的作品。故事围绕一个13岁的台裔美国男孩Chris展开。在2008年短短两个月的暑假里，他经历了初恋、与家人的矛盾、对自我身份的迷惘，以及发现了对视频制作和滑板的热爱。 我们从”Dìdi 弟弟”这个电影名开始，聊了聊了我们对于这部怀旧青春电影的回应。故事中隐藏的重男轻女的情节和男孩在网络上的成长，都在我们自己作为90后的成长轨迹中有迹可循。 In this episode, we discuss the recently released film "Dìdi" (meaning "little brother" in Chinese). This coming-of-age story explores the growing pains of its 13-year-old protagonist the summer before starting high school in Fremont, California. The film marks the directorial debut of Taiwanese-American filmmaker Sean Wang and draws heavily from his own experience. The narrative centers on Chris, a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy, during a transformative two-month summer vacation in 2008. Throughout this brief period, Chris navigates his first love, family conflicts, identity confusion, and discovers his passion for videography and skateboarding. Starting with the film's title "Didi," we share our thoughts on this nostalgic youth drama. The subtle themes of gender and the boy's growth in the early digital age resonate with our own experiences as old millennials. The story's portrayal of gender bias within East Asian families and the protagonist's online coming-of-age journey mirror aspects of our own upbringings. 【时间轴 The When】 05:38 《弟弟》:一部关于2008年的怀旧电影 16:28 光标和键盘，PC和社交媒体，这个故事关于被互联网养大的我们 23:25 "Bro, that's so weird!":电影通过bro来传达健康的男性气质？ 30:36 陈冲的母亲角色:无条件的爱与包容 40:39 东亚式养育剧本:缺席的父亲、受困的母亲、离开的姐姐，和疼爱孙子的祖母 01:08:38 两代台湾导演的自传式电影对比，”来自女性的照料“如何被男性创作者们看到 05:38 didi is a nostalgic film set in 2008 16:28 the story explores how our generation was raised by the internet, featuring cursors, keyboards, PCs, and early social media 23:25 the film may be attempting to convey healthy masculinity through the use of "bro" culture 30:36 Joan Chen portrays a mother figure characterized by unconditional love and acceptance 40:39 the movie presents a typical East Asian family dynamic with an absent father, a trapped mother, a departed sister, and a doting grandmother 01:08:38 a comparison with autobiographical works by different generations of Taiwanese directors, particularly in how male creators depict care from women 【疲惫红书 CyberRed】 除了播客以外，疲惫娇娃的几个女的在小红书上开了官方账号，我们会不定期发布【疲惫在读】、【疲惫在看】、【疲惫旅行】、【疲惫Vlog】等等更加轻盈、好玩、实验性质的内容。如果你想知道除了播客以外我们在关注什么，快来小红书评论区和我们互动。 Apart from the podcast, we have set up an official account on Xiaohongshu. We will periodically post content to talk about our readings, what we are watching, the events we are going to, and more. Leave us some comments on Xiaohongshu! 【买咖啡 Please Support Us】 如果喜欢这期节目并愿意想要给我们买杯咖啡： 海外用户：https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm 海内用户：https://afdian.net/@cyberpinkfm 商务合作邮箱：cyberpinkfm@gmail.com 商务合作微信：CyberPink2022 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Those Abroad: https://www.patreon.com/cyberpinkfm Those in China: https://afdian.net/@cyberpinkfm Business Inquiries Email: cyberpinkfm@gmail.com Business Inquiries WeChat: CyberPink2022

When the uncertainty of motherhood is combined with caring for a special needs child, the demands can be overwhelming. Today's guest shares what it's like to mother a special needs child and fight through postpartum anxiety and depression to find healing. Join us! Susanna Peace Lovell received her B.A. from UC Berkeley. She is an author, speaker, disability rights advocate, and certified professional life coach dedicated to the health and wellness of families everywhere affected by a disability. Raising a teenage daughter with a myriad of disabilities and diagnoses, including ASD (autism spectrum disorder), ADHD, anxiety, and severe food allergies has been Susanna's lived experience as a mother. She has overcome many ups and downs in her journey, including a debilitating episode with postpartum anxiety and depression. Through her journey of navigating the worry and heartbreak in raising a special needs child, Susanna found her true life calling to help other parents find more joy and passion in their lives.  Show Highlights: The beginning of Susanna's motherhood story Pregnancy was the first time Susanna felt that her life was out of control. Susanna's life and work today as the mother of an 18-year-old with multiple diagnoses and neurodivergence Susanna's experience with postpartum depression and anxiety—and how she knew it was happening Sleeplessness and compounding fears about sleeplessness that led to a zombie-like state The long process of learning to ask for help and finding what worked for her Cultural factors for Susanna as a Taiwanese American that led her to feel pressured to “do it all” Cultivating a toolbox of resources to help Susanna's experience in dealing with “unexpected mourning and tiny flickers of joy” Leaning into self-care in proactive ways Finding support for herself and her daughter Learning to be kind to herself with a “this is FOR me” attitude Susanna's hidden blessings of being able to show up for others Susanna's book, Your True Self is Enough: why she wrote it and what she hopes to accomplish Resources: Connect with Susanna Peace Lovell: Website, Instagram, and Your True Self is Enough Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be a better support in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients!

To celebrate Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (李安) being named the winner for theater/film of the 2024 Praemium Imperiale, a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association, we thought we'd reprise our Ang Lee bio episode from Formosa Files Season 2. Enjoy! 

In this episode of "Slate It Till You Make It," host Catherine Donnelly sits down with the talented actress Camille Chen to explore her journey of embracing cultural identity, resilience, and success in the acting world. Camille shares her personal experiences as a Taiwanese-American actress, discussing how her heritage has influenced her career and the importance of authentic representation in Hollywood.From her unexpected beginnings and landing her first paid acting job in *Miss Congeniality* to achieving rapid success in the competitive LA market, Camille opens up about the pivotal moments that shaped her path. She delves into the challenges and triumphs of working with industry giants, her unique approach to commercial versus theatrical auditions, and the vital role that improvisation plays in her craft.Listeners will gain valuable insights as Camille discusses staying resilient in the face of rejection, maintaining a balanced personal life amidst the highs and lows of the industry, and the significance of vulnerability and authenticity in performance. Aspiring actors will find inspiration and practical advice on navigating setbacks, embracing their unique backgrounds, and staying motivated in the ever-evolving entertainment landscape.https://camillechen.com/SEASON 3 IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COMMERCIAL CLUB, USE SLATE49 PROMO CODE FOR A DISCOUNTED ONE ON ONE COACHING SESSION. 

Go see DiDi!  It will make you laugh, cry, and squirm in your seat a little as you get transported back to your own summer before going to high school. It captures the angst, insecurity, and awkwardness of being a 13-year-old Taiwanese American kid in Fremont California. Katie, Zoe, and I couldn't wait to get together to talk about this film.  DiDi should be available at a theatre near you, but don't wait too long, you never know how long these films will stay in theaters.  Go see it with your older sister, your first high school crush, or even your Asian mom (if you don't have one, go borrow one for the day)! Thanks to my guest co-hosts Katie (@katieyowyow) and Zoe (@juniperseabooks) for always being wiling to come and chat with me! We played a clip of Paramore's "That's What You Get" off of their album Riot You can find Director Sean Wang's DiDi playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XXfwQcMKNlsShnjWjIK5s?si=f986055825b54b8e As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #didi #asianamericanfilm #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Jenn speaks to Taiwanese American Jessica Hwang, a purpose coach and host of Permission to Flow podcast. From her personal experience of leaving corporate America, calling off an engagement, and being completely burnt out, Jessica will share how this led to where she is today offering a space to help other women find their dream life by defying convention to create the life you want. (Recorded on January 25, 2024)About Jessica:Jessica Hwang is a Purpose Coach, host of Permission to Flow podcast, and an 800-Hr Dharma Yoga Certified Instructor.  Jessica's work as a coach is focused on helping first and second-generation women in corporate pivot to creative careers. She helps her clients reconnect with their dreams and pursue careers filled with creativity, passion, and purpose.Episode Resources:Book a free strategy session with JessicaDare to Dream ProgramPermission to Flow PodcastYouTubeIGWhen Things Fall Apart by Pema ChodronClarity and Connection by Yung PuebloThe Mastery of Love by don Miguel RuizBhagavad Gita Pocket Edition

The movie Didi is a vibrant coming-of-age dramedy and was a Sundance film festival favorite. It stars Izaac Wang as a 13-year-old just trying to survive the awkwardness of puberty as a Taiwanese-American kid living in the Bay Area. He's got a crush to impress, complicated friendships to navigate, and family members who are sooooo embarrassing. Didi was directed by Sean Wang, who earned an Oscar nomination earlier this year for his documentary short Nai Nai & Wai Po.Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Lin Chen, a second-generation Taiwanese American, is a certified Reiki practitioner and CEO/founder of Pink Moon, a woman-owned wellness skincare company. She shares what inspired her to start her business, where her products are made, how she ships globally, how she overcame setbacks, and her favorite personal healing ritual.

Send us a Text Message.We're talking about one of our favorite movies of the year with director/writer Sean Wang and actor Joan Chen! DÌDI (弟弟) follows a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy during the last month of summer before high school begins, as he learns to skate, flirt, and love his mom. We get behind the scenes details of the first (and most intense) scene with Joan and lead actor Izaac Wang, learn why playing this role was both cathartic and redemptive for Joan, and how Sean believes the best part of filmmaking makes him a better person. Then we cap it off by celebrating both the diversity of Fremont, California (where the film is set), and the magic (and longevity) of Golfland.VOTE for Bitch Talk Podcast in the 48 Hills Best of the Bay 2024 Readers Poll HERESee  Dìdi (弟弟) in a theater near youFollow  Dìdi (弟弟) on IGFollow director/writer Sean Wang on IGFollow actor Joan Chen on IGOn site audio engineering by Jeff Hunt of Storied: San FranciscoSupport the Show.Thanks for listening and for your support! We couldn't have reached 11 years, recorded 800+ episodes, and won Best of the Bay Best Podcast in 2022 and 2023 without your help! -- Be well, stay safe, Black Lives Matter, AAPI Lives Matter, and abortion is normal. -- 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

Izaac Wang (aka Wang Wang) is here to discuss his new film DìDi (弟弟), early 2000s trends we should revive, and family sacrifice. More about DìDi (弟弟): In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. DìDi (弟弟) is in theaters now Find us at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.werewatchingwhat.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/werewatchingwhat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ THEDHK can be found at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thedhk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/thedhk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/thedhkmovies⁠

Legendary actress Joan Chen is here to talk about her new film DìDi (弟弟), relating to raising her own daughters, and contextualizing success. More about DìDi (弟弟): In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. DìDi (弟弟) is in theaters now Find us at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.werewatchingwhat.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/werewatchingwhat⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ THEDHK can be found at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thedhk ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/thedhk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/thedhkmovies⁠

Tom Sutcliffe is joined by Rhianna Dhillon and Viv Groskop to review novel Echoes by Evie Wyld, which focuses on Max, a ghost who, stuck in the flat they had shared, watches his girlfriend grieving and discovers secrets about her. Pianist Benjamin Grosvenor talks about his upcoming performance of the longest concerto ever written, the Piano Concerto by Ferruccio Busoni, whose centenary is celebrated at this year's Proms. We'll also review the film Didi, a coming of age film set in 2008, focussing on a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American boy learning how to navigate life, love and family relations.Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Corinna Jones

For this week's second podcast review, Dan Bayer, Daniel Howat, Danilo Castro, and I are reviewing the feature directorial debut from Academy Award-nominee Sean Wang, "Dìdi," starring Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen & Chang Li Hua. After making its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, the independent Focus Features film went on to win the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. What did we think of this personal coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old Taiwanese-American kid going through adolescence? Tune in as we discuss the writing, performances, painfully cringeworthy and heartwarming bits of nostalgia, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest breakouts from Sundance this year was the feature debut of writer/director Sean Wang, based on his experiences as a 13 year old Taiwanese American growing up in 2008 California. Sean spoke with us about how his time at google prepared him to capture the ways screens and technology affect the relationships in the film, and how he realized Didi was as much about immigrant mothers as a coming of age story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sean Wang's latest feature film, "Didi," is a slice of life story about Chris, an impressionable teenager living in Fremont, California. It's summer, and the 13-year-old spends his time aimlessly skateboarding and flirting with his crush on Myspace. Chris often clashes with his immigrant mother, whose rigid expectations for her son clashes with his own desires and ambitions. Wang joins to discuss his feature directorial debut, which is out in theaters on July 26. 

In this episode, Lynn and Christie chat with Jenny Yang about her upbringing as a Taiwanese-born, Los Angeles-raised overachiever. They discuss her obsession with the wellness industrial complex; coping with burnout and depression; ambition; her transition from politics to a creative career; and how she located her Self and values along the way. Named one of Variety's "Top Ten Comics to Watch" and New York Magazine/ Vulture's "Comedians You Should Know," comedian Jenny Yang tours her unique blend of personal storytelling and social commentary through her standup comedy and hit monthly stage show SELF HELP ME, a competitive self-care comedy show. She has been featured at Just For Laughs Montreal, headlined at San Francisco Sketchfest, and has shared the stage with such legendary comedians as Maria Bamford and Margaret Cho. As an actor, Jenny stars opposite Michelle Yeoh as XING in the Netflix action comedy-drama series, The Brothers Sun. She also voices Carissa, Beef's love interest, on Fox's The Great North. Her perspective as a food-obsessed, former labor organizer, and Asian American community activist working in comedy and entertainment is a sought-after voice in media projects covering the most pressing political and cultural issues of the day. Taiwan-born and Southern California-raised, Jenny was honored by President Obama as a “White House Champion of Change” for her leadership in “Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling." Jenny has lived in Taiwan, Japan and Chile, speaks Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, and can curse you out in Korean and Japanese. Subscribe to her Substack newsletter “everything's fine with Jenny Yang” for stories and essays to find joy in an unjust world. Find her online at jennyyang.tv and on all social media at @jennyyangtv.

Early last year I spoke with Boba Guys co-founders Andrew Chau and Bin Chen. At the time Andrew had just gotten back from visiting Taiwan and other parts of Asia, so it was interesting to hear his observations. Andrew and Bin shared so many great nuggets. We talked about how they got started with a pop-up shop while working fulltime and how they continued to so even after they opened their first few stores.   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-boba-guys-andrew-chau-and-bin-chen-bubble-tea-entrepreneurs-bridging-cultures-for-11-years/   Other topics covered include how Boba Guys weathered the pandemic, Andrew and Bin's book called The Boba Book, and how they see boba as a way to bridge cultures. What has Boba Guys been up to since we spoke? Lots of interesting collabs with other brands, and the release of a loyalty program called “Passport” which gamifies the experience through loot boxes instead of linearly earning points to redeem for a drink.    Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:   ·      How Andrew and Bin first met when they both worked at Timbuktu ·      How they decided to start a bubble tea business ·      Andrew's recent trip to Taiwan and the other Taiwanese Americans he met up with while there ·      Andrew's thoughts on Taiwan's bubble tea scene ·      How they started with a pop-up shop ·      How they have not taken any VC (venture capital) money ·      The social costs and risks of being an entrepreneur ·      How other Taiwanese American entrepreneurs like Steve Chen and Kevin Lin mentored them ·      How Andrew does advising for the small business council and testified in Washington D.C. on behalf of small businesses ·      How they were working on Boba Guys Japan when the pandemic hit ·      How Boba Guys dealt with the pandemic ·      The biggest challenges they've experienced ·      The third wave of boba ·      The meaning of the word boba and how Andrew's mom reacted to the name Boba Guys ·      How Boba Guys name their drinks ·      Their book, The Boba Book and how they choose their co-author Richard Parks ·      What happened when they went to Taiwan and tried to determine which tea shop invented bubble tea ·      The Boba Guys' merchandise and aardvark mascot ·      The Boba Home Kit and how they created a boba kit that was on Williams Sonoma ·      How they teach people how to make boba online ·      How they have mentored other entrepreneurs   Related Links: https://talkingtaiwan.com/the-boba-guys-andrew-chau-and-bin-chen-bubble-tea-entrepreneurs-bridging-cultures-for-11-years/

Raise your hand if you know Jay Chou? Jolin Tsai? F4? lol One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do you stay connected to your culture?” or “Have you always been connected to your cultural identity?” In this episode, I'll share why I'm so proud to be Taiwanese-American and how I stay connected with my cultural identity. Trust me, it's more fun than you think! Join me for an inspiring conversation about cultural pride, personal stories, and the little ways I celebrate my heritage every day. Whether you're reconnecting with your roots or curious about what it means to embrace your cultural background, this episode is for you! Become an ABG Bestie to get new audio episodes ad-free, monthly “Dear ABG” AMA videos, discounts on merch, and shout-outs in our episodes. https://abg.supercast.com/  __________________________________________ Host: Melody Cheng Editor: Victoria Cheng __________________________________________ P A R T N E R S • BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month with code “ABG” at betterhelp.com/ABG __________________________________________ C O N N E C T W I T H U S • Subscribe and Follow us @asianbossgirl on Apple Podcasts/Spotify/Amazon Music/YouTube/Instagram/Twitter/Facebook • Listener Survey: Let us know your thoughts on the podcast here • Email: hello@asianbossgirl.com __________________________________________ S U P P O R T U S • Merch: asianbossgirl.myshopify.com • Donate: anchor.fm/asianbossgirl/support • More about us at asianbossgirl.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices