Asian American History 101: Recent Episodes
Gen and Ted Lai
Asian American History 101 is a podcast co-hosted by Gen and Ted Lai, a daughter and father team. The podcast will entertain and educate people as Gen and Ted dive into the vast history of Asian Americans from their contributions to their struggles to their triumphs.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 32! It's food time again!In this episode, we're talking about a dish that may not be as widely known… Yakamein. It's one of those dishes that feels inseparable from New Orleans, but it does show up throughout the U.S. South as well as the Eastern seaboard. In New Orleans, where it may be best known, it shows up at second line parades, food festivals, neighborhood corner stores, and pop-ups.
We love it's nickname… "Old Sober"… which it gets from its reputation as a hangover cure. But more than that, it's a dependable comfort food that may be Chinese in origin, but it's been adapted and influenced by the area both in and outside of New Orleans.
We'll talk about where Yakamein or variations of it show up across the South and Eastern U.S. as well as some of the different chefs who are known for making versions of it… including NOLA's Miss Linda.
In our recurring segment, we talk about the Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization that documents, studies and explores the food culture in the American South. They have some great articles on how Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans have impacted food in the South. To learn more, you can visit southernfoodways.org, follow them on Instagram @southfoodways, and donate at southernfoodways.org/donate.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Introduction
- 02:47 The History of Old Sober… The Chinese, Black, and Creole Origins of Yakamein
- 18:53 Organizations to Know: Southern Foodways Alliance
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 31! Today's guest came from an artistic family, but also was literally discovered on the streets of Tokyo which gave a huge boost to his career. Actor, writer, and producer Gabriel Prevost-Takahashi was born in Tokyo, spent time in Canada while growing up, and has worked on stage and screen for film and television.
Gabriel has appeared in projects ranging from the survival thriller Something in the Water to one of the most acclaimed television series of recent years, FX's Shōgun, where he played a Gray Guard and had the opportunity to work on a production celebrated for putting Japanese language, actors, and culture at the center of its storytelling.
More recently, Gabriel can be seen on Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender in the recurring role of Lieutenant Khettry, a soldier serving on the front lines of Ba Sing Se.
Gabriel is also interested in creating stories himself. As a writer and producer, he has been developing projects including Go For Broke, a limited series exploring the experiences of Japanese American soldiers during World War II, as well as other film and television projects that give him opportunities both in front of and behind the camera.
In our conversation we take time to talk about his background, the impact of getting noticed on the streets by legendary photographer Leslie Kee, what it was like for him to join a project like Shōgun, the responsible of being part of a global phenomena like Avatar: The Last Airbender, his hopes with Go For Broke, and much more. To learn more about Gabriel, you can watch any of his projects and you can follow him on Instagram @gabriel__prevost.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 30! We're here to share the history of Filipino Hip Hop… Part 2. In this episode we're talking about the music from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, a time that's often called "The Modern Age" of Filipino Hip Hop.
Waaaaaayyyyy back in Season 3, Episode 45 we talked about the beginning of Filipino Hip Hop, AKA "The Golden Age". The Golden Age had some moments of social awareness and commentary, but the music was definitely a lot more lighthearted than The Modern Age. This era of music marked a turning point in both Filipino and Filipino American hip hop that was defined by deeper lyrical complexity, sharper political commentary, and the democratization of the art form through independent labels and platforms like YouTube.
In this episode we discuss some of the artists in both the Philippines and the U.S. who were important to The Modern Age. Artists like Gloc-9, Aklas, Bambu, MC Geologic of Blue Scholars, and Rocky Rivera. We also share some of the big themes that were topics of songs.
For our recurring segment, we share what we've been reading… Feelings Unsent by Oliver Drishila and Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 02:32 The History of Filipino Hip Hop Part 2, The Modern Age
- 15:28 What are We Reading? Feelings Unsent and Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 29! We have an incredible returning guest who's back with us for the third time! Karen Yin is the author of several books including The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers (published by Little, Brown Spark). She has also written several stories for children, including Whole Whale (published by Barefoot Books), So Not Ghoul (published by Page Street Kids), Doug the Pug and the Kindness Crew (published by Scholastic), and her latest book Nice to Eat You (published by Scholastic, and released on July 7, 2026)
Illustrated by Carolina Coroa, Nice to Eat You is a fun picture book that's full of dark humor and clever word play… a hallmark of much of Karen's work. We think kids and adults will love this Hansel & Gretel-inspired Halloween story about a friendly but sneaky witch who lures a group of children to her house. The story keeps you guessing as to whether the kids are in for a pleasant visit . . . or in danger of becoming the meal.
In our conversation, Karen shares her journey to publishing Nice to Eat You, how she helps support the illustration process, why wordplay appeals to her, and a lot more! To follow more of Karen's work you can visit her website karenyin.com, follow her on instagram @karensoffice, and purchase your own copy of Nice to Eat You or any of Karen's other work.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 28! Sometimes our topical episodes are focused on the obscure history of Asian Pacific Islanders. Sometimes our topical episodes are focused on the weird history of Asian Pacific Islanders. For this episode, it's Asian Pacific history that is both obscure and weird. When it comes to the magicians Ching Ling Foo and Chung Ling Soo, this is a history that might be the first instance of yellow face in popular entertainment.
Born Zhu Liankui in China during the Qing Dynasty around 1854, the entertainer Ching Ling Foo was relatively successful stage magician who toured America, Europe, and much of the world. Chung Ling Soo pretended to be the same. In the nineteenth century, it wasn't unusual for European nations to not really have much experience with people of Asian Pacific descent. This is a story full of magic, identity theft, and challenges. To learn the rest of the history, you'll have to listen to the episode.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Memories of Magic
- 02:40 The Magical History of Ching Ling Foo vs Chung Ling Soo
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 27! Our guest this episode is Miles Toriko Burks. He's a California-based cartoonist, writer, and illustrator whose work focuses on heartfelt stories about identity, friendship, queer joy, and emotional vulnerability. His debut print graphic novel Encore! was released June 2, 2026 through HarperAlley. It's the print adaptation of his very popular Webtoon series of the same name.
Encore! is a queer YA rom-com about two former best friends reconnecting during a shared high school theater class, and after they're partnered up, they need to confront the unresolved feelings and emotional distance between them. The story has already drawn comparisons to works like Heartstopper for its warmth, sincerity, and focus on emotional connection.
A lifelong artist, Burks first gained a loyal viewership online through fan comics and digital illustration before transitioning into original storytelling on Webtoon. This is where his story Encore! developed a devoted following. His work blends expressive artwork with deeply relatable coming-of-age themes, often centering characters from underrepresented backgrounds and exploring how relationships evolve over time.
We love how Miles is focused on creating stories featuring characters who reflect identities and experiences that he rarely saw growing up. He creates diverse stories without focusing on all the representation he includes.
In our conversation we talk about the inspiration for Encore!, how he developed his artistic style, the conversations he hopes he inspires with his work, the impact of social media and Webtoon on feedback, the importance of queer joy, and so much more. To learn more about Miles Toriko Burks, you can visit his website at milestburks.com, follow him on instagram @milestburks, purchase your own copy of Encore!, or see his work on Webtoon. We'll link to these in our show notes.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 26! Our guests today are Jolene Gutierrez and Chris Sasaki… two of the creators of the picture book Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp, Published by Abrams. It's an incredibly moving story cowritten by Minoru (Min) Tonai, an advocate for Japanese American rights. Unbreakable is a great balance of historical information, lived experiences for Tonai and his family, and the emotional challenges they faced during their incarceration in the Amache "camp" during World War II, as they campaigned to release Tonai's father from the FBI. The book does a great job of balancing a very serious topic and making it accessible to younger audiences.
Jolene Gutiérrez is an award-winning neurodivergent teacher librarian who has been working with neurodivergent learners at Denver Academy since 1995. Jolene writes for young readers and hopes her books will help some readers feel seen and will inspire others to learn and grow in compassion. She is the winner of the 2025 Crystal Kite Award for the Southwest Region. In addition to Unbreakable, Jolene's work includes Mamiachi and Me: My Mami's Mariachi Band (co-authored with her son Dakota); The Ofrenda That We Built (co-authored with her daughter Shaian); Too Much! An Overwhelming Day; the Stars of Latin Pop series; Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks; and Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader.
Chris Sasaki is an EMMY and ANNIE award-winning animation artist. With a rich career spanning over several high-profile studios, they have directed and developed content for Pixar, Tonko House, and Apple. Their impressive portfolio includes collaborations with LAIKA Entertainment, Blue Sky Studios, Disney Television Animation, DreamWorks, and the Jim Henson Company. In addition to their animation work, Chris is a celebrated figure in the literary world, known for their captivating picture books. Their titles include GHOST; Home is a Window; Animal Architects; Sakamoto's Swim Club; and of course, the incredible Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist. Their illustrations have earned them the prestigious Dilys Evans Founders Award from the Society of Illustrators.
To learn more about Jolene, you can find her online at jolenegutierrez.com or on Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, or Threads @writerjolene. To learn more about Chris, you can find them online at csasaki.com or on Instagram @christopher_sasaki. We highly recommend getting your own copy of Unbreakable (preferably from the Japanese American National Museum). And if you're an educator or know an educator, then please share the educator's guide that can be found on Jolene's site as well as some coloring sheets on Chris's site. And if you're interested in going to one of their live events, the book's website has a list of upcoming events including events in Colorado and Southern California.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 25! Our guests today are Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo, the author and illustrator of Bing's Cherries… A modern American tall tale woven by a girl and her father about Ah Bing, the Chinese immigrant behind the Pacific Northwest's most delicious cherries. The book was released on March 10, 2026.
Julia Kuo is the author and illustrator of several books including Home Is a Wish, Let's Do Everything and Nothing, and Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night. She is also the illustrator of several notable picture books including When Love Is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung, I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough and Grace Lin, and one of our favorites, I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne. Additionally, Julia has created editorial illustrations for publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist.
New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she's switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people's heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner. Her YA books include Rosemarked (A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee), Disney's Feather and Flame, and Clementine and Danny Save the World (And Each Other) [A Junior Library Guild selection], as well as the picture books Dreams to Ashes (An Orbis Pictus Honor Book) and I Dream of Popo, which received three starred reviews and was on numerous Best of Year lists.
We love how they intentionally mixed in some elements of Chinese mythology with actual history and the American tall tales genre. In our conversation, we talk about the inspiration for the story, what it's like working with familiar collaborators, their individual journeys, and so much more.
To learn more about Julia, you can visit juliakuo.com or follower her on instagram @juliaskuo. To learn more about Livia, you can visit liviablackburne.com or follow her on instagram at @lkblackburne.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 24! Our guest today is Lian Cheun, the Executive Director of the impactful group Khmer Girls in Action. A 1.5 generation refugee from Cambodia, Lian grew up in the Bay Area and has spent more than two decades organizing Cambodian and Southeast Asian youth in Long Beach. Lian along with Khmer Girls in Action turn grassroots activism into real policy change, where youth leaders became part of Long Beach's participatory budgeting process, even helping decide how public funds are spent.
Lian has worked with a variety of groups like the Migrant Forum in Asia, the Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) at the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO), and President Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Khmer Girls in Action has been and continues to be a political home as well as a safe and brave space to build youth and community power in order to win racial, gender and economic justice… and, they're led by Southeast Asian women and youth! From refugee camp to prestigious award winner Lian has had a remarkable journey. To learn more about their work, volunteer, or support them, you can visit their website kgalb.org, donate by clicking on the donate link, or follow them on instagram @investinyouthlb.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 23! Our guest today is Eve J. Chung, a Taiwanese American lawyer and women's human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation, and she's also a best-selling author!
Eve's latest novel is The Young Will Remember, a work of historical fiction set during the Korean War. In this gripping story, Eve sheds light on a "Forgotten War," The resilience of love within our darkest histories, and the indefatigable determination of mothers to protect their children. The story centers on Ellie Chang, a twenty-eight year old Chinese American journalist trying to cover a battle in the mountains of North Korea.
After her plane is shot down, she survives through undying determination, the help of a few North Korean women, and sheer luck. Ellie is rescued by Emma, a North Korean mother searching for her lost daughter who thinks Ellie is who she's looking for. The story builds from there with other people who help take Ellie in… sometimes reluctantly. As Ellie works her way back towards the frontlines of where the Americans are fighting in the ever intensifying war, she faces hard decisions of loyalty, friendship, and her journalistic instincts.
In our conversation, we talk about her journey to being an author, the research she did, some of the inspiration for Ellie, the challenges that Asian Americans face that Eve tried to convey, the challenges of today, and so much more. Eve's previous novel was the Daughters of Shandong, and all her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. To learn more about Eve, you can visit her website https://evejchung.com/ or follow her on instagram @eve.j.chung.writes.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 22! Professor Ming Hsu Chen is the Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair and Faculty-Director of the Race, Immigration, Citizenship, and Equality Program, University of California Law, San Francisco. Chen teaches courses in constitutional law, citizenship, immigration, and race. She brings a socio-legal perspective to the study of race, immigration, and the administrative state.
With the upcoming decision on Trump vs. Barbara, the constitutionality of Executive Order 14160 is in question. This case which has the potential to redefine birthright citizenship may have a huge impact on 14th Amendment and the rights of tens of thousands of people born in the country to immigrant parents.
She is also the author of Pursuing Citizenship in the Enforcement Era (Stanford University Press, 2020) and speaks widely on birthright citizenship… including giving a TEDx Talk in 2020 based on her book.
In our conversation we talk about the 14th Amendment, Wong Kim Ark, Executive Order 14160 and Trump vs Barbara, how questions of the unknown drives fear, Constitutional Originalists, and so much more.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 21! Erin Entrada Kelly is a multiple award-winning Filipino American author best known for her emotionally honest and deeply relatable novels for middle grade and young adult readers. Born in Louisiana to a Filipino mother, Kelly often draws from her own experiences growing up between cultures. She uses humor, vulnerability, and empathy to explore what it means to search for identity and belonging. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a journalist and magazine editor, experiences that helped shape her sharp dialogue and realistic characters.
The Second Life of Snap is a middle grade science fiction novel that was released on May 12, 2026, from Greenwillow Books. The story follows twelve-year-old Zuzu Santos, who lives with her friends in a struggling, drought-ridden community controlled by a powerful corporation in a near-future world shaped by climate change. After Zuzu's father loses his job, the family receives an outdated guardian robot named Snap instead of proper severance support. Although Zuzu is initially suspicious of robots, she slowly forms a deep bond with Snap as his battery life begins to run out. The novel blends themes of friendship, survival, inequality, climate anxiety, and humanity's relationship with technology, while still maintaining the warmth and emotional depth Kelly is known for.
Erin is a New York Times bestselling author and has been honored by industry experts, her peers, and the readers multiple times, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and the 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, among many other honors.
In our conversation, Erin shares a little about her journey to becoming an award-winning author, how winning multiple awards impacts her mindset, her background in Louisiana and how it shapes her work, what she hopes readers discuss and consider when it comes to technology, the considerations when writing about serious topics, and so much more.
To learn more about Erin, you can visit her website erinentradakelly.com, follow her on instagram @erinentrada, and of course purchase The Second Life of Snap or any of her other work.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 20! With Christina Baal Owens is a nationally recognized advocate and nonprofit leader dedicated to advancing racial and gender justice in the United States. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, where she leads efforts to uplift the voices and rights of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women and gender-expansive people.
Before joining NAPAWF, Christina built a career at the intersection of civil rights, labor, and strategic communications. She's held leadership roles in various organizations that have promoted equity and representation, including key positions at the Service Employees International Union, where she helped to elevate the voices of workers—particularly women and immigrants—in national policy conversations.
At NAPAWF, she continues this work by championing issues such as reproductive justice, economic equity, immigration rights, and community safety. Christina is committed to ensuring that AAPI women are not only included in national conversations, but centered in shaping the policies that impact their lives. Enjoy the conversation!
In our conversation, Christina shares how it feels moving from Interim Executive Director to the full-time Executive Director, what NAPAWF is prioritizing, some future issues they want to tackle, and so much more. You can learn more about NAPAWF by going to their website NAPAWF.org, following their Instagram @napawf, or reading some of their research. AND you can of course Donate to support them.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 19! Our guest today is Sruthi Chandrasekaran. She serves as The Asian American Foundation's Director of Data and Research. She leads strategy development and implementation for the Data and Research team and targeted studies that identify and address the needs of the AAPI community.
The Asian American Foundation, or TAAF, is the leading organization advancing safety, belonging, and prosperity for the AAPI community. Through groundbreaking programs, essential research, and cross-sector partnerships, TAAF addresses our community's most persistent challenges. We love their vision which states, "An America where opportunities to participate in all aspects of society are equally accessible, and individuals and communities are not rendered invisible, nor singled out for false stereotypes, discrimination, or hate on the basis of race."
On May 1st, TAAF released the sixth edition of the Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. Index, AKA the STAATUS Index. This year's STAATUS Index was created with the collaboration of NORC at the University of Chicago. In this essential study, they examine how Americans view AAPI communities and how AAPIs understand their own place in the country.
To learn more about TAAF, you can visit their website https://taaf.org/, download the STAATUS Index, visit their AAPI History Hub for great educational resources, follow them on Instagram @taaforg, or donate to support their work. Enjoy the conversation.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 18! Our guest today is the award-winning author and essayist Minh Lê. Whether writing picture books, middle grade graphic novels, or essays, his work often blends an engaging story with deeper lessons.
His latest picture book is Miles Ahead, the story of an adorable dog who helps his family welcome a new baby cousin. A lighthearted search ensues after their gift goes missing. It's a heart-warming and amusing picture book that showcases a family rethinking what a meaningful gift could be, and they just happen to be of asian descent. With detailed illustrations by Lynnor Bontigao, it's a story with lively dialogue, family memories, and a clever ending.
Minh Lê is also the author of many picture books, middle grade graphic novels, and essays. His work incudes Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), Real to Me, The Blur, Lift (an Eisner Award nominee), The Perfect Seat, and Let Me Finish!, Green Lantern: Legacy, Green Lantern: Alliance, and Enlighten Me.
His essays have been published in The New York Times, The Horn Book, HuffPost, NPR, Book Riot, and Reading Rainbow. He currently serves on the Board of We Need Diverse Books and is on the faculty of the Hamline MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
In our conversation, we talk about how he develops ideas, his philosophy on guiding illustrators, the benefits of frequent collaboration, Thích Nhất Hạnh, and a lot more. To learn more about Minh, you can visit his MinhLeBooks.com, follow him on instagram @minhlebooks, buy Miles Ahead, or any of his other great stories.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 17! We love stand-up comedy as well as books with diverse representation. So we're really excited that our guest today is Patricia Park, a professor of creative writing and an award-winning writer. Her latest book is Ambrosia Lee Drops the Mic, a YA novel about a Korean American former child actress who decides to branch out and stand out in order to pursue her newfound love — stand-up comedy.
It's a funny story that also has some very real moments as Ambrosia, whose acting career peaked at the age of eleven, confronts family dynamics, the challenges when you don't fit the stereotypical looks in Hollywood, and how hard it is to do stand-up comedy.
Patricia Park is a tenured Associate Professor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at American University, Fulbright scholar in Creative Arts, Edith Wharton Writer-in-Residence, Jerome Hill Artist Fellow. Her other moves have included the adult novel Re Jane as well as the YA books Imposter Syndrome & Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim and What's Eating Jackie Oh. Additionally, Park has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Guardian, Salon, and others notable publications.
In our conversation, Patricia shares a little about her journey, what it was like to perform over 50 times in stand-up, how she designs emotional moments, the importance of having non-stereotypical characters of Asian descent, and more. To learn more about Patricia, you can visit her website patriciapark.com, follow her on IG @patriciapark718, read her essays, and of course buy any of her novels including her latest Ambrosia Lee Drops the Mic. Enjoy the Conversation.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 16! Our guest this episode is Scott Kurashige, an award-winning Author, Educator, Activist, and Public Speaker, who has studied the problem of Anti-Asian Violence for 35+ years. He's a nonprofit organizational leader and changemaker who addresses racial equity and social justice issues from an intersectional framework. He currently serves as President of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation.
His latest book is American Peril: The Violent History of Anti-Asian Racism which released on April 7, 2026 and is published by University of California Press. Although the topic of Anti-Asian racism gained a lot of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic with the increase in violence and racist rhetoric, it's not a new problem. In the book, Scott takes a deep dive into the long history and ongoing problem of anti-Asian violence.
In our conversation we discuss the long history of anti-Asian racism and violence, his connection with Grace Lee Boggs, his research process, possible repercussions from the current administrations focus on hypermasculinity, and more. To learn more about Scott, you can visit his website scottkurashige.com, follow him on instagram @scottkurashige, and purchase American Peril or any of his other books (we especially loved The Next American Revolution which he co-wrote with Grace Lee Boggs).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 15! Today our guests are two of the co-authors of the very cool new book Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism… Jenessa Joffe and Professor Theodore Chao.
Jenessa Joffe is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, producer, and mother who is passionate about creating social change through comedic, kid-focused content. Theodore Chao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education at California State University, Fullerton. His research centers on Digital Mathematics Storytelling to amplify counter-narratives that challenge harmful stereotypes in mathematics education.
Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism is an entertaining and informative book designed for kids from approximately aged 10-14. It's witty and inspiring, and discusses the Asian American community, past and present; explores allyship with other communities of color; finds a place in national and global movements; and turns inward so young readers can practice love and self-care.
In our conversation, Jenessa and Theodore share a little about how the book came to be, some of the challenges and benefits to putting Auntie Kristina in print, the intentionality in designing activities, and more. The book will release on April 14, but if some outlets are already shipping it! To learn more about Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism, Theodore, Jenessa, or the other two authors Kristina Wong and Anna Michelle Wang, we've listed their details below:
- bookshop.org link link to Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism
- Instagram for the book: @AuntieKristinaGuide
- Website: www.theodorechao.com
- Instagram: @professorteds
- Website: www.jenessajoffe.com
- Instagram: @jenessajoffe
- Website: www.kristinawong.com
- Instagram: @mskristinawong
- Website: www.annawang.com
- Instagram: @_annamichellewang
- Watch Radical Cram School
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 14! With Dennis V. Tran. Dennis is a Vietnamese American storyteller, disability advocate, and inclusion strategist whose work focuses on neurodiversity, mental health, and accessibility—particularly within Asian American communities.
Dennis identifies as queer, partially blind, and neurodivergent, and he uses his lived experiences to advocate for more inclusive systems in media, workplaces, and public health. Something we think everyone should be supportive of. Among the interesting facts about Dennis is that he was a late-identified autistic ADHDer.
Dennis has developed autism resource toolkits used by more than 70 affiliates of the Autism Society of America, consulted on inclusive media representation—including helping develop an autistic character for the children's show Blue's Clues & You! Dennis writes and speaks widely about disability justice, neurodiversity, and the intersections of identity, culture, and mental health in the Vietnamese American and broader Asian American communities.
To learn more about Dennis Tran and his work, you can visit dennisvtran.com , connect with him on LinkedIn @dennisvtran, or follow him on IG @denvtran. Enjoy the Conversation!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 13! Our guest today is Professor Charlotte Brooks a Professor of History at Baruch College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She's a scholar of race, immigration, and urban history, and has published widely on Asian American history, especially Chinese American and Chinese diaspora history.
Her latest book is an epic biography called The Moys of New York and Shanghai: One Family's Extraordinary Journey Through War and Revolution (published by University of California Press, 2026). It's a sprawling book that follows the six Moy siblings and their spouses and children through a tumultuous half-century of world war, revolution, and social transformation in the United States and China. They face discrimination, hardship, triumph, and destitution throughout their lives. We love how well researched it is and how it highlights some amazing moments in the Chinese American experience we don't often hear about.
In our conversation, Charlotte shares how she got into Asian American and Chinese American History, her research process and good fortune with The Moys of New York and Shanghai, the reasons she believes people should read her latest book, what it means to get the support and encouragement from her peers, and so much more.
Charlotte is also the author of three other books. American Exodus: Second Generation Chinese Americans in China 1901-1949, Between Mao and McCarthy: Chinese American Politics in the Cold War Years, Alien Neighbors, Foreign Friends: Asian Americans, Housing, and the Transformation of Urban California. Additionally, Prof. Brooks' articles have also appeared in numerous journals.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 12! We're really excited that our guest this episode is Mirai, the acclaimed audiobook narrator who's also an actress, director and writer. She's a proud 3-time Audie Award Finalist for her audiobook narrating. Not sure what that is? It's like the Academy Award of narration.
Other than audiobook narration and Voice acting, she's been an actor on stage and screen with over 20 years experience, and she's done some directing. Her latest creative endeavor is the short film #Stop Asian Kate which Mirai was awarded a grant to produce. As the writer and star of this mockumentary, we know that it will feature Mirai's wit and sense of humor while containing a deeper message about the industry struggles for Asian Americans.
Interested in hearing her audiobook narration? She has a LOT of titles to her name, but some of our favorites include The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, A Perfect Day to Be Alone, and A Study in Secrets. To learn more about Mirai, you can visit her website miraivo.com, find her on instagram @hi.mirai, and support the GoFundMe for her short film #StopAsianKate.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode XX! Our guest today is Shang Saavedra, the founder and CEO of Save My Cents, the popular site, blog, and coaching resources on personal finance. Saavedra teaches readers the key habits and behaviors needed to become less fearful of money and live life with joy. Saavedra was named one of the "Twenty-five Most Influential New Voices of Money" by TIME/NextAdvisor in 2022 and is an Expert Reviewer and Contributor at CNET Money.
Her mission is to change your financial life, one cent at a time, with a focus on mental health. She also does that through her book Wealth is a Mindset: Change Your Mind, Change Your Money… released about a year ago in January 2025 by our favorite publisher, Third State Books. Wealth is a Mindset provides practical, concrete applications of Saavedra's mindset-changing research based methodology called "Trigger, Action, Reward."
In our conversation, Saavedra shares how she began Save My Cents, some of the key things she's discovered throughout her consulting work, ways for students to learn about personal finance, the Three Root Causes of Money Problems, and so much more.
To learn more about Shang Saavedra and how to better tackle your personal finance, you can visit her website Save My Cents, watch her YouTube Channel @SaveMyCents, follow her on Instagram @SaveMyCents, and of course buy Wealth is a Mindset published by Third State Books.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 10! You'd be hard pressed to find people who have absolutely never heard of the aerospace company Boeing. But have you heard of their first impactful aeronautical engineer? That person was Wong Tsu, a Chinese born prodigy who was educated in both the UK and US. He helped develop many of the practices still used today.
In today's episode, we talk about his life, his career, the discrimination he faced, and his lasting impact in the world of aeronautics. Now, Boeing and the Smithsonian have acknowledged his impact, but he still isn't a household name.
We begin the episode by catching up on the final part of the Olympics and sharing some thoughts on the start of the F1 season. We end the episode with another segment of "What Are We Listening To?" Today we talk about The Many Daughters of Afong Moy audiobook as well as the music of Sarah Kinsley and Tiffany Day
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Talking Sports and Flying
- 11:27 The History of Wong Tsu, The First Asian American Aeronautical Engineer
- 25:24 What Are We Listening To? The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, Sarah Kinsley, and Tiffany Day
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 09! On a few rare occasions, we've invited more than one guest at a time, and we're doing it for this episode! Today's guests are Julie Leung and Angie Kang. Both are award-winning creators. Julie is an author with multiple titles to her name while Angie is both an author and illustrator. Their latest work, Navigating Night, is written by Julie and illustrated by Angie, and it will release on March 10.
Navigating Night is the heart-warming story of a girl who helps guide her dad on his route delivering Chinese take-out food from their restaurant. She does this every night because her English is better than his. This wonderful picture book focuses on an element of the immigrant experience that some Asian Americans face, needing to help support their parents in business and family matters. We love how it celebrates the unique bond between immigrant parents and their children.
Julie Leung has a long history of writing picture book biographies that include The Truth About Dragons (a 2024 Caldecott Honor book and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist (winner of the 2021 American Library Associations Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book), A Banquet for Cecilia, Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes: The Story of Architect I. M. Pei, and The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee.
Angie Kang is the author-illustrator of Our Lake which received a Caldecott Honor, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, and the Dilys Evans Founder's Award. She's a 2026 Sendak Fellow and the 2025 Ezra Jack Keats Fellow at MacDowell, her writing and artwork has appeared in The New Yorker, The Believer, Narrative, Ecotone, Best Small Fictions, and elsewhere. On her website, she shares several great samples of her paintings, short form comics, poetry, fiction, and essays.
In our conversation we discuss their journeys, what they hope readers get from Navigating Night, how Angie decided on the artwork, what Julie likes about Picture Book biographies, what it's like when a book releases, and so much more.
To see more of Julie's work, you can visit jleungbooks.com or follow her on instagram @jleungbooks. To see more of Angie's work you can visit angiekang.net or follow her on instagram at @anqiekanq. We highly recommend getting Navigating Night for you or as a gift for others!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 8! What do you get when you mix Jamaican Reggae with Hawaiian music. This isn't the set-up for a joke, it's an episode on Jawaiian music, sometimes called Island Reggae. Today we talk about the origin of Jawaiian music, who some of the key musicians were, why it resonated with so many Hawaiians, and some of the small controversies around it.
We go more in-depth on three key musicians who have made a HUGE impact in Jawaiian music: Brother Noland, Fiji, and J-Boog. To get an idea of the spirit of Jawaiian, then look up their work!
In our recurring segment, we do some celebrations of the API in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Although we recorded before they were over, we wanted to celebrate what's happened so far for Asian Pacific athletes. We also take time to rant a bit about the really two-faced coverage of Eileen Gu, Chloe Kim, and Alysa Liu.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 01:56 The History of Jawaiian Music
- 15:50 Celebrations and a Little Rant About API in the Olympics
Top Picture is Brother Noland
Bottom Picture is J Boog
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 7! Our guest today is Lydia Kang, a professor, medical doctor, and acclaimed author, Her latest book is K-Jane, and it's the story of Jane Choi, a typical Nebraskan teen who loves Husker football and is a total banana. That all changes when her parents find out they're expecting a baby, and Jane goes on a mission to become an expert… or at least more knowledgeable about her Korean heritage and pop-culture. From K-pop to K-dramas, through Korean Food and Language, and pretty much K-everything, Jane immerses herself in it. Released on October 21, 2025, K-Jame was received a Starred Kirk's Review and was selected as a Kirkus Best Young Adult Book of 2025.
Lydia writes young adult fiction, adult fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The practicing physician and associate professor of Internal Medicine has also gained a reputation for helping fellow writers with their medical accuracy in their writing.
Her previous work includes Opium and Absinthe, Star Wars: Cataclysm, The November Girl, and Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything (one of your favorite nonfiction books). In our conversation, Lydia shares her journey to authorship, how she writes authentic awkward teen moments, what it means to be Asian American, and so much more.
To learn more about Lydia, you can visit her website lydiakang.com, follow her instagram @lydiakang, read her poetry and essays, and of course buy any of her books.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 6! We're back with Part 2 on The History of the Patel Motel Phenomenon. If you haven't listed to Part 1 which was S06E04, then we'd love it if you go back and list to that one for more context.
In this episode, we continue the history, talking about what the predominantly Gujarati motel and hotel owners did when they were faced with racism from banks, insurance companies, customers, and the professional organizations that were supposed to be fighting for ALL the owners in the lodging industry.
We take time to share about the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) which the Indian American hotel owners created to help lobby on their behalf and create a more level playing. One of most impactful projects was the creation of the 12 Points of Fair Franchising, a document that recently was updated.
In our recurring segment we bring you another segment of Racist or Not, where we share a phrase or saying and discuss whether it's racist… or not. Today we're talking about the phrase "It's All Chinese to Me."
If you support what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Our Thoughts on Minnesota and ICE
- 05:25 The History of the Patel Motel Phenomenon, Part 2
- 17:40 Racist or Not: It's All Chinese to Me
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 5! Our guest today is XiXi Tian who is both a lawyer and acclaimed author. Her latest work is the novel All the Way Around the Sun, a YA Romance that focuses on themes of belonging, identity, and overcoming trauma. In it, the main character Stella, a Chinese-American protagonist who's forced into a college roadtrip with her childhood friend turned rival. Their complicated history is made even more difficult as Stella navigates how to overcome the grief of a recent family tragedy.
We love how it's a complex story with some familiar themes, and really showcases the difficulties of expectations, both internal and external, that can create familial habits and routines. And these habits can actually be a hindrance to facing and overcoming grief.
XiXi Tian was born in China and immigrated to the United States when she was a year old. After college, which included Harvard Law School, she decided to pursue her love of writing and published her first novel, This Place is Still Beautiful, a story about two Chinese-American sisters who respond to a racist attack against their home.
To learn more about XiXi, you can visit her at xixiwrites.com, follow her on Instagram @xixiwrites, and of course buy All the Way Around the Sun or This Place is Still Beautiful. Enjoy the conversation!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 04! When it comes to immigrant groups in the U.S., especially Asian Pacific immigrant groups, it's not unusual to see certain industries become almost synonymous with specific communities of people. We saw it with Chinese laundromats, Thai restaurants, Vietnamese nail salons, Cambodian donut shops, and more.
For Indian Americans, one of those industries was the motel business. So in this episode, we're here to share the origin and history of the Patel Motels as well as how families got into the business in the first place. We also share some of the challenges the business owners faced in the U.S. on the road to becoming dominant in the field.
We start the episode by sharing what's on our social media feeds. We close it with a new recurring segment called "Racist or Not" where we take a phrase and talk about whether it's racist… or not.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Social Media and Road Trip Memories
- 14:32 The History of the Patel Motels, Part 1
- 27:50 Racist or Not: White on Rice
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 3! Our guest today is the amazing author V.T. Bidania. She is of Hmong descent and was born in Laos and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. A prolific author with over 20 titles published already, her latest work is the very personal fictionalized memoir A Year Without Home which details her family's escape from Laos after the end of the Secret War in Laos and the Vietnam War.
A Year Without Home was released on January 13, 2026 and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. It's her debut middle grade novel and written in a unique style with lyrical verse. Told through the eyes of eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, Bidania does an amazing job of immersing the reader into the joys of what it was like to live in Laos as well as the challenges and horrors of fleeing as refugees.
Her previous works are the Astrid and Apollo series and the new spin-off Extraordinary Eliana series. Both uplift Hmong culture in a joyous informative way. In our conversation, V.T. shares her journey to writing, the challenges of researching for A Year Without Home, how she decided to lay things out in the book, why the book is even more important now than ever, and a lot more.
To learn more about V.T. Bidania and the Hmong culture, you can visit her website vtbidania.com, follow her on Instagram @vtbidania, and of course purchase or any book int he Astrid and Apollo or Extraordinary Eliana series.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 2 ! Have you been caught up in the ube craze? For many people, especially in Southeast Asia, it's not a trend, it's a beloved food staple. This is most true in the Philippines where Ube is ubiquitous with many of their sweets. So in this episode, we talk ube… What is it? How is it used? What contributed to its rise in popularity, and more.
We also take time to explain the differences between ube, Okinawan sweet potato, and taro, and we wax poetic about our ube memories. Finally, we take time to talk about some specific restaurants (like Kasama in Chicago, Illinois and San & Wolves Bakeshop in Long Beach, California) and dishes to look for if you want to try ube (we highly recommend ube macapuno ice cream, ube crinkle cookies, ube matcha lattes, and sapin-sapin.
We begin the episode with some talk about New Years resolutions, 2025 Women's world champion figure skater Alysa Liu, and ube memories. At the end of the show, we also share another segment of What Are We Watching where we talk a little about Heated Rivalry as well as YouTube matcha content creators Michelle Kanemitsu, emily wada, and ur mom ashley.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Introduction… Talking New Years Resolutions, Celebrating Alysa Liu, and Sharing Ube Memories
- 12:34 The History of Ube
- 25:57 What Are We Watching? Heated Rivalry and YouTube Videos
Ube Cheez Pandesal by San & Wolves Bakeshop
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 01! Happy New Year! Our guest today is Peter Jae, a multi-hyphenate performer in Hollywood. Peter Jae is an actor, stunt performer, producer, and multidisciplinary creative with over two decades of experience working across film, television, and independent projects. Born in Brooklyn and raised primarily in the Bronx—with time spent in Queens as well—Peter grew up navigating identity as a Korean American in predominantly Black and Latinx neighborhoods. Those early experiences deeply shaped his worldview and continue to inform the stories he chooses to tell and the characters he brings to life.
Before entering Hollywood, Peter pursued a wide range of creative paths. He attended a performing arts high school, studied menswear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and even launched his own urban greeting-card business. That early blend of art, entrepreneurship, and storytelling set the tone for a career defined by versatility rather than a single lane.
Although his first opportunities in Hollywood were focused on stunt work and action, he has expanded into more substantial acting roles, appearing in projects such as Blackhat, Olympus Has Fallen, and numerous television productions. He is especially recognized for his work in Ktown Cowboys, an Asian American–led project that allowed him to portray a multidimensional Korean American character—something he has long advocated for in an industry that often limits Asian men to narrow stereotypes.
Most recently, Peter stars in The Workout, an independent action-driven film that blends physical intensity with psychological tension. The story centers on discipline, survival, and the personal battles that unfold when routine, control, and identity collide—both inside and outside the gym. The film highlights Peter's ability to merge his background in stunts with grounded dramatic performance, reinforcing his reputation as an actor who brings authenticity and depth to physically demanding roles.
You can follow Peter Jae and his latest work on Instagram at @peterjaenyla.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 52! This is it, the final episode of Season 5! As we close out 2025, we take a moment to reflect on the guests we've had on the show as well as the different topics we've talked about. We'd link them all here, but it would take a LOT of space to honor everyone. So let's just say that we've had a great year, highlighted by some very special guests.
Our guests this season included well-known academics like Gordon H. Chang, Ann Ishimaru, and Beth Lew-Williams; entertainers from the stage and screen like Olivia Cheng, Troy Iwata, and Nancy Wang; Journalists like Vicky Nguyen, Michael Luo, and Karin K. Jensen; and authors galore like Kimberly Tso, Abigail Hing Wen, Sarah Myer, Camey Yeh, Andrea Wang, and Jamie Jo Hoang. There were so many others who deserve mention, but it's just way easier if you go back, see the episodes, you missed, and listen to them!
We also love that we continue to have episodes on topics like Egg Foo Yung, Aloha Shirts, Dumplings, the Chinese Labour Corps, API Garment Workers, the Supreme Court Ruling Lau v Nichols, and API in Formula 1 Driving… and that's just a small sample.
Thanks for listening! We appreciate the support, and we're excited to bring you more topics and guests in 2026.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 51! Our guest today is the award-winning children's book author, Andrea Wang. She's written several books and been recognized with many awards including The Newbery Honor and Caldecott Medal.
Andrea's latest picture book is Worthy: The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce, a notable Chinese American who fought during the Civil War and, beyond all odds, earned naturalized citizenship. We love how she's unafraid of tackling some heavy topics that include racism, discrimination, and belonging. The beautiful picture book is illustrated by Youa Vang,
If you're looking for some of Andrea's previous, work, she's written several notable things including the picture books The Nian Monster, Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando, Watercress, and Luli and the Language of Tea, as well as the middle grade novels The Many Meanings of Meilan and The Summer of Squee.
To learn more about Andrea, you can visit her website https://andreaywang.com/, follow her on instagram @andreawhywang, and of course buy Worthy and her other books.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 50! Our guest today is doing important work in researching educational change. Dr. Ann M. Ishimaru is an award-winning scholar, writer, educator and the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington College of Education. Her latest book is Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change, it was published this September by Teachers College Press.
This collection of research and writing that she contributed to as both an author and co-editor is created with Dr. Decoteau Irby, and it takes a deep examination of DEI initiatives and the process of change in schools. Several of the writers are the ones doing the work in these schools. We love how she works toward understanding systemic change to increase student inclusion and belonging.
In addition to many peer-reviewed articles in top-tier educational educational research journals, Ann is also the author of Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families and Communities (Teachers College Press, 2020). Additionally, Dr. Ishimaru directs the Just Educational Leadership Institute, which hosts the annual Leading towards Justice Symposium as well as numerous research partnerships.
To learn more about Professor Ishimaru's work, you can visit her website annishimaru.com, her instagram @annmishimaru, and purchase Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 49! Vroooommmm!!! We're exploring the story of Asian Pacific Islanders in Formula 1… and this is something we actually know a bit about. This is a sport long dominated by Europeans and a handful of South Americans, but there has been a small group of drivers of Asian Pacific descent who have made an impact in recent years.
We'll share a little about F1 racing in general as well as when API began making their mark in the sport. In addition to recent drivers like Alex Albon (our favorite), Yuki Tsunoda, Zhou Guanyu, and now Arvid Lindblad, we'll also talk about a few engineers, leaders, and teams that have prominent Asian representation.
In our recurring segment, we'll share what we're listening to. For Ted, it's the audiobook of Babel by R.F. Kuang. It's narrated by Chris Lew Kum Hoi and Billie Fulford-Brown. For Gen, it's the music of Sarah Kinsley… specifically the song Fleeting.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Catching Up
- 14:16 The History of API in Formula 1 Racing
- 38:17 What Are We Listening To: Babel by R.F. Kuang and Sarah Kinsley
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 48! Our guest is Karin K. Jensen. She's a local news writer for the Alameda Post and the author of the moving memoir The Strength of Water: An Asian American Coming of Age Memoir. It's an award-winning memoir that was recently re-released on November 7th by Sibylline Press.
The memoir follows her mother, King Ying, and her Asian American journey… from her childhood in 1920s Detroit to moving back to the village Tai Ting Pong in Guangdong, China, and then back to the US again. Along the way, she faced heaps of hardship while strengthening her resolve to find her slice of happiness. From childhood all the way to adulthood and giving birth to her second daughter (the author of the memoir), it's a moving tale that is an amazing combination of history, lived history, wisdom and tales to inspire.
In our conversation, Karin shares a little about her journey to writing her mom's memoir, how it feels to get accolades for your work, her mom's superpower, some of the things she learned from her mom, and so much more.
To learn more about Karin, you can visit her website karinkjensen.blog, follow her on instagram @karinkjensen, connect to her linktree, and buy The Strength of Water.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 47! We're huge fans of East West Players, and our guest this episode, Dom Magwili, has worked with them since 1974. If that's all he did, it would be an amazing career. However, Dom has also been an actor, director, educator, and author. His latest work is Scientific Dragons: The Adventure of Ensun Castle. It's an entertaining and thrilling adventure that mixes historical figures, key fictional characters, Filipino culture, and a healthy dose of imagination in a steampunk environment.
Among the work he's created for stage and screen include Much Adobo About Nothing, A Jive Bomber's Christmas (which had a 10-year run at the Japanese American National Museum), and One Puka Puka Christmas. His first book was Legends from the First Hemisphere: The Infernal Promise.
In our conversation, Dom shares what inspired him to pursue creativity as a profession, his journey to being an author, some of the themes of Scientific Dragons, and more. To learn more about Dom, you can visit his website, follow him on Instagram @dmagwili, and, of course buy Scientific Dragons or The Infernal Promise.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 46! Many of our guests are multi-hyphenates when it comes to their impact in the world, and today's guest can definitely be described that way. Satsuki Ina is a Trauma Therapist, Activist, Filmmaker, Educator, and the Author of the Memoir The Poet and the Silk Girl which was released on September 9, 2025.
Satsuki is a survivor of the Japanese incarceration during World War II. She was born in the camps and spent her first few years there, both experiencing the trauma in her early years as well as through her parents. In her memoir, The Poet and the Silk Girl, Satsuki tells the story of how her parents, brother, and she survived and resisted their incarceration in U.S. concentration camps. One of the things that makes this memoir even more personal is that she was able to draw from diary entries, emotional haiku, censored letters, government documents, and clandestine messages that her parents Shizuko and Itaru Ina shared with each other.
Satsuki further adds to the relevance and personalization by connecting her family's experience to the race and immigration stories unfolding today as well—from rising anti-Asian hate crimes to the militarization of immigration enforcement. At 81, Satsuki continues to be at the forefront of Asian American activism. She's a co-founder of Tsuru for Solidarity, a nonviolent, direct-action project of Japanese American social justice advocates.
To learn more about Satsuki Ina, you can visit her website, follow her Instagram @satsukiina, support Tsuru for Solidarity, watch her recent addresses at the 56th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and the Snow Country Prison Japanese American Memorial, and you can of course get your own copy of The Poet and the Silk Girl.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 45! Today's episodes takes us back in history to the first "great war." We're focused on the forgotten participants in World War I… This is the story of the Chinese Labour Corps. During World War I, over 140,000 Chinese men crossed oceans to support the Allies. Their story is often forgotten and kind of ended in betrayal.
China hoped to earn respect and reclaim lost territory, especially Shandong Province. But in the end, the Allies broke their promises, reinforcing racial stereotypes and leaving China humiliated.
In our opening segment we celebrate the recent political wins by API in the November elections including Zohran Mamdani and Michelle Wu. We also celebrate the Dodgers 2nd World Series win. In our recurring segment, we bring back another segment of What Are We Reading to talk about The Strength of Water by Karin K. Jensen and Katabasis by R.F. Kuang.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Celebrating the Dodgers and the Big API Wins in the November Elections
- 05:15 The History of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI
- 17:17 What Are We Reading: The Strength of Water by Karin K. Jensen and by Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 44! Our guest today is Thien Ho, the Sacramento District attorney and long time prosecutor. He's also the author of the upcoming book, The People vs. The Golden State Killer which will be published by Third State Books and releases on November 11th.
This true crime memoir follows Thien's experience as the lead prosecutor on the case against Joseph DeAngelo, one of the most notorious serial killers of the 20th century. It covers never-before published details about the investigation, capture, and trial that put DeAngelo behind bars. At the same time, the book is a memoir that follows Thien's personal story escaping war-torn Vietnam as a young boy and working his way up the law enforcement system to becoming the lead prosecutor in the case. Ho has gone on to become the Sacramento District Attorney, one of only 10 API District Attorneys in the country (there are 2400 total DAs).
We loved how the book also highlights the experiences of three key survivors of DeAngelo's crimes, something that other books on the Golden State Killer haven't done to any significant extent… and this gives power to the survivors. In fact, a portion of the book's proceeds will be donated both by the author and Third State Books to Phyllis's Garden, a nonprofit advocating for victims' rights begun in honor of a GSK survivor.
To get a copy of the book, we encourage you to purchase through the links on thienho.org because you'll be supporting small businesses.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 43! This episode's guest is Sheilah Jane. She's a writer, entrepreneur and wellness advocate. Her latest work is a heartfelt memoir called Shadows and Sunrises: A True Story of Shame, Strength, and Rebirth Across Continents. In it she brings lived experience and lyrical prose to tell the story of her life and family.
Her book is a powerful memoir that was released on October 7, 2025. From a childhood under Martial Law in the Philippines to rebuilding a life in America, Shadows and Sunrises traces Sheilah Jane's journey through teen motherhood, cultural dislocation, and the quiet rituals that held her together.
Outside of writing, Sheila is a Certified Yoga Instructor and the co-founder of Sempre Avanti Imports, which is focused on family-run wineries and distilleries. She is also the founder of Foxy Flower CBD, which is rooted in natural wellness.
To learn more about Sheilah's work, you can visit her website, follow her on instagram @sheilajaneauthor, and of course, buy Shadows and Sunrises: A True Story of Shame, Strength, and Rebirth Across Continents.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 42! Our guest today is Brenda Do. She's a copywriter who has spent nearly two decades helping businesses communicate in a more humanistic way which helps them connect more meaningfully with the people they serve. She's also the author of a fun and meaningful picture book called It's Okay Not To Know.
It's Okay Not To Know is a picture book that helps readers understand how to overcome self-doubt and stress that they sometimes feel when they are faced with challenges. Through curiosity and compassion, kids are able to flip these challenges and obstacles into opportunities for growth. Illustrations by C.S. Fritz, the book is a great reminder that empathy starts with yourself and then you can help others.
In our conversation, Brenda shares why she was inspired to write It's Okay Not To Know, what it was like working with C.S. Fritz, some of the design choices she made, what the response to her story has been, and so much more. You can learn more about Brenda through her site, Instagram account @officialbrendado, and linktr.ee.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 41! Today's guest is award-winning author Beth Lew-Williams. She's a Professor of History and the Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University. She's best known for her work on migration, violence, and ethnic studies. She's also a 2025 winner of the Dan David Prize that honors innovative research on the human past. It's the largest history prize in the world, and only nine people were awarded it in 2025!
Her latest book is John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life under American Racial Law is published by Harvard University Press and was released on September 16 of this year (so it's available now)! We love the angle she takes by examining the laws, policies, and various regulations created by Federal, State, and Local leaders that impacted the Chinese in America. She uncovered thousands of laws and policies across the nation that targeted Chinese migrants. She also tells the stories of the Chinese Americans who refused to accept a conditional place in U.S. life.
Lew-Williams previous book was The Chinese Must Go: Violence, Exclusion, and the Making of the Alien in America published in 2018 (also by Harvard University Press). In it, she maps the tangled relationships between local racial violence, federal immigration policy, and U.S. imperial ambitions in Asia. The Chinese Must Go won the Ray Allen Billington Prize and the Ellis W. Halley Prize from the Organization of American Historians.
John Doe Chinaman isn't just for academia. It's for all those who are interested in reading about a part of America that hasn't been talked about as much. So it's great for all!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 40! In this episode, we explore the flavorful transformation of teriyaki—from its roots in Edo-period Japan as a fish-glazing technique to a global flavor phenomenon.
We trace how teriyaki made its way across the Pacific, evolved in Hawaiʻi through Japanese immigrant innovation, and exploded in popularity thanks to the Seattle-style chicken teriyaki plate introduced by Toshihiro “Toshi” Kasahara. Along the way, we compare the Hawaiian plate lunch to the traditional Japanese bento, examine bottled sauce pioneers like Kikkoman, Soy Vay, and Mr. Yoshida’s, and share stats on North American teriyaki consumption (It’s a lot!).
The episode also features quotes from food writers and chefs like Sonoko Sakai, Roy Choi, Soleil Ho, David Chang, and Sheldon Simeon (whom we had a conversation with way back on S02E24), as we discuss how reframing teriyaki from a method into a flavor has fueled its growth. Whether in burgers, tacos, wings, or jerky, teriyaki has truly become a taste that transcends borders.
In our recurring segment, we have another installment of Obscure API Comic Book Characters. Today we bring you the DC hero Shiny Happy Aquazon, a water-based hero of Japanese origin created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. We open the episode with some current events that include celebrations of Shohei Ohtani, Jessica Sanchez, and Arthur Sze.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Celebrations: Shohei Ohtani, Jessica Sanchez, and Arthur Sze
- 04:55 The History and Evolution of Teriyaki: From Glaze to Global Icon
- 16:09 Obscure API Comic Book Characters: Shiny Happy Aquazon AKA Kim Kimura
Photo Credits: Top Teriyaki Tofu from Nora Cooks
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 39! In this episode, we sit down with Ashley Du, founder and CEO of Meaningful Beginnings Childcare. From launching a modest home-based daycare during her pregnancy to growing multiple licensed “home-like” childcare centers in San Francisco, Ashley’s journey is fueled by empathy and purpose. With demand for quality childcare far outpacing supply—especially for infants in San Francisco—her model is meeting a critical need.
In our conversation, Ashley opens up about her upbringing as a first-generation Asian American, how she educated herself in child development, and the systems she built to scale with care. Ashley shares insights on navigating business growth without losing heart, and how she’s redefining what childcare can look like.
To learn more about Ashley’s work you can visit the Meaningful Beginnings Website, meaningfulbeginnings.org, or follow them on Instagram, @meaningfulbeginnings.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 38! How time flies! Its been almost two years since we last spoke to this episode’s guest, author Jamie Jo Hoang (S04E05). She’s back to talk about her latest book, My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser, which releases on 23 September 2025 (so either pre-order it if you’re listening to this episode right when it comes out or order it if you waited a few days).
In a follow-up to her amazing novel My Father, the Panda Killer… My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is told through the eyes of Jane’s younger brother Paul and their mother Ngọc Lan. Much like her previous novel, this one is a lyrical story that explores the ripples of war, intergenerational trauma, and discovering a fractured past. In this dual timeline story, Jamie wields her signature style of balancing heartbreaking moments and humor as we get a fuller picture of the central family. That said, although we recommend reading My Father, the Panda Killer, you don’t have to. My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is a self-contained novel.
Jamie grew up in Orange County, California, and is also the author of the novel Blue Sun, Yellow Sky. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, she feels that it’s important to highlight the diverse perspectives and experiences of BIPOC authors and BIPOC books, and we couldn’t agree more. My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser is another story of the American experience, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. To find more of Jamie’s work, visit her website http://heyjamie.com, her instagram @heyjamiereads, and go out and support her work and other diverse stories.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 37! Today we continue with the second part of The History of The Secret War in Laos. We highly recommend going back to listen to Part 1. That’s where you’ll hear about the Cold War motivations behind U.S. involvement in Laos, the rise of General Vang Pao and the Hmong Secret Army, and the massive bombing campaign that made Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history.
In this episode, we’ll talk about the aftermath once the war ended… from re-education camps for the Lao and Hmong soldiers who fought on the side of the Americans, to the massive amount of UXO clean-up, to the refugee crisis. We also share some of the challenges with the current administrations policy of revoking temporary refugee status for many in the community.
To learn more about some of the organizations helping with clean-up and education, checkout Legacies of War, Mines Advisory Group, or the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center. You can learn about all three and support them through donations.
For our recurring segment, we talk about Netflix’s most popular show ever… Kpop Demon Hunters. Kpop now goes beyond Korea, and with several prominent Korean American voice actors, this show definitely resonated with people who find relevance with the “third culture” experience. Whether you watch it for the story, action, music, or Kpop scenes, it’s a show that is resonating with a lot of people!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Catching Up
- 06:36 The History of The Secret War in Laos Part 2
- 15:14 What Are We Watching? Kpop Demon Hunters!!!
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 36! Our guest this episode is the New York Times bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen. She’s probably best known for the book Loveboat, Taipei and its two companion novels Loveboat Reunion and Loveboat Forever, as well as Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. Her latest work is The Vale which will be released on September 16th.
The Vale is Illustrated by Yuna Cheong and Brandon Wu, and it’s published by our favorite publisher Third State Books. It’s a coming-of-age story that is both science fiction and fantasy in a way. Bran, the main protagonist is the son of two inventors and has helped them develop an immersive VR world called the Vale. There’s a little action, romance, magic, technology, and mystery; and the themes include family, belonging, persistence, love, and friendship… in other words, there’s something for every reader young and old. There’s also a short film prequel being created called THE VALE–ORIGINS starring the award-winning actress, singer, and stage performer Lea Salonga. We highly recommend getting the Vale, and if you pre-order it and submit the receipt, you can even get some free stickers.
We learned a lot about Abigail in our conversation beyond her education and journey to writing. Other than novels, she’s a producer, director, and woman-in-tech leader specializing in artificial intelligence… and she’s a mother of two. She writes and speaks about tech, AI ethics, women’s leadership and transforming culture.
In our conversation, we also discuss:
- How The Vale got published
- Ways she included technology that’s truly believable
- What it was like to create an illustrated novel
- The power of teacher guides and thoughtful questions
- What to expect from her debut directorial short film The Vale Origins
- And much more.
To learn more about Abigail Hing Wen, you can visit her website abigailhingwen.com, follow her instagram @abigailhingwen, go to her Linktree for even more links, and of course, purchase The Vale! And don’t forget, if you pre-order through Barnes & Noble or an independent bookseller, you can get some free stickers. And if you’re in New York, stop by Chinatown Ice Cream Factory before September 21 for a free trial size of any flavor, but we recommend The Vale inspired Elfberry Blue.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 35! In today's episode, we confront the stereotype that Asian Pacific Islanders are docile or apolitical—and replace it with powerful stories of immigrant women sewing their way into labor history.
We shine a spotlight on the garment industry’s deepest struggles—from the grueling piecework and unsafe conditions to the solidarity that transformed sweatshops into symbols of resistance.
Featured stories include:
- The 1982 Chinatown Garment Workers’ Strike in New York City, where over 20,000 Chinese immigrant women led a historic walkout—and won.
- The 1995 El Monte sweatshop case in Los Angeles, which exposed modern-day slavery and elevated lawyer Julie Su to national leadership.
- Immigrant women organizing in 1970s–1980s Vancouver, rewriting Canadian labor organizing through multilingual outreach and coalition building.
We also highlight key API leaders such as Katie Quan, Julie Su, and Avtar Singh Dhillon, exploring their backgrounds and enduring impact on labor justice.
In our recurring segment, we talk about an organization to support, and feature the Garment Worker Center of Los Angeles who continue to do great work in support of garment workers. You can visit the Garment Worker Center of Los Angeles website to learn more and support their work. Considering a donation? Support their mission directly through their Donate Now page.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro on Labor Day
- 02:25 The History of API Garment Workers and the Labor Movement… Stitching Resistance
- 12:07 Organizations to Support… Garment Worker Center in Los Angeles, CA
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 34! Before reading Table for 51, we had no idea what a “Friendship Expert” was. After meeting Shari Leid for this episode’s conversation, we think everyone could use a Friendship Expert!
Her newest book, Table for 51, shares her journey on the 50 States Project, where she committed to having a meal and conversation with one woman in every state. The book is a combination of memoir, self-help manual, and journey of inspiration. She learned about belonging and identity.
Shari was born in Seoul, South Korea and adopted by a Japanese American couple after she was found abandoned in a box. She’s a former litigator who is now a Friendship Expert, public speaker, and writer. After she left her career in litigation, she founded a professional mindset coaching business called An Imperfectly Perfect Life, LLC. Her business serves clients in those tricky middle age years, helping them create the life of their dreams.
In addition to Table for 51, she has written The Friendship Series which includes The 50/50 Friendship Flow, Make Your Mess Your Message, and Ask Yourself This, which included a 60-day journaling challenge.
In our conversation, we talk about her career, what motivated her to go on the 50 States Project, how she organized Table for 51, her advice for people struggling with feelings of belonging, and so much more. To learn more about what Shari does, you can get Table for 51 or any of her other books, visit her site, follow her on instagram, join her Facebook group Flip the Box, listen to her podcast, or watch her YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 33! Our guest today is Ada Tseng. She’s a journalist, editor, podcaster, runner, wellness advocate and karaoke enthusiast. She is the co-author of the new book Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry. It just came out on August 12 2025, and it’s co-written with Jon Healey and published by the Los Angeles Times and Simon & Schuster.
Breaking Into New Hollywood is a practical collection that offers insights on navigating the Hollywood industry today and how it’s changed with CGI, AI, video streaming, social media, and more. Whether you’re an aspiring set designer, agent, director, writer, actor, manager, or anything to do with making films in front or behind the scenes, this is an invaluable resource.
Ada has written for a variety of outlets including the LA Times, National Geographic, Center of Asian American Media, Women’s Wear Daily, HowStuffWorks, The Washington Post, Public Radio International, NBC, LA Weekly, Asia Pacific Arts, and Audrey Magazine (just to name a few). We should also mention that Ada is the co-host of the Saturday School Podcast with Brian Hu which is one of our favorites, especially for Asian American pop culture.
In our conversation, we talk about how she got involved with pop culture and this book, how she organized the book, the importance of adding in diversity to the different featured insiders in the book, what she thinks is the most important element of making it in Hollywood, what her fantasy career in Hollywood could be, and a lot more. As a veteran podcaster, she even turns the tables and asks us a few questions.
For more of Ada’s work, you can check out her website, follow her on Instagram, subscribe to the Saturday School Podcast, and get Breaking Into New Hollywood.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 32! We love having conversations with a lot of amazing authors of a lot of fabulous books. It’s even more fun when we’re able to invite an amazing author who’s also a long-time friend or family member. So this episode is exciting for us because our guest is Kimberly Tso, the author of the new picture book Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken which is published by Third State Books (one of our favorite publishers)! And yes, we’ve known Kim for the better part of three decades.
Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken is a picture book inspired by the true story of Lillie, a real chicken trained to play tic-tac-toe in New York's Chinatown Fair arcade, and her relocation to a farm for rescued animals. Featuring vibrant paintings of Chinatown by Louie Chin, Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken showcases a local cultural touchstone and shows how children can stand up for what they believe in and solve tough problems with clever thinking. You don’t have to wait till Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken’s release date on August 19, 2025, because it’s available for pre-order through Third State Books, Bookshop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more! You can even get a signed copy from Once Upon a Time Bookstore.
Kim is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) SoCal and SCBWI LA. She loves the challenge of writing complex ideas in an accessible way. She also likes to draw, paint, and collage. In addition to writing children’s books, Kim is the owner of Velocity Ink, LLC, a consulting firm that provides grant writing and strategic planning services to progressive nonprofit organizations. A very successful grant writer, she’s also the author of the workbook "Fix It and Get Funded: 10 Do-It-Yourself Repairs for Grant Proposals.”
To see more of Kim’s work, you can visit her website kimberlytso.com, or follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, or subscribe to her Substack newsletter.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 31! Our guest today is Daniel Tam-Claiborne, a writer, multimedia producer, and nonprofit director. His latest work is the novel Transplants released by Simon & Schuster. It’s a coming of age story following two young women—Lin, who is Chinese and Liz, who is Chinese American. They’re both navigating the journey to find their truest selves in a world that doesn’t know where either of them belong. The novel is an exploration of race, love, power, and freedom that reveals how—in spite of our divided times—even our fiercest differences may bring us closer than we can imagine.
Tam-Claiborne is also the author of the short story collection What Never Leaves, and his writing has appeared in a variety of publications and outlets including Michigan Quarterly Review, Catapult, Literary Hub, Off Assignment, The Rumpus, HuffPost, and elsewhere.
Outside of writing, Daniel serves on the Board of Directors of Seattle City of Literature and on the Advisory Board of Off Assignment. He’s a frequent speaker, moderator, and host.
In our conversation, we discuss the process of writing a novel, inspiration for Transplants, feelings of belonging, the importance of COVID and lockdown as an element of Transplants, the diversity in the Asian American community, and so much more.
Transplants is a well-written, moving book that we think shares several common themes that resonate with so many audiences. Tam-Claiborne doesn’t shy away from deep issues that Asian Americans, Asians, and expats face as he explores belonging, identity, and more. You can see more of Daniel’s work on his website Travel Breeds Content or his Instagram account @datclaiborne.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 30! Today’s guest is Camey Yeh, an established artist who has a cute and whimsical artistic style. Her latest work is her first picture book entitled We’re Different and It’s Totally Cool, published by Crown Books for Young readers. It was released on July 22nd, 2025.
Camey is a Taiwanese American artist and author, and she was inspired to create We’re Different and It’s Totally Cool by her own childhood experiences growing up in a predominantly white town. We love the beautiful artwork that feel both classic in style while still being unique. The colors are bright and the characters choices are inviting, and we can see how this book would be engaging for everyone… including children aged 4-8 as it was intended.
In our conversation, we talk a little about Camey’s journey to being an author and illustrator, how she was inspired to create We’re Different and It’s Totally Cool, the themes of the story, how she developed her artistic style, what makes her different and totally cool, and so much more.
We’re Different and It’s Totally Cool makes a great gift for kids 4-8 and beyond. If you’re interested in more of Camey’s work, then you can follow her on instagram @tropicalspaghetti.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 29! Today we’re joined by a true icon in the world of academia—Professor Gordon H. Chang. A celebrated historian, Professor Chang is both the Olive H. Palmer Professor in Humanities and a Professor of History at Stanford University. He’s also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
We’re honored to speak with him about his latest book War, Race, and Culture, published by Stanford University Press in May 2025. This anthology compiles some of his most powerful essays written over decades of impactful scholarship. The topics range from foreign relations and U.S. imperialism to race, Asian American identity, and the cultural contributions of Asian Americans.
Our conversation covers everything from the role of propaganda in shaping views of Asians, the long history of harmful stereotypes, and the cultural erasure seen during Japanese internment—including how artists like Dr. Seuss and creators of Superman contributed to racist narratives. Professor Chang also reflects on the political engagement of Asian Americans and why “nurture vs. nature” plays a crucial role in debunking the myth of political apathy in the community.
We also touch on a more personal subject: his interest in art history, including how his father’s legacy inspired him to explore and uplift overlooked Asian American artists like Dong Kingman, whose brilliance was too often overshadowed by the racist caricatures found in mainstream media.
This episode offers not only a look into Professor Chang’s new book, but a deeper understanding of how history, race, and culture intersect in America—and why writing history is always personal.
Links and Resources:
- Learn more about War, Race, and Culture from Stanford University Press
- Read more from Gordon H. Chang, including Ghosts of Gold Mountain, Fateful Ties, and Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 28! In this episode, we sit down with Michael Luo, the award-winning journalist, editor, and author of Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America. Currently an executive editor at The New Yorker, Michael writes extensively on politics, religion, and Asian American issues. Before joining The New Yorker, he spent over a decade at The New York Times as a national correspondent and investigative reporter, earning accolades like the George Polk Award and the Livingston Award for Young Journalists.
His latest book, Strangers in the Land, published by Doubleday in April 2024, is a sweeping and deeply researched narrative history of the Chinese American experience—from the Gold Rush era to the 1960s. Drawing from archival sources, court cases, and personal stories, Luo sheds light on how Chinese immigrants helped build America while simultaneously being pushed to its margins. He highlights the people and policies that shaped their journey—from the railroad workers and early activists to the architects of exclusion laws and the courts that upheld them.
Through vivid storytelling and compelling analysis, Luo explores the roots of anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S., the foundations of our modern immigration surveillance state, and the broader struggle for belonging in a multiracial democracy. This is a must-read not only for lovers of history but for anyone seeking to understand how the past shapes our present-day debates on race, immigration, and identity.
In our conversation, Michael shares insights on how he approached this project, why it was important to center underrepresented figures like Hung Wah, Wong Chin Foo, Chin Gee Hee, and Sun Chong, and how understanding this history can guide us through today’s political and cultural tensions. If you want to hear more from Michael you can read his work in the New Yorker or see his posts on Instagram @luomich.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 27! We have been known to be obsessed with true crime stories. So we were really excited to read L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood by Professor Anne Soon Choi and published by Third State Books. And we were even more excited when Anne visited us as a guest.
Professor Choi is the Interim Associate Director of Online Pedagogy and Learning for the Faculty Development Center, and Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at Cal State Dominguez Hills. She’s a historian and also interested in True Crime as well as Asian American history… so writing a book about Dr. Thomas Noguchi is the perfect intersection of these two interests.
Noguchi was the highest ranking Japanese American official in Los Angeles County during the 1960s and 70s, and he performed autopsies of some of the most well-known people who passed away during that time including Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Sharon Tate, and Natalie Wood. In our conversation with Anne, she shares her process of research, some of Dr. Noguchi’s biggest innovations, how the Asian American community rallied around Noguchi when he faced a racist dismissal, some of Anne’s future writing projects, and so much more.
If you love true crime stories and/or learning about Asian American History, then we highly recommend buying L.A. Coroner. You can also learn more about Anne Soon Choi via her Instagram @latruecrime.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 26! With the fall of Saigon happening about 50 years ago, it’s important to recognize related additional moments in the history of Asians and Asian Americans. We’re talking about the Secret War in Laos which was closely tied to the Vietnam War. This will be Part 1 of 2 on the topic.
Laos is in Southeast Asia, a key region that the U.S. worried about during the Cold War. The Secret War in Laos was led by the CIA and fought predominantly by the Hmong, an ethnic minority in the country, and it’s a major reason so many Hmong and Laotian people became refugees after the Fall of Saigon and retreat of U.S. forces. So in this episode, we dig into the geopolitical situation that was present in Southeast Asia, the U.S. role in battling the spread of communism there, the key local soldiers recruited by the CIA, and the amount of damage the U.S. did to the area.
We begin the episode by catching up on current events, including celebrating newly elected mayor of San Antonio Gina Ortiz Jones as well as all the Tony winners of Asian Pacific descent. We also give our thoughts on the push for Asian American History in Arizona. We end the episode with the recurring segment What are We Watching? In this installment, we talk about the streaming show Deli Boys and the feature film Sinners.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Introduction and Current Events
- 04:59 The History of the Secret War in Laos
- 14:40 What are We Watching? Deli Boys and Sinners
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 25! We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with the very talented Olivia Cheng. Last week, in Part 1 of the conversation, we mainly focused on Olivia’s acting career. In this episode, we pivot to her work behind the camera as a writer, director, and producer.
Olivia shares how she was motivated to write and direct her short film Dinner with Dex, which starred her Warrior co-star Dianne Doan. We also talk about her feature directorial debut on the documentary I am Raquel Welch. The iconic actress was the subject of another installment of CW’s “I Am” series and aired in March on the channel. Don’t worry, you can still catch the inspiring documentary through streaming services that focus on network television like CW, Fubo, and Direct TV.
In the rest of the conversation, Olivia discusses how the Hollywood industry has changed over the years, her thoughts on Asian Pacific activism, her latest movie Lucky Star (that she also helped produce), and more. She even takes part in our rapid fire segment where we find out her thoughts on her command of Cantonese in Warrior, which of Ah Toy’s outfits was her favorite, and which recent role (between Ah Toy, Mei Lin, Master Gao, or Charlotte) was the most similar to her in real life.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Olivia’s work, then you can stream Marco Polo and Warrior on Netflix, See on AppleTV+, and you can rent or buy Lucky Star on Apple TV or Amazon services. You can, of course, follow her on Instagram @thatoliviacheng.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
*Above photo of Oliva Cheng by Noah Asanias
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 24! In this episode, we have Part 1 of a Conversation with Olivia Cheng, a storyteller known predominantly for her acting, but beginning to make waves with her writing, directing, and producing.
Originally from Edmonton, Olivia’s acting credits include playing Mei Lin in Marco Polo on Netflix, Ah Toy in Warrior on Cinemax and HBO, Charlotte in See on Apple TV+, Master Gao in Deadly Class, and Noel in the feature Lucky Star… just to name a few of her projects.
Her performances have been praised for their depth and complexity, and she often plays roles that explore themes of identity, resilience, belonging, and empowerment. In addition to being a talented actress, she’s also getting recognition for her action sequences in several roles she’s played.
In this part of the conversation, we talk about her origin in acting, some of the key roles she has played, life as a journalist, how she approaches action scenes, and more. Additionally Olivia shares some of her thoughts on being part of productions with cast members of Asian Pacific descent both in front of and behind the camera.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Olivia’s work, then you can do the following: find her in the roles on the above listed projects, rent or buy Lucky Star on Apple TV or Amazon services, and/or follow her on Instagram @thatoliviacheng.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
*Above Photo of Olivia Cheng by Noah Asanias
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 23! It’s hard to find any other apparel that signifies vacation more than a Hawaiian shirt AKA an Aloha shirt. It’s not just a symbol of going on vacation, for some it means being part of the ska community, hanging out at a tiki bar, relaxing at get togethers, and even just dressing up for “casual Friday.” But what is the origin and background of the Aloha shirt, how did it grow in popularity, and what is the importance of it to the Hawaiian islands?
In this episode we talk about some key early designers like Ellery Chun of King-Smith Clothiers and Koichiro Miyamoto of Musa-Shiya the Shirtmaker, who both helped popularize the Aloha shirt. We also discuss how the Hawaiian shirt grew in popularity and what the shirt symbolizes in Hawaii. And if you want to buy an authentic Aloha shirt, you're in luck because we also share several current makers like Sig Zane, Kahala, Reyn Spooner, and Ted’s favorite, Rix Island Wear. Is there a brand that you like?
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Catching Up
- 03:45 The History of the Aloha Shirt
- 16:02 Expanded Current Events
Photo credit for Bobo: Kristine Cofsky Photography
Photo credit for Jeremy: Studio Aviva
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 22! It’s a 2-for-1 episode! Today we have a two of the stars of the re-imagination of The Wedding Banquet, Bobo Le and Jeremy Hoffman. This modernized version of the Ang Lee’s classic film is written and directed by Andrew Ahn.
Bobo and Jeremy both come from creative backgrounds. Bobo in dance and martial arts, and Jeremy in music and musical theatre. But lucky for audiences, they’ve transferred some of that creativity to the screen. In the Wedding Banquet, Bobo plays Kendall, the cousin of Bowen Yang’s character. Jeremy plays Marshall the executive director of an LGBTQIA+ non-profit.
This is a fun conversation in large part because of the synergy between Bobo and Jeremy. To get more of Bobo and Jeremy, you can follow them on Instagram @bobojle and @therealjerhoffman.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 21! We’re really honored to have today’s guest Georgette Bhathena, the Chief Programs Officer at The Asian American Foundation. She’s here to talk to us about the 2025 STAATUS Index, AKA (Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the United States).
Georgette has extensive work experience in the philanthropy and grant-making sector. Prior to joining TAAF, they worked at Zoom as the Global Philanthropy Pillar Lead for Zoom Cares. And that’s not the only place that Georgette has left their impact. Georgette has held various roles at both private and not for profit groups including at Tipping Point Community, the San Francisco Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Citibank, just to name a few places.
And Georgette helped lead the creation of the 2025 STAATUS Index. Now in its fifth year, the data continues to amaze, and sometimes dishearten us. However, the only way to change things is through education and more of us trying to make things better. We highly recommend that you download and read the 2025 STAATUS Index. You can also support TAAF’s work through donations and using their resources.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 20! The Titanic sank over 110 years ago, but people are still fascinated with the disaster. This is especially true when there are new stories that come out about The RMS Titanic that are relatable or pique our curiosity. Hearing about the eight Chinese nationals who were on the Titanic as passengers and the six who survived is one of those moments where we learned something new, and we felt that we could relate to the story. But we wouldn’t have known about this obscure bit of ignored history without the work of our guest, Steven Schwankert.
Steven is an award-winning editor and author who seeks adventure and truth. His work researching and writing about the eight Chinese nationals and six survivors of the RMS Titanic resulted in both a documentary (completed by his creative partner Arthur Jones) as well as a new non-fiction book (completed by him)… both entitled The Six.
In our conversation with Steven, we discuss his process of research, some of the narratives that came out of their discoveries, the treatment of the Chinese nationals who survived the disaster, the experience of providing closure for living relatives of these Chinese Nationals, seeking truth, and so much more. The Six book and documentary were both really informative engaging.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 19! Health and wellbeing are so important to people who want to live a more productive and fulfilling life. So it’s such a thrill that today’s guest is Michelle Jungmin Bang who is an award-winning eco-entrepreneur, Chivas Venture Social Impact Fellow, and Harvard Business School graduate who spent 16 years living in Asia as a Korean-American from New York City.
She is the author of the recently published Sun & Ssukgat, a wellness guide covering her research, interviews, and personal eco-conscious journey in writing about centuries-old well-being traditions she learned about during her time throughout Asia in general and Korea specifically. Ssukgat, or Chrysanthemum greens, are treasured in Korean culture for their healing abilities.
In our conversation, Michelle shares some of the healthy habits of Koreans and Asians that are helping them not just live longer, but thrive in the years that many would consider more advanced. She also talks about her own personal journey, some tips for helping us all be more mindful and slow down, and so many other things.
Sun & Ssukgat is a great book that’s a blend of memoir, recipes, self-help, research, and more. You can find places to buy Sun & Ssukgat on Michelle’s website. You can also follow Michelle on Instagram or subscribe to her Substack.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 18!
We’re back with Part two of A Conversation with Actor and Daily Show Correspondent Troy Iwata. This very talented singer and actor joined us last episode to talk about deciding on entertainment as his passion, performing on Broadway on Be More Chill, being on the feel good Netflix holiday series Dash & Lily, getting selected as a correspondent on The Daily Show, and so much more.
In today’s episode, we continue the conversation with Troy to talk more about his experiences on The Daily Show, the collaborative nature of the correspondent segments, some of his memorable moments from the show, what’s coming up in his career, and more.
If you want to enjoy more of Troy’s work, then you can stream his latest film project, Summoning Sylvia, a queer-horror-comedy also starring Michael Urie, Frankie Grande, and several others. And of course you can catch Troy on the Daily Show, through his Instagram posts, and in this episode!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Photo credit to Marc J. Franklin @marcjfranklin
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 17! The Daily Show is one of our favorite shows for so many reasons… hilarious segments, a diverse cast, and awesome writing are just a few reasons. The Daily Show is also where so many people have been introduced to the very talented Troy Iwata.
Troy is, of course, also known for several other things that include his roles as Langston on the feel good Netflix holiday series Dash & Lily, Damien Saito in the AppleTV+ series WeCrashed, and as an understudy on Broadway in the viral hit musical Be More Chill. Suffice to say that Troy Iwata is a very talented and hilarious entertainer.
This is Part 1 of a a two-part conversation. In this episode, we talk with Troy about his initial foray into entertainment, what Broadway was like with Be More Chill, what was special about his experience on Dash & Lily, his comfort with comedic roles, getting on The Daily Show as a correspondent, how opportunities have come to him, and more.
His latest film project is Summoning Sylvia, a queer-horror-comedy in which he stars alongside Michael Urie, Frankie Grande, and several others. You can catch Troy on the Daily Show, on his Instagram posts, and in this episode!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Photo credit to Marc J. Franklin @marcjfranklin
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 16! April 30, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. So we’re excited that our conversation today is with Vicky Nguyen, an award-winning NBC News Daily anchor and Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent. She can be seen regularly on The TODAY Show, NBC Nightly News, and NBC News NOW. And that’s not all! Her latest work is the touching and inspiring memoir Boat Baby. It details the story of her and her parents, and their journey from Saigon to the U.S. Throughout their struggles and successes in America the reader is treated to touching and funny stories of their experiences.
Born in Saigon, Vietnam, she and her parents fled the country in the dead of night on May 4, 1979. As with so many Southeast Asian refugees from 1975 through the 80s, they encountered several life or death challenges before finding their way to the refugee camp at Pulau Bidong, Malaysia. After staying there for 10 months, they had the good fortune of being sponsored to come to America.
In our conversation, we talk about her personal journey to being an award-winning journalist as well as her thoughts on fate, embracing change, the privilege of being a role model in media, and so much more. We highly recommend going out and getting Boat Baby. If you want more of Vicky, watch her on the various shows she’s on, follow her on instagram, or visit her website to see some of her special reports. We especially like her special reports on the rise of anti-asian hate entitled The Racism Virus as well as her very personal four-part story From Saigon to Silicon Valley.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 15! When it comes to Supreme Court decisions that impacted the classroom, most people know about Brown v Board of Education. A lesser known landmark decision was also very impactful in schools across the U.S. We’re talking about Lau v Nichols… a case that influenced the interpretation of Title VI and how U.S. schools needed to support second language learners to succeed in school.
In this episode, we talk about the lead up to Lau v Nichols, what the impact of the Supreme Court decision was, and the lasting legacy of the decision. We also take time to address the rhetoric around the ending of the Department of Education and how it would impact not just Bilingual Education but how students are supported in the U.S.
We begin the episode with a LOT of current events including growing anti-miscegenation-like decisions, Janet Yang, Alysa Liu, Caitlyn Chen, Te-hina Paopao, and Jonny Kim. We end with another installment of Weird History where we talk about the decision by Levi Strauss and Company to lean into anti-Chinese labor practices back in the late 1800s.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Current Events: Janet Yang, Jonny Kim, Kaitlyn Chen, Te-hina PaoPao, Alysa Liu
- 06:29 The History of Lau v Nichols and Bilingual Education in the U.S.
- 17:05 Weird History: Levi Strauss and Company and Anti-Chinese Labor
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 14! Our guest today is Chef Saeng Douangdara. He’s a food content creator, social media star, and soon-to-be cookbook author. Saeng specializes in Lao cuisine. A first-generation Lao American, he left a job in counseling to pursue his passion for teaching Lao cuisine.
A trip back to Laos helped him reconnect with his roots and learn more about both the history and culture of Lao food, and that’s when he decided to launch his personal chef business, Saeng’s Kitchen and leverage social media to raise awareness about Lao cuisine. He may have started small, but he’s amassed over 700K followers and millions of views on his different social media channels.
We love how his work is educational, and it’s resonating with others. He’s been featured in numerous publications including Delish, Buzzfeed, the New York Times, and LA Times. He’s even won an episode of the TBS cooking competition show, Rat In The Kitchen. Chef Saeng is outspoken in advocating, uplifting, and raising awareness of the depth and wonder of Lao cuisine.
In our conversation, we talk about what Lao cuisine is known for, launching Saeng’s Kitchen, being Lao American, his upcoming book, and so much more. And yes, we do ask him to reflect on the Uncle Roger incident. To learn more about Saeng, or to be inspired by his recipe posts, blogs, and videos, we recommend visiting his website Saeng’s Kitchen, his YouTube Channel, or his Instagram page. You can even take a food tour to Laos with Saeng in October!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 13! Have you heard of Walter Tin Kit Achiu? He was the first Native Hawaiian and first Asian American to play in the National Football League. Although his career was groundbreaking, he’s largely been forgotten over time.
In this episode, we talk about his life, his football career, and what he did after he finished playing with the NFL’s Dayton Triangles (yes… that was really the name of the American football team he was part of). Nicknamed “Sneeze”, he was a high level athlete all his life and broke barriers on the football field and in the wrestling ring.
We begin the episode by talking about some current events (the sad passing of K.W. Lee and the happy green-lighting of the Crazy Rich Asians show on Max). And we end the episode with the recurring segment of What are We Listening To? This time, we talk about the new album Blood on the Silver Screen by singer Sasami as well as the audiobook Homicide and Halo-Halo written by Mia P. Manasala and voice acted by Danice Cabanela.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Current Events: K.W. Lee Passes Away and Crazy Rich Asians is Back!
- 05:54 The History and Career of Walter Tin Kit Achiu
- 14:32 What Are We Listening To? Sasami as well as Homicide and Halo Halo by Mia P. Manansala
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 12! Today’s conversation is with the amazing storyteller, activist, performer, and co-founder of the multicultural storytelling theater group Eth-Noh-Tec. Along with her real-life partner Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, Nancy co-founded Eth-Noh-Tec with a commitment to the preservation, revival, and performance of Asian and Asian American stories.
Nancy’s latest work is the novel Red Altar, a story based on her ancestor’s real-life challenges and triumphs in forming a new life in America. Red Altar began as a multimedia storytelling and stage production, and it’s an emotional re-telling of how her ancestors helped develop the fishing industry along the coast of California near the Monterey Bay despite facing racist people and policies.
In this conversation, we talk to Nancy about the development of the Red Altar performance, the challenges with adapting it to the book format, the relevance of the story in our challenging times in the U.S., other projects that Eth-No-Tec is working on, and so much more.
Red Altar is a great book, and it tells a part of Chinese American and Asian American history that isn’t well-known… and we hope you buy it. But DON’T buy it from Amazon. Purchase it from the Eth-Noh-Tec website so that they get the benefits. If you want to support Eth-Noh-Tec’s work, you can follow them on Instagram, make a donation to them, or go to one of their upcoming events.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 11!
We love dumplings, and we’re not alone in that opinion. We’re talking about asian dumplings… boiled, steamed, pan-fried, or deep-fried, there are a variety of dumplings all across Asia, and they are not only delicious but represent culture, family, and history.
In this episode, we discuss the history of dumplings, some different types across Asia, and some notable chefs and groups (like Din Tai Fung) who have done a lot to grow awareness and love for this amazing food. One of the most notable, of course, is Zhang Zhongjing, the believed creator of dumplings.
In our recurring segment, we introduce a new topic called Weird History where we talk about a weird moment in API history. Today we’re talking about the Boston Marathon’s ban on Korean runners.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro… Memories of Dumplings
- 07:22 The History of Dumplings
- 21:36 Weird History… Boston Marathon Bans Korean Runners
*Photos courtesy of the amazing Mary's Test Kitchen
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 10! This is Part 2 of Another Conversation with Award-Winning Comic Book Artist and Writer Sarah Myer. Last week (S05E09) we brought you part 1.
In this episode, we continue to focus on Cheer Up, Michael!, and Sarah shares how they researched for the series, gives us a few spoilers for future chapters of the story, talks about the transformation of Don, and so much more. As serious as the story can get, we really loved Cheer Up, Michael!, and we highly recommend you check it out, especially if you’re a Disney fan.
To learn more about Sarah, then go to their website, sarahmyer.net or Instagram @smeyercomics, and you can support Sarah through their online store where you can purchase originals and signed work.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 9! Our returning guest is Sarah Myer, the amazing, award-winning comic book artist and writer who is probably best known for her critically acclaimed and recognized graphic memoir, Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story, published by First Second Books.
However, they show their skills on so many other titles as well, including as the main artist on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures, colorist on TMNT vs Street Fighter, as well as a variant cover artist on TMNT Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen issues.
In this episode, we focus on one of Sarah’s passion projects, Cheer Up, Michael! This is their independent webcomic that they write and illustrate. Cheer Up, Michael! is a story that explores the idea of “What happens AFTER your dreams come true? It follows Michael Theodore Mouse (stage name: "Mickey") who feels lost. A huge star for decades, he's now the burnt out CEO of a massive company, and he longs for the happier days of his youth.
In Part 1, we discuss the origin of Cheer Up, Michael!, real-life experiences that have impacted the story, the balancing act of writing characters, and strategies for writing characters who have both affection and annoyance for the main character. Check out Cheer Up, Michael!, we highly recommend it (plus, it’s free)! To hear more about Sarah’s career, then please also listen to S04E24. To learn more about Sarah, then go to their website, sarahmyer.net or Instagram @smeyercomics, and you can support Sarah through their online store where you can purchase originals and signed work.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 8! Today’s episode impacts AANHPI communities, but it’s not necessarily solely focuses on our history. We’re going to talk about The History of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
This is an extremely scary topic to some people… especially the leaders of the Republican Party in the U.S. If you believe what they rant about, DEI is at the heart of unqualified candidates, accidents, and probably hurricanes. But when you listen closely, you’ll realize that as much as DEI has become a target, some of the people complaining the loudest actually don’t know much about it.
So we take a moment to explain what it is, the history, some myths, and the actual benefits and facts based on research. In our short recurring segment, we have a new one called The Message, where we give a short message… a call to action so to speak.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Explanation
- 01:29 The History of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- 20:17 The Message: Stay Actively Involved or Knowledgeable
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 7! Today’s guest is Fajer Saeed Ebrahim, a Senior Policy Manager at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, AKA NAPAWF. If you’re a longtime listener, then you’ll remember we were fortunate enough to bring in Sydelle Barreto, the Policy Manager NAPAWF to talk about Clocking Inequality back on Season 4, Episode 39! NAPAWF has been hard at work with their latest report entitled “Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Community: Understanding Barriers to Access in Georgia”.
Fajer is a skilled legal advocate with substantial experience in organizing, policy, and legislative advocacy related to reproductive rights and justice, racial equity, survivor justice, and immigrant healthcare. Prior to her work with NAPAWF, she was a senior advisor with the Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access; a consultant with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; a consultant with the Center for Reproductive Rights, as well as other stops.
NAPAWF is the only organization dedicated to uplifting and building power with AANHPI women and girls in the US. Employing a reproductive justice framework to guide their work, they use organizing, advocacy, and communications strategies to assert full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.
Working with the Emory University Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast (RISE), this latest report by NAPAWF seeks to uncover the systemic barriers Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women and gender-expansive individuals face in accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH).
We recommend you read the full report, donate to NAPAWF, stay informed, and take action.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 6! Today we’re talking about food (one of our favorite recurring themes). Specifically we’re going to talk about Egg Foo Young, a popular staple in Chinese American restaurants for generations. Egg Foo Young may not be as popular now as it used to be, but it still has a special place in the history of the Chinese diaspora.
In this episode, we discuss the Cantonese dish’s origin, it’s adaptation in the U.S. and across the globe, and how Colonialism played a part in transforming it… yep, even with food, we need to talk about Colonialism. We begin the episode with some current events, and we end it with our recurring segment on What Are We Watching. Today on WAWW, we talk about Interior Chinatown (playing on Hulu and starring Jimmy O. Yang, Chloe Bennet, and more) and XO, Kitty (playing on Netflix and starring Anna Cathcart, Anthony Keyvan, and more).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Current Events
- 03:17 The History of Egg Foo Young
- 16:10 What are We Watching: Interior Chinatown and XO, Kitty
Note: Above picture of Egg Foo Young is from Made with Lau
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 5! If you didn’t hear the last episode, then go do it! S05E04 is Part 1 of this conversation with Peter Tao, one of the co-founders of the award-winning architectural design firm in St. Louis, TAO + LEE Associates, Inc.
In this episode, we continue our conversation with Peter, AKA The Accidental Historian, and we talk more about how his family has supported his journey into researching and telling Chinese American history, his love of hockey (specifically the St. Louis Blues), the documentary Day One, his advice for people with historical artifacts or stories to tell, and so much more.
Peter also briefly mentions how he’s the current Board President of the OCA chapter in St. Louis. We recommend you check them out as well as the OCA National Center. And finally, don’t forget to support The Missouri Historical Society’s St. Louis Chinese American Collecting Initiative. They collect pictures and stories of Chinese Americans in St. Louis. You can donate money or contribute artifacts to help!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 4! Peter Tao and his real life partner Helen Lee are the force behind TAO + LEE Associates, Inc. an award winning St. Louis based design firm. They provide Architectural, Planning, Interiors, and Creative Design services for a diversity of project types, sizes & applications. Their projects have been built both domestically and internationally.
That alone would have interested us enough to have a conversation with Peter, but he’s also heavily involved in the St. Louis community, working to raise awareness of the history and stories of Chinese Americans and the greater Asian Pacific Americans who have lived in Missouri. Inspired to dig deeper to help honor his father’s centennial birthday back in 2017, Peter has gone on to write blogs, curate historical artifacts, and contribute to historical documents. One of his latest pieces is an essay entitled "Why Should We, the Chinese, Meet at the Fair?" in the book in the book The Wonder and Complexity of the 1904 World’s Fair.
His deep dive into family and Chinese American history resulted in him creating his site (and great nickname) The Accidental Historian. On the site, you can find pictures of his family’s history as well as posts about a variety of topics including The Life Balance Equation and There Were Chinese in the South? If that wasn’t enough, he’s still heavily involved in The Missouri Historical Society’s St. Louis Chinese American Collecting Initiative that collects pictures and stories of Chinese Americans in St. Louis. You can donate money or contribute artifacts to help!
In Part 1, we discuss architecture, how he got into history, things he’d like people to know about Chinese Americans in St. Louis, and more.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 3! We’re back with Part 2 of The History of Mahjong. Last episode we talked about the games origins and how it came to America.
In this episode, we discuss the rise of Jewish-American Mah-Jongg and how it was standardized and simplified in America by the National Mah-Jongg League. We also take time to talk about cultural appropriation and how the Asian American community has tried to reclaim the narrative of Mahjong as a connection to our culture.
We open the episode by talking about some current events that include the Philadelphia arena, the passing of Farewell to Manzanar author Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, and Moana 2. We close the episode with another addition to “What Are We Watching” as we discuss the movie Wicked, directed by the amazing Jon M. Chu.
To learn more about Mahjong, check out these two books: Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture by Annelise Heinz and Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora by Nicole Wong. Also checkout the Green Tile Social Club who are doing an incredible job of creating events and connecting the community in New York.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and talking about the Philadelphia arena project, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, and Moana 2
- 06:21 The History of Mahjong Part 2
- 16:30 What Are We Watching, Wicked
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 2! Most people are familiar with the game of Mahjong. Maybe their family or community plays it or maybe they’ve just seen it in the movies or TV. But most people have seen the tiles and heard the clacking.
This is part 1 of a 2 part series on The History of Mahjong. In this episode, we talk about the origin of Mahjong, how its popularity went up and down over the years, how it came to the U.S., and how it was received. We talk a little about the gameplay and how to win.
In our intro, we talk about some current events including passing of President Jimmy Carter and how you can help people recover from the Los Angeles fires. Some of the groups helping people include:
- GoFundMe has created their own official fund to help those affected by California Wildfires
- Red Cross
- United Way of Greater Los Angeles
- Emergency Network Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
- California Community Foundation
- World Central Kitchen
- Community Organized Relief Effort or CORE
We end this episode by bringing back another installment of Obscure Asian Pacific Comic Book Characters where we talk about Bengal, the Vietnamese vigilante by Marvel comics.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Talking about the LA Fires, Jimmy Carter, and the Golden Globes
- 04:56 The History of Mahjong, Part 1
- 15:02 Obscure Asian Pacific Comic Book Characters: Bengal
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 1! Happy New Year everyone! The Gregorian New Year, to be specific because the Lunar New Year is right around the corner… A new calendar year means a new season of our podcast. For our first episode of the new season, we want to highlight one of our favorite publishers, Third State Books. To do that, we’ve invited the Co-Founder and CEO of Third State Books, Stephanie Lim.
Prior to leading Third State Books, Stephanie spent many years in digital marketing and operations, first as a strategist for advertising clients at Google, then leading e-commerce teams and managing multi-million-dollar advertising budgets for retail brands that include ModCloth, Bebe, and S by Serena (Serena Williams’s eponymous fashion label). She loves literary classics, guilty-pleasure genre fiction, fanfic, and children’s books.
Third State Books is the first publishing house that’s 100% focused on bringing Asian American voices, stories, and issues to audiences. They do that through a variety of books that encompass fiction and non-fiction. We highly recommend all of their current publications that include Fighting to Belong! (written by Amy Chu and Alexander Chang and illustrated by Louie Chin), Edison (written by Pallavi Sharma Dixit), Pride and Preston Lin (written by Christina Hwang Dudley), as well as What in the World is Ezra’s Art (by Shay Fan and Eric Toda), and we can’t wait for the 2025 books that they’ve planned.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 53! This is it! Our Season 4 year in review. In this episode we talk about the following…
"Interesting topics we hope people listen to”. These are topics that need way more attention.
- E48 and E49, The History of Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada, Part 1 and Part 2
- E46, The History of Asian American Clubs and the Punk Rock Scene
- E28, The History of George Helm Jr. and Kaho’olawe Island
“Topics we learned the most about”. These are topics that we knew almost nothing about before researching.
- E2, The History of the Paniolo AKA The Hawaiian Cowboy
- E38, The History of Activist Tye Leung Schulze
- E26, The History of Instant Ramen
“Thought-provoking conversations everyone should listen to”. These are the conversations that made us think deeply.
- E29, A Conversation with Activists and Co-Owners of Eastwind Books Bea and Harvey Dong
- E35, A Conversation with Clinical Psychologist, Educator, and Author Dr. Helen Hsu, the author of The Healing Trauma WorkBook for Asian Americans
- E22, A Conversation with Award-Winning Editor and Author Karen Yin, the author of The Conscious Style Guide
“Conversations we wish we had another hour for”. These are the conversations that flew by and we want to bring back the guest for more.
- E27, A Conversation with Author and Educator Chad Soon, author of The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey
- E6, E14, and E43, Actors Perry Yung, Chen Tang, and Jaylee Hamidi
- E13, A Conversation with Educator, Speaker, and Author Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn, Author of Exclusion and the Chinese American Story
- E20, A Conversation with Author and Filmmaker Professor William Gow, author of Performing Chinatown: Hollywood, Tourism, and the Making of a Chinese American Community
- E24, A Conversation with Comic Book Artist and Writer Sarah Myer, Author of Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story
- We were also fortunate enough to bring back some returning guests and go deeper into our conversations. These guests who gave us the gift of a second conversation included Grace Lin, Nidhi Chanani, and Karen Yin
Another season in the books. Now it’s time for Season 5! Thanks for listening and supporting us.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Introduction
- 01:41 Season 4 Year in Review
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 52! Happy Holidays! This is an ICYMI Encore Episode of S03E49, Christmas Traditions in Asia and the Pacific Islands. Christmas is a holiday that can be celebrated in a religious or secular way. So how is it celebrated in Asia and the Pacific Islands? In this episode, we discuss some of the unique traditions and foods you might find in countries across Asia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Some of the traditions are pretty interesting and fun. Spoilers… we spend a little extra time talking about the Philippines because they LOVE Christmas!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 51! Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony was the first Japanese settlement in America, but it’s so much more than that. Their story is a slice of American history that highlights the struggles immigrants often faced when trying to establish themselves in a new culture without much support.
In this episode we talk about the socio-political environment in Japan that led a small group of Japanese (and one German) to move to American and begin the first Japanese settlement. We share some of their struggles and lasting impact. A lot of their history would have remained hidden without the efforts of the American River Conservancy who now manage the Wakamatsu Farm and work tirelessly to preserve the farm and the surrounding area. That’s not all ARC does, of course, so we urge you to learn more about their programs and Donate to ARC in general or Donate to Wakamatsu Farm specifically.
In our opening, we celebrate the opening of the T&T Supermarket in Bellevue, Washington.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events: T&T Supermarket Comes to the U.S.
- 03:45 The History of Wakamatsu Farm
- 20:47 Organizations to Support: The American River Conservancy
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 50! Today’s guest is Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan… she is an author, university faculty member, and former K-8 teacher. She directs the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center at San Diego State University (SDSU), which raises awareness of issues facing Asian Americans, celebrates APIDA culture, and amplifies APIDA contributions. At SDSU, she also led the Liberal Studies program and co-founded the APIDA Employee Resource Group.
Beyond SDSU, Dr. Loh-Hagan is an author. To say she’s a “prolific author” wouldn’t do her justice, because she’s authored over 400 books on diverse topics that include Asian American heritage, women’s issues, and quirky subjects like urban legends and monsters. Some of her notable works include A is for Asian American, The Jade Dragon, and Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America. Her writing also spans multiple series, such as My Itty-Bitty Bio Series, Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient World, and Urban Legends (Don’t Read Alone!).
In advocacy, she co-leads The Asian American Education Project, which develops curriculum and professional training for K-12 schools to provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of APIDA history. Their work bridges education, literature, and activism, exploring themes from exclusion to acceptance. On their site, they state that “By showcasing the struggles and triumphs of Asian Americans over the course of two centuries, our lesson plans amplify the importance and voices of this growing, integral segment of the U.S. population in building the country into what it is today and can become tomorrow, together as Americans. It is important for all Americans, young and old, to join in on this learning experience.”
They helped create the amazing graphic novel Fighting to Belong! written by Amy Chu and Alexander Chang, and illustrated by Louie Chin. Published by Third State Books, the graphic novel was a collaboration between The Asian American Education Project and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Volume 1 is out now, Volume 2 will be coming soon, and Volume 3 is planned.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 49! In this episode, we continue sharing about the Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada. We discuss the different politicians who promoted exclusion as well as the people and groups that helped lead to the end of the exclusion laws.
Yes, there were several groups and individuals who fought against exclusion laws even before they passed. And their work helped lead to the ending of the Chinese Exclusion Laws in 1947. Immigration for Chinese improved after that, but things didn’t really change for Chinese immigrants until Canada enacted immigration reform in the 1960s. We’ll talk all about that.
We begin the episode with some celebrations and we close it out with a new recurring segment called “What I Find Annoying” where we talk about Uncle Roger.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events
- 03:51 The History of Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada, Part 2
- 20:20 What I Find Annoying: Uncle Roger
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 48! Chinese Exclusion Laws were a dark moment in U.S. history… but they were also a dark moment in Canadian history. Chinese immigrants in Canada helped support the economy in a variety of ways including providing labor for growing food, being part of the fishing industry, and building the railroad. However, they also faced racism and xenophobia that culminated in a series of Chinese Exclusion Laws.
These laws may have been passed by lawmakers, but white dominated labor unions, community groups, Canadian media, women’s groups, and key individuals were all supporters of exclusion, and they pressured the government to do something about keeping Canada pure and white. This is part 1 of a series on the history of these Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada. We’ll share some of the history of Chinese immigration to Canada as well as the various groups that supported exclusion. We also talk about the impact that U.S. politics had on the Canadian decisions.
This episode begins with current events, and we close out by talking about The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia, a group that helps people understand the history of the Chinese in British Columbia through research, documentation, preservation, and education. They also take donations to support the community… like rebuilding the Lytton Chinese History Museum after it was burned down.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Celebrations of Shohei Ohtani, Y. Michelle Kang, Sirish Subash, and Sophia Park
- 04:18 The History of Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada, Part 1
- 18:15 Organizations to Know: The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 47! Today’s guest is another popular Top Chef Alum, Chef Nini Nguyen. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Chef Nini has made a name for herself in the culinary world through her food as well as her appearances on TV and on social media. She is known for blending authentic Vietnamese flavors with a generous nod to the foods she grew up eating in New Orleans.
The desire to learn and push herself is strong in Chef Nini. She appeared on Top Chef Season 16 in Kentucky as well as Top Chef All-Stars, Season 17 in Los Angeles. She has also participated in other competitions like the Tournament of Champions Season 5, along with some of the best chefs in the world), as well as Last Bite Hotel. In addition to TV and social media appearances, she is known for her recipe development and work as an instructor.
Her latest milestone is the release of her first cookbook, Đặc Biệt: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook, which was released on August 27, 2024. Filled with her spin on Vietnamese food with a twist to make it even more Đặc Biệt (special), Chef Nini interweaves the cookbook with personal stories, bits of history, and tips and tricks for becoming a better cook. Chef Nini is a talented chef and wonderful person. To find out more about Chef Nini, you can find her at chefnininguyen.com or on instagram @chefnininguyen... and check out her cookbook Đặc Biệt… It’s truly special!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Above photo credit to Kimberly Ha
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 46! Punk Rock was most popular in the mid- to late-1970s through the middle of the 1980s. Although it hit its peak for only about a decade, it captured the public’s imagination in that time with it’s anti-establishment, in-your-face, DIY style. The bands didn’t achieve success on their own though. Asian American clubs on the West Coast were a huge reason for the growth of the Punk Rock scene.
In this episode, we talk about three of the most influential clubs in California to give punk rock bands a chance: Madame Wong’s and Cathay de Grande in Los Angeles as well as Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco. These clubs and their owners… Esther Wong, Ruby Chou, and Ness Aquino… all transformed their restaurants into clubs that served up culture-rich food and hardcore punk.
We open the episode by talking about the LA Dodgers win and our memories of punk rock music. In our recurring segment we bring back the API Guide to the NHL where we talk about the National Hockey League players of Asian Pacific descent so listeners who to root for.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Dodgers Win the World Series and Talking Punk Rock
- 05:51 The History of Asian American Clubs and the Punk Rock and New Wave Scenes
- 25:54 The API Guide to the NHL 24-25 Edition
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 45! We have a returning guest! We were so excited for the chance to bring back award-winning author and editor Karen Yin to our show. Last time we really focused on her editing career and her newest book The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers. In today’s conversation, we get a chance to dive into her work in picture books.
Her children’s books include Whole Whale, So Not Ghoul, and Doug the Pug and the Kindness Crew. Her next release will be Nice to Eat You which will be released by Scholastic in Summer 2025. We got a chance to talk to her about each of these books while also hearing about some behind the scenes perspectives on connecting with illustrators, getting the green light on projects, adding morals and diversity to children’s literature, puns, and more.
If you want to purchase Karen Yin’s picture books or want to learn more about how you can develop your practice with conscious language, then find Karen’s work here, visit her personal website, bookmark the Conscious Style Guide website, join the Conscious Language and Design Facebook group, and follow her on Instagram (@karensoffice and @consciousstyleguide).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 44! We love eating a good Bánh Mì. The combo of fresh veggies, spice, savory protein, crunchy elements, fresh herbs, and acidic pickles makes for a satisfying meal. There’s a reason it’s so popular across the globe as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner item. In this episode, we discuss the history of French colonialism in Việt Nam and how the foods they brought in were adapted to become this iconic sandwich. And bonus! You get to hear our attempts at pronouncing Vietnamese names and words.
We open the episode with a shout-out to the Dodgers World Series run as well as Natalie Nakase’s WNBA accomplishment. Then we weigh in on the Bobba controversy. We end this episode with one of our favorite recurring segments… Obscure API Comic Book Characters where we talk about I-Ching from the DC Comics Universe. Hear how this hero helped Wonder Woman, Superman, and more.
Photo courtesy of The Viet Vegan.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Dodgers in World Series, Natalie Nakase, and Bobba
- 09:59 The History of the Bánh Mì Vietnamese Sandwich
- 30:52 Obscure API Comic Book Characters, I-Ching
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 43! Today’s guest is Jaylee Hamidi who is best known for their acting, but is also both a writer and painter. Jaylee was born in Shanghai, China, but moved to Canada and now lives in Vancouver. They are a queer, gender-fluid, Chinese-Kurdish-Iranian creative professional.
They currently can be seen in their breakout recurring role as Allie in the Hulu, ABC Onyx show “How to Die Alone”, created and lead by actress Natasha. We love how Jaylee plays the character of Allie with candor and wisdom. In scenes with the main character Mel, they bond over the fact that they’re on similar life paths of falling in love with their whole selves and not settling for anything or anyone less.
In this episode’s conversation, we talk about representation, Jaylee’s writing, their paintings, building chemistry in acting, their hopes for future storylines on Allie, and so much more. Enjoy the conversation!
Quick note: Due to some technical difficulties during the recording of the conversation, the audio cut out on a few of Jaylee’s responses. We apologize for any confusion that may result from this.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Photo Credit of Jaylee Hamidi: Fortiv
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 42! It’s another installment of Most Forgotten Massacres. Today we’re going to talk about the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State. Although the discrimination and violence occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, the tension had been building for a few decades because the dislike of Asian laborers can be traced back to the Chinese during the Gold Rush and railroad days, the Japanese in the agricultural fields, and the South Asians in agriculture and lumber mills. For Filipinos in Washington State, many of them came in as U.S. Nationals, but they became labeled as Aliens after a few years.
In this episode, we share some of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that led to the violence against Filipino laborers in Washington. Predominantly occurring in Yakima Valley, Seattle, and Bremerton, the events highlighted a widespread problem that was exacerbated by politicians, labor leaders, nativist groups, and the media.
In our opening we talk about Shohei Ohtani and the LA Dodgers as well as Adele Lim and the Princess Diaries 3. In our recurring segment, we talk about the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. They do a lot of advocacy and empowerment work. You can learn more or donate on their website.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro: Talking Shohei Ohtani and Adele Lim on Princess Diaries 3
- 05:50 The History of the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State
- 28:14 Organizations to Know: National Federation of Filipino American Associations
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 41! We have two guests today… award-winning author Kyo Maclear and award-winning illustrator Gracey Zhang. Their latest collaboration is the whimsical picture book Noodles on a Bicycle published by Penguin Random House Children’s. It was released on August 27, 2024, so you can go out and get it now. It’s a great book that provides a historical snapshot into Tokyo’s bicycle food delivery people, or demae who were amazingly skilled at balancing a tower of hot noodle soup bowls on their shoulders while steering their bicycle through the crowded city streets.
Based on memories from Kyo’s childhood, the book is the perfect pairing of poetic words and detailed, captivating illustrations. In our conversation, Kyo and Gracey meet for the first time and share about their careers, their latest collaboration, what they enjoy about working with each other, and so much more. For more on Kyo Maclear, visit her children’s book site, non-children’s site, and instagram @kyomaclear. You can see more of Gracey Zhang’s work on her website or instagram @graceyyz.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 40! You may not know what a steel guitar is, but once you hear the sound it makes, we guarantee you’ve heard music where it’s used. Originating in Hawaii, the steel guitar has gone on to spark innovation and integration into bluegrass, blues, jazz, country, and more.
In this episode, we share the origins of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar as well as some of the key players and events that made Hawaiian music so popular in the early 1900s. To learn more, we recommend checking out recordings of Sol Ho’opi’i, King Nawahi, Kalama’s Quartet, Sam Ku West, and other masters of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar. You can also read the book Kika Kila: How the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Changed the Sound of Modern Music by John Troutman.
We also take time to discuss the big night of Emmy wins for Shōgun as well as the historic season for Shohei Ohtani. We close out this episode by talking about what we’re watching… DiDi the movie and Sarah Kinsley in concert.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking about Shōgun and Shohei Ohtani
- 03:10 The History of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar
- 19:16 What Are We Watching? The Movie Didi and Sarah Kinsley in Concert
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 39! Our guest today is Sydelle Barreto, the Policy Manager of The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. The NAPAWF (pronounced “NAP-off”) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls in the United States.
Founded in 1996 by a group of 100 AAPI women, these “founding sisters” came together to establish an organization that would amplify AAPI women’s stories and experiences. They recognized that the voices of AAPI women all too often went unseen and unheard, so they founded NAPAWF to center their lived experiences within the broader public narrative.
NAPAWF focuses on four key issues that include: Reproductive Health and Rights, Economic Justice and Equal Pay, Immigrant Rights, and Racial Justice. They recently published a report called Clocking Inequality: Understanding Economic Inequity, the Wage Gap, and Workplace Experiences of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Women. It’s amazing what you discover when you disaggregate the data on the AANHPI community when you’re researching wage gaps.
In this conversation, we talk to Sydelle about her journey to NAPAWF, the Clocking Inequality report, some of the key details, the policies we can adopt at the federal and local levels to support the AANHPI community, and what we can do as individuals to support change. To learn more, read the Clocking Inequality report, visit the NAPAWF website, and follow them on Instagram @napawf.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 38! The U.S. elections are coming up, so it’s a fitting time to talk about the activist and suffragist Tye Leung Schulze. She broke barriers, but her life went far beyond being the first Chinese American woman to vote in a U.S. election.
So in this episode, we go into more of the details of her incredible life and the the challenges she faced and overcame. To learn more about her as well as the lives of Chinese American women at that time, we highly recommend watching the Unladylike 2020 episode on her or the book Unbound Voices by Judy Yung.
We open this episode by talking about some of the celebrations for people like Actress and Producer Sandra Oh and Paralympic champion Alice Tai. We close out the episode by talking about what we’re listening to. Gen is listening to Sarah Kinsley’s new album Escaper and Ted is listening to the audiobook Arsenic and Adobo by author Mia P. Manansala... and we highly recommend both!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Celebrations… Sandra Oh, Alice Tai, Shogun, and Jessica Pegula
- 06:33 The History of Activist Tye Leung Schulze
- 20:32 What Are We Listening To? Audiobook of Arsenic and Adobo and Sarah Kinsley’s New Album Escaper
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 37! Our guest this episode is the talented watercolorist, comic artist, and writer, Tony Moy. We first met Tony at the 2024 WonderCon in Anaheim when he was part of a panel on using comic books to help fight anti-Asian hate… a panel moderated by Stephanie Lim of Third State Books that also featured Amy Chu and Sarah Myer (we had a chance to speak to Amy on S04E08 and Sarah on S04E24 so check those episodes out).
Tony’s art is beautiful and vibrant. He’s done incredible covers and artwork focused on a variety of properties like Marvel, Star Wars, Studio Ghibli, and more. And he has also worked on his own stories and art. Our favorite series that he’s working on is called The 4Forty2nd, and it focuses on the heroic stories of the 100th and 442nd Regimental Combat Teams made up of Japanese Americans during WWII. They faced intense discrimination and incarceration and became the most decorated combat unit of their size in U.S. history.
We’re big believers in the need for diverse stories… and just like Tony Moy… we believe the true life heroic stories of Japanese American soldiers is something that needs more exposure. If you happen to be at New York Comic Con (October 17-20), then you can pick-up an ultra limited edition that collects the first three episodes of The 4Forty2nd (you can see the cover below). We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he publishes a graphic novel (or two or three) with all the stories on the 442nd RCT.
We talk about his watercolor style, what inspired him to write The 4Forty2nd, how he researches, and so much more! To see more of Tony’s work, visit his website, go to The 4Forty2nd homepage or Webtoons site, and check out his Instagram. The 4Forty2nd is free on Webtoons, so it would be great if you also consider supporting him on Patreon.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 36! It’s time to talk about iconic Asian candies again! These are candies and confections that originated in Asia but have meant a lot to people worldwide in the Asian diaspora. Today we’re here to share the history of Botan Rice Candy and Dragon’s Beard Candy.
Have you tried either? We think they’re worth looking for if you haven’t. Both are generally vegan and gluten-free, so they’re good for most people. If you have a nut allergy, you should avoid Dragon’s Beard, or you can make it yourself without nuts. If you like celebrating iconic Asian Candies, then check out S03E44 where we talk about White Rabbit and Kopiko as well as S03E47 where we talk about Hi-Chew and Haw Flakes.
To begin the episode, we catch-up on a few current events including the Paralympics. In our recurring segment, we have another installment of “What Are We Watching?”, and we wax poetic about the Acolyte on Disney+ and Pachinko on Apple TV+.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking Koda Farms, Asian Taste, and Paralympics
- 06:27 The History of Iconic Asian Candies: Botan Rice Candy and Dragon’s Beard
- 19:52 What Are We Watching? The Acolyte and Pachinko
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 35! We often read to learn new information or to be entertained (or both). But we also love reading to improve ourselves, which is what we did with The Conscious Style Guide by Award-winning Editor and Author Karen Yin (S04E22). Today’s guest is Dr. Helen Hsu, whose new book is The Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans published by New Harbinger. It was released in July and is informative, inspirational, and empowering. Dr. Hsu accomplishes that by creating an easy-to-use workbook that is segmented into concepts with an activity or question to make you reflect deeply and consider solutions. We really enjoyed going through the workbook and learned a lot about ourselves and how we react to stressors.
Dr. Helen Hsu is a clinical psychologist, educator, and author, and she is currently the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Director of Outreach, and a lecturer at Stanford University. With more than 20 years of experience through K-12 public schools, private practice, geriatric care, hospice, university counseling, and community-based health center, Helen also founded Hella Mental Health… an organization that’s devoted to nourishing the overall well-being and mental health of BIPOC communities through education and empowerment.
Hella is dedicated to lifelong learning of cultural humility and works with an anti-racist, LGBTQ+ affirming perspective. The workbook is the same way, which is apparent as you go through the activities and questions in it. Whether you realize it or not, so many people of AANHPI descent have experienced trauma in their backgrounds, and leveraging The Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans can be a significant step towards healing and change.
In our conversation, we talk about Dr. Helen Hsu’s background, the decision to create a workbook, the inspiration for Hella Mental Health, how intergenerational trauma works, the use of mantras, and so much more. We hope you go out and get The Healing Trauma Workbook for Asian Americans, visit Hella Mental Health, or follow her work on Instagram or YouTube.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 34! In today’s episode we share The History of the Fight for the I-Hotel. August 26, 2024 will mark 19 years since the new International Hotel opened their doors. But do you know what happened to the old I-Hotel? It’s amazing how the community, civil rights activists, residents, and others came together to help fight for the rights of the people living in the I-Hotel who were predominantly Filipino and Chinese laborers.
As terrible as the decades-long fight was for the residents of the I-Hotel, there were some positive outcomes that still help promote the rights of low-income seniors and their right to affordable quality housing. Additionally, the fight for the I-Hotel was a key moment in bringing together Asian Americans from a variety of groups to fight for a common cause… something that we can all use more of. To learn more about the International Hotel, you can watch the award-winning The Fall of the I-Hotel by Curtis Choy or read the award-winning I Hotel by Karen Tei Yamashita. And finally, there's a new book by Emil De Guzman called Red Sky: Recollections of the International Hotel, and it's published by the amazing Eastwind Books.
To close this episode we celebrate some of the API athletes who won in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro Discussing Hotels
- 07:09 The History of the Fight for the I-Hotel
- 34:10 Celebrations: Asian Pacific Olympic Highlights
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 33! One of our favorite guests is back for another conversation… it’s award-winning author, illustrator Nidhi Chanani who returns to share a little about her upcoming picture book Quiet Karima that will be released on October 8, 2024. It’s a beautifully painted book that is about Karima, who taps into the magic and music in the world when she’s quiet.
If you’re unfamiliar with Nidhi, just know that she’s an amazing illustrator, author, and artist. She writes and illustrates picture books, graphic novels, and more. Some of our favorite books by Nidhi include Pashmina, Super Boba Cafe, the Shark Princess Series, and What Will My Story Be?
In this episode, we take time to get an update on Super Boba Cafe 2, talk about her recent vacation, discuss doing work for Disney, contemplate being an ambivert, talk about the upcoming Quiet Karima, and so much more. Looking for more of Nidhi? Then we recommend that you listen to our last conversation with Nidhi S03E41, pre-order Quiet Karima, get Super Boba Cafe (or any of her other books), follow her on Instagram @nidhiart, and visit her website, Every Day Love Art.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 32! Do you know who the first Asian Pacific American Olympic champions were? We didn’t know, so we researched, and are here to share it with you! In this episode we talk about the lives of Duke Kahanamoku, Vicki Manalo Draves, and Sammy Lee, our first Asian Pacific American Olympic heroes.
It’s amazing what each of them overcame to be able to represent the United States in the Olympic Games… and not just represent but become champions. Their accomplishments should be part of the curriculum in every school in the U.S. because in so many ways, they embody what we think of when we talk about the American Dream. To learn more, here are some media to help you:
- Waterman, a film about Duke Kahanamoku that was directed by Isaac Halasima
- Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku by David Davis
- Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku by Ellen Crowe
- Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo
- The Story of Olympic Diver Sammy Lee by Paula Yoo
- Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes (includes a section on Vicki Manalo Draves) by Mia Wenjen
In our recurring segment, we talk about what we’ve been reading, and Ted shares some thoughts about The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Asian Pacific American Olympic Update
- 06:51 The History of Asian Pacific American Olympic Champions: Duke Kahanamoku, Vicki Manalo Draves, and Sammy Lee
- 30:23 What are We Reading? The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F. Kuang
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 31! Have you ever wondered why Vietnamese Americans seem to dominate the nail salon industry in America? Although not all Vietnamese Americans are nail technicians, there are enough to make up approximately 50% of the nail technicians in the $8 billion per year American nail industry.
It all started with the celebrity activist, Tippi Hedren, an actress known for being in The Birds, Marnie, and many more features. She has made an effort to work on a variety of causes throughout her life, and that includes helping the Vietnamese American refugees starting in 1975. In this episode, we share the origin of the Vietnamese American Nail Salons. To learn more, check out the documentary by Adele Pham called Nailed It!
We open the episode by talking a little about AAPI athletes in the Olympics, API Emmy nominees, and other current events. In our recurring segment we introduce “So Annoying” where we take a topic that annoys us and talk about it. Today we’re talking about people who question the meat in Asian restaurants.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro, current events, catching up
- 09:09 The Origin of Vietnamese Nail Salons
- 19:55 So Annoying, Accusations of Dog Meat in Asian Food
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 30! This is an ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) encore rebroadcast of The History of Chop Suey Fonts from S03E18. It was a favorite of ours to research because it amazes us how something not created by Asian Pacific Islanders has become so closely aligned to our businesses.
We’ve all seen them. Typefaces that signal an ethnic establishment. For businesses, especially restaurants that sell Asian food, it’s not unusual to see the use of a “Chop Suey Font”. These fonts have also been used for politics, advertising, media, and other businesses. Whether named Chop Suey, Wonton, or any number of mimicry typefaces, using these fonts sends a message that it’s a place that’s exotic, foreign, yet somehow accessible. We discuss the history of these fonts and whether they’re racist.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 00:59 The History of Chop Suey Fonts
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 29! Eastwind Books has been an institution in Berkeley as well as a pioneer for Asian American and multicultural bookstores across the country. The co-owners, Bea and Harvey Dong have been longtime activists in the Asian American community, so we were honored to get a chance to have them on as guests to talk about their lives. The work of activists like Bea and Harvey make our podcast possible. One episode was never going to be enough to cover everything they’ve done, but we did our best to connect on some major topics.
Bea and Harvey take time to talk to us about their early activism in the 1960s and 70s, how they met, the start of Eastwind Books, the importance of becoming a publisher, and more. We’re so glad that they are continuing to give voice to the voiceless, even if their physical location closed in 2023. Patrons can still purchase books on the Eastwind Books website and subscribe to their newsletter to hear about their latest community events and publications.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 28! George Helm Jr. was a Native Hawaiian musician, activist, and passionate leader. He believed in Hawaiian sovereignty and protecting the land… embodying the values of Aloha ʻāina perfectly. Known for his beautiful falsetto voice and articulate reasoning, he was a founding member of the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana (the PKO or ‘Ohana for short) grassroots organization that was determined to save Kaho’olawe Island from years of decline at the hands of invasive animals, plants, and U.S. military weapons testing.
In this episode, we talk about the history of George Helm Jr., Kaho’olawe Island, and some of the other activists who spent years trying to end the military abuse of the island. The organization they started in the mid-1970s, Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana, still exists to this day, and continues to clean up all the bullets, bomb fragments, missiles, grenades, and more that were tested on Kaho’olawe. Visit the PKO site and see how you can help through donation, volunteering, and sharing their story.
To learn more about George Helm, the PKO created a video about him and Kaho‘olawe that’s available on YouTube. There’s also a great award-winning short film about him called Hawaiian Soul, the book Ho’i Ho’i Hou: A tribute to George Helm & Kimo Mitchell by Rodney Morales, and George’s posthumous album True Hawaiian.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 01:22 Intro
- 02:03 The History of George Helm Jr. and Kaho’olawe Island
- 29:20 Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 27 and Happy Canada Day (if you're reading this on July 1)! In this episode, we share a conversation with Chad Soon, an educator from Vernon, British Columbia, and the author of the book The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey. The book is written for middle grade students… which is a great age for getting started reading diverse stories… and it’s illustrated by Amy Qi. The Longest Shot is available for purchase in both hardcover and Epub formats through Orca Book Publishers, Amazon, Apple Books, and other booksellers.
In the book, Chad has created an engaging retelling of Larry’s life, the racism he faced, his various accomplishments, and his positive attitude throughout his challenges and triumphs. Chad also shares stories of how he learned about Larry, what it was like becoming friends with him, why Larry deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, which other players of Asian Pacific Islander descent are inspiring, and so much more. As Chad mentions in our conversation, Larry Kwong’s career and life are defined by more than just the single shift he was allowed to play for the New York Rangers in 1948.
You can learn more about The Longest Shot through the Instagram account @larrykwongbook and more about Chad through his personal account @soondatkwong. We highly recommend getting a copy of The Longest Shot for yourself, your kids, and anyone who wants to be inspired by a story of success in the face of racism.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 26! Is there a more universal convenience food eaten across the world than instant ramen? We’re not sure, but instant ramen has to be pretty high up as the most popular convenience food, and it’s not just for college students and people looking for a cheap, fast meal. In this episode, we share the history of instant ramen, popularized through Momofuku Ando and his company, Nissin Foods.
Why did Ando want to create instant ramen? What were some of the innovations that led to instant ramen’s success? Who are some of the major companies selling instant ramen and cup ramen? We discuss these questions and more including how instant ramen has continued to innovate with changing habits and preferences across the globe. In our recurring segment, “What Are We Listening To” returns as we share a few more Asian Pacific musicians to support. We talk about Young the Giant’s Live Across America 2023 album, Raveena's new album Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain, and Charli XCX’s release of Brat.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events
- 07:02 The History of Instant Ramen
- 27:33 What Are We Listening To? Young the Giant, Raveena, and CharliXCX
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 25! Sometimes making space for diverse voices isn’t about the realms of music, theater, TV, movies, or fictional literature… it’s about hearing diverse voices in research and academia. We definitely encourage that… so it’s with excitement that we could bring on Dr. Kelly Fong to our show. She’s an author, community historian, and archaeologist who studies artifacts and oral histories to create a better understanding of communities.
Her latest published work is an essay entitled “Conditional but Essential Contingency” which was part of the collection Conditionally Accepted: Navigating Higher Education from the Margins, edited by Eric Joy Denise and Bertin Louis Jr., and published by University of Texas Press. It’s a great essay by Kelly, and it really adds to the book’s overall narrative of the trends and challenges facing BIPOC scholars in academic institutions today. We recommend the book not just for Dr. Fong’s contribution to it, but for all the essays… And if you purchase it from University of Texas Press with the code UTXSUMMER, then you get 40% off!
Dr. Kelly Fong holds a Ph.D. in archaeology from UCLA with a graduate concentration in Asian American Studies. Her interdisciplinary work bridges her interest in Asian American social histories, community-based histories, and historical archaeology to examine everyday life through materials and memories left behind. Dr. Fong is involved with several research projects.
Dr. Fong is working in a position as an instructor and staff member at UCLA in Asian American Studies, but she also balances that with her archaeological work, researching the Five Chinatowns in Los Angeles, collaborating with peers on community histories, and even providing historical context as a guest on the TV show “Take Out with Lisa Ling.” We talk about many of these things as well as, some challenges contingent faculty face (including research on the increasing percentage of the use of contingent faculty in universities by AAUP), tips for breaking out of “muted invisibility, how alumni and students can help improve the situation, and so much more.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 24! In this episode, we share a conversation with Sarah Myer, the Eisner Award nominated author and illustrator of the graphic memoir Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story, published by First Second Books. Other than the Eisner Awards, their work with Monstrous has gained attention with an L.A. Times Book Prize nomination and multiple starred reviews and recognition from a variety of places including a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, a Kirkus Best Teen and YA Graphic Literature of 2023, and numerous Best of 2023 lists.
Sarah has also completed extensive work with IDW Publishing. They are currently the illustrator and cover artist of several comic issues of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures. Previously they were the colorist of TMNT vs Street Fighter and TMNT: Saturday Morning Adventures comics, as well as a variant cover artist of TMNT Usagi Yojimbo: WhereWhen issues. Additionally, Sarah is the writer and illustrator of their independent webcomic Cheer Up, Michael!
Sarah’s previous work includes Hello Kitty & Friends Coloring Book through VIZ Media and the Ringo Award Nominated Anthology Votes for Women: The Battle for the 19th Amendment published by Little Red Bird Press. In Votes for Women, they wrote and illustrated the installment “Asian American Exclusion.” We are also fans of Sarah’s first graphic novel Maker Comics: Create a Costume! also published by First Second Books. You can keep up with updates on Sarah’s work on her website sarahmyer.net and instagram @smyercomics. Buy Monstrous! It’s amazing!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 23! Today we’re talking to Steven Wu, the Organizing and Policy Director at Woori Juntos. We’re big believers in intersectionality and allyship, and so are they! The name Woori Juntos, combines two words in Korean and Spanish, that when combined mean “to rise together." On their website, they say the name “reflects the location of our organization in an area of Houston that has been heavily influenced by both communities and the rooting of our work in solidarity, inclusion, and collaboration. Woori Juntos focuses on meeting the needs of and organizing low-income seniors, youth, and families. Our first coalition partner was the Workers Defense Project, an organization that works with low-income immigrants in the Latiné community. Our name honors these origins.”
Woori Juntos ensures Asians, immigrants, and all Texans have language access to health and social services and are civically engaged to achieve equity and justice for all. They have a variety of campaigns that center on Citizenship Justice, Civic Engagement, and Language Justice. To do that, they provide resources for citizenship, food insecurity, and more.
Although they’re located in Houston, Texas, what they’re doing encompasses important issues that we see across the country. If you’re in the Houston area, there are a variety of programs that you can join to volunteer or work at Woori Juntos. If you’re outside the Houston area, you can donate to help them continue making an impact.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 22! We love learning. One area that is ever changing, that we want to learn more about is the world of language… specifically the context which impacts the language choices we make for communication. That’s why we were so excited to invite award-winning author and editor Karen Yin to our show. Karen’s latest book is The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers.
The Conscious Style Guide will be available on May 28, 2024… so now! Anyone who communicates… which means everyone… could learn from this book, because it’s a valuable resource to help you create practices towards the use of more empathetic, conscious language. And if you listen to this episode right away, then you have the chance to pre-order the book and get 20% off when you purchase the ConsciousStyle Guide through Tertulia and use code “STYLE”… but the deal is only good through May 28th. Even without a discount, we think the book is 100% worth it.
In 2017, the American Copy Editors Society (ACES) awarded Karen the Robinson Prize, an honor that’s given to the editor of the year. At that time, she was only the second person of color to win it. In addition to editing, she founded the Conscious Style Guide website and the Conscious Language and Design Facebook group. You can also check out her award-winning children’s books that include Whole Whale, So Not Ghoul, and Doug the Pug and the Kindness Crew. Her next release will be Nice to Eat You which will be published by Scholastic in 2025. Additionally, her short story “My Kinda Sorta Badass Move” was published in Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities an anthology of stories that center and celebrate the multiracial and multicultural experience.
If you want to read more of Karen Yin’s creative work or want to learn more about how you can develop your practice with conscious language, then get Karen’s books, visit her personal website, bookmark the Conscious Style Guide website, join the Conscious Language and Design Facebook group, and follow her on Instagram (@karensoffice and @consciousstyleguide).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
(Top Photo Credit of Karen Yin to Paul Beauchemin)
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 21! It’s time for the 2024 STAATUS Index published by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) with partnership from Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change (LAAUNCH), AAPI Data, and the Asian American Research Initiative.
This annual survey is a social tracking and national assessment of attitudes and stereotypes towards Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. In this episode, we review the report and provide an overview of it. We also dig into each of the sections and reflect on responses. As always, we highly recommend that you download the STAATUS Index and read it yourself. It’s very well written with easily accessible information, so don’t be afraid that it’s data-rich.
In our recurring segment we ask “What’s Going On?” as we reflect on the sheer number of Asian Pacific-led TV shows that have been canceled in the last year or so. It’s hard to wrap our heads around the fact that the last year has seen cancellations of The Afterparty, Kung Fu, Doogie Kamealoha M.D., NCIS: Hawaiʻi, Young Rock, Quantum Leap, American Born Chinese, The Brothers Sun, Warrior, and Our Flag Means Death. We look at ratings, viewership, and ultimately ask, “What’s Going On?”
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events
- 05:24 Talking About the 2024 STAATUS Index
- 19:51 What’s Going On? API-Led TV Cancellations
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 20! There are plenty of things we love… and for sure one of them is the world of film and entertainment… especially when it’s Asian American cinema. But what happens when what you see represented in Hollywood becomes blurred with the actual experience in an ethnic enclave… or even drives it? Our conversation today dives a bit into that. We’re excited to share this conversation with Professor William Gow.
Dr. Gow is a California-based community historian, educator, and documentary filmmaker who is currently an Assistant Professor at California State University, Sacramento. His forthcoming book, Performing Chinatown: Hollywood, Tourism, and the Making of a Chinese American Community is scheduled for release by Stanford University Press on May 14, 2024… and if you order direct from the publisher and use discount code GOW20, you get 20% off! The book examines Los Angeles Chinatown and its relationship to Hollywood cinema in the 1930s and 1940s. We really enjoyed the book and the depth of the research Dr. Gow presents. In fact, this has been one of the most insightful books we’ve read in the last few years, pushing our thinking of how Chinese Americans survived and represented themselves to often judgmental onlookers.
Professor Gow also has worked on several other projects. Some of the ones that we appreciated are More to the Chinese Side (click to watch an excerpt), The Five Chinatowns: A Community History (along with Dr. Kelly Fong one of our future guests and ), and the great article A Night in Old Chinatown (we talk about this one in the podcast).
We highly recommend purchasing Performing Chinatown! Don’t forget… if you purchase from Stanford University Press and use the discount code GOW20 (all caps), you get 20% off.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 19! Back in S03E03, we talked about one of the first popular Asian American singing groups, the Kim Loo Sisters, but there was also another group a few years later that made a longer lasting impact… the Kim Sisters. Originally from South Korea, the trio of ladies that included Sook-ja, Ai-ja, and Min-ja, were a dynamic vocal group that could also play a multitude of instruments.
They recorded several songs in the U.S. and made a splash in Las Vegas and on television through several variety shows. Their early life wasn’t smooth, but they overcame those struggles to succeed. We talk about their early life, journey to America, TV appearances, and more! In our recurring segment, we bring back Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters and talk about the DC hero Kai-Ro.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro Current Events
- 04:54 The History of the Kim Sisters
- 24:02 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters Featuring Kai-Ro
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 18! Free Comic Book Day is coming soon… not to mention Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so as a lead-up to this confluence, we had a conversation with the Ringo Award-winning illustrator and comic artist, Christie Shinn of HoraTora Studios. If you’re in Southern California on May 4th and 5th, you can meet Christie, other API creators, and some non-API comic book creators at The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach (May4th) and Culver City (May 5th).
Christie won the 2018 Ringo Award for Best Anthology for her work on Mine! a comics collection to benefit Planned Parenthood. She is the President of CAPS (Comic Arts Professional Society, founded by esteemed cartoonists Sergio Aragonès and Don Rico, and writer Mark Evanier). She wants to promote, nurture, and network artists and writers in the sequential and non-sequential art aspects of the comic arts. And she does that through a variety of means, including the Asian Invasion, a group she founded and organizes that brings AAPI comic creators together to celebrate their work with fans. They have a SoCal and NorCal edition of their mini con that they organize. Check the link for more details on their late summer/early fall events.
We met Christie at WonderCon and we really admired her willingness to delve into more edgy, darker themes in her work Demon Bitch! In this episode, we talk about her career, what motivates her, Asian Invasion, CAPS, and more! Her work is available on GlobalComix.com and she hosts a weekly Wednesday ‘Lunch Hour’ Drawstream at noon PST on her socials (like her Instagram and YouTube channel) and on the Indie Comics Network. You can also see more of her work through her Linktree at HoraToraStudios.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 17! This is the next installment in our series on ethnic enclaves that have disappeared. Today we’re here to talk about The History of the Hawaiian Settlement of Iosepa, Utah. It was predominantly Hawaiian, but there were others from the Pacific Islands as well. Established in 1889 in Skull Valley, Utah, it was a place where Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders were able to gather in a safer, more supportive place that still kept them relatively close to Salt Lake City, Utah and the center of the Church of Latter Day Saints.
It’s hard to imagine going from the weather in Hawaii to the much harsher conditions of Skull Valley (especially in the summers and winters), but they did it… and they even thrived there for a time, growing the community from 46 to quite a few more. In this episode we share the challenges and triumphs of a community, and what eventually happened to them. To learn more about the area, you can check out the Iosepa Historical Association which is made of supporters and descendants of the original community.
In our recurring segment, we share what we’re reading. For Ted it was the award-winning book Troublemaker by John Cho. For Gen it was the award-winning book Jade City, part of the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee. Hear our thoughts on these two novels!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Reflecting on WonderCon and Ted in California
- 04:08 The History of the Hawaiian Settlement of Iosepa Utah
- 20:20 Reading Troublemaker and Jade City
Editors Note: We had an audio glitch in the original upload and have fixed it.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 16! This episode is about The History of the Buddhist Churches of America. Buddhism is one of the religions often associated with Asian countries and the people who come from Asian Pacific nations. And it’s for good reason, because it’s a religion that originates from those countries. When it comes to understanding Buddhism in America, it would be difficult to talk about the history without mentioning the Buddhist Churches of America, an organization that has its roots in Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism that originated in the 13th century with the monk Shinran Shonin.
In this episode, we share a short background on Shin Buddhism, a general overview of Buddhism in America, and the long history of the Buddhist Churches of America and its impact in the Japanese American Community and beyond. Since World War II and the Japanese internment, the BCA has continued to adapt to the changing needs of different generations. To learn more, you can visit the BCA Website or visit one of their locations (they’re easy to find through the Temple Locator).
In our recurring segment, we share what we’ve been watching… The Brothers Sun on Netflix. This amazing show is an action-comedy-drama that is co-created by Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk. It stars Justin Chien, Sam Song Li, Michelle Yeoh, and a cast of so many other amazing Asian Pacific actors and actresses. Although it hasn’t been renewed for a 2nd season, it’s got great reviews and ratings, and it’s worth a watch.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Catching Up and Remembering Akebono
- 05:29 The History of The Buddhist Churches of America
- 25:11 What Are We Watching? The Brothers Sun
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 15! Today’s guest is Kelisha Menon, the Public Relations and Partnerships Lead at Send Chinatown Love, the incredible organization that formed during the height of the pandemic when New York’s Chinatown businesses and the people who lived there were suffering the most. Already busy with a career in public relations, Kelisha is just one of many volunteers who have grown Send Chinatown Love to help more and more businesses in New York Chinatown.
This passionate group of engineers, designers, creators, and storytellers came together with a common goal to save their Chinatown. And they worked with many of the businesses to launch their very first cookbook Made Here: Recipes and Reflections from NYC’s Asian Communities. To call it a cookbook is a little bit of a misnomer. It’s book filled with recipes, history, and cultural connections so readers can better understand the impact of these small business across New York’s Chinatown.
You can help Send Chinatown Love and the Asian-owned New York City businesses too! Buy Made Here for yourself or friends and family, donate to Send Chinatown Love, or get involved as a volunteer (if you’re in New York City)… and listen to this conversation with Kelisha too (of course).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 14! Today’s special guest is the talented and engaging actor Chen Tang. Born in Japan and raised in Guangxi, China as well as Memphis, Tennessee, Chen is best known for playing Hong in Warrior and Yao in the live action Mulan. Much like the character of Hong, Chen is an upbeat individual who is generous and multi-talented, and that comes through clearly in our conversation.
Chen has been in several short films including Tumbler, The Wind Outside, The Company Man, When Mom Visits, and Finding Tomorrow. He has also had roles in Fresh Off the Boat, Grey’s Anatomy, and Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. Outside of acting, he supports environmental conservation as well as the Cambodian Children’s Fund.
In our conversation, we had a chance to talk about his acting journey, what it’s like eating during scenes, his memories of the Deep South, what he learned through playing Hong, his hopes for storylines in Warrior Season 4, and so much more. We even had an expanded Rapid Fire segment with answers on what he misses from Memphis and Guangxi, who wins in a fight between Hong and Yao, his favorite action scene he’s filmed, and more. Check out Chen Tang on Instagram @chenlovesyall, keep watching Warrior, and ask Netflix to greenlight Season 4 of the show!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 13! Today’s guest is Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn, an author, educator, speaker, and professional learning facilitator. Born in Bangkok, Thailand into a mixed-race Malaysian Chinese and white American family, she’s a classic “third culture kid.” She’s had a very diverse upbringing, living in various East and Southeast Asian countries as well as the Washington DC area. Sarah moved to the Deep South in 2009, and she has now lived there longer than anywhere else.
We’re so excited about the release of her book Exclusion and the Chinese American Story that is launching on March 26th 2024 (so available now!). It’s intended for middle grade students aged 10 and up, but it’s great for everyone. Exclusion and the Chinese American Story is part of the Race to the Truth series of books and helps tell the Chinese American experience in an engaging, relatable way for kids and adults to connect with. We love how she selected the narrative of what topics to include in the book… not to mention her use of deep questioning. Her intentionality and thoughtfulness makes the book so powerful.
We talk about her thinking behind the questions, how she chose topics for the book, her hopes for the ways the book could be used, and a lot more. We also discuss her career, including reflections on her facilitation of workshops, common mistakes with Diversity and Inclusion, and even the session she does focused on Survivor (the TV Show). If you’re looking for a great book for kids (or the kid in you), pick up a copy of Exclusion and the Chinese American Story. You can also support and learn by visiting Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn’s site, following her on Instagram and LinkedIn, engaging her to help your workplace culture through diversity and inclusion, and listening to the conversation.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 12! It’s Another Conversation with Award-Winning Author and Illustrator Grace Lin. It’s not hyperbole to say that Grace Lin is one of our favorite authors of all time… maybe that’s why we love any opportunity to talk with her, and it’s a great time for her return. We’re still enjoying Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, and her first picture book in four years, Once Upon a Book! (co-written with Kate Messner), was just released on February 7th of this year.
In our conversation, Grace shares a little about both books and also talks about how she moves forward with ideas, the audiobook for Chinese Menu (narrated by Lisa Ling!), future work to look forward to, advice for parents who want to encourage creativity in their kids, and a lot more. Chinese Menu was on our holiday gift guide, and Once Upon a Book! would be a great gift too. You can learn more about Grace and support her work by visiting her site, buying her books, following her on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, and listening to this episode!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 11. Today’s guest is Dr. Michael Soon Lee, a fifth-generation Chinese American. He overcame prejudice, systemic discrimination, and depression to become a TV and film producer, an actor, a top-producing real estate broker, and the Dean of a university business school. HeI was the first Asian to earn the "Certified Speaking Professional" (CSP) designation in the history of the National Speakers Association and has spoken over 1,000 times around the world to major companies that include Coca-Cola, Chevron, Boeing, General Motors, just to name a few.
Michael is the author of several marketing books with a multicultural focus including Cross-Cultural Selling for Dummies, Black Belt Negotiating, and Opening Doors: Selling to Multicultural Real Estate Clients. Additionally, he takes this knowledge of cultural awareness and speaks at special events, cruises, and more. His latest book is Beyond the Bamboo Curtain: Understanding America’s Invisible Minority. Part memoir, Asian American History book, and self-improvement guide, Michael puts the history of Asian Americans within the context of his life experiences.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 10! Today we’re talking about Bangladeshi Americans, a separate group of the South Asian diaspora (Desi community) that’s a growing presence in the U.S. We go back to Bangladesh and talk about the importance of the area to the rest of India and the British Empire. Knowing the history of Bangladesh is essential to understand some of the struggles the Bangladeshi community has had in America. We also discuss the trauma of the Partition of India in 1947 as well as the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971… but both events contributed to the formation of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. It’s a unique area in South Asia, and the resilience of the people has added to some of the most positive qualities found in Bangladeshi Americans. This episode just scratches the surface of the community. We highly recommend Bengali Harlem, created by filmmaker and scholar Vivek Bald, which now includes a book, a documentary, and a site with Family Stories.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Quick Intro
- 01:38 The History of Bangladeshi Americans
- 33:22 Shameless Plug… We’re Consultants for Hire
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 9. We had a lot of fun talking to Dr. Xenia Deviatkina-Loh about her life, her career, and her work with the Asian Classical Music Initiative. Dr. Deviatkina-Loh performs on violin and viola, and she is also a pedagogue, sharing her knowledge in various settings across the world. She’s the president of the 2024 ACMI @ MSMU conference at Mount Saint Mary’s University on April 13-14, 2024. It’s open to the public and will feature performers, composers, and scholars.
Originally from Australia, Dr. Deviatkina-Loh received her Bachelor of Music in Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before furthering her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London for her Master of Arts degree and then the University of California, Los Angeles for her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2020. She has performed as a soloist and recitalist internationally in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, The US, and China. Her solo album Soliloquy as well as her collaborations can be found on pretty much any music platform out there. As a pedagogue, she’s been a speaker and presented at conferences including the Alliance of Women in Media Arts and Technology and the Asian Classical Music Initiative, and also worked as a Teaching Assistant and Fellow at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, the Beckman YOLA Center, and for the International Grand Music Festival in Indonesia.
You can support ACMI by participating in the conference as an attendee or speaker/performer. To apply to be a part of the conference, you can go to this Google Form that they’ve set-up. To learn more, we encourage you to visit Xenia’s website or social media on YouTube or Instagram, ACMI@MSMU’s website, ACMI’s website or social media on Facebook or Instagram.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 8! Today’s conversation is with Amy Chu, a co-founder and former editor of A. Magazine, screenwriter, co-founder of Alpha Girl Comics, and well-known comic book author. Her latest title is Fighting to Belong! Volume 1 (out now, so go get it), which is a graphic novel focused on the history and contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders in America. Published by Third State Books, Fighting to Belong! is co-written with Amy’s son, Alexander Chang, and illustrated by Louie Chin. It’s a collaborative project with The Asian American Foundation, The Asian American Education Project, and others. The importance of Fighting to Belong! cannot be overstated. Through an engaging story, readers will be entertained, engaged, educated, and empowered. Amy has written a diverse collection of titles that include Poison Ivy, Kiss, Wonder Woman, Red Sonja, Dejah Thoris, and Ant-Man. Two of our favorite works by Amy are the Trot and Cap’n Bill series for teens and Carmilla: The First Vampire graphic novel. Amy is able to weave in diversity and depth to her stories in a way that makes typically underrepresented people (like API) feel seen and heard. In our conversation, we talk about all of these things as well as her journey to comics, the importance of diverse storytelling, the status of Fighting to Belong! Volume 2, what draws her to writing complex characters, and so much more. Whether you like comics, good storytelling, history, or diversity, we highly recommend getting Fighting to Belong! or any of Amy’s other work, but especially the Trot and Cap’n Bill series, Carmilla: The First Vampire, and Poison Ivy. You can learn more about Amy through her website and her work with Alpha Girl Comics. She also has signed copies of her work available. You can follow her on Twitter or Instagram as well.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 7! It’s no secret that we love sumo. We even talk about AAPI in Professional Sumo back in S02E40. So it was really exciting to get a chance to have a conversation with Ter, the creator of the YouTube channel SumoStew. She’s one of our favorite content creators… definitely our favorite who covers sumo. It all comes down to her passion and creativity. Her videos mix authentic voice with thorough research and eye-catching graphics. So in this conversation Ter takes time to talk about her love of sumo, her process of creating episodes, the challenges of being a YouTube content creator, her reflections on the recently completed January Basho (tournament), her hopes for the upcoming March Basho, and a lot more. If you want to learn what mawashi (the belt rikishi wear) trend Ter would love to see or the fighting style she’d adopt if she was a rikishi, then listen to the episode! We highly recommend finding SumoStew on YouTube... and if you’re a fan of her work, then consider supporting SumoStew on Patreon as well. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 6. Father Jun is one of our favorite characters on Warrior… so we were so unbelievably excited to have a conversation with Perry Yung! With about 30 acting credits to his name for TV and Film, Perry has also worked on stage and in music. We also love how he merges his activism and beliefs into his acting and music. In this conversation, we talk a little about his love of music, the shakuhachi flute, the SLANT Performance group that he co-founded, his journey as an actor, the special experience on Warrior, his directorial debut with the Stop Asian Hate! Love One Another short film, Grace Lee Boggs (we did an episode on her for S01E04), creative agency, and so much more.
Warrior was not renewed by Max (Boo!), but the first three seasons will be released on Netflix on February 16th (Yay!). To get a season 4, it’s essential for Netflix to understand what Warrior means to the Asian American community and the world of diverse stories. Supporting Warrior supports stories for all underrepresented groups. So if you have Netflix, please support them on February 16th and beyond! And If you don’t have Netflix… maybe you should get it just to watch Warrior.
We begin this episode by talking about the Asian Classical Music Initiative (ACMI), and the upcoming 2024 ACMI @ MSMU International Conference. It’s going to be held on April 13th and April 14th, 2024 at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, and it’s open to the public. Please check out ACMI and their upcoming conference. If you’re a performer, composer, or scholar, you can apply to present… or you could just attend and learn. For more info, go to www.kuacmi.com/2024-conference-call.
Again, please support Warrior when it releases on Netflix! And if you want to see more of Perry Yung, visit his acting site, his Yung Flutes site, follow him on Instagram @perryyungofficial, follow his band Judo Club, and look out for the short film Stop Asian Hate! Love One Another at the DisOrient Asian American Film Festival in Eugene, Oregon Live March 8-10 and Virtual March 11-17 (and hopefully many other places).
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking about ACMI and Intro to Perry Yung
- 02:03 A Conversation with Perry Yung
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 5! Our conversation this week is with the talented author, Jamie Jo Hoang. Her latest novel, My Father, the Panda Killer is a heartfelt story based on her life. We really enjoyed the book, even the moments that were tough to read… and that’s because Hoang’s novel focuses on a Vietnamese American family that is dealing with the intergenerational trauma that’s a result of the Vietnam War and the refugee experience. It’s also told from the dual perspectives of the Jane (the main character) in 1999 and Phúc (Jane’s father) throughout his traumatic refugee experience as a child. Hoang brings up topics that are often glazed over in novels or told from an American (white) perspective, so the story comes across as a unique perspective that’s more personal. In our conversation, we discuss her career; My Father, the Panda Killer; the challenges with overcoming trauma; and so much more. You can learn more about Jamie from her website, social media posts on Instagram or Twitter/X, and from her blog. And don’t forget to get My Father, the Panda Killer or her first novel Blue Sun, Yellow Sky! If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 4. If you’re new to our podcast then just know that we occasionally do a series called Most Forgotten Massacres, where we take time to talk about a moment (generally in U.S. history) where racism and discrimination turned to violence against the Asian Pacific American community. The Anti-Filipino Watsonville Riots were one of those moments.
Filipino workers were targeted in this five-day outburst of violence. There were several factors that contributed to the death and destruction, and the impact was felt for years. It’s important we acknowledge these moments in our history, learn from them, and improve. We highly recommend reading more about the Filipino experience through the excellent book Little Manila Is in the Heart: The Making of the Filipina/o American Community in Stockton, California by Professor Dawn Bohulano Mabalon.
In our additional segment, we take time to talk about the Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Critics’ Choice Awards. And in our intro, we cover a few notable current events in the APIDA world. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events
- 04:58 The History of the Anti-Filipino Watsonville Riots
- 27:09 Celebrations! It’s Awards Season with Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critic’s Choice Awards
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 3. As many of you know, we love hockey! Recently, in November 2023, George Chin, a legend of Asian Canadian ice hockey, passed away. He was the star winger on the Chin brothers line along with his brothers Bill and Albert. The Chinese Canadian trio helped their hometown Lucknow team to be highly successful. In this episode, we talk about the life of George Chin and all the teams he made an impact on.
In our opening, we discuss our personal goals for the New Year. In our recurring segment, we bring back What Are We Watching and talk about Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on by Bryan Lee O’Malley and Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan. What do we think of these shows? What’s the API representation like? And most importantly, how have they adapted the stories?
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 New Year’s Resolutions
- 02:03 The History of George Chin
- 19:32 What Are We Watching? Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and Percy Jackson
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 2! There’s a global fascination with the Old West cowboys in America. Did you know that the Hawaiian Paniolo pre-dates the Old West cowboys by several years? The Mexican Vaqueros have even more history. In this episode, we talk about the history of the Paniolo… AKA the Hawaiian Cowboy.
You’ll learn about the origin of longhorn cattle in Hawaii; how riding, roping, and herding cattle came to be a practice on the islands; and the names of several well-known Paniolo like Ikea Purdy and Eben Low, who became local and national heroes. Their impact at the 1908 Cheyenne, Wyoming Frontier Days was a moment of pride for the islands that had just been annexed by the U.S. Government. For deeper insight into the cowboys of this era and the Paniolo, check out the book Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World’s Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West by David Wolman and Julian Smith. It’s very well written. You can also check out the Paniolo Preservation Society.
We open the episode by talking about a lot of current events we needed to make time for… and we cover politics, sports, entertainment, and more! In our recurring segment we share one place to help… the Kāko‘o Maui Fund. Many people in Maui could still use our help. Recovery from the fires will take a lot longer, and the Kako’o Maui Housing Program is here to help. They often have matching donors.
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Lots of Current Events
- 07:40 The History of the Paniolo AKA the Hawaiian Cowboy
- 28:57 Places to Help… Kako’o Maui Housing Program
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 1. Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and had fun on New Year’s Eve. To launch this new season, we’re going back to the thing that’s at our core… Asian American History. Our special guests for this conversation are Professor Yoon Pak and Dr. Sharon Lee, two of the key leaders helping with the implementation of the TEAACH Act. The Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History Act was a historic moment for Illinois and the country, because it made Illinois the first state to mandate the teaching of Asian American history in K-12 public schools.
Although it was an unfunded mandate, groups like The Asian American Foundation and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago stepped in to help raise awareness and funds. None of this would have happened without the hard work of Yoon Pak and Sharon Lee from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who created the curriculum and resources organized in three modules. The professional development for K-12 educators is key in implementing the TEAACH Act well.
Yoon Pak is the Head of the Education Policy, Organization and Leadership department at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Among other things, she specializes in the history of intercultural education from the 1930s-1950s. She was recently awarded the 2023 Campus Executive Officer Distinguished Leadership Award. Sharon Lee is a Teaching Assistant Professor in EPOL and program coordinator for Diversity and Equity in the department. Her research and teaching background is in diversity and equity in higher education; history of education; and Asian American student experiences. Her book An Unseen Unheard Minority: Asian American Students at the University of Illinois was published by Rutgers University Press. Check out the TEAACH Act Resources and enjoy the conversation!
If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Lifelong Learning: These are topics we knew very little about before researching. Although we didn’t know much about them before, we really learned a lot during the research process and episode creation.
- The History of the Kim Loo Sisters S03E03
- The History of the USS Rizal S03E19
- The History of The Golden Age of Pinoy Hip Hop S03E45
- The History of Guamanian Cuisine S03E26
So Upsetting: These are topics that were upsetting or frustrating to us to create… maybe it was the mistreatment of Asian Pacific Islanders… or maybe it was a particularly painful moment in our history. And really, there are so many of episodes… even the ones on the Tong Wars or the Gold Rush, where we have moments of feeling anger and frustration… but these are the episodes where we feel that anger the entire time.
- The Cleveland School Massacre in Stockton Part of the Most Forgotten Massacres series S03E02
- The History of Bhagat Singh Thind S03E08
- Talking About Righting Wrongs Report and STAATUS Index 2023 S03E30
- The History of Destroying Chinatowns S03E40
Are We Having Fun?: These are episodes where the topic was just fun to do. Maybe it was a little lighter topic or the recording was just fun. These are the interesting but welcome breaks from the heavier topics.
- The History of Chop Suey Fonts S03E18
- The History of Indians and Chinese in Jamaican Music. S03E24
- History of Iconic Asian Candy S3E44
Thought-provoking: We’ve had a lot of conversations. They’re all fun in different ways, but some are particularly thought-provoking. Maybe they’re ones that pushed our thinking. Maybe they’re ones where the interviewee challenged us.
- A Conversation with Dr. Mitchell Maki S03E31
- The History of Redress and Reparations with Special Guest Dr. Mitchell Maki S03E43
- A Conversation with Curtis Chin. S03E39
- A Conversation with Wendy Chin-Tanner S03E48
- A Conversation with Professor Elise Wang S03E36
- Another Conversation with Brad Jenkins S03E09 (not mentioned in the episode, but should also be here)
Attention! Attention!: These are conversations with people who we hope get a lot more attention. Maybe the interviewees in these conversations aren’t national names, but they’re doing great work, and we hope they get more attention.
- A Conversation with Dr. Noel Ramirez of Mango Tree Counseling and Consulting S03E21
- A Conversation with Leslie Li S03E05
- A Conversation with Rev. Lien Shutt S03E32 (not mentioned in the episode, but should also be here)
Fun experiences in conversation… Again, we really enjoy the conversations we have… some of them are more fun than usual. It doesn’t make them better, but we found ourselves laughing a LOT and would love to spend more time talking to them.
- A Conversation with Tahlena Chikami of Bite Me Bambi S03E07
- A Conversation with the Creators of The Paper Tigers Bao Tran, Mike Velasquez, and Yuji Okumoto S03E10
- A Conversation with Professor Elise Wang S03E36
- A Conversation with Nidhi Chanani S03E41
- A Conversation with Illustrator AJ Dungo S03E29
Favorite episodes overall… These could be topical or conversational episodes… but looking back, what were our favorites?
Favorite Conversations… Ugh… so hard. There were a lot of good ones. Here are some favorites…
- A Conversation with Nidhi Chanani S03E41
- A Conversation with Tahlena Chikami of Bite Me Bambi S03E07
- A Conversation with Professor Elise Wang S03E36
- A Conversation with Wendy Chin-Tanner S03E48
- A Conversation with Illustrator AJ Dungo S03E29
- A Conversation with Dr. Mitchell Maki S03E31
- The History of Redress and Reparations with Special Guest Dr. Mitchell Maki S03E43
Favorite Topical episodes… These are topics that we especially liked how the episode turned out.
- The History of The Chinese During the California Gold Rush S03E46
- History of Iconic Asian Candy S3E44 White Rabbit and Kopiko Coffee Candy
What do you think? Did we name any of the ones you liked? What did we miss? Let us know via email or Instagram.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 50. This is it… the final episode of the season… our Season 3 in Review! In this annual tradition, we discuss the episodes where we learned a LOT, ones that upset us to talk about, fun episodes, thought-provoking conversations, conversations that made us laugh, guests we hope people pay more attention to, and our overall favorites. Have a listen and let us know… Did we name any of your favorites? In our additional segment, we share our hopes for Season 4 that begins on January 1st! What are some of your hopes? What topics do you want to hear more of? Let us know! Thank you for listening. Be sure to subscribe to us in your podcast directory of choice, follow us on instagram @aahistory101, and share our podcast with your friends and teachers. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 02:42 Season 3 in Review
- 41:59 Season 4 Hopes
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 49. Christmas is a holiday that can be celebrated in a religious or secular way. So how is it celebrated in Asia and the Pacific Islands? In this episode, we discuss some of the unique traditions and foods you might find in countries across Asia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. Some of them are pretty interesting and fun.
We spend a little more time talking about the Philippines because they LOVE Christmas! In our recurring segment, we introduce a new one called The AAHistory101 Holiday Gift Guide. Looking for that gift for a special someone that is also supporting the API community? In addition to streaming services that have API content like Max, AppleTV+, Netflix, and Disney+, we talk about some specific gifts including:
- Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, the new memoir by Curtis Chin
- The Chinese Menu, the new book of origin stories, myths, and memories by Grace Lin (we also love the audio book version narrated by Lisa Ling)
- King of the Armadillos, the new historical fiction novel by Wendy Chin-Tanner
- Vietnamese Vegetarian, the new cookbook by Uyen Luu
- Super Boba Café, the new graphic novel by Nidhi Chanani
- The Mask of Haliya by Kwento Comics
- Bewitched, the new album from Laufey
- Kung Fu, the complete box set of the CW show
- Warrior, Season 3 (or Season 1 or 2)
- Hurry Up and Wait, the not new but great album from Bite Me Bambi that features Tahlena Chikani on lead vocals.
- Bokksu, Japanese snack and candy subscriptions
- Sanzo, Asian-inspired sparkling water
- Nguyen Coffee Supply, Specialty Vietnamese Coffee
For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Do you celebrate Christmas?
- 02:43 Christmas Traditions in Asia and the Pacific Islands
- 30:28 The AAHistory101 Holiday Gift Guide
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 48. We loved reading King of the Armadillos, the new novel by poet, graphic novelist, and all-around amazing writer Wendy Chin-Tanner. King of the Armadillos thoughtfully levels-up the coming-of-age story with multi-generational Asian American experiences set in the 1950s… not to mention an authentic look at how Hansen’s Disease AKA leprosy impacts individuals, families, and communities.
The main character, Victor, struggles with recovery, feelings of belonging, and family responsibilities. We discuss all of those things as well as the importance of breaking out of Asian male stereotypes, the work it takes to create authentic historical fiction, her advice for aspiring API authors, how she selected specific songs for the novel, and so much more.
Enjoy the conversation and go out and buy King of the Armadillos... you won’t regret it. It’s even on sale at Amazon right now at over $10 off. We also recommend purchasing her poetry collection Turn or her graphic novel American Terrorist… and be sure to explore all the work on A Wave Blue World, the graphic novel publishing company that Wendy co-founded with her husband Tyler. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 47. We’re back with more Iconic Asian Candies! Candies from Asia can be an item of pride for Asian American kids, and more and more of these candies are available across the world. In this installment of The History of Iconic Asian Candies, we’re talking about Haw Flakes and HI-CHEW. Haw Flakes might not be as well known, but they’re an important candy for Chinese Americans and many Asian American kids. However, HI-CHEW are a global phenomena from Morinaga Company. In our recurring segment, we talk about another Obscure Asian Comic Book Character with the DC villain Cheshire. Find out her origin story, development, and what she’s best known for! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Where we get our sweet fixes
- 04:22 The History of Iconic Asian Candy with Haw Flakes and HI-CHEW
- 20:52 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters: Cheshire AKA Jade
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 46. Do you think you know the story of the Chinese during the California Gold Rush? Even if you think you do, we guarantee that there are some stories and pieces of the history that are lesser known. So today we talk about that era in a little more depth. Other than sharing the origin of the California Gold Rush, we talk about the timeline of Gold Rush events, the arrival of the Chinese, their mining practices, the discrimination they faced, and how they achieved some modicum of success. The arrival of Chinese during the Gold Rush helped develop the land and physical and service infrastructure in California. We begin the episode with some current events and celebrate Corbin Carroll, Brandon Sakbun, and Nina Ahmad. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Current Events… Corbin Carroll, Brandon Sakbun, and Nina Ahmad!
- 06:14 The History of Chinese During the California Gold Rush
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 45! The growth of Hip Hop and Rap was a worldwide phenomena back in the 1980s and 1990s, and the Philippines were one of the countries at the forefront. In fact, Pinoy Hip Hop with Filipinos and Filipino Americans has been an impact in the genre for decades now. In this episode, we talk about the growth of Hip Hop and who some of the most influential Pinoy Hip Hop and Rap stars were on the scene. From individuals like Francis M, Andrew E, Lady Diane, MC Lara, Michael V, and Markie D to groups like Rapi Boys, Bass Rhyme Posse, and Rapasia, Pinoy Hip Hop artists and rappers would use English, Tagalog, Chavacano, and other Filipino languages to perform.
These artists as well as DJs and Mixers like DJ Omar D’Animal, DJ Bongskie and DJ Ouch formed the early years of Pinoy Hip Hop that was also known as the Golden Age of Pinoy Hip Hop. Songs could be about silly things or focus on some of the challenges and triumphs found in their lives in the Philippines. In our recurring segment, we bring back Who Should I Root For? with the API Guide to the NHL. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com. Pictured are Francis M above, Lady Diane in the middle, and Andrew E below.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Talking About Hip Hop
- 05:12 The History of The Golden Age of Pinoy Hip Hop
- 22:22 Who Should I Root For? The API Guide to the NHL
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 44! A lot of people have a sweet tooth. That’s why candy is so popular across the world. Candies don’t just satisfy a sweet fix… they can be a childhood memory or a cultural symbol. In today’s episode we talk about the history of iconic Asian Candy. First we share information on sweeteners in food with honey and refined sugar, but then we focus on White Rabbit Candy and Kopiko Coffee Candy. What are they? How did they get popular? All this and more! In our recurring segment we talk about Our Flag Means Death, Season 2, and we share what we liked about it. Is there a candy you want us to talk about? Send us an email! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Current Events
- 07:30 The History of Iconic Asian Candy Featuring White Rabbit and Kopiko
- 30:06 What Are We Watching? Our Flag Means Death Season 2
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 43! Whenever Veterans Day comes around, we think about the different veterans of Asian Pacific Islander descent. Naturally, we reflect on the Japanese Americans who fought for the freedom and ideals of our country during World War II despite the incarceration of so many Japanese Americans during that time. Veterans played a key role in attaining redress and reparations for the thousands of Japanese Americans impacted. This is a time that isn’t covered well (if at all) in school, so we’re glad that Dr. Mitchell Maki joins us for a very special conversation about the Redress and Reparations Movement that led to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 signed by President Reagan.
Dr. Maki is the President and CEO of the Go For Broke National Education Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy and lessons of the Nisei World War II veterans. As a leading scholar on the Japanese American redress movement, Dr. Maki speaks internationally on this topic and its relevance to contemporary socio-political issues.
He is also the lead author of the award-winning book, Achieving the Impossible Dream: How Japanese Americans Obtained Redress, which was a detailed case study of the 1988 Civil Liberties Act. The book documents the Redress Movement in detail from the seed of an idea during World War II to the formal introduction of the idea in the 1970s and all the way to the work with the legislative and executive branches of government in the 1980s and 1990s.
In our conversation, we discuss the events and people who helped convince legislators and President Reagan to provide redress to Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, the importance of the Japanese American soldiers to the redress movement, the longer lasting impact of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, and so much more. Want to make an impact? Then please check out Go For Broke NEC, read Achieving the Dream, find out more about the Torchbearers, and donate to GFBNEC. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 42. Welcome to installation 7 of our series on the Tong Wars. In this episode, we talk about the end of the Fourth Tong War in New York and some of the lasting impact of the tongs to this day. How did the Fourth Tong War end? Do Tong’s still exist? These are questions we answer in this episode. If you’re interested in reading about the New York Tong Wars in detail, we recommend the book The Tong Wars by Scott Seligman. In our recurring segment, we bring back Organizations You Should Know and talk about the Chinese Historical Society of America which has a physical location as well as virtual and traveling exhibitions. They have plenty of great educational resources and collections to learn more about the experiences of Chinese Americans. You can visit, volunteer, or donate to help them. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 01:14 The History of the Tong Wars Part 7
- 19:52 The Chinese Historical Society of America
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 41! Today we’re excited to share a conversation with Nidhi Chanani. She’s a freelance illustrator, cartoonist, and writer who was born in Calcutta, India and raised in Southern California. Her illustrations are beautiful and contain a certain level of whimsy that we love. In addition to working with various groups like Disney Parks, she has published several graphic novels and picture books. Her latest graphic novel, Super Boba Cafe, will be released on October 24, 2023.
We had a chance talk to her about how she honed her artistic style by drawing an illustration every day for three years on her site Everyday Love. We also discussed her other graphic novels Pashmina, Jukebox, and the Shark Princess series. It was a fun conversation that also included talking about the San Diego Comic Con, her published work, the importance of researching music and civil rights for Jukebox, some of the things she’s reading, and so much more.
Other than the graphic novels mentioned, we recommend seeking out her other work including the touching picture book she wrote and illustrated called What Will My Story Be? She has illustrated books for other writers including I Will Be Fierce (written by Bea Birdsong), Binny’s Diwali (written by Thrity Umrigar), Kong and Me (written by Kiki Thorpe), and Strong (written by Rob Kearney) which won the American Library Association Stonewall Honor. She has received several recognitions for her work including being selected as a Champion of Change by the Obama administration.
Check out her Instagram, go to her site, download some free creative activities, support her work, and buy Super Boba Cafe. Enjoy the conversation! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 40! Chinatowns have been around in the U.S. since the middle 1800s, but not all of them survived the racism, xenophobia, and discrimination that was rampant throughout the 1800s and 1900s. In this episode, we discuss the environment that resulted in several Chinatowns being destroyed. We spend time sharing the events that happened in the Chinatowns in Antioch and Santa Ana, California as well as in Denver, Colorado. We take additional time to talk about the Chinatowns in San Jose, California… all five of them. Lives and livelihoods were lost with each violent act, and it’s the history that is being forgotten. There are some organizations trying to make sure that previously destroyed Chinatowns and the history of Chinese Americans are remembered:
- The Market Street Chinatown Archaeological Project
- Chinese Historical and Cultural Project
- No Place Project
- China Alley in Hanford, California
If you’re looking for background information, then we recommend listening to our following past episodes:
- Ethnic Enclaves
- The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture
- A History of Anti-Asian Massacres and Lynchings.
To close this episode, we bring back our recurring segment called Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters and feature the Karate Kid… it’s not who you’re probably thinking of. For additional previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Talking Dodgers and Giants API Historic Moment
- 03:37 The History of Destroying Chinatowns
- 25:25 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters, The Karate Kid
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 39! We were so excited to get a chance to have a conversation with Curtis Chin. Curtis is an award-winning Writer, Producer, Director, and Activist. His debut book Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant is published by Little, Brown and Company and will be available on October 17, 2023. The memoir is filled with humor and heart-warming moments centered on Curtis growing up Asian American in the Black and white city of Detroit and coming out in his working-class immigrant community. He also shares his experiences as a first-generation college student at the University of Michigan.
In our conversation, we talk about the journey to writing his memoir, feelings of identity and belonging, the family restaurant, his award-winning documentary filmmaking (Tested, Vincent Who?, and Dear Corky), the founding of the Asian American Writers Workshop, and so much more. Check out his website, follow him on Instagram or Twitter, order his book, watch his documentaries (Tested and Vincent Who? are available free on Kanopy), and meet him on his book tour. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 38. This is another ICYMI Encore Episode that we want to make sure people listen to. Today we’re re-posting The History of Nuclear Weapons Testing in the Pacific Islands. On June 30, 1946, about 77 years ago, the United States began nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific Islands. The approximately 20 years of testing was predominantly executed in the Marshall Islands around Bikini Atoll and Enewetak Atoll. U.S. researchers, military, and government contaminated the islands and many of its residents with dangerous levels of radiation. The islands still suffer from long-term impacts from radioactive contamination, and they have never been fully compensated for losses or illness. Not sure about long-term impacts of radiation? Then we recommend listening to our conversation with Professor Naoko Wake from S01E37, we discuss her book American Survivors: Trans-Pacific Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Travels in New Mexico
- 02:32 The History of Bomb Testing in the Pacific Islands
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 37. We’re taking a couple weeks off for vacation, so we’re posting a few ICYMI Encore Episodes. Today we’re re-posting The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture from Season 2, Episode 58. Most Chinatowns across the world have similar structural elements: pagodas, specific colors, terra cotta tiles, and more. So how did this happen? It might surprise you that stereotypical Chinatown architecture was created by white people hired by Chinese Americans. Although San Francisco was the first place this happened, their success in creating a welcoming environment influenced the re-design of almost all Chinatowns across the world. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro on Chinatown Architecture
- 01:44 The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 36. Today’s conversation is with the amazing Professor Elise Wang. We’re fascinated by conspiracy theories and how people twist themselves into logical knots to believe them. This led us to Dr. Wang’s very informative and engaging TEDx Talk on Why Some Conspiracy Theories Just Won’t Die. She is an Assistant Professor at Cal State Fullerton with focus areas that include literatures of late medieval England; Piers Plowman; legal history; punishment theory; premodern race and critical race theory; conspiracy narratives; and early global literatures. Elise’s first book, The Making of Felony Procedure in Middle English Literature, explores the theorization of guilt through how the literature of that day wrote about felony law. She’s also working on her second book already, Evidence as Style, in which she traces the internal logic of conspiracy theories. In our conversation, we talk about her professional journey, the logic of conspiracy theorists, the impact of the internet on conspiracy theories, her upcoming books, what conspiracy theories the API community should worry about, awkward moments caused by her research, and more. We highly recommend watching her TEDx Talk and her interview about Pizzagate on Jordan Klepper Fingers the Conspiracy. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 35. Today we talk about The History of the Hmong in America. The Hmong are a people without a country. An ethnic, indigenous minority that are believed to have originated in southern China, the Hmong diaspora are international but are predominantly in China, Laos, Vietnam, the US, and Thailand. We share the origins of the Hmong as well as their migration to the US after the failed Secret War in Laos and end of the Vietnam War. Hmong are known for their beautiful textiles and silverwork, and we highly recommend you seek out more information from places like the Hmong American Center in Wausau, Wisconsin, the Hmong Cultural Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, or online at Hello Hmong. We bring back What Are We Watching for our recurring segment, and we share our thoughts about the Netflix shows Nimona and Cowboy Bebop. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Catching Up and Discussing Our Hmong Memories
- 05:31 The History of Hmong Americans
- 25:45 What Are We Watching? Nimona and Cowboy Bebop
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 34. Today we have a conversation with author, illustrator, and amazing artist, Sally Deng. She creates pieces on a variety of meaningful topics for The New Yorker, NPR, Hermés, and the Asia Society (just to name a few). Her award-winning work can be found in various publications, in gallery showings, and on her website. In our conversation, she shares a little about her artistic style, her journey, the two books she wrote and illustrated (Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WWII and Warrior Princess: The Story of Khutulun), tips for becoming a professional artist, and more. To learn more about Sally, we highly recommend visiting her site, following her on instagram, and getting her books. You can even buy her original work through Hey There or prints through 20x200 and Gallery Nucleus. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 33. If you assumed that white rice came from Asia, then you’d be right. But do you know the history of rice cultivation and domestication? It may have happened 8000 or more years ago. How did it spread across Asia and the rest of the world? When was rice introduced in America? In this episode we explore the History of Rice Cultivation and give you cool facts about how rice is grown. In our recurring segment we discuss how you can help the people in Maui. The fires, loss of life, destruction of historic and sacred lands, and challenges in recovery are just some of the issues the residents are facing. If you’d like to help, we give you some tips, but be sure you visit ‘Āina Momona, Maui Rapid Response, and the Maui Mutual Aid Fund for starters. There’s even a curated list of GoFundMe and Venmo accounts of residents. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Thoughts About Rice
- 06:05 The History of Rice Cultivation
- 24:05 Helping Out Maui
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 32. Some of the best conversations we have are the ones that make us think. It’s even better when we not only think, but feel we have learned additional strategies for healing and restoration. Today’s conversation is with Rev. Liên Shutt, an insightful and engaging Buddhist leader who strives to make Zen practice accessible to all. Her new book will release on August 22nd. Entitled Home is Here: Practicing Antiracism with the Engaged Eightfold Path, it introduces readers to mindful practices for integrating the Engaged Four Noble Truths and the Engaged Eightfold Path to progress on the path towards healing. Rev. Liên teaches at the Access to Zen Meditation Group, the East Bay Meditation Center, and other Bay Area Groups. In this conversation we talk about the Engaged Four Noble Truths, The Engaged Eightfold Path, the importance of words and reframing, how Home is Here can help with the healing process, intersectionality with the BIPOC and Queer communities, and so much more. We highly recommend going out and getting a copy of Home is Here and attending the upcoming book tour to meet Rev. Liên. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 31. We were so excited to connect with Dr. Mitchell T. Maki, the President and CEO of the Go For Broke National Education Center. Dr. Maki is lifetime educator, author, and a leading scholar on the Japanese American redress movement. The Go For Broke National Education Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy and lessons of the Nisei World War II veterans. “Go For Broke” was the motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an Army unit composed of Japanese Americans from Hawai’i and the mainland United States. We’ve talked about the 100th and 442nd previously on our podcast, but we’re always happy to continue to raise awareness around their bravery and dedication to this country despite the mass incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during the war. In our conversation, Dr. Maki shares some keys to making history relevant, why continuing to talk about this time is essential, the importance of intersectionality, and so much more. You can learn a lot and help the Go For Broke National Education Center by visiting their YouTube channel and website as well as making a donation. The funds help spread awareness and education through virtual and physical exhibits. We especially love the Hanashi Oral History Collection! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 30. Stop AAPI Hate doesn’t just aggregate discrimination and racism. They are a consortium of organizations dedicated to doing research, surveys, and reports to collect data and share the Asian American Pacific Islander experience. In this episode, we talk about and discuss their latest report, Righting Wrongs: How Civil Rights Can Protect Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Against Racism. They worked with NORC at the University of Chicago to do this work. We also discuss the latest annual Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. Index that is organized by The Asian American Foundation. Now in its third year, the STAATUS Index does a great job tracking trends and feelings of belonging, stereotyping, and discrimination of the AANHPI community. We highly recommended reading the full reports for both (don’t worry, they’re pretty short and easy to consume), but both have shorter executive summaries. We close the show by sharing what we’re watching and talk about Asian American representation in the Titans as well as Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro on Data
- 03:27 Righting Wrongs: How Civil Rights Can Protect Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Against Racism
- 15:36 STAATUS Index
- 32:52 What Are We Watching? Titans and Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 29. We had a great conversation with illustrator, graphic novelist, and surfing and skateboarding enthusiast, AJ Dungo. His first graphic novel, In Waves, is a beautiful work that focuses on love, loss, and surfing. It tells the story of surfing, Duke Kahanomoku, Tom Blake, and the passing of AJ’s partner Kristen. In this conversation, we discuss AJ’s artistic style, the writing of In Waves, grief, surfing and skateboarding culture, and so much more. To see more of AJ Dungo’s work, be sure to go to his website, follow his instagram, and buy In Waves through the Nobrow or the Penguin links. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 28. This is part of an ongoing series where we talk about the New York Tong Wars. In this episode we talk about the events in Chinatown that led up to the fourth tong war in New York. The main combatants were still the On Leong Tong and the Hip Sing Tong, but this one was enough to get the federal government involved as well. Hear how growth of the tongs, decreased New York tong control, local corruption, and Federal government decisions all added to the approximately ten year conflict. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 27. It’s time for more food conversations! We had a chance to sit down with Uyen Luu. She’s a cookbook author, professional photographer, chef who runs a supper club, filmmaker, and inspiration for people looking to learn more about the breadth and depth of Vietnamese cuisine. Her latest book is Vietnamese Vegetarian, a look into how Vietnamese cuisine honors produce, grains, and legumes. It’s available on Amazon and other outlets. You can also visit her website to read her blog, get recipe ideas, book a reservation at her supper club in London, find her social media links like Instagram, and purchase her first two cookbooks. Enjoy the conversation! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 26. If you’re interested in bold flavors and a fusion of various cultures, then you should try Guamanian AKA Chamorro cuisine! With a foundation from the indigenous Chamorro people of Guam, Guamanian Cuisine has adapted and adopted ingredients, techniques, and entire dishes from the Philippines, Japan, Spain, Mexico, and more. Much like the Philippines and Hawaii, colonialism and migration have changed Guamanian cuisine over time. In this episode, we review the history and cuisine of Guam. If you’re interested in trying some Guamanian cuisine, we recommend checking out Annie’s Chamorro Kitchen. It’s a site dedicated to sharing Chamorro cuisine. Cooking not your thing? If you’re in California, there are two restaurants we found that serve Guamanian Cuisine… SMACK’n Guamanian Grill in San Diego and Prubechu in San Francisco. Check them out if you’re local to those places! We also introduce a new recurring segment called Which Do You Hate More? Where we discuss two phrases: “Your English is So Good” and “Where are You Really From?” For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro and Current Events
- 07:44 The History of Guamanian Cuisine
- 27:25 Which Do You Hate More?
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 25. As huge fans of Top Chef, we were so over the moon excited to get a chance to interview Top Chef 19 winner Buddha Lo last season. This is an ICYMI Encore Episode of that conversation. As many people know, he was recently on Top Chef Season 20, World All-Stars. We won’t spoil it for you, but just know that Buddha brought his consistently beautiful, delicious, and refined creations to the new season… a fitting way to send off Padma Lakshmi, the amazing host of the show who is stepping away. In this previous conversation, we talked about his preparation for Top Chef, his dedication to family, how he and his wife Rebekah support each other, his hopes for the future of fine dining, and so much more. We even talked a little about how previous Top Chef contestants like Dale Talde are harder judges. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 24. We go back to the Caribbean to talk about Indo-Jamaican and Chinese Jamaican people who impacted the music scene. From performers to producers to distributors, Jamaicans of Indian and Chinese descent had a lasting influence in the creation and/or popularization of dancehall, ska, rocksteady, reggae, and Caribbean music in general. To learn more, we highly recommend reading Miss Pat: My Reggae Music Journey and watching the documentary Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records. We open the episode by talking the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup and the disappointing decision by the NHL to ban Pride Night jerseys for warm-ups. We close the episode with a new segment called What We Like where we discuss the animated features Over the Moon and Raya and the Last Dragon. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking about the Vegas Golden Knights and Pride Nights in the NHL
- 07:58 The History of Indians and Chinese in Jamaican Music
- 22:14 What We Like: Over the Moon and Raya and the Last Dragon
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 23. In this installment of The History of the Tong Wars, we talk a little about opium, colonialism, and the events of the third war. This tong war was notable for what instigated the violence as well as the escalation of the types of weapons used. We skip the recurring segment, but we do begin by talking about one of our favorite shows that just was made available on the iTunes Store… We Are Lady Parts. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 We Are Lady Parts! And an Intro
- 03:51 The History of the Tong Wars Part 5
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 22. June is National Caribbean American Heritage Month! This is a great reason to focus on The History of Asians in the Caribbean. We have colonialism to thank for much of that, but what were the economic conditions that led up to the mass migration of Asians, mostly from India and China, to the Caribbean nations? We also provide a quick hockey update in the beginning of the episode and end with a segment of Celebrations. This time we’re celebrating the HUGE wins for Asian Pacific Americans in the James Beard Awards. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Hockey Update and Intro
- 02:45 The History of Asians in the Caribbean
- 24:02 Celebrations: API James Beard Winners
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 21. With May just finishing and June just beginning, it’s a great time for a conversation with Dr. Noel Ramirez. He lives and works in the intersection of Mental Wellness, the AANHPI community, and the LGBTQ+ community. As the Director and Founder of Mango Tree Counseling and Consulting, he is making a difference everyday to help people, especially those of AAPI descent, in Pennsylvania get access to the help they need to feel a sense of Belonging and Community. We had a chance to sit down and talk to Dr. Ramirez and discuss Mango Tree, the concept of the formative narrative, tips for mental wellness, being honored as one of the 40 Under 40 by Al Día, and a lot more. Enjoy the conversation! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 20. With the first Tong War over, the events in New York’s Chinatown were influenced by tong conflicts across the country. It didn’t help that New York tong members were often loaned out to the different local branches across the nation to act as “hatchet men” to assassinate various targets. The second Tong War began as a conflict over the death of a woman, but there was a new player. This was an issue between the Four Brothers Society and the On Leong Tong. We begin the episode by talking a little about Karma again as well as recent news in Florida. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:24 Talking about Karma and Florida
- 02:49 The History of the Tong Wars Part 4
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 19. Memorial Day is a U.S. holiday that is celebrated on the last Monday of May. It is focused on honoring the service members who have fallen in combat. So today we’re talking about the USS Rizal, the first U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name of a Filipino hero. Who was Jose Rizal and why was he selected for the ship name? We discuss the far reaching impact of Filipinos in the navy as well as why having a USS Telesforo Trinidad will be so exciting. We also take a moment to bring back our segment on Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters and talk about a more well-known one, the New Mutants leader Karma. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Memorial Day
- 01:33 The History of the USS Rizal
- 20:35 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters, Karma
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 18. We’ve all seen them. Typefaces that signal an ethnic establishment. For businesses, especially restaurants that sell Asian food, it’s not unusual to see the use of a “Chop Suey Font”. These fonts have also been used for politics, advertising, media, and other businesses. Whether Chop Suey, Wonton, or any number of mimicry typefaces, using these fonts sends a message that it’s a place that’s exotic, foreign, yet somehow accessible. We discuss the history of these fonts and whether they’re racist. To begin the episode, we talk a little about the shooting in Allen, Texas. To end the episode, we begin a new segment on Supporting Athletes of Asian Descent, and we provide a non-hockey fan’s guide to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Which NHL players of Asian descent are still playing? Find out here! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking a Little about Allen, Texas Shooting
- 08:17 The History of Chop Suey Fonts
- 21:57 Supporting Athletes of Asian Descent, Stanley Cup Edition
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 17. In this episode we continue focusing on the Tong Wars in New York by discussing more of the people, events, and attitudes that escalated tension between the On Leong Tong and the Hip Sing Tong… and we finally talk about the First Tong War! Covering six bloody years, the first Tong War was fought over the control of gambling in Chinatown. We highly recommend the Scott Seligman book Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money and Murder in New York's Chinatown. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Fastest. Intro. Ever.
- 00:35 The History of the Tong Wars Part 3
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 16. The New York Tong Wars were a series of four violent conflicts that happened in New York between the two most influential tongs there… the On Leong Tong and the Hip Sing Tong. In this episode, we talk about the events and environment that led to the Tong Wars, focusing on Tom Lee of the On Leong Tong and how the corruption of law enforcement through Tammany Hall contributed to conflict escalation. We also talk about a few other key Chinese community leaders like Wo Kee, Lee Toy, and Wong Get. For more detailed information on the NY Tong Wars, we highly recommend the Scott Seligman book Tong Wars: The Untold Story of Vice, Money and Murder in New York's Chinatown. In our second segment, we celebrate the recent gold medal for Madison Chock and Evan Bates in Ice Dancing at the recent World Figure Skating Championships, not to mention the 6 medals won by Japanese and Korean skaters. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Getting Caught Up
- 03:19 The History of the Tong Wars Part 2
- 20:54 Celebrating Madison Chock, Evan Bates, several Japanese and Korean skaters
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 15. In this ICYMI Encore Episode, we go back to Season 2, Episode 29. If you’re a fan of HBO’s show Warrior, like we are, then you’re familiar with the prevalence of tongs in Chinatowns in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In this episode, we talk about The Six Companies and the formation of tongs. These tongs didn’t originate as illegal or violent groups, but that changed as a result of several factors. We focus on the challenges and environment that led up to the Tong Wars in San Francisco. We close out with a new segment called “What’s Wrong With That?” where we talk about the term “Oriental”. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Intro
- 00:55 The History of the Tong Wars Part I
- 17:12 What’s Wrong With “Oriental”?
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 14. In this ICYMI Encore Episode, we go back to Season 2, Episode 19. There are a lot of Filipino nurses. In fact, the Philippines is the leading exporter of registered nurses across the world. So how did that happen? Spoilers… American Colonialism was a factor. To celebrate National Nurses Day, we take a look into the History of Filipino Nurses and talk about some of the conditions they face with discrimination and racism. If this topic intrigues you, then we highly recommend reading the book Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History by Catherine Ceniza Choy, a professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley. To begin this episode, we start with a brief history of National Nurses Day. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 National Nurses Day
- 02:44 The History of Filipino Nurses
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 13. In this next ICYMI Encore Episode, we talk about The History of Ketchup. Is there a more American condiment than Ketchup? It’s as ubiquitous of a condiment as you’ll find, and it actually has Asian roots. No, Heinz wasn’t the first… so where did it originate, what was it made of, and how has it changed? This episode originally aired Season 2, Episode 5. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 12. This is an #ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Encore Episode. Originally airing on Season 2, Episode 13, this episode is all about the U.S. vs. Wong Kim Ark. Do you know why people born in the United States get birthright citizenship? Most textbooks point to the 14th Amendment as the reason for this, but the U.S. vs. Wong Kim Ark ruling solidified this right. In this episode, we discuss the history of this landmark ruling. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 11! We definitely want to celebrate Everything Everywhere All At Once and their huge wins at the Academy Awards. Before that, we focus on the first Asian ever to be nominated for an Academy Award, Merle Oberon… not just the first Asian woman nominated for best actress. Her 1935 nomination for playing Kitty Vane in Dark Angel was the first Academy Awards nomination for any Asian Pacific Islander ever. Her life was a little wild, and not just because she was white passing and never admitted to being part South Asian and part Maori, a secret that she kept to her grave. We do take plenty of time to celebrate the Daniels, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and the entire cast and crew of Everything Everywhere All At Once and their 7 Academy Award Wins! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 02:03 The History of Merle Oberon
- 18:25 Celebrating Everything Everywhere All At Once
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 10! The Paper Tigers is one of our favorite Asian American movies. It’s full of action, comedy, and a good dose of drama and deeper messaging. It’s an award winning film that should be talked about more. In this episode’s conversation, we get a chance to talk to Bao Tran, the writer and director of The Paper Tigers along with producers Mike Velasquez, of E3 Productions, and Yuji Okumoto, a veteran actor with over 100 credits to his name. Bao is also a successful editor, working on Cho Lon and Jackpot. Mike has worked as a writer, director, producer, and in visual effects. Yuji may be known for his role of Chozen Toguchi in Karate Kid II and Cobra Kai, but we loved him in Awesome Asian Bad Guys and True Believer. Bonus reason to like him. He owns the successful Seattle-based restaurant Kona Kitchen with his wife Angela. The chemistry, rapport, and respect Bao, Mike, and Yuji have for each other was apparent throughout the conversation. If you haven’t seen The Paper Tigers, we highly recommend adding it to your watchlist. The significance of such an original film with a diverse, predominantly Asian American cast should be celebrated more. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 9! We love bringing back guests and getting a chance to talk about more topics. Today’s return guest is Brad Jenkins, the President and CEO of the AAPI Victory Fund, the first Super PAC focused on mobilizing Asian American and Pacific Islander voters in the U.S. Brad Jenkins has a long decorated history that includes being an award-winning producer with Funny or Die and founding Enfranchisement Productions. In today’s conversation, we cover a LOT of things including a reflection on the November mid-term elections, the current congress, being a guest of Andy Kim and watching many failed votes for Speaker of the House, the importance of Ted Lieu’s role in the Democratic Party, how to battle disinformation and outright lies, and what the Victory Fund will be focusing on now. We encourage you to follow the work of the AAPI Victory Fund and donate to amplify their work. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 8! February 19, 2023 marks 100 years since the landmark U.S. vs. Bhagat Singh Thind ruling that further defined who were considered caucasian in this country and eligible for citizenship. Spoilers… it didn’t include people of Asian descent. Although Dr. Thind is best known for his part in this ruling, he spent his life here, providing lectures and also being an activist for a free and independent India without British rule. And he did all these while facing racism and a U.S. population that often viewed him as a perpetual foreigner. We take time to talk about his fascinating life, including his imprisonment in Omaha, Nebraska in 1942. Dr. Thind has a website created by his son where you can learn more about him. We also take time to talk about the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA.org). We recommend visiting their site, donating to their work, and buying their recent book Our Stories: An Introduction to South Asian America. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Welcoming Gen back
- 01:54 The History of Bhagat Singh Thind
- 21:18 Organizations to Know: South Asian American Digital Archive
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 7! Sometimes our conversations intersect with some of our other passions, including food and music. This was one of those conversations. It was such a blast talking to Tahlena Chikami! She’s the lead singer of the ska group, Bite Me Bambi, and we didn’t just focus on music! From the Japanese internment to vegan food to singing covers to her songwriting process, Tahlena shared all of that and so much more. A former actress, she’s an extremely talented singer who’s a self-proclaimed “ham,” and you can tell from the Bite Me Bambi videos and their twice-weekly Twitch stream. You can follow Bite Me Bambi on all their social media, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube. You can also support them through their Patreon page. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 6! Do you think all Asian Pacific Islanders play classical music? There are a lot of APIs who play classical music, but not all of us fulfill that stereotype, especially in the professional sector. The truth is, according to the 2016 report The Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity in the Orchestra Field by the League of American Orchestras, the vast majority of professional classical musicians are white, and although Asian Pacific Islanders are the most represented classical musicians who are people of color, they are a small minority. The representation drops further for any position of power. So this week we talk about three Asian Pacific Islander composers you should know: Zhou Long, Kenji Bunch, and Cerise Lim Jacobs. To learn more and get involved, we recommend visiting Kenji Bunch’s Fear No Music and Cerise Lim Jacob’s White Snake Projects which both mix classical music, empowerment, and activism. To open this episode, we discuss the Grammy award wins for the API community. To close the episode we launch a new thematic series called “Not as Asian as You Might Think” where we talk about the Lazy Susan and whether it’s as Chinese as most people think. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Reflecting on the Grammy Awards
- 03:31 Asian Pacific Islanders in Classical Music
- 14:09 Not as Asian as You Think: The Lazy Susan
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 5! In episode 3 of this season, we talked about the amazing Kim Loo Sisters. Today’s episode we had a chance to talk with Leslie Li, the daughter of the third sister, Jeneé. Other than writing the book Just Us Girls: The Kim Loo Sisters, Leslie is working on the documentary of the group and she is an accomplished author as well. She wrote the books Bittersweet as well as Daughter of Heaven: A Memoir with Earthly Recipes. We really enjoyed our conversation with Leslie, and she shared stories of the Kimmies as well as information on her books, her thoughts on diverse storytelling, what she’s working on now, and so much more. To learn more about Leslie’s books, visit her book page on her site. We really hope the Kim Loo Sisters documentary gets made, because we need to celebrate Asian American History before it gets forgotten. So hopefully there’s a wealthy benefactor who’s listening to this podcast who can help out. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 4! We begin this episode with reflections on the recent shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay. We also talk about the White House celebrating Lunar New Year as well as the recent nominations of Asian Pacific Islanders for the Grammy Awards and Academy Awards… and there are a LOT, with the biggest news being the 11 Academy Award nominations for Everything Everywhere All at Once. The main story continues the Award theme as we explore the life of James Wong Howe, the first person of Asian descent to win an Academy Award. Have you heard of this amazing cinematographer who innovated filmmaking as a Director of Photography? He spanned some major changes in film like moving from silent films to “talkies” and going from black and white to color, but he never stopped innovating despite obstacles like racism. We close out the episode with another segment of Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters to talk about Sha Shan Nguyen. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Thoughts on Recent Shootings and the Grammy Award and Academy Award Nominees
- 12:40 The History of James Wong Howe
- 24:43 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters: Sha Shan Nguyen
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 3! Happy Lunar New Year! We’re back with a new episode. Have you heard of the Kim Loo Sisters AKA the Kimmies AKA the Chinese Andrews Sisters? We wouldn’t be surprised if you hadn’t, but they were really famous as a vaudeville family act and grew bigger… even performing on Broadway and in Hollywood. It’s a shame that there are so few recordings of their work that have been saved over the years, but Leslie Li, the daughter of the third sister Jeneé, is working on a documentary and has written a companion book called Just Us Girls: The Kim Loo Sisters that’s available on the Amazon Kindle store. The documentary is in post-production, but you can see a trailer on the movie site. You can also see Leslie’s other books on her site. We begin the show by talking about Lunar New Year, including the tragic shooting in Monterey Park, CA. We close the show with Celebrations and talk about Miss Universe, The Golden Globes, and The Critic’s Choice Awards… Big wins for Everything Everywhere All at Once, Michelle Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan! For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 The California Government Recognizes Lunar New Year and Tragedy in Monterey Park, CA
- 03:00 The History of the Kim Loo Sisters
- 21:59 Celebrating R’Bonney Gabriel, Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once, the Daniels, Pachinko, and Naatu Naatu from RRR
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 2! It’s probably a good bet that you remember the school names and communities of Columbine, Parkland, and Sandy Hook… not to mention so many other recent school shootings. But before most of those happened was the Cleveland School Massacre in Stockton on January 17, 1989. As we approach 34 years since this incident, we don’t know why it’s generally ignored nowadays, but it shouldn’t be. When we talk about forgotten massacres, it’s understandable that events have been forgotten from a hundred years ago or more… but when something is only a few decades ago and was the worst school shooting in history at that time… it boggles our minds that it’s largely ignored or forgotten. In this episode we talk about the Cleveland Elementary Shooting as well as the shooter, a 24-year-old white supremacist named Patrick Purdy. Although we spend a good amount of time going into his background, that is not to develop excuses for his horrible actions… only to illustrate how many years and opportunities there were for someone… anyone… to realize his racist rants and questionable behavior should have been called out. Anti-Asian violence doesn’t happen randomly. We recommend reading the report on the event provided to Attorney General John Van De Kamp as well as supporting the group Cleveland School Remembers. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro to the Most Forgotten Massacres in AAPI History
- 01:53 The Cleveland School Massacre in Stockton
- 17:42 Organizations to Know: Cleveland School Remembers
Welcome to Season 3, Episode 1! Can you believe we’re in season 3? In this first episode of 2023, we focus on some of our favorite topics and conversations, including the following…
Episodes we want everyone to listen to:
- ICYMI Encore Episode of Celebrating Anna May Wong
- Chinese and the Transcontinental Railroad
- The United States vs Wong Kim Ark
- The History of Nuclear Weapons Testing in the Pacific Islands
Favorite non-interview episodes:
- The History of Ketchup
- The History of Cambodian Doughnut Shops
- The History of Hawaii Regional Cuisine
- The History of Climbing Mount Everest AKA Chomolungma
Favorite conversations:
- A Conversation with Oliver Chin (Get his latest, More Awesome Asian Americans)
- A Conversation with Grace Lin
- A Conversation with Buddha Lo
- A Conversation with Anthony Christian Ocampo (Get Brown and Gay in LA)
- A Conversation with the Creative Women of Kwento Comics (Get the Mask of Haliya!)
- Thanks to the MPR Firm for helping facilitate amazing conversations with Yvonne Chapman, Jacky Lai, Tony Jiu Hoong Giroux, Hiro Kanagawa, and Dorren Lee!
Favorite recurring segments:
- Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters like Collective Man and Tsunami
- Origin of Mongolian Spots
Thanks to everyone we interviewed and all who have tuned in to listen. Did we miss mentioning some of your favorites? Let us know! Happy New Year!!! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Intro
- 00:46 A Few of Our Favorite Things
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 58! We’re back with our final episode of 2022, and it’s a fascinating piece of ethnic enclave history. Most Chinatowns across the world have similar structural elements: pagodas, specific colors, terra cotta tiles, and more. So how did this happen? It might surprise you that stereotypical Chinatown architecture was created by white people hired by Chinese Americans. Although San Francisco was the first place this happened, their success in creating a welcoming environment influenced the re-design of almost all Chinatowns across the world. We also take time to celebrate Ted Lieu and Michelle Yeoh in the second segment. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Thanks and an Intro on Chinatown Architecture
- 02:05 The History of Stereotypical Chinatown Architecture
- 14:15 Celebrating Ted Lieu and Michelle Yeoh
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 57! We’re back with a new episode! The move is done, we finally unpacked our audio gear, and we’re eager to create some new content. This episode is a conversation with Asian Canadian actress Dorren Lee. She’s probably best known for being in recurring roles on Diggstown and Kung Fu, but she also played the narcissistic boss, Ingrid Jordan, in the romantic comedy Lease on Love. She has several other credits to her name including the upcoming short film The Park, where Dorren not only acts in it but also writes, produces, and directs. We talk to her about that experience as well as several of her other roles, how classical piano has helped her acting, thoughts on more representational roles and stories, the importance of Diggstown and Kung Fu, learning American Sign Language, the power of making mistakes, and so much more. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 56! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we revisit Season 1, Episode 62 where we discuss the history of Japanese food in America. So many Asian foods in America are expected to be cheap either in price or quality, but Japanese food is one of the few Asian cuisines that is viewed as more refined and deserving of higher prices. However, it wasn’t always that way. We took time to discuss that in this episode. One high end Japanese restaurant we mentioned was Shojin with locations in Downtown Los Angeles and Culver City. We also shared What Are We Watching and discussed the Netflix Rom-Com Love Hard starring Jimmy O. Yang. We gave our thoughts both good and bad on the Asian representation in this movie. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 0:26 How Asian Food is Viewed in America
- 08:29 The History of Japanese Food in America
- 23:18 What Are We Watching, Love Hard
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 55! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we revisit Season 1, Episode 49 where we discuss Shih Yang, the most famous and accomplished pirate ever who just happened to be a Chinese woman. Her incredible life made her one of the most influential pirates in history not just in Asia. We also took time to celebrate Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, the amazing women of Asian descent at the U.S. Open who competed in the singles finals back in 2021. We closed this episode by talking about linguistics and the myth that all Asians mix-up the R and L sounds in English. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Celebrating the All-Asian Ethnicity U.S. Open Final
- 03:04 Shih Yang, the Most Famous Asian Pirate
- 17:25 Say What? Rs and Ls
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 55! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we revisit Season 1, Episode 49 where we discuss Shih Yang, the most famous and accomplished pirate ever who just happened to be a Chinese woman. Her incredible life made her one of the most influential pirates in history not just in Asia. We also took time to celebrate Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, the amazing women of Asian descent at the U.S. Open who competed in the singles finals back in 2021. We closed this episode by talking about linguistics and the myth that all Asians mix-up the R and L sounds in English. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Celebrating the All-Asian Ethnicity U.S. Open Final
- 03:04 Shih Yang, the Most Famous Asian Pirate
- 17:25 Say What? Rs and Ls
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 54! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we revisit Season 1, Episode 43 where we discuss The Bamboo Ceiling and the Sticky Floor… terminology that refers to the limitations that are often in place keeping Asian American and Pacific Islanders outside of management and executive roles. This is especially true of API women. To learn more about the wage gap for API women. We also took time to discuss the Olympics and the problematic phrase “Open the Kimono.” For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Checking in and Olympics Musings
- 04:00 The Bamboo Ceiling and the Sticky Floor
- 17:40 Say What? Open the Kimono
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 53! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we revisit one of our favorite interviews that originally aired Season 1, Episode 37. Professor Naoko Wake is the author of American Survivors: Trans-Pacific Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki published by Cambridge University Press. She is a historian of gender, sexuality, and illness in the twentieth century United States and the Pacific Rim who works at Michigan State University. She joined us to have a conversation about her book and the interviews she conducted. It was a sad yet fascinating piece of our history that we rarely hear about. We urge everyone to go out and read this book. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 52! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we dig back to Season 1, Episode 21 where we began our series of ‘Merica’s Forgotten Massacres (MFM) where we discuss the history of anti-Asian massacres and lynchings in the United States. In this first installment we talked about the Chinese Massacre of 1871 in Los Angeles as well as the San Francisco Riot of 1877. We’ve covered a lot more incidents than these first two, but this is where it all began. We also introduced a new segment called “Origins” where we focus on the strange, slightly racist origins of some common idioms or slang. This episode we confronted the phrase “Long time, no see.” Want to learn more? For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 2:20 History that led to the first massacres
- 8:56 Chinese Massacre of 1871
- 16:52 San Francisco Riot of 1877
- 23:57 Origins of “Long time, no see”
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 51! In today’s In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode, we dig back to Season 1, Episode 4 on the life of Larry Kwong, the first person to break the color barrier in the National Hockey League. Nicknamed The China Clipper and King Kwong, he hasn’t gotten nearly enough recognition for his many accomplishments. For example, we think he should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and there are others who believe it too. We began this episode with an apology to KoRoot for messing up their name last episode. And we closed the episode with a segment on the origin of describing Asians as “yellow.” To read more about Larry Kwong, check out King Kwong: Larry Kwong, The China Clipper Who Broke the NHL Colour Barrier by Paula Johanson. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Reflecting on 40 Episodes and Apologies to KoRoot
- 3:34 The Life and Career of Larry Kwong
- 16:10 Say What? The Origin of Calling Asians Yellow
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 50! It’s another In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) Encore Episode. It's Diwali! So this time we’re featuring A History of Indian Food in America which originally aired Season 1, Episode 23. We provide a little history and then focus on the differences between Indian food here in the U.S. vs India. Interested in getting some Indian flavors at home? Try out Nummy Nibbles. We begin the episode by talking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his Hollywood Reporter article on the need for better media roles for Asian Americans. To close out this episode, we talk about What Are We Watching? We discuss the amazing series Warrior (for mature audiences). We can’t wait for Season 3 on HBO! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:30 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 06:02 A History of Indian Food in America
- 18:14 What are We Watching? Warrior
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 49! This is an #ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Encore Episode. Originally airing as Episode 16 in Season 1, we were celebrating International Women’s Day and did a profile on Anna May Wong, the first Asian American actress and style icon extraordinaire. With the recent announcement that she will be featured on a U.S. quarter, making her the first Asian American to be featured on U.S. currency, it’s a good time to revisit this episode. There’s also aa upcoming biopic of Anna May Wong starring Gemma Chan! In this episode, we also take time to bring attention to The Center for Asian Pacific American Women. Check them out when you have a chance. They do incredible work! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Talking about International Women’s Day
- 02:53 Celebrating Anna May Wong
- 22:48 Featuring The Center for Asian Pacific American Women
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 48! This is an #ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Encore Episode. Originally airing as Episode 5, this has been one of our favorite episodes we ever researched, recorded, and published. We talk about the first Asians in America... Spoilers, it's not the Chinese. Since it’s Filipino American History Month, it seems like another good reason to post this again. In the secondary segment, we talk about the first really famous Asian American performers, Chang and Eng, the Siamese Twins. For the next 6-8 weeks, we will be posting other great #ICYMI Encore Episodes! If you’d like to find previous episodes and resources, please visit https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:27 Welcome and Catch-up
- 03:46 The First Asians in America
- 12:28 The First Asian American Performers Chang and Eng
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 47 with special guest host Dr. Trang Lai! We’re always excited to talk about food, so here we are to talk about Thai Food in America. We love Thai cuisine because it’s such a great balance of fresh herbs and punchy flavors. And we’re not alone. Thai cuisine is among the most popular in the U.S. and across the world. When we think about Thai food, we think about how so many dishes balance salty, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and umami. Do you know the various qualities of the five regions of Thai cuisine? How about the different reasons that Thai food accelerated in popularity in the last half century? You can learn all about that as well as the origin of Pad Thai in this episode. And if you want to learn more about Thai food after listening, then go out and read Flavors of Empire: Food and the Making of Thai America by Mark Padoongpatt. Also, we have an announcement in the second segment… we’re taking a break while we sell our house and move to our new one. So for the next month or so, we’ll be featuring some of our favorite season 1 episodes and sharing them as an encore release. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Talking About Our Favorite Thai Dishes
- 02:05 A History of Thai Food in America
- 18:05 Taking a Break While We Move
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 46! Every now and then, something comes along that opens up doors and captures your imagination. We really feel that Kwento Comics and their first comic book, The Mask of Haliya could serve to impact the world of comic books and media in that way. An all women-run, all Asian led team, Kwento Comics is out to open up minds regarding stories with Filipino and Asian Mythology. We had the pleasure of sitting down and having a conversation with Founder and CEO Cecilia Lim, Producer and COO Waverley Lim, Head Writer Kaitlyn Fajilan, and Editor and Art Liaison Jenapher Zheng. They shared their origin stories, what it’s like diving into pre-colonial mythology from the Philippines, the importance of creating realistic characters, how they develop cinematic artwork, the importance of normalizing food and language to discourage making Filipino/a characters feel exotic, the response to The Mask of Haliya so far, and so much more. With two issues out, this is an amazing story with universal themes that will speak to everyone whether you’re Asian, Asian American, or not. We highly recommend buying the first two issues that have come out, following them on your favorite social media platform whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and/or TikTok, and signing up for their newsletter. We can’t wait to see what they do next! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 46! Every now and then, something comes along that opens up doors and captures your imagination. We really feel that Kwento Comics and their first comic book, The Mask of Haliya could serve to impact the world of comic books and media in that way. An all women-run, all Asian led team, Kwento Comics is out to open up minds regarding stories with Filipino and Asian Mythology. We had the pleasure of sitting down and having a conversation with Founder and CEO Cecilia Lim, Producer and COO Waverley Lim, Head Writer Kaitlyn Fajilan, and Editor and Art Liaison Jenapher Zheng. They shared their origin stories, what it’s like diving into pre-colonial mythology from the Philippines, the importance of creating realistic characters, how they develop cinematic artwork, the importance of normalizing food and language to discourage making Filipino/a characters feel exotic, the response to The Mask of Haliya so far, and so much more. With two issues out, this is an amazing story with universal themes that will speak to everyone whether you’re Asian, Asian American, or not. We highly recommend buying the first two issues that have come out, following them on your favorite social media platform whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and/or TikTok, and signing up for their newsletter. We can’t wait to see what they do next! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 45! More diverse stories have been on the rise in the last decade or so… especially in books. One of the most accomplished authors who has led the charge is Grace Lin, the award-winning writer of picture books, early readers, and novels including Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Ling & Ting, and A Big Mooncake for Little Star. She’s one of the few authors who has won both the Caldecott and Newbery honors… not to mention a 2016 Champion of Change honor and the 2022 Children’s Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association. We had such a wonderful time in our conversation with Grace Lin, and we were fan-girling and fan-boying pretty hard. She was so amazingly articulate and gracious with her time and stories. We had a chance to talk about her start in writing and illustrating, the honors she’s received, her activism, how she developed a mindset of reckless bravery, and what’s next in her career. Be sure to check-out her talks on PBS NewsHour “Your favorite book from childhood might be racist” and TEDx Natick "The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf.” She’s also an active podcaster with Kids Ask Authors, Book Friends Forever, and kidlitwomen. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com*.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 45! More diverse stories have been on the rise in the last decade or so… especially in books. One of the most accomplished authors who has led the charge is Grace Lin, the award-winning writer of picture books, early readers, and novels including Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Ling & Ting, and A Big Mooncake for Little Star. She’s one of the few authors who has won both the Caldecott and Newbery honors… not to mention a 2016 Champion of Change honor and the 2022 Children’s Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association. We had such a wonderful time in our conversation with Grace Lin, and we were fan-girling and fan-boying pretty hard. She was so amazingly articulate and gracious with her time and stories. We had a chance to talk about her start in writing and illustrating, the honors she’s received, her activism, how she developed a mindset of reckless bravery, and what’s next in her career. Be sure to check-out her talks on PBS NewsHour “Your favorite book from childhood might be racist” and TEDx Natick "The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf.” She’s also an active podcaster with Kids Ask Authors, Book Friends Forever, and kidlitwomen. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com*.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 44! Anthony Christian Ocampo is a professor, sociologist, and author. His latest book is Brown and Gay in LA: The Lives of Immigrant Sons published by NYU Press. It’s a book full of powerful interviews with second generation gay men of Filipino and Latinx descent. Raised in Northeast Los Angeles, Ocampo earned his BA in comparative studies in race and ethnicity. He then earned his MA in modern thought and literature from Stanford University and his MA and PhD in sociology from UCLA. He is now a professor of Sociology at Cal Poly Pomona. Prior to his latest book, he also wrote The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, and he edited Contemporary Asian America: A Multi-Disciplinary Reader. In our conversation we talk about Brown and Gay in LA as well the impact of media, intersectionality, and so much more! His book comes out on September 21, 2022, and we highly recommend buying it! You can even get a discount if you go to the NYU Press site and enter “OCAMPO30-FM”. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 44! Anthony Christian Ocampo is a professor, sociologist, and author. His latest book is Brown and Gay in LA: The Lives of Immigrant Sons published by NYU Press. It’s a book full of powerful interviews with second generation gay men of Filipino and Latinx descent. Raised in Northeast Los Angeles, Ocampo earned his BA in comparative studies in race and ethnicity. He then earned his MA in modern thought and literature from Stanford University and his MA and PhD in sociology from UCLA. He is now a professor of Sociology at Cal Poly Pomona. Prior to his latest book, he also wrote The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, and he edited Contemporary Asian America: A Multi-Disciplinary Reader. In our conversation we talk about Brown and Gay in LA as well the impact of media, intersectionality, and so much more! His book comes out on September 21, 2022, and we highly recommend buying it! You can even get a discount if you go to the NYU Press site and enter “OCAMPO30-FM”. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 43! The second (and hopefully last episode with only Ted as the host)… Today’s guest is Manjusha P. Kulkarni. Manju is one of the three co-founders of Stop AAPI Hate, the nation’s leading aggregator of hate incidents against AAPIs. In addition to founding and working with Stop AAPI Hate, she is also Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance (formerly A3PCON), a coalition of over forty community-based organizations that serves and represents the 1.5 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County. In this conversation, we talk about their most recent national report Two Years and Thousands of Voices, the importance of intersectionality and allyship, how AAPI can support the most vulnerable in our community, future research by Stop AAPI Hate, and so much more. You can follow Stop AAPI Hate via their email newsletter or on social media like Instagram or Twitter. And of course, you can Report an Incident or Donate to support their work! For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 43! The second (and hopefully last episode with only Ted as the host)… Today’s guest is Manjusha P. Kulkarni. Manju is one of the three co-founders of Stop AAPI Hate, the nation’s leading aggregator of hate incidents against AAPIs. In addition to founding and working with Stop AAPI Hate, she is also Executive Director of the AAPI Equity Alliance (formerly A3PCON), a coalition of over forty community-based organizations that serves and represents the 1.5 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Los Angeles County. In this conversation, we talk about their most recent national report Two Years and Thousands of Voices, the importance of intersectionality and allyship, how AAPI can support the most vulnerable in our community, future research by Stop AAPI Hate, and so much more. You can follow Stop AAPI Hate via their email newsletter or on social media like Instagram or Twitter. And of course, you can Report an Incident or Donate to support their work! For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 42! Born and raised in France till his teens before moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, Tony Giroux has been a professional dancer, actor, and filmmaker. He is known for his work as the male lead, Billy Martin in Lifetime’s A Sugar and Spice Holiday, the first Lifetime holiday movie centered on an Asian American story. Most recently, he has played Adil, an important recurring character in the show Motherland: Fort Salem. For three seasons of Motherland, he has played Adil with humor, nuance, and depth. He’s also the director of the award-winning documentary My Name Is that focuses on the power and challenges when you’re a person of color with a non-European name. In our conversation, we cover a LOT of ground, discussing his experiences, how he views change, being cast in A Sugar and Spice Holiday, chemistry with Jacky Lai and his co-stars in Motherland, his thoughts on Masculinity, the impact of My Name Is, and so much more. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 41! As huge fans of Top Chef, we were so over the moon excited to get a chance to interview Top Chef 19 winner Buddha Lo. He is the sixth Top Chef winner of Asian Pacific Islander descent, but Buddha did it in a unique way. Originally hailing from Australia, Buddha went to Houston having prepared for the competition like no other contestant before him, and it showed. His creations were consistently beautiful, delicious, and refined. In our conversation, we talk about his preparation for Top Chef, his dedication to family, how he and his wife Rebekah support each other, his hopes for the future of fine dining, and so much more. We even talk a little about how previous Top Chef contestants like Dale Talde are harder judges. Skilled, confident, and yet still so down-to-earth, Buddha’s work can be found at Marky’s Caviar on Madison Ave and Huso. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 40! We’re fans of professional sumo in Japan. It’s fun to watch and takes a great amount of skill. There’s actually a relatively rich history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in professional sumo. Although there aren’t any impactful AAPI in the sport now, there have been some amazing wrestlers in the past including Konishiki, Akebono, and Mushashimaru, but they aren’t the only ones. Those three peers may not have achieved the levels they did without Takamiyama. We provide a quick overview of professional sumo, but if you’re interested in learning more, we recommend the new Sumo Primetime and Sumostew channels on YouTube, the NHK Sumo and Sumopedia webpages, and the Sumo Wrestling Fandom Wiki. We begin this episode by celebrating Janet Yang for her recent election to President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Michelle Yeoh for her recent honorary doctorate from the American Film Institute. We close out this episode with a segment on the Origin of the term “Mongolian Spots.” For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Celebrating Janet Yang and Michelle Yeoh
- 02:29 AAPI in Professional Sumo
- 25:35 The Origin of Mongolian Spots
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 40! We’re fans of professional sumo in Japan. It’s fun to watch and takes a great amount of skill. There’s actually a relatively rich history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in professional sumo. Although there aren’t any impactful AAPI in the sport now, there have been some amazing wrestlers in the past including Konishiki, Akebono, and Mushashimaru, but they aren’t the only ones. Those three peers may not have achieved the levels they did without Takamiyama. We provide a quick overview of professional sumo, but if you’re interested in learning more, we recommend the new Sumo Primetime and Sumostew channels on YouTube, the NHK Sumo and Sumopedia webpages, and the Sumo Wrestling Fandom Wiki. We begin this episode by celebrating Janet Yang for her recent election to President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Michelle Yeoh for her recent honorary doctorate from the American Film Institute. We close out this episode with a segment on the Origin of the term “Mongolian Spots.” For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Celebrating Janet Yang and Michelle Yeoh
- 02:29 AAPI in Professional Sumo
- 25:35 The Origin of Mongolian Spots
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 39! We love reading… and finding an author who creates more diverse representational stories is always a treat. In this episode’s conversation, we welcome Oliver Chin who is not only an author of over 20 titles, but he’s also the founder of the publishing house Immedium which really does a great job in promoting diverse stories. His latest work, More Awesome Asian Americans is available for everyone to support via Kickstarter. Done in a graphic novel style, it’s the follow-up to one of our favorites, Awesome Asian Americans. There’s only about a week left to support More Awesome Asian Americans, so we highly recommend not waiting till the August 17, 2022, 9:00AM PDT end of the project. Oliver is a thoughtful person who has created fun stories to promote Asian and Asian American culture, and we need more of that. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 39! We love reading and learning, so it was a treat to get a chance to have a conversation with Daryl Joji Maeda, the Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. His latest book is Like Water: A Cultural History of Bruce Lee. It was a fascinating, well-researched book that takes a deeper look into Bruce Lee, his life, and the social conditions he faced on his way to becoming a global superstar. In our conversation, Daryl shares the importance of Asian Pacific Islander representation in leadership positions, why Bruce Lee continues to be a popular icon, how colonialist mindsets create challenges for acceptance of Asian Pacific Americans in media, and so much more. We highly recommend getting a copy of his latest book or either of his two previous books! For prior episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 37! History books and curriculum are missing a lot of information. There are a plethora of moments that are ignored or not talked about in true depth. Even worse are the times throughout our history that the majority has worked to erase the history, culture, and very existence of groups like Asian Pacific Islanders. Today we begin a series of looks at those moments in U.S. history. First up, we talk about the erasing of Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach, California. This 4.5 acre parcel of land is a slice of Japanese American history that spans three generations from the early 1900s through the early 2000s. However, the current owners of the land, Republic Services, are trying to ignore the historical significance and turn the land into a public storage facility. There are groups working hard to preserve history, but it’s an uphill battle. To support, you can always learn more about Historic Wintersburg and donate to their efforts or write directly to Republic Services with some of the linked suggested talking points. We close out the episode with the segment What Are We Watching? This week we discuss the animated feature Abominable starring the voices of Chloe Bennet, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, and Albert Tsai. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Erasing History
- 01:46 The Erasing of Historic Wintersburg
- 23:00 What Are We Watching? Abominable
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 36! Kiyoka “Kex” Rhodes is an award-winning filmmaker who expresses her storytelling through writing, producing, and directing. She leverages her creativity by trying to increase more representative stories and opportunities. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Kex Studios, a full-service production company that specializes in film and video, branded content, and graphic design. We’re so excited for her latest project, Desolate Dreams, a story set in 1942 about an African American journalist who advocates for justice alongside a Japanese American family forced into prison camps. In our conversation, she shares a little about how she was inspired to be a filmmaker, the challenges for women of color in the industry, and her latest project Desolate Dreams. We close out this episode with a short segment on the origin of the California roll. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Introduction
- 01:41 A Conversation with Kiyoka Rhodes
- 17:49 The Origin of the California Roll
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 35! About 49 years ago, Bruce Lee passed away at the age of 32. Even to this day, Lee is an icon and role model for martial arts, activism, and the Asian Pacific Islander community. With the anniversary of his passing coming up on July 20, we take time to share a little about his life and career. His memory and ideas are still honored by his daughter Shannon Lee and the Bruce Lee Foundation. The foundation is supported through sales of books, shirts, and more at the Bruce Lee Store. We begin this episode by discussing some current events and end it with a new segment called Spectacular API Sidekicks where we decide to embrace the fact that API characters have often been the sidekick in stories. We select one and talk about what makes them amazing. This installment we reflect on Ned Leeds, the spectacular sidekick and “man in the chair” for the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Spider-Man. This role is played by Jacob Battalon, a Filipino American actor born in Hawaii. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Reviewing Current Events
- 06:15 The Life and Career of Bruce Lee
- 29:20 Spectacular API Sidekicks: Ned Leeds
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 34! This week we talk to Varun Nikore, the executive director of the AAPI Victory Alliance. Founded in 2017 as AAPI Progressive Action, the AAPI Victory Alliance works to build Asian American and Pacific Islander political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels. We discuss his background, some of the key work the Victory Alliance is doing, and why Texas is such a focus to benefit the AAPI community and our country. Part of our conversation centered on intersectionality and why the AAPI community needs to reach out and work with other marginalized groups. We should all care about voting rights, women’s rights, gun control, immigration rights, and LGBTQ+ rights… just to name a few things. After all, these are just a few of the civil rights that have been challenged or attacked in recent months. Varun also shared some information on the AAPI Victory Alliance Think Tank, the first of its kind. Listen to this episode for some additional important issues and discover how you can get involved. You can also support their work by donating to the AAPI Victory Alliance. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 33! On June 30, 1946, about 76 years ago, the United States began nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific Islands. The approximately 20 years of testing was predominantly executed in the Marshall Islands around Bikini Atoll and Enewetak Atoll. U.S. researchers, military, and government contaminated the islands and many of its residents with dangerous levels of radiation. The islands still suffer from long-term impacts from radioactive contamination, and they have never been fully compensated for losses or illness. Not sure about long-term impacts of radiation? Then we recommend listening to our conversation with Professor Naoko Wake from S01E37, we discuss her book American Survivors: Trans-Pacific Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To begin the episode, we talk about some of the recent noteworthy conversations we’ve been having with guests. To be clear, we feel that all our interviews are noteworthy in different ways. We’re just happy to be able to share these conversations with listeners! These amazing guests are impacting politics, media, food, education, small businesses, and more. Some of the ones we reflect on are conversations with Yvonne Chapman, Wendy Mink & Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, Sheldon Simeon, and Dale Talde. We close out the episode with a segment of What Are We Listening To? This episode we talk about new work by The Bruce Lee Band, Rina Sawayama, and Sarah Kinsley. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Reflecting on Recent Interviews
- 05:38 The History of Bomb Testing in the Pacific Islands
- 33:51 What Are We Listening To? The Bruce Lee Band, Rina Sawayama, Sarah Kinsley
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 32! We’ve admired Chef Dale Talde and his work for years. He’s a proud Filipino American who is the chef/owner of the restaurant Goosefeather and Food Crush Hospitality with his wife Agnes. He’s also a deep thinker who believes in more representation and mainstream normalization of Asian Pacific Islanders and our cuisine. He’s the author of the cookbook Asian-American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes From The Philippines To Brooklyn which is an amazing blend of great food, Asian American history, and personal stories. At Goosefeather, he pays homage to Hong Kong style Chinese food and other Asian cuisines with his own multicultural twist that can only come from an Asian American raised in the U.S. Most recently he was nominated for the 2022 James Beard award for best chef in New York. We had a chance to sit down with Dale and talk about his career, his honest opinion about the Eurocentric focus of the culinary world, his struggles in life and with Asian American identity, his hopes for the future, and more. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 31! June 13th marks another anniversary for the landmark Miranda ruling that established rights that are read out when you’re arrested. However, there were rulings that influenced the Miranda decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. One such decision was Ziang Sung Wan vs The United States, a chilling case that included a triple murder and some police interrogation tactics that were questionable at best. It’s a fascinating case that was instrumental in better defining what a coerced confession looks like. We open this episode by talking about the history of Miranda vs Arizona, and we close it with highlighting The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Check out The AALDEF. You can volunteer, donate, or just learn more! And if you want to read more about the Ziang Sung Wan case, then we recommend the book The Third Degree by Scott Seligman. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:25 A Short History of Miranda Rights
- 04:45 The History of Ziang Sung Wan vs The United States
- 28:25 The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 30! Jacky Lai is a Canadian actress of Vietnamese descent who starred in A Sugar and Spice Holiday, the first Asian-led Lifetime holiday movie ever. She has also been a part of sci-fi fantasy shows like V Wars and The Shadowhunters. Her latest role is as Rina Kimura, one of the main characters in Eraser: Reborn a reboot of the 1996 movie Eraser. In this episode’s conversation, we had the pleasure of talking with Jacky and hearing about her process for getting into roles, her thoughts on API representation in media, what it meant to be in the first Asian-led Lifetime holiday movie, her latest role in Eraser: Reborn, and so much more. For all the ways to buy and rent Eraser: Reborn, visit the Warner Brothers site. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 29! If you’re a fan of HBO’s show Warrior, like we are, then you’re familiar with the prevalence of tongs in Chinatowns in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In this episode, we talk about The Six Companies and the formation of tongs. These tongs didn’t originate as illegal or violent groups, but that changed as a result of several factors. We focus on the challenges and environment that led up to the Tong Wars in San Francisco. We open the episode by talking about some recent current events that include Zachary Noah Piser in Dear Evan Hansen, Nathan Chen Day in Utah, Nguyen Coffee Supply in Whole Foods. We close out with a new segment called “What’s Wrong With That?” where we talk about the term “Oriental”. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Current Events
- 02:23 The History of the Tong Wars Part I
- 18:40 What’s Wrong With “Oriental”?
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 28! One reason we do the mid-week conversation series is because we love talking to people about a topic we want to dig into more deeply. In honor of National Donut Day and to provide more depth to the previous episode on The History of Cambodian Doughnut Shops, we had a chance to talk to Jessica Ly Chau and Jennie Fou Lee, cousins and two of the owners of DKs Donuts and Bakery in Santa Monica, CA. DKs is one of the most popular doughnut shops in Southern California, and in this conversation, Jessica and Jennie share what it was like returning to the doughnut business, some of the challenges in running a doughnut shop, some of the memories they’ve had over the years, and their hopes for the future. Enjoy some doughnuts and this conversation! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 27! National Doughnut Day is coming soon! It’s safe to say that without the Cambodian American community, the world of independent doughnut shops in the U.S. would be very different. How did Cambodian refugees and immigrants end up with over 80% of the doughnut shops in California and Houston? In this episode, we talk about Ted Ngoy, some of the secret to success for Cambodian doughnut shops, and the lasting impact of the community. We also talk about the history of National Doughnut Day and do another installment of Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters. This time we feature someone more contemporary… Pearl Pangan AKA Wave, a Filipina superhero by Marvel Comics. To learn more about Ted Ngoy and Cambodian doughnut shops, we recommend the movie The Donut King by Alice Gu and the book of food essays Eating Asian America with an essay on Cambodian doughnuts and American culture by Erin Curtis. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Segments
00:25 Talking about Doughnuts and National Doughnut Day
05:07 The History of Cambodian Doughnut Shops
20:04 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters: Pearl Pangan
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 26! Patsy Mink was an Asian Pacific American hero of so many causes. Although she is best known for her work and championing of Title IX, she also supported environmental issues, women’s rights, immigrant rights, and more. In today’s mid-week interview, we had the pleasure of talking to Judy Tzu-Chun Wu and Wendy Mink, the co-authors of the amazing biography Fierce and Fearless: Patsy Takemoto Mink, First Woman of Color in Congress. It was enlightening to be able to hear some first-hand stories from Wendy who is Patsy Mink’s daughter. To find copies of this incredible biography, you can go to any online book seller or get it from the publisher NYU Press. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 25! Most people know Mount Everest is the highest summit above sea level in the world. Did you know that its original name is Chomolungma? In this episode, we talk about the history of climbing Mount Chomolungma and the role of the Sherpa. We also talk about Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who was instrumental in summiting Mount Chomolungma with Edmund Hillary. We begin the episode by reflecting on the recent horrible shootings in Buffalo and Laguna Woods. We also reflect on our interview series and some of the conversations we’ve had with Brad Jenkins, Hiro Kanagawa, Yvonne Chapman, and Sheldon Simeon. If you haven’t heard them yet, we think you should because they’re great! We close out this episode with an installment of Origins by talking about the term “hapa.” We mention Professor Kip Fulbeck’s books part asian 100% hapa and hapa.me - 15 years of the hapa project. We highly recommend both! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Recent shootings and talking about Interview Series
- 04:25 The History of Climbing Mount Chomolungma
- 24:12 Origins of the term “hapa”
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 24! There’s no secret to why Chef Sheldon Simeon was selected as “Fan Favorite” both times he was competing on Top Chef. He’s an amazingly down-to-earth person who puts family and community first. He’s also an incredible chef who has won multiple awards personally and for the food in his different restaurants like Tin Roof. In this conversation, we talk about his amazing cookbook Cook Real Hawai’i, his focus on family, the importance of taking control of the narrative on Hawai’i, Asian Pacific Islander representation in the culinary world, his love of the Ka’au Crater Boys, and so much more. You can get a copy of Cook Real Hawai’i almost anywhere, but we recommend that you buy a signed copy through Tin Roof because they donate 100% of the proceeds to the Maui Food Bank. That’s where we got our second copy! We apologize for the computer dings during the conversation! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 23! Hawai’i Regional Cuisine is the culmination of over a century of the merging of tradition, fresh ingredients, colonialism, Asian immigrants, and more. It’s developed into what we think is the most unique and diverse regional cuisine in America. We talk about the various impacts on Hawaiian cuisine that influenced HRC over time as well as the current chefs leading the way. We begin the episode with some current events including James Hong receiving a well-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! We close out the episode with another segment of What Are We Reading? This episode we talk about the comic book The Mask of Haliya by an amazing new group Kwento Comics and a graphic novel of short comics called The Outside which was led by The Kao. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Current Events: More Anti-Asian Violence and James Hong!
- 02:57 The History of Hawai’i Regional Cuisine
- 25:56 What are We Reading? The Mask of Haliya and The Outside
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 22! We’ve had so many wonderful recent conversations with guests, and we don’t want it to stop! So here’s another installment in our mid-week interview series. This episode is a conversation with Yvonne Chapman, an actress best known recently as Zhilan, the main antagonist in the CW remake of Kung Fu. Her career also includes recurring roles in the TV shows Family Law and Street Legal. She generously shared her time and stories with us on her life in finance, struggles in auditioning, supporting diverse Asian Pacific roles, and more. Whether as Kyoshi on the upcoming adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender or on a future project she writes herself, we’re excited to see what Yvonne does next. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 21! We’re back to talk about one of our favorite things… food! This week we focus on The History of Korean Food in America. Which is inspiring for us because we love the flavors of Korean cuisine. One reason we’re talking about Korean food is because May 11th marks the anniversary of the name SPAM getting registered. And although Korean food is amazingly diverse and flavorful, there is some historical use of SPAM in Korea after the Korean War… notably the dish budae jjigae, or army base stew. We’re not fans of SPAM, so we’ll stick to eating kimchi, bibimbap, tteokbokki, ramyeon, and banchan! We begin this episode with some quick current events and shoutouts including our promo on the Vulgar History Podcast and being featured by Apple Podcasts. We close the show with another installment of Say What? This time we talk about the origin and use of the two phrases “no can do” and “Chinese whispers.” For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Current Events and talking about SPAM
- 06:10 The History of Korean Food in America
- 26:50 Say What? No Can Do and Chinese Whispers
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 20! Here comes another installment in our mid-week interview series. This week, our conversation is with Hiro Kanagawa, a veteran actor and voice over artist you’ve probably seen or heard over the past 30 years. He’s also a writer, so we take time to talk about acting, writing, the changes he’s seen over his career, and what he still hopes for. Additionally, we discuss some of his future work including Forgiveness, a story that touches on the Japanese Canadian internment during WWII. Some of his latest acting roles include Star Trek: Discovery and Altered Carbon. His award winning writing includes the play Indian Arm. Visit Hiro Kanagawa to learn more about him and is projects. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 19! There are a lot of Filipino nurses. In fact, the Philippines is the leading exporter of registered nurses across the world. So how did that happen? Spoilers… American Colonialism was a factor. To celebrate National Nurses Day, we take a look into the History of Filipino Nurses and talk about some of the conditions they face with discrimination and racism. If this topic intrigues you, then we highly recommend reading the book Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History by Catherine Ceniza Choy, a professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley. To begin this episode, we start with a brief history of National Nurses Day, and we close out the episode with another installment of What Are We Watching? This week we talk about going to see The King’s Jester, a live show by the incredible Hasan Minhaj. It was amazing for a lot of reasons! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 National Nurses Day
- 02:44 The History of Filipino Nurses
- 23:03 What Are We Watching? The King’s Jester by Hasan Minhaj
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 18! This is another installment in our special interview series. In this episode, we talk to Brad Jenkins, the President and CEO of the AAPI Victory Fund, the first Super PAC focused on mobilizing Asian American and Pacific Islander voters in the U.S. We’ve talked about how representation in media, the boardroom, and athletics are all important. AAPI representation in the legislature, the executive office, and the judicial branch is essential because they can help accelerate education, understanding, and ultimately equity. This is at the core of the AAPI Victory Fund. Brad Jenkins was also an award-winning producer with Funny or Die and founded Enfranchisement Productions. If you want change and more AAPI representation, we encourage you to follow the work of the AAPI Victory Fund and donate to amplify their work. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 17! April 17th marked the anniversary of the fall of Phnom Peng, the capitol of Cambodia. So in our main segment, we talk about the history of Cambodia that led to the vast number of Cambodian refugees who came here in the 1970s and 80s. We also briefly reflect on Good Housekeeping online selecting us as as one of the 15 Best Podcasts From AAPI Creators to Add to Your List. A huge honor! And finally, we bring back the segment “Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters” and feature Tsunami, a DC Comics character. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Getting Noticed by Good Housekeeping Online
- 01:50 History of Cambodia Leading to Immigration to the U.S.
- 26:00 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters Featuring Tsunami
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 16! Noodles and rice are two of the most ubiquitous food staples across Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The origin of noodles is debated, but we take a crack to explain a few of the different theories. We also discuss the spread of noodles across Asia and some notable dishes. Before talking about noodles, we begin with a few additional celebrations in the AAPI community. We close out this episode with a new segment called What Are We Eating, where we take a moment to share some great food items created by AAPI food companies. This week we talk about Nummy Nibbles and MingsBings. Not only are both delicious, but they also donate a percentage of the proceeds to non-profits! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Continuing Celebrations
- 03:57 The History of Noodles
- 24:33 What Are We Eating: Nummy Nibbles and Ming’s Bings
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 15! We’re back with another installment of Most Forgotten Massacres. This week it’s an all Washington State focus as we talk about The Tacoma Riot of 1885 and the Seattle Riot of 1886. What led to these incidents and how did the communities respond? We also take time to talk about some positive current events and end with a segment on Celebrations. We celebrate some sports, movie, and music wins for people of Asian Pacific descent… there were a LOT! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com. Segments
- 00:26 Some Good News
- 01:58 The Tacoma Riot of 1885 and the Seattle Riot of 1886
- 18:33 Celebrations in Sports, Grammy Awards, and Academy Awards
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 14! Most people like a good joke, but when it is harmful or demeaning, or there is a pattern of a specific target being laughed at instead of laughed with, then it can lead to reinforcing stereotypes and power dynamics. This is what has happened to Asian Pacific people in the U.S., and being the target of jokes desensitizing the impact with audiences and normalizes mocking of AAPI individuals. Today we take time to talk about some key moments when AAPI people were made to be the joke in movies or by comedians, celebrities, and athletes. There’s some great work done by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. One of their studies was done with Gold House and the Coalition for Asian Pacifics in Entertainment called I Am Not a Fetish or Model Minority: Redefining What it Means to Be API in the Entertainment Industry. We also mention a great piece from The Daily Show where Ronny Chieng mocks Jesse Watters. In the rest of the episode, we talk about a history of April Fool’s Day and share our thoughts on Everything Everywhere All at Once. Spoilers… we LOVED it! For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Brief History of April Fool’s Day
- 05:07 Asian Pacific Islanders as the Joke
- 25:53 What Are We Watching? Everything Everywhere All at Once
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 13! Do you know why people born in the United States get birthright citizenship? Most textbooks point to the 14th Amendment as the reason for this, but the U.S. vs. Wong Kim Ark ruling solidified this right. In this episode, we discuss the history of this landmark ruling and also share some positive current events. In our second segment, we bring back What Are We Listening To? We talk about the podcast They Call Us Bruce as well as new music from Raveena and SASAMI. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 News and Thoughts on Citizenship
- 04:55 The U.S. vs Wong Kim Ark
- 19:08 What Are We Listening To: They Call Us Bruce, Raveena, and SASAMI
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 12! Do you know who the Chinese Marie Curie was? Chien-Shiung Wu was one of the greatest physicists ever and faced racism and sexism here in the U.S. in her professional journey. She overcame it to become a key physicist with research that helped the Manhattan Project goals as well as two other physicists who would win the Nobel Peace Prize. We also take time to do an update on Anti-Asian violence and hate acts. It’s amazing that even a year after Atlanta, the U.S. hasn’t gotten significantly safer for Asian Pacific Americans. Our closing segment is on the new Pixar animated feature Turning Red, written and directed by Domee Shi. This is the first U.S. created feature film that focuses on a main character of Asian descent. We talk a little about the controversial/racist review of the film by CinemaBlend and then discuss what we loved about it. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:25 An Update on Anti-Asian Violence
- 03:24 The Life and Career of Chien-Shiung Wu
- 19:49 What Are We Watching? Turning Red by Domee Shi
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 11! Did you know that the first professional basketball player who broke the color barrier was of Asian descent? That’s right, it was Wataru “Wat” Misaka. He battled racism and discrimination to become a winner at the high school and college levels before getting a chance to play professional basketball. We start this episode by celebrating some accomplishments of NHL players of Asian descent. And we end the episode with a new segment… Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters. This time we talk about Collective Man, a character created by Marvel. If you want to learn more about Wat Misaka, then we recommend a great documentary by Bruce Alan Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson called Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Our Process and Recent Achievements of Asian American and Canadian NHL Player
- 03:49 The Life and Career of Wataru “Wat” Misaka
- 12:33 Obscure Asian Comic Book Characters, Collective Man
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 10! It’s time for another episode on food! This time we’re going to focus on one of our favorites… Vietnamese food. It’s interesting to examine the influences to Vietnamese food over the years that were a result of colonialism. Throughout all the occupiers, Vietnamese food has still had key flavors and ingredients used. We start this episode with some current events and end with a segment called Did You Know? In this one, we ask Did You Know that Dr. Seuss was a racist? Many have talked about this before, but the article The Cat is Out of the Bag by Katie Ishizuka and Ramon Stephens is a great resource for understanding how widespread Seuss’s white supremacist views were. If you’re looking for other children’s books with a variety of positive messages and better representation, then we recommend the linked blog post at Teach for the Change which features a great list at the end of it. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Current Events
- 03:28 History of Vietnamese Food
- 19:23 Did You Know? Dr. Seuss was Kind of Racist
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 9! We begin with a few words on the Ukraine situation and our memories of trains. The main story is on something that will seem familiar to many U.S. taught students… The Chinese and the first Transcontinental Railroad. Chinese laborers were key in the building of the transcontinental railroad, all while facing discrimination and danger. We close out the episode with a Winter Olympics wrap-up. To learn more about the Chinese and the railroad, visit Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project or the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Train Memories
- 05:24 History of the Chinese and the First Transcontinental Railroad
- 21:47 Olympics Wrap-up
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 8! February 19, 2022 marked 80 years since the signing of Executive Order 9066 that wrongly imprisoned over 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. Of the ten concentration camps that the U.S. government created (and referred to as relocation centers), Tule Lake was the most brutal. For our main segment, we talk about the history of the Tule Lake Segregation Center. We also take time to remember Christina Yuna Lee, another Asian American woman who was murdered in New York. We close out the episode with a segment of What Are You Reading? We talk about Journey of Heroes by Stacey Hayashi and illustrated by Damon Wong as well as They Called Us Enemy written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker. Both are comic books that we highly recommend. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:25 Christina Yuna Lee
- 02:58 Tule Lake Concentration Camp
- 20:01 What Are We Reading? Journey of Heroes and They Called Us Enemy
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 7! To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re going to talk about the history of Anti-Miscegenation laws that impacted Asian Pacific Americans. These were insidious laws passed by individual states in the U.S. that banned interracial marriages and disregarded the basic human right of love while propping up white supremacy. We also take time to celebrate Asian Pacific Americans competing in the Olympics with a new format we call You Know What’s Amazing? For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com. Segments
- 00:26 Our Crazy Research and Writing Process
- 04:20 A History of Anti-Miscegenation Laws
- 21:41 Celebration of Asian Pacific Americans at the Beijing Olympics
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 6! It’s another installation of the Most Forgotten Massacres. This week we talk about the Hells Canyon Massacre and the Pacific Coast Race Riots. As always, it’s important to learn about and never forget some of the less savory parts of U.S. history. On the more positive side, we’re excited to support the athletes in the Olympics, so we also take time to highlight the Asian Pacific Americans in the Olympics. Think of it as a viewer’s guide to support Asian Pacific American Olympians. We begin this episode by talking about the pronunciation of ‘kecap’ and give kudos to the city of San Francisco. For previous episodes and information, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Kecap and San Francisco Apologies for Anti-Chinese Racism
- 04:35 Hells Canyon Massacre and Pacific Coast Race Riots
- 26:36 Asian Pacific American Viewers Guide to the Olympics
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 5! Happy Lunar New Year to all! It’s the Year of the Tiger so we take time to ring in the new year by talking about some food traditions from China, Vietnam, Korea, and Tibet. We also talk about the Lantern Festival. Our main story is on the History of Ketchup which actually has Asian roots. No, Heinz wasn’t the first… so where did it originate, what was it made of, and how has it changed? We close off by highlighting two more amazing organizations that focus on food insecurity. Follow the links to learn more or donate to ACRS Food Bank and Tzu Chi Foundation. For previous episodes and learning, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com. Segments
- 00:26 Anna May Wong Quarters and Celebrating Lunar New Year
- 06:57 The History of Ketchup
- 20:01 Highlight Organizations: ACRS Food Bank and the Tzu Chi Foundation
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 4! We start by talking about Michelle Alyssa Go, the Asian American woman recently killed by being pushed on the subway tracks near Times Square in New York. It’s another tragic death of someone in the Asian Pacific American community. Our main segment is on the impact of Asian Americans in the Fishing and Shrimping Industries. From the Chinese in Monterey to the Vietnamese around the Gulf of Mexico, Asian Americans have had an impact in both fishing and shrimping despite discrimination and hate. We close out with a short segment on the meaning and origin of the phrase, “Chop Chop.” Is it racist? We give our take on it. Have you been the victim of Anti-Asian Hate? We encourage you to report to a group like Stop AAPI Hate. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Talking About Michelle Go and Hate Crimes
- 07:50 Asian Americans in the Fishing and Shrimping Industry
- 23:40 Origin of the Phrase Chop Chop
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 3! We begin this episode with some current events, but we take time to talk about chocolate as well! The main segment is in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as we focus on two more Asian Pacific American Civil Rights Leaders, Kiyoshi Kuromiya and Haunani-Kay Trask. Both were inspirational leaders with an impact in the U.S. and across the world. We close out the show by highlighting the organization SEARAC that helps promote equity for everyone but focuses on Southeast Asians. To learn more about our the Haunani-Kay Trask, we recommend that you visit this collection of video clips and writing by Haunani-Kay Trask. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Talking Chocolate and a Few Current Events
- 10:03 Remembering Kiyoshi Kuromiya and Haunani-Kay Trask
- 23:52 Highlight Organizations: SEARAC
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 2! It’s time to talk about music again, and we focus on the Asian Americans making an impact in R&B. Pretty much anyone who follows R&B knows H.E.R. and Bruno Mars, but the start for Asian Americans in R&B actually can be traced back to Hiroshima in the 70s and 80s. We also mention some other great new Asian Pacific R&B musicians like Keshi and Raveena. There are so many more amazing Asian Pacific artists, and several are getting opportunities through 88Rising and the 88NightMarket group as well as the JoyRuckusClub. We begin this episode by catching up on some current events that impacted the Asian Pacific American community including the #VeryAsian movement begun by award winning news anchor, Michelle Li. We also bring back our segment What Are We Watching, to talk about Snake Eyes and The Protege. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Catching Up with Good and Bad News for Asian Pacific Americans
- 14:58 Asian Americans in R&B
- 27:41 What Are We Watching: Snake Eyes and The Protege
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1! We know that we have a lot of newer listeners, so this episode is a little bit of a refresher on our show and how our segments are set-up. We also take time to discuss some of our Resolutions and Hopes personally and for the podcast. What stories will you hear during Season 2? What interviews do we hope to do? To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Ringing in Season 2 and Talking Personal Resolutions
- 04:53 Introduction to Asian American History 101 and What to Expect
- 13:00 Recurring Short Segments
Welcome to Episode 64! This is it… the end of Season 1. Whether you’ve been listening to us since the very beginning or just joined recently or anywhere in-between, we appreciate your support. What were some of your favorite episode topics and interviews? We share some of ours as well as some of the Asian American positive media we enjoyed reading and watching in 2021. Celebrate with us as you hear the things that made an impact to us. We also take a moment to talk about the water contamination crisis in Hawai’i. If you have been impacted, there’s been a Facebook page created to learn more and request help at the Armed Forces Housing Advocates. Also, in this episode, we mention one book a few times because of the subject matter as well as the amazing interview we had with it’s author, Professor Naoko Wake. We can’t say enough how much we learned when reading American Survivors: Trans-Pacific Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Water Contamination Crisis in Hawai’i
- 03:47 Reflecting on Our Favorite Episodes, Interviews, and More
Welcome to Episode 63! It’s still a few months away, but we’re so excited about the Winter Olympics, so we take time to talk about the history of Asian Americans in figure skating. Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi are so well known, but we also take time to talk about Tiffany Chin. To open the episode, we take time to catch up and talk about the news on disaggregating Asian Pacific data. We also take time to talk about a great organization called Gold House that has a wonderful program called Gold House Futures. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Catching Up, Talking About Disaggregating the Asian Pacific Data, and Winter Olympic Excitement
- 07:32 Asian Americans in Figure Skating
- 21:19 Highlighting Organizations: Gold House
Welcome to Episode 62! It’s time to bring back another episode on the history of an Asian Pacific American food. In this episode, we talk about the history of Japanese food in America. From sukiyaki to teppanyaki to sushi, Japanese food is one of the few Asian cuisines that is viewed as more refined and deserving of higher prices, but it wasn’t always that way. We also bring back another segment of What Are We Watching and discuss the new Netflix Rom-Com Love Hard starring Jimmy O. Yang. We give our thoughts both good and bad on the Asian representation in this movie. One restaurant we mention is Shojin in Downtown Los Angeles and Culver City. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 How Asian Food is Viewed in America
- 08:29 The History of Japanese Food in America
- 23:18 What Are We Watching, Love Hard
Welcome to Episode 61! Every December 7th we remember the attack on Pearl Harbor for good reason. Did you know that the Japanese military also executed coordinated attacks on three other U.S. Territories? For some reason, our K-12 history books don’t mention these much, but the Imperial Japanese forces also attacked Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines. All three were U.S. territories with military bases. Our main story focuses on these three locations that were attacked within hours of the bombing at Pearl Harbor. We also take time to talk about the origin of the Mai Tai, a cocktail that evokes visions of Hawaii and other Polynesian islands. What’s the origin of the Mai Tai, and what are some issues with Tiki Bar aesthetics? We share that in our additional segment. If you want to read about the Filipino resistance fighters in World War II, there’s a great book called Philippines' Resistance: The Last Allied Stronghold in the Pacific by Stacey Anne Baterina Salinas and Klytie Xu. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Short Opening
- 01:23 The Attacks on Wake Island, Guam, and The Philippines
- 22:42 The Origin of the Mai Tai and
Welcome to Episode 60! Sessue Hayakawa was one of the first Hollywood heartthrobs, but he was also a villain. The exotic way he was cast was indicative of the Yellow Peril driven Asian villain trope. From Fu Manchu to Ming the Merciless to so many others, Asians are often the villain in Hollywood created TV and films. In this episode, we talk about the history of those two key villains as well as the characteristics of the exotic, evil Asian mastermind. We also take time to share our Thanksgiving highlights and celebrate the Grammy Nominees of Asian Pacific Islander descent. We love hearing from all of you. Which APIDA musician do you want to win a Grammy? Are there any Asian villains you’d like to learn the history of? Let us know! To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Thanksgiving Highlights
- 07:18 History of Asian Villains in Hollywood
- 22:42 Celebrating the Grammy Nominees
Welcome to Episode 59! The Chinese Exclusion Act is one for the most restrictive laws that limited immigration. Although the majority of Chinese were barred from entering the country or becoming naturalized citizens, there was one loophole that allowed many Chinese Americans to claim citizenship and bring in additional Chinese. These were known as paper sons and daughters. We also talk about one particularly famous paper son, Tyrus Wong. There’s a great documentary about him called Tyrus by director Pamela Tom. Additionally, we bring back our segment What Are We Listening To? We talk about the music of Sanjana, Monsune, EASHA, Shreea Kaul, Silk Sonic, Deb Never. Do you have a favorite Asian Pacific American musician? Let us know! To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Chinese Exclusion Act Comment
- 04:39 History of Paper Sons and Remembering Tyrus Wong
- 13:55 What Are We Listening To?
Welcome to Episode 58! Yes, we’re geeks who like fantasy, science fiction, superheroes, comic books, music, food and more. You can also add musical theatre to that list of things we love. In this episode, we take time to talk about the history of Asian Americans in musical theatre. Although there aren’t a plethora of Asian American stories being told on Broadway, there have been some notable individual performers in both Asian-specific and non-Asian-specific roles. We also bring back our segment on media called Accidentally Asian Pacific Positive. This time we highlight Eternals by the amazing storyteller and director Chloé Zhao. If you’re interested in statistics regarding representation on Broadway, we recommend the Visibility Report by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition. Be sure to check-out the East West Players as well. For fun, email us if you catch our atrocious mis-pronunciation of a Chinese instrument. Tell us what it was. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Reminiscing on Our Love of Musical Theatre
- 05:53 Asian Americans in Musical Theatre
- 19:27 Accidentally Asian Pacific Positive… Eternals
Welcome to Episode 57! Do you know the difference between the Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Honor? We take time to explain it in this episode to honor Veterans Day. Our main segment recognizes three groups of Asian Americans to win the Congressional Gold Medal: The Filipino veterans of WWII, the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team who were all Japanese American Soldiers, and the Chinese American Veterans of WWII. These three groups faced discrimination in life and in service, but still fought for this country because they believed in it. We also bring back our segment on Celebrations to talk about recent APIDA political wins in the recent elections. Here are a few places to learn more about the veterans of Filipino, Japanese, and Chinese descent. 100th Infantry Battalion Education Center, 442nd Regimental Combat Team Site, The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 History of Veterans Day
- 03:28 The Congressional Gold Medal
- 07:43 Filipino American Veterans of WWII
- 13:24 The 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team
- 20:12 Chinese American Veterans of WWII
- 24:01 Celebrations! APIDA Political Wins
Welcome to Episode 56! There are Asian Pacific Islander Americans everywhere in the United States of America. But did you know there was a thriving Chinese community in the Mississippi Delta? In this episode we take time to talk about the history of the Chinese Americans in that area of the South. We also introduce a new recurring segment called Accidentally Asian Pacific Positive where we discuss TV and feature films that may not have focused on an Asian Pacific storyline but have positive Asian Pacific portrayals. This week we discuss the TV show The Good Place and the movie Yesterday. If you would like to learn more about the Chinese Americans in the Mississippi Delta, then we suggest this AJ+ episode The Untold Story of America’s Southern Chinese, a website called The Mississippi Delta Chinese: An Audiovisual Narrative, and also the documentary Far East Deep South. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Woah… Talking about 56 Episodes and Where Asian Pacific Islanders Live in America
- 05:23 Chinese Americans in the Mississippi Delta
- 17:24 Accidentally Asian Pacific Positive… The Good Place and Yesterday
Welcome to Episode 55! Ready for another episode on one of our favorite subjects? That’s right, it’s food time again! Today we talk about the history of Filipino food, one of the most unique foods around for its embrace of a variety of cultural cuisines that have influenced the ingredients and flavors over the centuries in the Philippines. From traders to colonialism, there are many influences to what’s considered traditional Filipino cuisine. We close the episode with another segment of Say What? This time we take on the term “Shanghai’d” or “Shanghaing.” Where did this weird and racist term come from? How is it still used today? If you want to follow some amazing Filipino chefs, check out Melissa Miranda, Dale Talde, and Jordan Andino just as a start. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Reminiscing on Filipino Food
- 06:37 The History of Filipino Food
- 21:57 Say What? To Shanghai
Welcome to Episode 54! This is another episode in our ongoing series we call MFM, Most Forgotten Massacres. Today we’re going to talk about the Rock Springs Massacre and the Attack on Squak Valley. These were horrible moments in the history of the United States of America where large groups of Chinese laborers were targeted with violence and discrimination. A lot of things happened that led to these events, and we provide some of those details. In this episode, we also take time to recognize National Coming Out Day and highlight a few organizations doing great work for the Asian Pacific Islander LGBTQ community: the Visibility Project, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), and the Asian Pride Project. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Opening with Asian Stereotypes
- 05:30 Rock Springs Massacre
- 16:36 Attack on Squak Valley
- 21:35 Three LGBTQ+ focused AAPI organizations
Welcome to Episode 53! There’s a lot going on in October. It’s Filipino American History Month, so we begin by talking about this important honor as that was started by the Filipino American National History Society. October 11th, is also Indigenous People’s Day here in the U.S., so we focus our main story on the Indigenous Pacific Islanders in U.S. Territories: the CHamoru, Carolinians, and Samoans. We also mention two great organizations that are trying to help Pacific Islanders: EPIC (Empowering Pacific Islander Communities) and the Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship. We close the episode with another segment of What Are We Watching? by talking about Finding ‘Ohana and Taste the Nation. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Other Hunky Asian American Men
- 01:12 Filipino American History Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- 04:19 Indigenous Pacific Islanders
- 20:45 What Are We Watching? Finding ‘Ohana and Taste the Nation
Welcome to Episode 52 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! There is a long history of Ethnic Enclaves across America. However, even though European immigrants formed their own Ethnic Enclaves, they often moved out faster or were accepted more quickly into the mainstream U.S. society. But Asian Ethnic Enclaves are notable because they stand out as more “exotic” or different, and because they have been centers of support to more recent Asian immigrants. We also take time to reminisce on our memories of visiting different Ethnic Enclaves. We close the episode with another episode of Giving the Karate Chop to Stereotypes where we dispute the idea that Asian men are asexual wimps. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Our Memories of Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Little Saigon, Little India, and More
- 06:00 Cities Apologizing for Burning Down Their Chinatown
- 08:40 Ethnic Enclaves
- 20:49 Karate Chop to Stereotypes: Asian Men are Asexual Wimps
Welcome to Episode 51 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Concerned about Afghanistan? We had a chance to talk to Jeff Le again in this special mid-week interview. He talks about his work in Afghanistan, the repercussions for the U.S. international policy, and how U.S. citizens can help. There are lots of places that you can go to learn more and help out.
- Red Cross
- International Rescue Committee
- UN Human Rights Committee
- Media Support
- Miles4Migrants
- Human Rights First
- Refugees International
- LIRS
- No One Left Behind
- Save Our Allies
To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 50 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It’s time for Part 3 in a series on the History of Hawai’i. Today we’re talking about the road to statehood for Hawai’i… a path that many native Hawai’ians probably did not approve of. How do territories become states? What was it like for Hawai’i. We also talk about the rise in Anti-Asian hate incidents here in Orange County as well as the confirmation of Florence Pan, the first Asian American woman to serve as Federal District Court Judge in Washington D.C. To close, we take time to talk about Blue Bayou by Justin Chon, a film we loved, and share an organization seeking justice for Asian American adoptees who were never granted citizenship, Adoptees for Justice. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:40 OC Hate Crimes Report and Florence Pan
- 07:23 Road to Hawai’i Statehood
- 19:52 Blue Bayou by Justin Chon
Welcome to Episode 49 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Did you celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day? We recognize it so that we can talk about the most famous Asian Pirate ever, Shih Yang. Her incredible life made her one of the most influential pirates in history. We also take time to celebrate Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez, the amazing women of Asian descent at the U.S. Open who competed in the singles finals. We close the show by talking about linguistics and the myth that all Asians mix-up the R and L sounds in English. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Celebrating the All-Asian Ethnicity U.S. Open Final
- 03:04 Shih Yang, the Most Famous Asian Pirate
- 17:25 Say What? Rs and Ls
Welcome to Episode 48 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! As part of our series on Asian American food, we want to take a moment to talk about the history of Asian American Celebrity Chefs. We also take time to talk about some superheroes again… We begin the episode by remembering 9/11 and talking about Betty Ann Ong, the flight attendant and real life superhero who first alerted authorities about the hijacking. We close the episode by talking about our thoughts after watching Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings. You can learn more about Betty Ann Ong through the Betty Ann Ong Foundation or the Rec Center in SF named after her. During the episode, we also mention Vivek Bald’s great book Bengali Harlem and the Lost Histories of South Asian America. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26 Remembering 9/11 and Betty Ann Ong
- 02:26 Celebrity Chefs
- 04:36 Asian American Celebrity Chefs
- 19:49 Reflecting on Shang-Chi
Welcome to Episode 47 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! For U.S. and Canadian listeners, Happy Labor or Labour Day! To honor Labor Day, we’re going to talk about Larry Itliong, a prominent Filipino American who was a leader in the farm workers movement. His influence and vision helped lead to the Delano Grape Strike as well as the formation of the United Farmworkers Organizing Committee along with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. We begin with our reflections on the Joy Ruckus Club 4 Festival experience and end with a shout out of the Little Manila Rising organizing. Along with Filipino American National Historical Society, Little Manila Rising seeks to honor and remember Filipino Americans and their impact across the country. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:28 Reflecting on the Joy Ruckus Club 4 Festival Asian American Stage
- 03:14 History of Labor Day
- 05:02 Larry Itliong and the Filipino Farm Workers Movement
- 18:57 Little Manila Rising
Welcome to Episode 46 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Here it is, the special episode we recorded for the Joy Ruckus Club 4 Festival’s podcast stage. We begin with giving a quick history of our podcast including our favorite episode, but we also talk about some well-known popular music bands that had Asian American Leads. Our main segment is a very special interview of Tara Hahn, the lead singer of the ska band, Half Past Two. She takes time to talk to us about music, Half Past Two, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy. SMA Awareness month is in August, and HP2’s song Shine is a beautiful tribute to Tara’s daughter Neely who has SMA. She also shares a few people that inspire her, including Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw and Disability Visibility Project by Alice Wong. We close the episode by talking about some Asian and Asian American indie musicians that we really enjoy. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Opening and Talking About Our Own Podcast
- 10:51 Well Known Bands with Asian American Leads
- 12:22 Talking Ska and Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness with Tara Hahn
- 49:48 Asian and Asian American Indie Musicians We Listen To
Welcome to Episode 45 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It’s finally happening. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings… The first superhero of Asian descent to lead a feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Our main segment is all about the comic book history of Shang-Chi, but we also talk about the very first Asian superhero and Asian American superhero in U.S. comic books. We also talk about being part of the Joy Ruckus Club 4 Festival. We’ll be broadcasting on Monday, August 30th at 7pm PST. Get your tickets here to see us on video and listen to some great Asian music at the festival! And finally, we celebrate the work of Phil Yeh and Cartoonists Across America. To learn more, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Joy Rucks Festival Announcement and Thoughts on Shang-Chi
- 07:22 The History of Shang-Chi
- 17:55 The First Asian and Asian American Superhero
- 21:33 Phil Yeh, The Godfather of the Modern Graphic Novel
Welcome to Episode 44 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! As part of our ongoing series on Asian Americans Making an Impact, we are joined by special guest Elisha-Rio Apilado to talk about mental health, art therapy, and her experiences with corporate America. Her learning and collaboration with the Asian Mental Health Collective began with a Waves event, and she continues to bring her art therapy and volunteerism to groups and projects like The Lincoln Park Community Shelter and The Answer, Inc. You can learn more about her latest through her website, Twitter, and Instagram. We also highly recommend you visit the Asian American Psychology Association. You can also visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 43 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! We’ve previously talked about how invisible Asian American and Pacific Islanders are in management and executive level roles, but why does that happen? Today we talk about two possible factors, the Bamboo Ceiling and the Sticky Floor. We also take time to talk about the Olympics a little more and then challenge the phrase “Open the Kimono”. Continue to learn more about the wage gap for API women and please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Checking in and Olympics Musings
- 04:00 The Bamboo Ceiling and the Sticky Floor
- 17:40 Say What? Open the Kimono
Welcome to Episode 42 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It’s time to re-visit Japanese Internment again to talk a little more about how the “camps” were set-up and what life was like in them. Did you know the camps published newspapers that have been archived by the Library of Congress? We also explore some of the ways that Japanese Americans were de-humanized in the incarceration experience during WWII. We also take time to talk about John Okada’s book No-No Boy and its history. We close with an Olympics wrap-up to celebrate a few more Asian and Asian American athletes. In this episode, we reference the book Eating Asian America which is full of great papers on food and its impact in Asian American communities and culture, Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki, as well as the documentary Resistance at Tule Lake. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Meaning of Life
- 02:23 Life in Internment
- 16:02 No-No Boys and John Okada
- 21:15 More Celebrations of Asian American and Pacific Islander Olympic Athletes
Welcome to Episode 41 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! With August 3rd and 5th approaching, it marks forty-two years since the incident in Seadrift, Texas and nine years since the Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin. So we take time to remember the victims of both events. With anti-Asian violence on the rise in the last year and half, it’s important to remember that there have been shocking instances of this throughout the United States’ history… from our beginning to more recent times. We also take time to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander victories in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Interested in learning more? Check out the Seadrift documentary by Tim Tsai, the Sikh Coalition, Harpreet Singh Saini’s Speech, and information on Margaret Mac Neil and the One Child Policy. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Opening
- 01:20 The Stories of Seadrift, Texas and the Shooting at the Wisconsin Sikh Temple
- 18:09 Celebrations of Asian American and Pacific Islander Olympic Winners
Welcome to Episode 40 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Our main story is on the life of Larry Kwong, the first person to break the color barrier in the National Hockey League. Nicknamed The China Clipper and King Kwong, he hasn’t gotten nearly enough recognition for his many accomplishments. We begin this episode with an apology to KoRoot for messing up their name last episode. And we close the episode with a segment on the origin of describing Asians as “yellow.” To read more about Larry Kwong, check out King Kwong: Larry Kwong, The China Clipper Who Broke the NHL Colour Barrier by Paula Johanson. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Reflecting on 40 Episodes and Apologies to KoRoot
- 3:34 The Life and Career of Larry Kwong
- 16:10 Say What? The Origin of Calling Asians Yellow
Welcome to Episode 39 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! In this mid-week episode, we are continuing our series on Asian Americans Making an Impact. This episode features an interview of Rosita González. Known as the Korean Hillbilly, Rosita is a Korean American adoptee who was raised in Tennessee. She’s a content creator and promoter of the Asian American adoptees’ lived stories. We were so fortunate that she took time out of her busy day to share her story and provide more depth to the topic of Asian American adoptees to non-asian families. To learn more about Rosita and the organizations she talks about, you can go to her mothermade blog, the Korean Unwed Mothers Families Association, Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link, and KoRoot. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 38 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Have you ever noticed that there are quite a few Asian American adoptees? The vast majority have been adopted into white families. Why is this a common occurrence and when did it start? We share a brief history of Asian American adoptees. We also weigh in on what was said about Shohei Ohtani and celebrate some Emmy nominations for people of Asian descent! Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Talking About Shohei Ohtani
- 6:23 The History of Asian American Adoptees
- 16:10 Celebration of Emmy Nominees
Welcome to Episode 37 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! We have a great interview with Professor Naoko Wake from Michigan State University. In a few weeks will be the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Professor Wake joins us to have a conversation about the Japanese American and Korean American survivors of the nuclear attack on these two cities. Listen to the podcast to learn more about this fascinating history we rarely hear about. You can buy Professor Wake’s latest book, American Survivors: Trans-Pacific Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at Cambridge University Press. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Background on Professor Naoko Wake
- 1:32 Interview with Professor Wake to Talk about American Survivors
Welcome to Episode 36 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It’s time for another food episode, but instead of focusing on a specific cuisine or culture, we’re talking about Spam! Created 84 years ago, Spam is one of the truly American products that has had far reaching impact in Asian Pacific Islander cuisine. Hear about the history of Spam and how it came to be popular in places like Hawai’i, Korea, the Philippines, and Guam. We also take time to talk about a great organization, Heart of Dinner, that is working towards helping reduce food insecurity in elderly Asian Americans in NYC. You can learn more about their fantastic work or donate to them in the link above. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Personal Memories of Spam
- 4:55 History of Spam and its Impact on Asian and Pacific Islander Cuisine
- 15:22 Great Organizations, Heart of Dinner
Welcome to Episode 35 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Back in Episode 25, we began to discuss the history of Hawai’i, the most famous of the Pacific Islands. It’s time for Part 2! In this episode, we talk about the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i and the events that led up to it. However, to open the show, we celebrate the recent announcement of the four Asian Pacific Americans who will be on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022, with special celebration of James Hong, an acting icon and early founder of the East West Players. We close the episode with information on the acceptance of gender fluidity in Hawai’i and Samoa, and highlight some notable activists. To learn more, you can watch this Ted Talk of Kumu Hina (Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu), learn The Meaning of Māhū, or read Samoan Queer Lives by Dan Taulapapa Mc Mullin and Yuki Kihara. Continue to learn more and visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 API on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 2:49 History of Hawai’i Part 2
- 18:24 Gender identity in Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands
Welcome to Episode 34 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Sometimes our episodes cover history that isn’t well known, but this episode is on the Murder of Vincent Chin. It happened 39 years ago, and learning from this tragic event is even more important given the continued anti-Asian violence across the U.S. and the lack of universal willingness to stop it on the part of our lawmakers. We also share a quick history of the Detroit auto industry to provide context. Our closing segment is a return of “Say What?” Where we explore the origin and meaning of strange idioms and phrases that focus on the Asian American community. Thinking about using an ethnic slur? Check Eric Liu’s guide to see if you might be racist. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 0:26 Intro
- 1:47 History of the Detroit Auto Industry
- 6:01 The Murder of Vincent Chin
- 18:55 Say What? Not a Chinaman’s Chance
Welcome to Episode 33 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Here’s another installment of the midweek Interview Series. In this episode of Asian Pacific Americans Making a Difference, our guest is Jeff Le, Vice President for Public Policy and External Affairs at Rhino. He was also the Deputy Director of external and international affairs and Deputy Cabinet Secretary to former California Governor Jerry Brown from 2014 to 2019. Jeff shares some of his experiences as an Asian American supporting public policy and working to impact the world. Additionally, we discuss workplace discrimination, the bamboo ceiling, anti-Asian violence, and his ideas to solve these problems. To learn more about Jeff, you can check out an article he wrote for Politico, this interview in Forbes, and this Washingtonian feature that highlights his work. Want to learn more? Visit our homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media and other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 32 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Our main story is a history of the Legislation, mostly at the Federal level, that actually benefitted Asian Americans. Sometimes Asians and Asian Americans were the focus, but other times, our communities received positive benefits just out of happenstance. There were also moments in time when Supreme Court rulings helped Asian Pacific Americans, so we mention a few of those as well. And finally, we bring back the feature of “What Are We Reading” in Asian American literature and share Last Night at the Telegraph Club and We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration. Want to learn more? Visit our homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media and other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments:
- 00:26, Checking in with the USC Annenberg Study
- 04:15, Legislation Benefitting Asian Americans
- 20:04, What are We Reading?
Welcome to Episode 31 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It’s PRIDE Month here in the U.S… so Gen and Ted discuss the history of PRIDE Month and celebrate a few notable Asian American and Pacific Islander LGBTQ+ activists. There are so many influential API activists in the LGBTQ+ community… from Kyoshi Kuromiya to Kitty Tsui to Gil Mangaoang... and that’s just a few of them! We also take time to talk about the work fo the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, The Visibility Project, and the Asian Pride Project. If you’re API and looking for resources to help you come out, then check out the Coming Out resource for API. Want to learn more? Visit our homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media and other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:27, History of PRIDE Month
- 04:50, Asian Americans in the LGBTQ+ Community
- 17:37, Profiles of Asian American Organizations
Welcome to Episode 30 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Happy Memorial Day! As we honor the military personnel who died in various wars and conflicts, Gen and Ted discuss the history of Asian Americans in the military from the beginning through WWII. We also take time to provide a definition for “gaslighting” in a new segment called Terms You Should Know. We reference Jennifer Li’s article on being racially gaslit. Want to learn more? Visit our homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media and other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26, History of Memorial Day
- 02:06, Asian Americans and Military Service
- 17:01, Terms You Should Know: Gaslighting
Welcome to Episode 29 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! It's Mental Health Awareness Month! There are a number of reasons that Asian Americans face difficulties with mental health. So Gen & Ted dive into the history and reasons that Asian Americans don’t always reach out for mental health help. If you are looking to support organizations focused on Asian Mental Health or need support, look up the Asian Mental Health Collective or the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association. We also talk about the new Face Value album, the signing of the Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Law, and Jeremy Lin. We close with another segment of Giving the Karate Chop to Stereotypes where we take on the stereotype that Asians aren’t athletic. Want to learn more? Visit our homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media and other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:26, Face Value Album, Anti-Asian Hate Crime Legislation, Jeremy Lin
- 07:36, Asian Americans and Mental Health
- 20:32, Karate Chop to Stereotypes
Welcome to Episode 28! Korean Americans are more than K-pop, Korean BBQ, and K-dramas. The Korean diaspora has been gaining notice because of many of the things happening both in South Korea and here in the U.S. But when did Koreans begin coming to the U.S.? What caused them to immigrate? In this episode, Gen and Ted talk over the different waves of immigration that make up the Korean American population. We also take time to discuss and react to a few recent surveys and reports from StopAAPIHate.org, The Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism, and the STAATUS Index Report by Leading Asian Americans to Unite for Change (LAAUNCH). Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 27! Okay… these aren’t really mini minisodes, so we’ll just call it the Interview Series. This episode we have Dr. Trang Lai, the Director of Child Development Services at Fullerton School District. She’s an amazing educator, mom, and spouse… and she also came here as a refugee in 1975. We’re so excited to share her refugee story. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
We were so excited to be recognized and called out by Apple Podcasts for Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Month. We were in the Complex Journeys section of their Never Voiceless curation. Here are the other 11 amazing podcasts that were also mentioned. Although we focus on history with a little society & culture (and humor) thrown in, there are a vast amount of Asian American podcasts out there that focus on stories, commentary, philosophy, and more. So if you’re looking for more information and entertainment in the Asian American world, give them a listen!
- Dear Asian Americans
- Asian Americana
- The Margaret Cho podcast
- Self Evident: Asian America’s Stories
- Deep Pacific Podcast
- The Vietnamese Boat People
- This Filipino American Life podcast
- South Asian Stories
- Bruce Lee Podcast
- But Where are you Really From?: An Asian American Struggle
- The Asian American Dream
Welcome to Episode 26 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Gen & Ted dive into the history of refugees in the U.S. This, of course, leads to discussions of Southeast Asians, who were among some of the largest groups of refugees to come here. We talk about all of this and more. We also take time to reflect on Apple Podcasts highlighting our podcast this month along with many other amazing Asian American and Pacific Islander focused podcasts. And finally we share some great organizations where you can learn more about anti-Asian hate and report incidents… Asian Americans Advancing Justice created the Stand Against Hatred site and of course the Stop AAPI Hate site. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 00:32, Getting Honored by Apple Podcasts
- 02:54, History of Refugees in the U.S. and Southeast Asian Arrivals
- 20:57, Highlighting Great Organizations
Welcome to Episode 25 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Gen & Ted are about to transport you to Hawai’i… or at least the history of the islands! As we begin to celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month, we start with the best known Pacific Islander group… the Hawaiians. It’s not all pineapples and hula… so what was Hawai’i like way before it became a state? We also talk a little about the origin of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month as well as a reflection on the Oscar wins for Asian Americans. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Episode Segments
- 00:32, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- 07:20, Early History of Hawaii
- 22:02, Oscar Celebration
Welcome to Episode 24 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Gen & Ted share the history of Angel Island… the “Ellis Island of the West”. But was it really as welcoming? Why was it built? Before that, we begin the episode by addressing the history of hate in Orange County, CA and specifically Huntington Beach. We also talk a little about some of the happenings across the country in Minnesota and Illinois. This episode closes with just a word on appropriation by Asian Americans… a tricky topic to say the least. Want to learn more? Take a virtual tour of the Angel Island Immigration Station. You can also read Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America by Erika Lee and Judy Yung. Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 23 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Gen & Ted begin by talking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his recent Hollywood Reporter article on the need for better media roles for Asian Americans. This is also the next episode focused on Asian food in America. This week, we’re talking about Indian food. We provide a little history and then focus on the differences between Indian food here in the U.S. vs India. Interested in getting some Indian flavors at home? Try out Nummy Nibbles. And to close out this episode, we talk about What are We Watching. More fore mature audience, we talk about how much we love, Warrior… and it just got renewed for Season 3 on HBO! Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Contents of Episode 23
- 0:30, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 6:02, Indian Food in America
- 18:14, What are We Watching? Warrior!
Welcome to Episode 22 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Surprise! Gen & Ted bring you another minisode. Today’s topic is Islam and Ramadan. Did you know that Ramadan began on April 13th? We’ve learned a lot about Islam and some of the traditions of Ramadan for people of Asian descent who are Muslim. Now we’re sharing it with all of you. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 21 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Gen & Ted begin to cover the daunting task of discussing the history of anti-Asian massacres and lynchings in the United States in part 1 of an ongoing series called ‘Merica’s Forgotten Massacres. Yeah, MFM… one of our favorite true crime podcasts… We also introduce a new segment called “Origins” where we talk about the strange, slightly racist origins of some common idioms or slang. This week we talk about the phrase “Long time, no see.” Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 2:20, History that led to the first massacres
- 8:56, Chinese Massacre of 1871
- 16:52, San Francisco Riot of 1877
- 23:57, Origins of “Long time, no see”
Welcome to Episode 20 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! This is part 2 of our work on the history and repercussions of the Model Minority Myth! In this episode, Gen & Ted talk about some of the current information that shows how the Model Minority Myth is untrue and problematic. Additionally we discuss ways to change mindsets. In the second segment, we bring back what we call Things Never to Say to an Asian American. This time we talk about the phrase, “Where are you from?” Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Segments
- 1:50, Continuing Issues with the Model Minority Myth
- 20:07, Things Never to Say to Asian Americans
Welcome to Episode 19 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! In this week’s episode, hosts Gen & Ted Lai talk about Holi, the Hindu celebration. We also discuss the fine line between Appreciation and Appropriation. It’s not easy because it’s easy to be inspired by other cultures, but what happens when you take credit for it or totally misunderstand it? In our final segment, we talk a little about what we’ve been watching… and we saw the same thing! Raya and the Last Dragon. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
- 1:15, Finding History Podcast
- 2:40, What is Holi?
- 7:14, Appreciation vs Appropriation
- 20:56, What are We Watching
Welcome to Episode 18 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! In this week’s episode, hosts Gen & Ted Lai discuss the history of the model minority myth as well as some of the modern effects of the model minority myth. This is part 1 of the 2 part special. We also take some time to talk about the continued violence against Asians in the U.S., and we celebrate the achievements made recently in awards shows, including the Grammy Awards, the Golden Globes, the People’s Choice Awards, and the recent Oscar nominations. Take a moment to watch Alan Kim’s acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor in Minari. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
- 0:45, Re-visiting Anti-Asian Violence, Atlanta
- 5:50, History of the Model Minority Myth and Some Data
- 17:40, Celebrating Asian Americans at Awards Shows
Welcome to Episode 17! Do you know the history of South Asians in the U.S.? It’s okay if you don’t because Gen & Ted are about to tell you. It’s incredible how long South Asians have been here and the impact they’ve made to the U.S. Hear about the majority Sikh immigrants and how they’ve succeeded in our country. We’ll also take time to talk about Didar Singh Bains, the “Peach King.” Finally we discuss what we’ve been reading recently in Asian-forward books. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 16! Happy International Women’s Day! To honor, International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Gen and Ted are doing a profile on Anna May Wong, the first Asian American actress and style icon extraordinaire. Although her career was never as successful as she wanted, she always pushed the boundaries and challenged the norms. We also take time to talk bring attention to The Center for Asian Pacific American Women. Check them out when you have a chance. They do incredible work! For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Who are some of your favorite Blasian musicians? There are a LOT. Here are some of our favorites...
- Jhené Aiko
- Ne-Yo
- Anderson .Paak
- Amerie
- apl.de.ap
Welcome to Episode 15! Who loves food? We do! According to statistics, one of the most popular foods in America is Chinese food. But are you eating authentic Chinese food or an Americanized version? Gen & Ted provide a history of Chinese Food in America… how it has changed, the public opinion of it, and how the treatment of Chinese in this country has also influenced the sentiment about the food. We also take some time to celebrate a few Blasian musicians in America. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
- 3:04, A History of Chinese food in America
- 17:00, Celebrating a Few Blasian Musicians
Welcome to Episode 14! There’s been a definite increase in Asian American filmmakers in the last few years, but it didn’t just happen overnight. There have been some notable films and TV shows that led up to the progress in the last few years. Gen & Ted Lai provide a brief history of Asian American filmmakers and notable movies in the first segment. The second segment is a special interview with our guest Diane Paragas, the writer, director, producer of the award winning film Yellow Rose. Diane was gracious enough to come and talk to us about Yellow Rose and the progress in Hollywood for more diverse stories of the Asian American experience. If you haven’t seen Yellow Rose yet, then you’ll want to after hearing this interview! It's available on multiple streaming platforms. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 13! Co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai introduce the minisode format. It’s a bonus short episode between the weekly episodes… hence a minisode. Like many other people, we have been concerned about the increase in anti-Asian hatred and violence that has been impacting Asian Americans across the U.S. In this episode we provide a quick history of anti-Asian violence and discuss the possible causes of the recent upsurge. We also suggest a few things you can do about it. If you’ve been a victim of anti-Asian violence or hate, then report it. One place to do so is through Stop AAPI Hate. You can also get help through Asian Americans Advancing Justice and mental health resources through the Asian Mental Health Collective. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our other links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Virtual Lunar New Year Celebrations! Fair warning, some of these festivities might have ended or happened already, but they might have recordings, so we've linked them anyway.
- Joy Ruckus Club
- Asia Society
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Smithsonian American Art Museum // SAAM Family Zone
- Museum of Chinese America (MOCA)
- Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company
Welcome to Episode 12! Co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai talk about the history of Lunar New Year. They discuss the traditions associated with Lunar New Year and the festivities that surround the holiday. In the last segment, Gen & Ted start a new segment called "what not to say to Asian Americans," and this first version is focused on things not to do around Lunar New Year. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Today co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai discuss the key events leading up to Japanese Internment and the reactions right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They also cover what it was like in Hawaii under martial law. The segment, What are We Listening To returns and Gen & Ted talk about new music they’ve discovered as well as a conference called TransformAsian. It was all about Asian American mental health. Want to learn more? You can visit our podcast homepage for info between episodes at https://asianamericanhistory10.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com
Welcome to Episode 10 of the Asian American History 101 podcast! Today’s topic, in honor of Black History month is: The Black Panthers and Yellow Peril. Co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai cover a brief history of the Black Panthers, and some key Asian American figures that supported the Black Panthers. They also discuss Yellow Peril and the push for an Asian American Rights movement. In the last segment, Giving the Karate Chop to Stereotypes returns with the breakdown of the stereotype “all asian women are demure and submissive.” For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Want to listen to some ska music and support the Asian American artists in the bands? You can find a few of them here…
- Mike Park of Skankin’ Pickle, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, solo work, and of course Asian Man Records
- DJ Chuck Wren from Jump Up Records
- Vince Walker of Suburban Legends
- Steve Choi of Rx Bandits, The Chinkees, and The Bruce Lee Band
- Bill Uechi of Starpool and formerly of Save Ferris
- Tara Hahn of Half Past Two
- Tony Kanal of No Doubt
- Vi An Tu Le of the Anti Non-Conformists and The Housebound Ska Collective
- Tami Demaree of The Goodwin Club
- Kebin Smith, aka Skrince of Skapeche Mode
- Matt Wong formerly of Reel Big Fish
Special bonus episode! This is the full interview of Mike Park, founder of Asian Man Records and musician extraordinaire. Gen and Ted talk to Mike about ska, all the bands he's been in, his writing process, whether ska really is the most inclusive musical genre for Asian Americans, how he got to tour with Yo Gabba Gabba, the Ska Against Racism work, and more. You'll just have to listen to it all to find out what else. To learn more about Mike Park and his work, visit http://www.mikeparkmusic.com or https://asianmanrecords.com. To keep up to date with our work, visit https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com.
Welcome to Episode 9! Are you ready to skank? This is like a double-length LP because we have a full episode and an interview. In this episode of the Asian American History 101 Podcast, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai dive into the history of Ska music. They discuss the Asian American representation and diversity found in Ska. They also have the honor of interviewing Mike Park a musician known for Skankin’ Pickle, Bruce Lee Band, The Chinkees, and founder of Asian Man Records. For this episode, you’ll get a short excerpt of the interview. The full interview will post on Thursday. Want to learn more between episodes? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory10.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media links. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
- 7:18, A brief history of Ska
- 21:58, Asian American representation in Ska
- 27:13, An excerpt of our interview with Mike Park
Were you inspired by what you heard on the Podcast? You can learn more about Grace Lee Boggs or the Asians Advancing Justice Center to continue learning between the episodes. One of her books, Women and the Movement to Build a New America, is out out of print, but you may be able to find it in a used bookstore. Here is a list of Grace Lee Boggs' books that are still available.
George Herbert Mead: Philosopher of the Social Individual, on Amazon
Revolution and Evolution in the Twentieth Century, co-written with James Boggs, on Apple Books or Amazon
Living for Change: An Autobiography, on Amazon
The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century, co-written with professor Scott Kurashige, on Apple Books or Amazon
To learn more about AAJC or to donate to them, visit https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org
Welcome to Episode 8 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast! Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the U.S.! In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai discuss the incredible life of activist Grace Lee Boggs. They talk about her life, how she was influenced by Dr. King, her impact on the civil rights movement, and her lasting legacy as an Asian American activist. The final segment of this episode provides information on the Asian American organization, Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
As you heard in our podcast, we loved the independent film, The Yellow Rose. It's rare that you get such a wonderful depiction of the Asian American struggle in such a real and beautiful way. The country music is on point as well. If you're interested in learning more about The Yellow Rose... You can check out their website at http://www.yellowrosefilm.com. There you can read about the cast and the creators. It’s also available for purchase or On Demand viewing now... and you can even purchase the soundtrack.
By supporting through watching or purchasing, you're choosing to support independent filmmakers and more diverse stories of the Asian diaspora.
Welcome to Episode 7. In this episode, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai dive deeper into the American Territories. This is part 2 of 2, covering the histories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. They also discuss the Jones Act and its impact on the economies of the U.S. territories. In the last segment, Gen & Ted bring back the What Are We Watching segment and discuss two movies: The Yellow Rose and The Personal History of David Copperfield. For more information and show notes, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for our social media. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 6 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast. Co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai discuss the United States Territories. This is part 1 of 2 on the topic of the American Territories in the Pacific Islands. In this episode, they briefly go over a background on the US territories through history and explain the different kinds classifications for territories. The majority of the main topic focuses on the history of American Samoa. For the final segment, they introduce a new recurring segment where they pick a stereotype, discuss it, and do their best to dispel it! To learn more visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 5 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast. Co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai provide a history on the first Asians in America... Spoilers, it's not the Chinese like we're often taught in school. We also talk about the lives of the first famous Asian American performers, Chang and Eng. 3:45, First Asians in America. 12:28, Let's learn about Chang and Eng, the first Asian American performers! Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 3. In this episode, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai take continue the topic of whitewashing in Hollywood. This is part 2 of 2. They review some recent examples of whitewashing, yellowface, and brownface, talk a little more about the impact of these practices, and discuss why there's hope for improvement. In the final segment, reminisces on the dearth of Asian centric role models in media when he was growing up. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Thuy Nguyen, a former educator in San Francisco Unified, recently passed away. She was the co-founder of the SF Skate Club and a true hero. The Golden State Warriors honored her previously. Video
David Chang became the first celebrity to win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. His money went to the Southern Smoke Foundation. Watch the moment he does it. Video
The Time Kid of the Year was Gitanjali Rao. She's an amazing person who has done a few TED Talks and wants to be part of the solution, creating inventions that could help solve a lot of the problems in our world. See a video interview of her. Video
To see our links on social media, go to AA History 101 linktr.ee. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast.
In this episode, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai take on the topic of whitewashing in Hollywood. This is part 1 of 2 on the topic of whitewashing. In this episode, they talk about some reasons for whitewashing, yellowface, and brownface, go over a brief history of the practice through the 1970s, and talk a little about the impact of these practices. In the final segment, we remember Tony Hsieh and Thuy Nguyen and celebrate accomplishments by Chef David Chang, Mike Magpayo, Kim Ng, and Gitanjali Rao. Want to learn more? Visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101 for social media. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email us at info@1882media.com.
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast. In this episode, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai talking about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first American policy that ended immigration from one specific ethnic group. What was it? Why did it happen? How did we finally end it? To close the episode, we talk a little about the 1882foundation and the great work they do to help acknowledge the contributions of Chinese Americans. More info can be found at 1882foundation.org. To get further links from things we talked about, visit our Libsyn homepage at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or check out our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/AAHistory101
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Asian American History 101 Podcast. In this episode, co-hosts Gen & Ted Lai introduce ourselves before diving into the main segment on Who are Asian Americans? We end with a segment about what we're reading and watching from Asian American creatives and artists.
A few of the things we mentioned we're reading:
- Ornamentalism by Anne Anlin Cheng. Find it on Apple Books or Amazon.
- The Third Degree by Scott Seligman. Find it on Apple Books or Amazon.
A few of the things we mentioned we're watching:
- Over the Moon by Glen Keane, starring Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, and Ken Jeong
- Never Have I Ever by Mindy Kaling, starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, and Richa Moorjani
- The Broken Hearts Gallery by Natalie Krinsky, starring Geraldine Viswanathan, Dacre Montgomery, and Utkarsh Ambudkar
