ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST
Ken Fong gets to the heart of Asian American culture, history, and spirituality. Through interviews with culture-makers and -shapers in the Asian American community -- some you know, others you've never heard of before -- prepare to laugh, cry, and be amazed.
S10 E529 · Sun, April 13, 2025
EP 529: Sarah Ahn On Her Cookbook "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes"
Sarah Ahn is America's Test Kitchen's social media manager and the creator of the Ahnest Kitchen website ( www.ahnestkitchen.com ). She records her experiences on Instagram and Tik Tok of living with her Korean immgrant parents, chronicling her mother's cooking, grocery shopping trips, and more. Many of Sarah's posts have gone viral with 10+ million views and they have sold grocery stores out of product. She has been featured on NBC News, ABC News, Yahoo News, and Good Morning America. Nam Soon Ahn, her mother, is a former restauranteur whose culinary wisdom and recipes from the foundation of Sarah's book Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes. Together, they honor their heritage with love, flavor, and authenticity. You can follow Sarah @ahnestkitchen.
S10 E528 · Sun, April 06, 2025
EP 528: Gloria Lai Huang On Writing Her Novel "Kaya Of The Ocean"
Kaya of the Ocean is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Gloria Lai Huang that explores themes of mental health, the immigrant experience, and self-acceptance. The story follows Kaya, a thirteen-year-old girl who struggles with anxiety and a fear of water, as she discovers her lineage as a descendant of the Chinese water goddess Mazu. This heartfelt adventure combines elements of friendship, humor, and Chinese mythology, set against the backdrop of the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. It has been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection and chosen by the American Booksellers Association as one of the best debuts on the Winter/Spring 2025 " Indies Introduce " list, as well as a great read on the January 2025 " Kids' Indie Next " list. www.glorialaihuang.com
S10 E527 · Sun, March 30, 2025
EP 527: Activist Artist & Author Nancy Wang On The History Of Chinese In The Monterey Bay Fishing Villages
Bay Area artist and activist Nancy Wang has recently written a captivating fictional historical account of the Chinese who built and worked out of the fishing villages in the Monterey Bay area during the 1850s in California. Entitled Red Altar , her book brings to life the experiences of these early pioneers from China, including her fiesty multilingual ancestor who was the first Chinese American female born in California, and who made a name for herself as "Spanish Mary." If you'd like to buy an autographed copy of Red Altar , just go to www.ethnotec.org.
S10 E526 · Sun, March 23, 2025
EP 526: Rev. Lydia Sohn On The Spirituality Of Staying In A Culture Of Leaving
Whether or not you identify as spiritual or some kind of Christian, I'm pretty sure most of us are quite familiar with the tendency--if not the temptation--to live as if the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank. Armed with this mindset, many of us move on, move away, or just keep on moving rather than stay put in hopes of finding what we're looking for where we are. As you'll soon learn, Rev. Lydia Sohn was preprogrammed by her Korean American immigrant parents to be a nomad. That was her first and most basic instinct. But at some point she was made to consider the potentially greater value of staying, which has long been a spiritual practice of Benedictine monks. Energized by what a difference this made in her life and her work, Sohn eventually wrote Here: A Spirituality of Staying In a Culture of Leaving. I have no doubt that much of what she shares in our conversation and in her new book will be life-giving, if not life-saving. You can learn more about her at www.revlydia.com .
S10 E525 · Sun, March 16, 2025
EP 525: The Two Kens On The One Word That Best Describes Trump & How To Thwart Him
In this latest installment of the Two Kens collaborative series between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they introduce a term that respected German sociologist Max Weber first introduced 100 years ago that they believe best describes what Donald Trump is working hard to accomplish in his second term, and how knowing this term also tells us how best to thwart Trump's efforts. They were inspired by Jonathan Rauch's article in The Atlantic that appeared on February 24, 2025, entitled One Word Describes Trump: A Century Ago, A German Sociologist Explained Precisely How the President Thinks About the World. Fong and Kemp then look at the different responses to Trump's recent State of the Union address, especially how Senate Majority Leader John Thune appears to be subjugating his evanglical convictions to appear steadfastly loyal to President Trump.
S10 E524 · Sun, March 09, 2025
EP 524: Dr. Grishma Shah On Her Debut South Asian American Novel "Anagram Destiny"
Dr. Grishma Shah's debut novel Anagram Destiny is a soul warming love story nestled in an inspiring tale of the American dream, manifesting an Indian immigrant success story shattered by the evils of globalization– paying homage to a generation of immigrants who held their heads low so one day, their children could lift theirs high. To learn more about Dr. Shah and her novel go to www.shahgrishma.com .
S10 E523 · Sun, March 02, 2025
EP 523: Dr. Karen Fang On Outstanding Artist Tyrus Wong
If you're one of the fortunate people who know who Tyrus Wong was and what a pivotal role he played in getting the classic Disney film "Bambi" made, I think you'll still be blown away by what Dr. Karen Fang has revealed in her recent book, "Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong." I'll give you two hints: Christmas cards and custom kites.
S10 E522 · Sun, February 23, 2025
EP 522: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah On Why The Dismantling Of USAID Should Be A Wake Up Call for American Evangelicals
In this episode seminary professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reiterates that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID should serve as a serious wake up call to American Evangelical Christians because now Christian relief agencies will no longer receive gifts in kind from the federal government. However, if they continue to celebrate USAID's demise, they are telling us that they really aren't "evangelicals," who take the Bible and Jesus quite seriously.
S10 E521 · Tue, February 18, 2025
EP 521: Dr. Roger Newman On His Black Uncle's Experiences in the Jim Crow South & U.S. Army
As a nod to this being Black History Month and also as a form of pushback against the current dismantling of meritocracy in the U.S. Military by the Trump administration, I invited Dr. Roger Newman to talk about his latest novel Boys , a work of historical fiction based on what he learned about his Black Uncle Alex growing up in the Jim Crow South and facing systemic racism while serving in Army during World War II and beyond.
S10 E520 · Wed, February 12, 2025
EP 520: The Two Kens On Trump's Blitzkrieg Of America
In this latest episode in the Two Kens collaborative series on American politics and Christian nationalism, Fong and Kemp point out the jarring historical parallels with how Germany's Hitler and Hungary's Orban were able to dismantle their countries democracies so quickly. This episode is a call to action and resistance for every American who is now seeing the clear signs of decay in our democracy. Transition and outro music credit to The Isley Brothers and their "Fight the Power" anthem from 1975.
S10 E519 · Sun, February 09, 2025
EP 519: Director Chay Yew On The Los Angeles Premiere Of "Cambodian Rock Band"
Celebrated playwright, director and producer Chay Yew is once again directing Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band , this time in its Los Angeles debut at East West Players David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo from February 13-March 9, 2025. A poignant new classic of the Asian American theater canon, Cambodian Rock Band explores the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor as he returns to his homeland after thirty long years. While his daughter prepares to prosecute one of the country's most notorious war criminals, the ghosts of their shared past begin to stir. This deeply moving story weaves back and forth through time as father and daughter confront history, turning to music as a path towards healing. You can listen to my 2018 interview of Lauren Yee when her play was first being produced at the South Coast Repertory Theater: https://asianamericapodcast.com/2018/03/ep-141-cambodian-rock-band/ Please go to www.eastwestplayers.org to find a performance that fits your schedule.
S10 E518 · Sun, February 02, 2025
EP 518: Chris McKinney On New Book "Honolulu Noir"
Hawaii-based writer Chris McKinney has edited Honolulu Noir , the latest in the Akashic Noir series of location-based dark short stories. Comprised of stories about the people of the city, written by those who know this place best. The volume opens with a story featuring Chang Apana, the Native Hawaiian/Chinese real-life cop who was the inspiration for the controversial Charlie Chan. It ends with a supernatural journey from the Philippines to Hawaii. In between, readers will find multicultural tales of invasion (whether yakuza, ISIS recruiters, or vampires), madness, addiction, and murder—all the stuff that many people don’t know happens here. Unbeknownst to the rest of the country, Honolulu can be a very dangerous place. Here, even the alluring crystal-blue waters might kill you.
Tue, January 28, 2025
EP 517: Doreen & Ken About Their Wedding Day and Being Newlyweds
Doreen and Ken were high school sweethearts more than half a century ago. (You can hear more about their love story in EP 496.) But they parted ways in 1973, met and married their spouses, and had children. Doreen's marriage ended in divorce 27 years ago, and Ken's marriage ended in July 2023 when cancer took his wife Snoopy from him. Her dying wish was that he remarry and find happiness again. Since they were living in different halves of California, Ken phoned Doreen and asked if she'd be open to getting "reaquainted" after all these years. She quickly said "yes," and on January 18th of this new year, they got married! In this special edition of the podcast, Doreen and Ken open up about what was extra special about their ceremony and how their relationship now feels even closer after getting married to each other.
S10 E516 · Tue, January 14, 2025
EP 516: The Two Kens On The Catastrophic SoCal Fires & The Legacy Of Pres. Jimmy Carter
My longtime friend and fellow podcaster Ken Kemp ( The Beached White Male ) lives on the far end of Orange County, so his house is far from the fires in SoCal. But many of his out-of-state friends don't know this, so they've been reaching out to he and his wife for reassurances of their safety. They've suffered several days-long power outages due to the high winds, though, so it's not like he's been spared. Knowing that our house is in one of the areas threatened by the Eaton Fire, he called first to hear how Janessa and I were doing. Once he heard that my family and my house were fine, he then suggested that we should do an episode about this current conflagration. Of course I agreed. We also compared notes on the legacy of Pres. Jimmy Carter, who'd recently died at the age of 100. In editing this episode, I realized that Kemp and I had confused two previous California wildfires. He talks about the Paradise Fires in 2003, and I was referring to the fire in Butte County that destroyed the town of Paradise in 2018.
S10 E515 · Sat, January 11, 2025
EP 515: Dr. Noël S. Harmon On How APIA Scholars Aims to Breakdown Financial Hardships For AANHPI Students
Dr. Noël S. Harmon is the President and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars), which is America's largest nonprofit dedicated to supporting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students. Their newly revamped scholarship application process is aimed at reducing financial barriers to higher education for students most in need, while also ensuring greater flexibility and accessibility for a diverse range of scholars. Now with this much more inviting application and process, APIA Scholars is once again setting a bold new standard in scholarship delivery by addressing the evolving nees of AANHPI students, many of whom face financial challeges, systemic inequities, and unique cultural pressures. Dr. Harmon says, "We are committed to empowering AANHPI students by ensuring that financila barriers do not stand in the way of their educational aspirations." www.apiascholars.org
S10 E514 · Sun, December 29, 2024
EP 514: Author Ellie Yang Camp On Helping Asian Americans Confront & Jettison White Supremacy
Author Ellie Yang Camp and I first crossed paths 24 years ago at a triennial Christian conference for college students. I was the main speaker that week and she was a student leader of her InterVarsity chapter @ Cal. We never met that week, but when her debut book Louder Than the Lies crossed my desk and I read her bio and then saw what she had to say about the insidious and pervasive problems of white supremacy and whiteness, and how they continue to oppress and brainwash many of us Asian Americans, I immediagtely knew I had to bring her on my show. And with Trump having been re-elected to the White House, Ellie's book should be required reading. You can find her on social media @eeewhysee and you can find her book anywhere great books are sold. #whiteness #whitesupremacy #aanhpi #defeatingracism
S10 E513 · Mon, December 23, 2024
EP 513: June Kuramoto On Being Recognized With The 2024 NEA National Fellowship Heritage Award
Globally acclaimed jazz koto player June Kuramoto received one of the ten National Fellowship Heritage Awards by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2024 in Washington, DC. You can watch Rep. Judy Chew glowing introduction of her and then June's acceptance speech here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tqSlIfYprPU?si=vnwIH5wpcpzVHWk_
S10 E512 · Sun, December 15, 2024
EP 512: David Bradley Lim On Finally Finding His Path As A Successful Actor
David Bradley Lim grew up in a comfortable Nor Cal suburb. He excelled at most sports, but he knew that he'd never be able to be competitive beyond high school. So he majored in electrical engineering. But after earning his degree, he dove headfirst into the mortgage lending business. Even though he didn't know an escrow from an equity line, he put in the reps and became a top performer. But one day the savings and loan world collapsed all around him. Still not sure what he wanted to do to earn a living, he explored modeling, ultimately being signed by one of the top agencies. But David realized that, deep inside, he wanted to be an actor. So he threw himself into acting classes, again, putting in the reps and hoping for a lucky break. After being part of Season 2 of Quantico , in 2017 he auditioned to be part of the cast of S.W.A.T. , an American police action drama television series, based on the popular 1975 television series and the film adaptation of the same name. He impressed the director and producers so much that they created a recurring member of the team who was Chinese American! The show is in its eighth season and the pilot and previous seasons are frequently watched on Netflix now. You can find him @davidbradleylim and the jewelry that he and his wife make @shopmayadavid.
S10 E511 · Sun, December 08, 2024
EP 511: The Two Kens On Unpacking The Unexpected Ending of "Conclave" Film
Already being mentioned for the Academy's "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" awards, this screen adaptation of Robert Harris' international bestselling novel Conclave is now available to rent on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, VuDu, and more! Having watched it together the week of Thanksgiving, Ken Kemp and I were chomping at the bit the next day to debrief the major messages, especially in the final scene. If you've already seen it, you may have completely overlooked the symbolism of the turtles, but we didn't! This episode contains major spoilers, so if you'd rather watch the film first, listen to how we unpack it after. Even if you choose not to see this film, I think you'll still gain a great deal listening in on our reactions.
S10 E510 · Mon, December 02, 2024
EP 510: Dr. Samuel Jamier On The New York Asian Film Festival & Being a Korean Adoptee
Dr. Samuel Jamier was adopted as a 4-year-old from Korea by a strick Catholic family in the Brittany region of France. Growing up, he was an altar boy and into heavy metal music, but later developed an enormous passion for films. Today he's a skilled fundraiser, speaker, arts programmer, and serving as the president of the New York Asian Film Festival, which has become North America's leading festival of popular Asian cinema, and one of the top, most anticipated and critically acclaimed events in New York City. NYAFF brings Asia to New York with an immersive 2-week festival. An energy-filled event designed to bring new perspectives, experiences, ways of thinking and seeing that provoke thought, bring wonder, and new visions to their audience. It presents the roughest, sharpest, and smoothest of today's cutting-edge Asian film scene to sold out audiences each summer.
S10 E509 · Sun, November 24, 2024
EP 509: Joanne Howard On Writing "Sleeping In The Sun" Debut Novel
California-based Asian American writer Joanne Howard discovered her grandfather's journals which he'd written while the family was serving as Baptist missionaries to India in the 1930s. Fascinated by his firsthand accounts of being an American family as India began to push back against being a colony of Great Britain, Howard was inspired to create a story of a family much like his, told from the perspectives of the youngest of four American boys and the family's Indian man-servant. You can find her on Instagram @joannesbooks and visit her webpage ( www.joannehowardwrites.com ).
S10 E508 · Mon, November 18, 2024
EP 508: Author & Cartoonist Teresa Wong On Latest Graphic Memoir "All Our Ordinary Stories"
Acclaimed Chinese Canadian author and cartoonist Teresa Wong recently published All Our Ordinary Stories: A Multigenerational Family Odyssey , which is her graphic memoir about the legacies of upheaval, a longing for family, and the barriers one daughter faces in trying to connect with her immigrant parents. www.byteresawong.com and @by_teresawong
S10 E507 · Fri, November 15, 2024
EP 507: Author & Painter Hyeseung Song On "Docile: Memoirs Of A Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl
Acclaimed painter and now-author Hyeseung Song has written a searing coming-of-age memoir for fans of Crying in H Mart, Minor Feelings, and the film Minari . Entitled Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl, it follows the daughter of ambitious Asian American immigrant parents and Hyeseung's own search for self-worth.
S10 Enull · Thu, November 07, 2024
The Two Kens On How We're Feeling & What We're Thinking Following Trump's Victory Over Harris
After Trump was declared the winner over Harris, long-time friends and podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp felt a need to see how the other was doing. If, like them, you're in shock that more than 70 million fellow Americans chose to give Trump another turn as the most powerful person in the free world, you'll probably find a degree of comfort in knowing that you're not alone.
S10 E506 · Sun, November 03, 2024
EP 506: Tim Dang On Directing "Pacific Overtures" @EastWestPlayers
East West Players' venerable producing artistic director emeritus Tim Dang came back for a third appearance here to let us all know what's in store for audience members who come to his updated version of Stephen Sondheim's and John Weidman's Pacific Overtures . Previews start Nov. 7th and the musical will run through Dec. 1st. Go to www.eastwestplayers.org to purchase tickets. Set in nineteenth-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting in 1853, when American ships forcibly opened it to the rest of the world. The story is told from the point of view of the Japanese, and focuses in particular on the lives of two friends who are caught in the change. Mako, one of EWP's co-founders, starred in the original 1976 Broadway production, and Dang originally directed it in 1998 to celebrate the opening of the new David Henry Hwang Theater in J-Town. Twenty-six years later, Dang has been tasked with directing a slightly refreshed take of this musical. Interestingly, the questions it originally raised about isolationism versus open borders remains quite relevant today.
S10 E505 · Sun, October 27, 2024
EP 505: Brian Ho On How He Went From Being A Piano Prodigy To A Hammond Organ Jazz Artist
Brian Ho started taking piano lessons at a very early age, and even though he clearly was a prodigy, he struggled to connect to classical music. But he eventually learned that he could play all of his favorite songs by ear, which increased his passion for playing music. While still a teenager, he landed a gig at a San Jose Black Baptist church. That introduced him not only to the world of improvising, but even more significantlhy, to the venerable Hammond organ and its Leslie speaker. Today, Brian is seen as one of the rising stars on the contemporary jazz scene. His website ( www.brianho.net ) will alert you to when he's playing near you, and also tell you about his recent album Bridges featuring Paul Bollenback & Byron "Wookie" Landham.
S10 E504 · Sun, October 20, 2024
EP 504: R&B/Rap Producer Band!t On What It Took For Him To Fulfill His Dreams In The Recording Industry
Award-winning R&B/Rap producer Band!t fell in love with the genres as the young son of Korean American academics. Unsatisfied with the standard STEM direction, he began teaching himself the rudiments of producing original beats interwoven with samples of songs from the 70s while in college. But it would require plenty of blood, sweat, tears, and unshakeable faith in God before he was given chances to prove what he could do.
S10 E502 · Tue, October 15, 2024
EP 503: The Two Kens On Decision 2024 & Ongoing Uncertainty
VP Harris was inserted into the race just a few months ago, and now we're only 3 weeks away from the day when all the votes will be cast and counted. After that, the whole world will finally know who will be the 47th POTUS. Harris has proven to be a much more formidable adversary to Trump, and yet most polls are still saying that this race is too close to call. Podcasters Fong and Kemp address why it's so uncomfortable living with uncertainty, and how important it is for us all to learn to embrace it, even as we cling to our hopes and dreams until we need to let them go.
S10 E502 · Mon, October 14, 2024
EP 502: Arcadia City Council Incumbent Paul Cheng & Candidate David Fu On Why Serving Our Communities As Elected Officials Matters So Much
My guests this week are Paul Cheng and David Fu. Paul is finishing his first term on Arcadia's City Council and seeking a second term, while David is running to join his friend Paul on their city's council. I started getting to know a few of the Asian Americans running for local offices when they asked me to take photographs for their campaigns of them with their families. I've really come to appreciate how fortunate we are that people of the caliber and character of David and Paul are willing to serve their cities by trying hard to solve vexxing problems like homelessness. If you'd like to learn more about Paul and why he's running again, go to www.cheng4arcadia.com . Likewise, if you'd like to get to know David better and his reasons for running, go to www.davidfu4arcadia.com .
S10 E501 · Sun, October 06, 2024
EP 501: Mika Shino On Launching, Mass-producing & Marketing Issei Mochi Gummies
Because Mika Shino was born in Japan, she possessed an innate connection to Japan's traditions, culture, aesthetics, and cuisines. But having grown up in other countries, especially America, she also was imbued with a creative curiosity that was free to explore beyond the boundaries of her native roots. When she became a mom, she soon learned that most of American snacks originatetd in Europe, and they weren't healthy. So she began to experiment in her kitchen, eventually concocting a healthy snack that her boys and their friends loved that was based in the traditional Japanese mochi cake. But she took a huge leap of faith when she decided to mass produce Issei Mochi Gummies. Her unique Japanese American healthy snack is now found in most grocery stores, on Amazon, and can also be bought directly from www.mochigummies.com . She is adamant about sticking with Issei's goal to create beautiful, healthy, and delicious foods that bring happiness, honor Asian heritage, and garner a community. They aim to enhance diversity and inclusion in the food sector, building bridges across cultures through food.
S10 E500 · Sun, September 29, 2024
EP 500: Susan Lieu On Her Debut Memoir "The Manicurist's Daughter"
Vietnamese American playright and performer Susan Lieu recently published her memoir The Manicurist's Daughter . After her 30-something manicurist mother died from a botched tummy-tuck surgery, Susan was met with a wall of silence from all her relatives. Tragically, she internalized the body-shaming-consciousness that led to her mother's unnecessary death. This led to years and years of battles with her weight and self-esteem. But she eventually learns to push back hard against the body-shaming voices around her and inside her head.
S10 E499 · Sat, September 21, 2024
EP 499: Louis Wu On How He Started A Ukulele Company 18 Years Ago & Why These 4-Stringed Instruments Have Become So Popular
Louis Wu was an engineer, not an entrepreneur. But when he and his wife agreed that he needed a job that would allow him to spend more time with their young children, he began casting around, trying to find his new career path. In this episode, you'll hear how he ended up starting Ohana Music 18 years ago, which has become a widely respected source of quality affordable and now customized ukuleles around the world. www.ohana-music.com #ukulele #ukulelelife
S10 E498 · Sun, September 15, 2024
EP 498: Carolyn Taketa On Learning To Embrace & Navigate Life's Big Changes
According to experts, the average person goes through at least 30 major changes in his or her life. Some changes are things that we choose, e.g., marriage, divorce, different career, while some changes are things that happen or happen to us that we must navigate, e.g, war, assault, poor health, accident, etc. Carolyn Taketa is a certified life transformation coach after being a litigator in court, a mom, the small groups pastor of a megachurch, and then an empty nester. She loves helping others who don't feel comfortable in their own skin learn to cherish who they truly are and be able to bring the best version of themselves to different situations. www.carolyntaketa.com #change #navigatingchange #lifecoach
S10 E497 · Sat, September 14, 2024
EP 497: The Two Kens On Debate #2 - Hook, Line & Stinker
On Tuesday night, September 3rd, Trump and Harris locked horns in what now looks to be the first and final debate between the two leading candidates for America's next POTUS. Even if you didn't watch it, by now, days later, you've no doubt heard that Harris prevailed mightily and convincingly over Trump. Regardless of the outcome, Fong and Kemp were ready to weigh in the very next day. If you listened to their episode following the Biden v. Trump debate (June 29, EP 382), you'll quickly notice a huge boost in their morale! Will how she performed at this debate give VP Harris the win in November? Will the GOP now start to quickly step away from their frontrunner like the Dems did with Biden in June? (Hint: hell will freeze over before they'd do this.) Will the upcoming debate between Sen. Vance and Gov. Walz be a carbon copy of this one?
S10 E496 · Thu, September 12, 2024
EP 496: Doreen Wong & Ken Fong On The Unexpected Miracle Of Falling In Love Again After Half A Century
My very special guest this bonus episode is Doreen Wong. You're going to get to hear from her because she said 'yes' to me twice last week. She accepted my surprise proposal of marriage on September 3rd, and then the next day she finally accepted my invitation to join me on my podcast to tell the miraculous story of how we've come back together fifty-plus years after we broke up before the end of her senior year in high school. Miracles do happen!
S10 E495 · Sun, September 08, 2024
EP 495: Lei Wang On Being The First Asian Woman To Achieve The Explorers' Grand Slam
Lei Wang was perfectly happy with her burgeoning career in marketing and finance. But one fateful frigid Boston evening, she went to watch a documentary on mountain climbing, and something unusual began to stir in her. Even though she was a short, out-of-shape, unathletic 30-year-old person, she became seized by the vision of climbing to the top of Mount Everest! You'll be utterly amazed at what she went through to achieve this compelling vision. And you'll be inspired by the life-lessons she's learned along the way to climbing to the top of the world's highest peaks on all seven continents, and skiing to both Poles!
S10 E494 · Sun, September 01, 2024
EP 494: Henry Lam On Coaching People With ADHD
Growing up, Henry Lam struggled in school, but it wasn't until he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2018 and received treatment that he was finally able to focus and succeed. Given what he went through, he has become a professional ADHD Coach, combining an understanding of neuroscience, psychology, and business strategy to support tech professionals--especially Asian American ones--who are grappling with ADHD themselves.
S10 E493 · Sun, August 25, 2024
EP 493: NPR's Emily Kwong On Her Amazing New "Inheriting" Podcast
NPR's Emily Kwong launched the Inheriting podcast this past May, where she facilitated an in-depth conversation among members from different generations of AANHPI families. Could they identify a few critical decisions or changes in history that continue to impact and shape their families? We also discuss whether it's possible for any reporter to be 100% objective and unbiased, in the wake of the accusations by an NPR editor back in April that the station has a decidedly liberal bias. You can still listen to Season 1 of Inheriting by searching for it on your favorite podcast platform. Or you can go to npr.org/podcasts/510380/inheriting.
S10 E492 · Sun, August 25, 2024
EP 492: The Two Kens On Our Better Angels & 2024 DNC
The 2024 DNC ended Thursday night, so the next morning podcasters Fong and Kemp were excited to compare notes about what they heard, saw and felt during throughout this 4-night gathering of Democratic delegates to make VP Harris and Gov. Walz their 1-2 punch to keep the White House and also to prevent Trump, MAGA, and Project 2025 from gaining power. As Kemp put it, the GOP's RNC portrayed American as a bleak and doomed dystopia if Harris and Walz were to win. But the Dem's DNC painted a compelling, utopian vision of America where every person was free to make his, hers, or their own choices, while simultaneously promoting the common good. We also discuss Frank Schaeffer's position that evangelical Christians as a whole won't dump Trump before November due to their particular prophetic framing of what's happening.
S10 E491 · Sun, August 18, 2024
EP 491: Eve J. Chung On Her Debut Novel "Daughters Of Shandong"
Asian American author Eve J. Chung spent the first years of her life in Taiwan with her grandmother. In their shared space, Eve remembers a woman who loved her fiercely; hoarded food and fed her family fat-rich chicken skins; and used a heat lamp on her knees every night while watching Chinese period dramas. As Eve got older, she recognized these habits as remnants of her grandmother's harrowing escape from China during the country's Communist Revolution in the 1940s, and of the starvation and physical punishment that she endured at just thirteen years old as she walked to freedom. Daughters of Shandong is Eve's family story: it's a fictionalized account very much inspired by her grandmother's past and how she carried that past with her for the rest of her life. This is a family saga that will grab the heart of any reader seeking new perspectives on history told with gorgeous prose, propulsive storytelling, and relatable characters. www.evejchung.com @eve.j.chung.writes
S10 E490 · Mon, August 12, 2024
EP 490: Director/Writer Tom Huang & Actor Dana Lee On "Dealing With Dad" Film & AAPI Mental Health
In Director/Writer Tom Huang's 2022 film Dealing with Dad , Margaret Chang reluctantly returns to her hometown along with her hapless brothers to deal with the sudden depression of their complete-jerk father, whom everyone happens to hate. In fact, he's actually more pleasant being depressed, so the siblings wonder if it's worth struggling to get him better. In the meantime, their forced time together allows them to reconnect as a family, reminisce about the bad times with Dad and maybe even help each other out in the process in this multi-award-winning comedic dramafeature film that's now streaming on Amazon Prime, Google Play, and other online platforms. Actor Dana Lee, who plays the dad, joined us in talking about why and how this film was made, as well as the many challenges that AANHPI people still face in Hollywood.
S10 E489 · Sun, August 04, 2024
EP 489: Lisa M. Gomez, Assistant Secretary of EBSA On How American Men Needlessly Struggle With Mental Health Issues
Lisa M. Gomez is the Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in the U.S. Department of Labor ( www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa) . She brought with her a particular concern about the mental health of American men, especially minority men. Although I wasn't taken aback to hear that AANHPI men are the least likely to seek professional help, I nevertheless shared her desire to move the needle in the other direction. She outlines how EBSA's staff are eager to help all manner of employees access their health insurance to cover or significantly defray the cost of getting help from mental health professionals. As I mentioned at the end of our conversationm, I will be posting an episode next week that centers around the 2022 film "Dealing With Dad," to bring attention to the occurence of depression in Asian American families.
S10 E488 · Tue, July 30, 2024
EP 488: The Two Kens On The Right's Denigration Of VP Kamala Harris
Even before the majority of delegates to the upcoming DNC had lined up behind Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Trump and the MAGA crowd began to use ad hominem attacks against her. Long-time friends and fellow podcasters Fong and Kemp kick things off by talking about their renewed optimism that Trump will be defeated again, then downshift into discussing how the GOP and also White Christian Nationalists are blatantly using racist and misogynist slurs to discredit Harris.
S10 E487 · Sun, July 28, 2024
EP 487: Dr. Mako Yoshikawa On Her Journey To Understand Her Brilliant Father's Mental Illness
In this compelling collection of fifteen personal essays, Dr. Mako Yoshikawa takes us along on her journey to gain a clearer understanding of who her late father was. Secrets of the Sun "... is particularly brilliant at capturing the grief, guilt and fear that adults who experienced childhood abuse face when deciding how or whether to maintain a relationship with their abusive parent.” (Catherine Hollis, BookPage)
S10 E486 · Sun, July 21, 2024
EP 486: Dr. Kelly N. Fong On Confronting Racism & Sexism In Higher Education
In her no-holds-barred essay “Conditional, But Essential, Contingency,” Dr. Kelly N. Fong confronts the racism she’s faced as an Asian American woman with a PhD in historical archaeology and examines the ways she’s rejected what she terms “muted invisibility” in favor of demanding change from the predominantly white academy. https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477328866/#:~:text=Description,academics%20in%20the%20United%20States.
S10 E485 · Sun, July 14, 2024
EP 485: Dr. Sophia Yen On A Lifetime Of Hormonal Healthcare For Women
Ever since starting puberty, females must deal with hormonal challenges that males never face, e.g. menstruation (and everything that goes with that montly occurrence), then menopause, and finally life after menopause. In 2016 Dr. Sophia Yen launched PandiaHealth.com , the only women-founded and women-led online hormone health clinic and doctor-led birth control delivery company. www.pandiahealth.com #periodoptional #stopsuckingitup
S10 E484 · Wed, July 10, 2024
EP 484: Derek Ting On His Latest Action Film "Agent Recon"
A covert military task force tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico that is suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength and speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity’s demise. This is the original story Agent Recon that Derek Ting wrote, produced, directed and acted in, co-starring legendary action icons Chuck Norris and Marc Singer! His film released on June 21, 2024, on multiple streaming and on-demand platforms.
S10 E483 · Sun, June 30, 2024
EP 483: Philip W. Chung On World Premiere of "Unbroken Blossoms"
Playwright Philip W. Chung's Unbroken Blossoms is a historical reimagining of the making of a boundary-breaking 1919 Hollywood classic that shines a light on the collateral damage in the search for "authentic" representation, and asks what price we pay for our art. Making its world premiere in East West Players David Henry Hwang Theater , Chung's imaginative play runs from June 27-July 21. Head over to www.eastwestplayers.org to find a performance that fits your schedule and purchase tickets.
S10 E482 · Sat, June 29, 2024
EP 482: The Two Kens On Debate Postmortem - Is Biden Too Old?
In this episode podcasters Fong and Kemp gamely try to stay out of panic mode in light of President Biden's abysmal performance at the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Did Biden just show 50 million viewers that he was past his prime? Or does a person's performance on a debate stage really tell us how he or she will lead or deal with challenges? Hypothetically, if Biden chooses to drop out, who might the Dems nominate that would not just energize and unite the Dems, but a majority of voters?
S10 E481 · Sun, June 16, 2024
EP 481: CEO Libby Liu On Whistleblower Aid, NDAs & Radio Free Asia
Whistleblower Aid CEO Libby Liu has long been a tireless champion for giving as many people as possible access to what's really going on, pushing back against Goliaths like totalitarian governments or powerful corporations. We talk about how the non-profit she leads equips whistleblowers to step forward with courage and to survive the harrowing legal and personal gauntlets that lie ahead of them. She also explains why many NDAs are not nearly as enforceable as we think.
S10 E480 · Sun, June 09, 2024
EP 480: The Two Kens On A Convicted Felon Running To Be POTUS
With the conviction of former POTUS Trump on all 34 counts last week, you might think that that would catalyze many of even his most ardent supporters to call for him to drop out of the current race for the White House. Think again. Fong and Kemp try to discern why the majority of GOP "the party of law and order" politicians are crying foul, validating Trump's own bogus claim that he's a political martyr. But these two veteran podcasters also weigh in on how the Biden camp needs to capitalize on this first known instance when something has finally stuck to "Teflon Don."
S10 E479 · Sat, June 01, 2024
EP 479: Dr. Kenneth Wang On Learning How To Be Perfectly Imperfect
Clinical psychologist Dr. Kenneth Wang has spent the last 20 years researching the area of perfectionism, especially how it manifests itself in Asian Americans. This should come as no surprise, but most corporate executives are perfectionists. This trait is often one of the main reasons that they've risen to the top of their organizations, but it can also create a problematic work environment for those around them, and even lead to problems at home. Wang and I also spend time talking about how many Asian American parents bring a perfectionistic 'tiger' approach when it comes to raising children.
S10 E478 · Sun, May 26, 2024
EP 478: Virginia Duan On K-pop And Overcoming Relational Trauma
In her debut novel Illusive , writer, blogger, and author Virginia Duan takes readers behind the scenes in the world of K-pop to explore the paralyzing aftereffects of relational trauma and what can be done to overcome them.
S10 E477 · Mon, May 20, 2024
EP 477: The Two Kens On United But Hopelessly Divided?
In this latest episode of the collaborative series between longtime friends, former pastors, and fellow podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they talk about whether the recent decision by the United Methodist denomination to remove all barriers that had prevented LGBTQ+ persons from experiencing full inclusion is a lens through which to view and understand what's happening in America.
S10 E476 · Sun, May 12, 2024
EP 476: Jamie Jo Hoang On "My Father, The Panda Killer"
In writing My Father, The Panda Killer Vietnamese American Jamie Jo Hoang humanizes the costs and consequences of the Vietnam War through the experiences of three generations of a traumatized fictional family from South Vietnam.
S10 E475 · Sun, May 05, 2024
EP 475: Thomas Lee On How Bruce Lee Mastered Business, Confidence, and Success
Author and business journalist Thomas Lee has given us a refreshingly new and relevant way to appreciate the life and legacy of the late pop icon Bruce Lee. In writing The Bruce Lee Code: How the Dragon Mastered Business, Confidence, and Success , and in serving as the lead curator and editorial director of the We Are Bruce Lee exhibit in the Chinese Historical Society's museum in San Francisco, Lee has been able to humanize Bruce Lee by looking at him through four new lenses that prove that he is incredibly relevant today.
S9 E474 · Sun, April 28, 2024
EP 474: Alexandra Chan On Loss, Myth & Magic
Alexandra Chan had excelled in life as a left-brain, logical and educated person. But the recent loss of her amazing father Robert Earl Chan showed her the inherent limitations of just using reason to deal with life's greatest challenges. In her new book, In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth, and Magic she takes us all on this journey inward, while telling us about this actual 'most interesting man in the world.'
S9 E473 · Sun, April 21, 2024
EP 473: Newton Cheng On Helping Breakdown The Stigma Surrounding Mental Health Struggles
Newton Cheng is the Director of Health + Performance at Google. He's a husband, a dad, and a champion powerlifter. From all appearances, he was doing great. Even better than great! But he was privately struggling with depression and burnout. It took his decision one day to take off his mask and openly talk about his struggles to set him on a course of getting better, but also pave the way for many other Googlers to step out of the shadows in search of solace and help.
S9 E472 · Sun, April 14, 2024
EP 472: The Two Kens With Betsey Newenhuyse On What America Might Lose If Religious Communities Die
In this latest episode of The Two Ken's podcast series, Ken Kemp's regular guest Betsey Newenhuyse from Chicago joins us to talk about the ongoing need for regular groups of reliable, religious people, despite the burgeoning exodus from all forms of religion in America. Although unprecedented numbers of us no longer belong to a religious group or have zero-interest in every joining one, most of us haven't found viable alternatives to them. Without anywhere to go regularly, and without a caring community around to help each other navigate life's twists and turns, what might happen to our country?
S9 E471 · Sun, April 07, 2024
EP 471: Wing Ho On Coaching Relationship-Driven Leaders
Wing Ho is the founder of Xcela Coaching, where he offers Leadership Coaching and Team Culture Coaching. His relational-driven approach is something that leaders today in all kinds of settings need to understand and incorporate.
S9 E470 · Sun, March 31, 2024
EP 470: Lisa Sanaye Dring On Her New Play "Kairos" @ East West Players Theater
Writer and director Lisa Sanaye Dring's new play Kairos opens East West Players new season on April 4th. Because her play explores what can happen to a couple when there's a possibility of them living forever, we delve headlong into a captivating discussion of the significance of time, special moments, mortality, immortality, and even success and failure! To see the schedule and buy tickets to performances, go to www.eastwestplayers.org.
S9 E469 · Sun, March 24, 2024
EP 469: Joseph Tseng On His New EP "Pearls Of Home"
Back when Joseph Tseng graduated from college, he focused on making a living as a singer/songwriter/storyteller. But he soon discovered that that dream wasn't ready to become a reality. He put his music behind him and worked conventionally for years. But questions began to float to the surface of his awareness. About his identity as an Asian American. About the importance of being part of a close-knit community. About whether there was still a way for him to see himself as a Christian. Nineteen years into his adult-journey, Tseng has discovered how these various streams of consciousness intersect poetically and musically for him. He wrote and recorded the EP "Pearls of Home" ( https://josephtseng.bandcamp.com/album/pearls-of-home) and you'll now have the opportunity to appreciate his thoughtful artistry by listening to this episode.
S9 E468 · Sun, March 10, 2024
EP 468: Danna Okuyama On Creating A Safe Online International Penpal Platform For Children
Danna Okuyama left her career in high finance to become the founder and CEO of Urban Sandbox, a new modern-day pen pal app and safe space for students to connect, share, and grow with other like-minded peers from around the world, while learning from qualified educators. Students have a place to engage like other platforms, without the concerns of unregulated content, as parents have access to easily supervise activity and ensure safety. www.urban-sandbox.com
S9 E467 · Sun, March 03, 2024
EP 467: The Two Kens On Those Today Who Are Trying to Colonize America
In this latest installment of The Two Kens series, podcasters Fong and Kemp see the decision by Alabama's Supreme Court to outlaw invitro fertizilation (IVF) as the latest and most blatant example of Christian Nationalists and members of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) to colonize America. They adhere to the historical falsehood that God created this country to be a Christian theocracy, where conservative white Christians use their biased interpretations of the Bible to dictate how everyone must live here. Former POTUS Donald Trump has convinced them that he alone can lead them to victory in this perceived spiritual battle between the forces of good (them) and evil (everyone else).
S9 E466 · Sun, February 25, 2024
EP 466: Eric Gee On His Fascinating System Of Personality Typing
This is probably stating the obvious, but there is more than one type of personality. Eric Gee has spent countless hours and many years perfecting a system of personality typing that is less rigid than the Meyers-Briggs system (MBTI) and also much easier to remember and grasp. Defining sixteen different 'animal' types and arranging them into four logical 'packs,' Eric consistently captures people's imaginations as he takes them deeper into this world. You can take his test by going to www.youtopiaproject.com , and you can pick up his book "The Power of Personality," when it hits the stores this April. You can also pre-order it now.
S9 E465 · Sun, February 18, 2024
EP 465: Brynn Evans On JOYN - A Healthy Way To Deal With 'Asian Flush'
Ever since she learned to drink alcohol in college, Brynn Evans had been embarassed by how red her face would turn, "a consequence of being half Chinese," she'd lament. Taking an antacid when she drank seemed to do the trick, but that eventually made her really sick. Thus began her decade-long journey to come up with a safe and healthy dietary supplement that would reduce or eliminate this alcohol-induced flush, and even mitigate serious hangovers. She recently launched JOYN ( www.joynthefun.com ) and is excited to tell the 600 million others who also suffer from this malady that relief is now possible!
S9 E464 · Sun, February 11, 2024
EP 464: The Two Kens On Borders & Boundaries, Heaven & Hell
In this latest installment of The Two Kens series, friends and podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp roll up their sleeves to have difficult conversations about three issues that involve borders or boundaries, i.e., immigration at the U.S. southern border, the war in the Gaza Strip that to a growing number of people--especially Millennials--is looking like the genocide of the Palestinian people, and whether heaven and hell are real, and if so, who decides who's going to which place?
S9 E463 · Sun, February 04, 2024
EP 463: Ali Khawar On How EBSA Is Working to Help More Americans Save For Retirement
With more than 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, 45% of Americans reporting no savings at all, and of the 55% who have retirement saving, over half report that they have less than $250,000. Given the a person making $40K/year will need to have saved $1M to have a dignified and comfortable retirement, it's clear that America is heading for a retirement crisis. Ali Khawar is the U.S. Department of Labor's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), which is responsible for overseeing retirement benefits programs for millions of working Americans. He talks about the disparities in retirement savings among different groupings of Americans, and some of the contributing factors. Most significantly, he lays out what the federal government is currently doing to help greater numbers of Americans save more for their retirement years.
S9 E462 · Sun, January 28, 2024
EP 462: Janice Polizzoto On Transforming Lives By Transforming Music Education
Music Will runs the largest nonprofit music program in the U.S. public school system. For more than 20 years they have provided teacher training, curriculum, resources, musical instruments, and equipment to restore and expand music education to more than 1.6 million students (K-12) and in over 6,000 public schools. Janice Polizzotto is Music Will's Chief Relationship Officer, bringing more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors with an emphasis on social impact, nonprofit management, fundraising, event planning, and strategic partnerships. You'll soon learn that she has a burning passion to further than impact and mission of Music Will. www.musicwill.org
S9 E461 · Sun, January 21, 2024
EP 461: Eric Vue & Shinshin Yuder Tsai On Sketch Comedy Troupe No MSG Added
Headwriter Eric Vue and Director Shinshin Yuder Tsai co-founded the Orange County (CA)-based Asian American sketch comedy troupe No MSG Added . In this hilarious episode, Ken prods them to explain the differences between improv and sketch comedy, and the challenges of recruiting a representative group of AANHPI comedians and writers to entertain and educate rooms full of diverse people about life as Asian Americans. www.nomsgadded.com
S9 E460 · Sun, January 14, 2024
EP 460: Cassindy Chao On The Joy Of Romance & Finding That Perfect Match
Growing up in a family of matchmakers, you could say that Cassindy Chao was destined to become one, too! She eventually left the sterile confines of finance to pursue her passion: helping Asian Americans find that perfect match and true love! You'll be enthralled with the energetic back-and-forth between Cassindy and Ken as they compare notes gleaned from their many years spent guiding individuals through the maze of issues that arise when trying to find a compatible soulmate.
S9 E459 · Sun, December 31, 2023
EP 459: Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall On The Mind Boba App & AANHPI Mental Health
Psychologist Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall retired from academia a few years ago, but he's continuing to work to increase the percentage of AANHPIs who will seek help from mental health professionals. To this end, he is part of a team that has developed the Mind Boba problem-solving intervention app that is culturally adapted and created for Asian Americans! (Check out trifoia.com/mindboba on the Web, mind.boba on Instagram, and the Mind Boba FB page). Here's your chance to learn about this easily accessible new mental health tool before it launches.
S9 E458 · Fri, December 22, 2023
EP 458: The Two Kens On What Actually Is "The Baby"?
In this year's last installment of the collaborative The Two Kens podcast series, Fong first updates Kemp on how his relationship is going with Doreen, his high school girlfriend from half a century ago, then coaxes Kemp to read his latest Substack essay entitled The Baby and the Bathwater: What Is the Baby?. The focus of Kemp's mental exercise is what's left after growing numbers of conservative Christians "deconstruct" their beliefs. Are there still solid reasons to believe in and worship God? This leads to Fong and Kemp wondering aloud about the power and importance of Jungian archetypes and mythic figures and stories, and whether this lens can or should be applied to the Christmas Nativity.
S9 E457 · Sun, December 17, 2023
EP 457: Kenneth Chang On Using Horror Films To Convey The Christian Message
In 2022 Korean American Christian actor, writer, producer, and director Kenneth Chang teamed up with David Chan Lee to create the short horror film Refuse , in which a down and out Korean American Christian young man is fighting the demon of meth addiction, while his mother's KA church views him as a demon. You'll learn about how great horror films are able to depict not just the battle between good and evil, but spiritual battles between God and the devil.
S9 E456 · Sun, December 10, 2023
EP 456: Jim Fong On Unconventional Leadership In The Face Of Insurmountable Challenges
My guest this episode is a proven leader who's a great example of the power of unconventional thinking. Jim Fong was an executive vice president and chief commercial officer for CTI Biopharma. This summer a Swedish pharmaceutical giant plunked down nearly $2 billion US dollars to acquire this startup, but as you're about to learn, almost no one in the industry predicted that this would happen. Jim and his team were given the near-impossible task of recruiting a salesforce of 100 to sell their blood-cancer treatment before it had received FDA approval while 80% of the market was already controlled by a huge pharmaceutical company. Jim and his team decided that they needed to look for people with the right attitude, not the right aptitude. He's the youngest of my two brothers, and I'm extremely proud of him and what he accomplished in the face of insurmountable odds.
S9 E455 · Sun, December 03, 2023
EP 455: Dr. Yunte Huang On Daughter Of The Dragon Anna May Wong
UC Santa Barbara English Professor Dr. Yunte Huang recently published the final book in his "Rendezvous With American History" trilogy. Following the ones about the real and fictional detective Charlie Chan and the unbelievable one about the Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, Huang has now researched and written a thoroughgoing book about Hollywood's first Asian American movie star Anna May Wong. How did the daughter of a laundryman in LA's Chinatown get bit by the acting bug? Have the rumors about her sexuality been confirmed? Why did she suddenly depart for Germany after starring in her most successful film? When she returned to America, had the racist attitudes and restrictions in Hollywood improved at all? Had all that time in front of cameras stolen her soul, as her parents first warned her?
S9 E454 · Sun, November 26, 2023
EP 454: Jing Gao On Launching & Growing "Fly By Jing"
In 2018 entrepreneurial chef Jing Gao harnessed everything she'd learned from master chefs in China, and also the deep insights she'd arrived at in her journey to understand her identity to create a unique line of seasonings that's already in 5,000 stores in America. Carrying her label "Fly By Jing," each carefully crafted jar uses quality ingredients from her hometown of Chengdu, China. Hers is a fascinating journey that took her from the tech world to culinary school in China and being a restauranteur to where she is today: a highly successful flavor innovator and entrepreneur.
S9 E453 · Sun, November 19, 2023
EP 453: Richard Soriano On My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving & Caring for Adults With Special Needs
In generating the script for the 2022 indy film My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving , Filipino American writer Richard Soriano took his experiences as the director of a group home for adults with special needs and provided a compelling vehicle that helps audiences begin to see these folks as fellow human beings. While our conversation revolved around why and how he made this film, we spend a good deal of time talking about the world of adults with developmental disabilities, their families, and those often charged with caring for them after the turn 18.
S9 E452 · Sun, November 12, 2023
EP 452: Dr. Melissa Dyo On Being An Adoptee & Searching For and Finding Her Biological Family
Melissa Dyo always knew that she and her sister were adopted and loved her adoptive family. But a few years back, she realized that if she ever wanted to find her birth mom, that window was starting to close. President Clinton declared that November was National Adoption Month, and you're going to be absolutely enthralled when you hear her share how her search has turned out!
S9 E451 · Sun, November 05, 2023
EP 451: Tamlyn Tomita On Starring In the Musical Spring Awakening
Veteran American actor Tamlyn Tomita is my guest this week to make sure that as many people as possible know about East West Players' last production of their 57th season Spring Awakening . This revolutionary musical won the "Best Musical" Tony Award on Broadway, and I can promise you that Director Tim Dang's version at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, is Broadway-quality! Tamlyn and husband Daniel Blinkoff play all of the adult roles quite convincingly, and the ensemble cast of young actors will have you questioning whether this production is truly their professional debut. Head over to www.eastwestplayers.org to find a performance that matches your schedule and purchase your tickets.
S9 E450 · Sun, October 29, 2023
Ep 450: Jessica Yu On New Comedy Quiz Lady
Award-winning director Jessica Yu spoke with me recently about her latest film Quiz Lady that will debut on November 3, 2023, on Hulu in the U.S. and on DisneyPlus everywhere else. Starring Sandra Oh and Awkwafina, it's about two estranged sisters who are thrown together when their gambling-addicted mother leaves the country because she owes her loan shark $80,000. The quarreling sisters decide that their best chance at raising that kind of cash is for Awkwafina's character Anne to become the winning contestant on a televised game show that she's been watching religiously since she was four.
S9 E449 · Sun, October 22, 2023
EP 449: Danny Taing On Creating and Growing the Bokksu Brand
Cambodian Chinese American entrepreneur Danny Taing has always loved a challenge. Like many young immigrants from Asia, Danny struggled with being a minority in predominantly white settings. He became fascinated with how the Japanese had been able to carve out a comfortable and admirable cultural niche, so he began to study their culture and learn their language, eventually moving to live and work in Japan. That's how he came to love the myriad kinds of special Japanese snacks. After moving back to the US, Danny launched Bokksu , a monthly subscription service that delivered a beautiful boxes of carefully curated snacks that can only be found in Japan. Today, you can marvel at how he and his team have been able to diversify and distribute even more of what Japan has to offer by going to www.bokksu.com.
S9 E448 · Sun, October 15, 2023
EP 448: Steve Tsuruda On Precision Medical Imaging Data Science
Steve Tsuruda is the founder of GeminiDT ™ ( www.geminidt.com ) whose technological breakthroughs enable the medical industry to harness the power of data science and volumertic data. From historical scan data to raw data sets from CT, MRI, PET and Sonography doctors, radiologists and researchers can now develop preventitive therapies, see cause and effect on the digital twin, do comparative studies with certainty and accuracy. The Human Anatomy project (www.the-hap.org) will conduct studies leveraging GeminiDT's system to publish new findings with a level of accuracy needed to answer challenges in the human physiology and early detection.
S9 E447 · Thu, October 12, 2023
EP 447: The Two Kens Series On Megachurch Problems
In this latest episode of the collaborative Two Kens series, Fong and Kemp tackle the phenomenon of megachurches. When did they first begin to proliferate and why? What are some of their inherent problems? Do most of them defy what it really means to be genuine Body of Christ?
S9 E446 · Sun, October 08, 2023
Ep 446: Joy Ngiaw On Being a Film and TV Composer
Joy Ngiaw is a young Malaysian-born Chinese American who has already made a name for herself in Hollywood as an award-winning composer for films and television. One of the best examples of her empathic expertise is Apple TV+ and Skydance's animated short film Blush. Because the film has no dialogue, Joy's musical score has to convey the shifting emotions in all the scenes. She is definitely one to watch!
S9 E445 · Sun, October 01, 2023
Ep 445: Joy Regullano On Her Comedy Musical Supportive White Parents
Multi-talented Joy Regullano is a hard-working writer, actor, and comedian. She recently released the concept album for her comedy musical Supportive White Parents , a more than semi-autobiographical story of a young adult Filipina American budding artist with demanding parents. One night, out of desperation, "Joy" wishes that she could have supportive white parents instead. And of course, her wish comes true. But like most wishes, "Joy" eventually discovers that the grass ain't necessarily greener on the other side of the cultural fence.
S9 E444 · Sun, September 24, 2023
Ep 444: Kate Young Eun Park On South Korean Musical Cookin'
Globe-trotting South Korean Production Supervisor Kate Young Eun Park is my guest this week. She came on to promote Cookin', a madcap percussive musical featuring four frenzied chefs striving to meet a crazy wedding banquet deadline. In its 26th year, Cookin' has been already been viewed by 1.48 million people in 60 countries, and is currently at the Minneapolis Children's Theater Company (CTC) until Oct 22, 2023, and then it moves to Charlotte, NC, for a week. If you aren't able to make either of these performances, you can look for Cookin' (or Nanta ) on Youtube. You can copy and past this link to see the 2016 performance at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC: https://www.youtube.com/live/GJlv4BNNKEg?si=g6SEW7qSD8OG3Gvu.
S9 E443 · Sun, September 17, 2023
Ep 443: Kristen Meinzer On Importance of Finding & Using Your Unique Voice
Korean American adoptee Kristen Meinzer has harnassed the power of her unique voice and interests to become a familiar commentator on aspects of pop culture, British royalty, and even weird fringe Christian cults. Considered to be one of the "22 most influential women in podcasting today," Meinzer shares what every budding podcaster needs to know, along with some hilarious stories from her current collection of podcasts that she co-hosts. You'll also learn how she has become one of the go-to commentators on the British monarchy and their racism!
S9 E442 · Sun, September 10, 2023
Ep 442: Amy Yip On Unfinished Business
It took Amy Yip 38 years to come to grips with what it meant to take ownership of her own life, which involved learning how to relate to her immigrant Asian parents in more curious and objective ways. She's now a successful life-coach and her book Unfinished Business: Breaking Down the Great Wall Between Adult Child & Immigrant Parents will be in stores on 9/28/23. https://amyyipcoaching.com/
S9 E441 · Sun, September 03, 2023
Ep 441: Curtis Chin On Everything I Learned I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant
My guest this episode is writer, producer, director and activist Curtis Chin, whose memoir "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant" will appear in bookstores on Oct 17th. The book is about growing up Asian American in the Black and white city of Detroit, Michigan, and coming out of the closet in his working-class immigrant community.
S9 E440 · Mon, August 28, 2023
Ep 440: The Two Kens Series On Grief & Therapeutic Creativity
Ken Fong recently returned from scattering his beloved wife Snoopy's cremains in the turquoise-blue clear water between the Mokulua Islands on the windward side of Oahu. For years, every time they would visit Lanikai Beach, Snoopy would remind him that that would be the final resting place of her earthly remains. After cancer claimed her this past July, Ken, daugther Janessa, Snoopy's brothers Darren and Greg, and her best friend Tanya put their heads together to figure out how to fulfill this request. Co-host Ken Kemp has been part of this difficult journey and when they got together a few days ago, he not only wanted to express how impactful the memorial service was, but to ask Fong whether harnessing his creativity was a helpful way for him to process his grief. It's an unusual conversation on many different levels, and one that you're really going to appreciate. Here's the link to the 3rd video: https://vimeo.com/857689287?share=copy
S9 E439 · Sun, August 13, 2023
Ep 439: Mike Yam On New Children's Book Fried Rice & Marinara And Demise of Pac 12
Mike Yam is a Chinese Italian American who currently serves as a studio host for the NFL Network after anchoring the Pac 12 network from 2012 to 2020. Obviously, I had to ask him what he thought of the disintegration of the Pac 12 before our very eyes, but the main reason I had him on was to talk about his first children's book Fried Rice and Marinara, which portrays a bit of what it's like to grow up as a 'combo plate' American.
S9 E438 · Sun, August 06, 2023
Ep 438: Dr. Jane Hong On How Post-1965 Asian Immigration Has Changed US Evangelical Institutions & Politics
Occidental College's Dr. Jane Hong is working on a new book that uses the history of Asian American evangelicals as a lens to explore the intersections of race, religion, and politics since the 1970s. The fact that I came of age on the West Coast during this period as an Asian American evangelical pastor, leader, and seminary adjunct made me keenly interested to pick Dr. Hong's brain.
S9 E437 · Sun, July 30, 2023
Ep 437: Manjusha Kulkarni & Dr. Sy Stokes On Unseen Mental Health Crises Among AAPI In The Workplace
In this episode AAPI Equity Alliance's ED Manjusha Kulkarni and COQUAL's research VP Dr. Sy Stokes unpack some of the key findings of the "Strangers at Home: The Asian and Asian American Professional Experience" report published in January '23 by COQUAL.
S9 E436 · Sun, July 23, 2023
Ep 436: Qin Sun Stubis On Once Our Lives
Writer Qin Sun Stubis was one of four daughters born to a poor couple in China during some of the most culturally and politcally trying times. Her newly published book "Once Our Lives" is a historical memoir that tells the stories of four generations of women in her family, including herself.
S9 E435 · Sun, July 16, 2023
Ep: 435 - The Two Kens Series on A Grief Observed
After taking a few weeks to allow the loss of my wife Snoopy (8/15/56) to sink in fully, I'm back on the air with this latest in The Two Kens series because I trusted my good friend and fellow podcasters Ken Kemp to prompt me to talk about how I'm grieving and how we're planning to give her a moving sendoff in early August. Her memorial service will be livestreamed on EBCLA's YouTube channel on Aug 12th @ 10AM. If you've been on this journey with us, I think you'll experience a great amount of closure by tuning in live or by watching the recording of the service or the two videos of her life that I'm creating. I'll probably post her videos on both my personl and podcast FB pages.
S9 E434 · Mon, June 26, 2023
Ep 434: Angel Wu On Losing Her Wonderful Mother To Conspiracy Theories
Angel Wu is understandably outraged that her well-educated, Christian Taiwanese American mother fell headlong into the Q-Anon/Anti-Vax rabbit hole. Convinced that John F. Kennedy, Jr., was alive and well and living on a remote island, she refused to be vaccinated. So when she caught COVID-19, it killed her. This is a part of the conspiracy story that rarely gets told. But Angel was mad enough and brave enough to shed some needed light on it.
S9 E433 · Sun, June 18, 2023
Ep 433: Chen Tang On Season 3 of "Warrior"
Actor Chen Tang is back as the irrepressible Chinese hitman "Hong" in the MAX series Warrior . Originally created by Cinemax and based on Bruce Lee's original writings, the first two seasons garnered rave reviews and spawned a rabid fanbase. But when Cinemax decided that it would no longer fund original programming, Warrior seemed to have hit a dead end. However, MAX (formerly known as HBO Max) quickly saw that this series first two seasons were hugely popular on their platform, so they reunited the Warrior team, rebuilt 19th century Chinatown set in South Africa, and Season 3 is now set to launch on June 29th! Every aspect of this show is top-shelf, which is why I've been a longtime fan and why I'm so excited to see what's in store for this new season.
S9 E432 · Mon, June 12, 2023
Ep 432: Sharon Kwon On Netflix's Beef and Korean American Christianity
Therapist, writer and world traveller Sharon Kwon returns to my podcast in light of her April Slate article "The Most Emotional Scene in Beef Gets at a Deeper Truth" ( https://slate.com/culture/2023/04/beef-netflix-steven-yeun-korean-church.html) . Growing up as a child of a pastor of a Korean American church, Sharon experienced conflicting emotions watching the numerous scenes that were in this setting. I also saw this as an opportunity to ask her watch she thinks about the now-controversial casting of David Choe to play "Isaac" in this popular Netflix show. You can follow Sharon on Instagram @talkwithsharon and you can also visit her website ( www.sharonkwon.com ).
S9 E431 · Sun, June 04, 2023
Ep 431: Ian Shen on Coming to Grips with Being a Gay AANHPI Christian
I recorded this conversation for last year's Pride Month, but as a favor to my guest and former graduate student Ian Shen, I held off posting it until he was ready for his heartfelt journey to be shared around the world on my platform. He chose this year's Pride Month for me to release his episode. It was totally worth the wait.
loading...