Rachel chats with our guest, Albert, as he shares his educational upbringing as a first generation Taiwanese American raised in the Silicon Valley. As the “black sheep” of the family, he offers his story as a counter-narrative to the typical East Asian American experience in the Bay Area. His story includes:

  • Growing up overweight, getting terrible grades, and struggling with both ADD (attention deficit disorder) and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)

  • How his family came to terms with his academic struggle and learning differences

  • Pursuing a career in the humanities rather than STEM

  • Navigating an academically toxic schooling environment

  • The relationship between meritocracy and privilege

  • How his upbringing informs his pedagogy as a teacher today


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