The Talkative Laotian: Recent Episodes
Myla Athitang and Ally Phouangkeo
The Talkative Laotian is a weekly podcast covering the experiences of a young, first-generation Laotian American.
In today's episode, I discuss what makes a role model and who are the role models of today. Growing up, Laotian culture centered around community and family. One person that guided my life from the ground up is my grandmother. Stay tuned to see why and who your role models are.
We dedicate this week's podcast to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. To show our full support and spread awareness of the situation, this podcast describes the entire conflict (and the build up before Russia's initial attack) and how we can help Ukrainians affected by the war.
In today's episode, Ally and I discuss the variety of dishes in our Laotian Culture. Growing up, food became the bonding tie between the community. Whether or not emotions could be fully expressed in our culture, Laotians learned to express themselves through dishes. The good stench of fermented fish and freshly pounded limes communally made our mouths water. As a shared experience and symbol of our culture, we dive deeply into the dishes of our Laotian culture.
In today's episode, we discussed the political diaspora of Laotian Americans and how it ties into the current agriculture crisis in the U.S. today. Asian Americans, often seen as a monolith. However, within the Asian American population, a vast variety of different ethnic groups hold their own cultures and beliefs. Smaller Asian minority groups or ethnic groups often miss the spotlight in discussions about the American political landscape. However, these minority groups can be the most diverse politically and culturally, leaving most of their history to be passed down orally. As Americans, it is our responsibility to further discussion in order to pave the way for younger generations.
In today's episode, Ally and I discuss the childhood experiences of Laotian beauty standards, colorism within the community, and other topics. Growing up, a majority of Laotian Americans experienced certain standards and practices carried over from the homeland of Laos. From Pageant practices to youth soccer, we graze the surfaces of our childhood milestones and "traumas".
In today's episode, I cover a variety of Laotian Superstitions and beliefs taught to us growing up. As a break from the heavy topics discussed from our previous episode, I wanted to gift to our viewers a light-hearted, fun episode, reminiscing on childhood stories. This episode connects old, Laotian myths with current obstacles most young Laotian-Americans face.
In today’s episode, the discussion engages ideas of overall “Asian-ness” in terms of being Southeast Asian in a Western world and my overall experiences growing up between two different culture. As an American, my Laotian identity separated me from my school peers. On the contrary, as a Laotian, I didn’t feel fully a part of my own culture and community. Tune in today’s episode to get a perspective of the Laotian-American experience.