Asian Pacific Voices Radio

Envisioning Connectivity and Redefinition in the World of Public Relations | 3x32

Paloma B. Concordia (She/her) was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and gives credit to New York City for developing her business-savvy state of mind. Her education and career began in the fashion and retail industry and transitioned into the music business at the height of the digital media boom.Inspired by progressive artists in the Bay Area, Paloma began to explore youth empowerment programs and social justice initiatives and found her passion in supporting the progressive arts community through public relations.

Paloma has served as a program coordinator in partnership with Beats Rhymes and Life, and the East Bay Asian Youth Center in Oakland, CA, as well as a Program Director with a non-profit arts organization, the Estria Foundation. Combining her experience in these fields, she founded the PapaLoDown Agency in 2009, a boutique public relations company specializing in a client base of entrepreneurs and community organizations in the arts, culture, and community spaces.

Paloma is passionate about empowering APIA women through entrepreneurship and public relations and has served on Daly City’s inaugural Small Business Commission, was a founding advisory board member for Pinayista, and is currently an advisory board member for the Asian American Women Artists Association, and the Pinays Rising Scholarship fund. She now lives in Oxnard, CA where she serves on the city’s Cultural Arts Commission. When she's not working with clients, she enjoys running, practicing yoga, and raising a family of three boys with her husband.

Fostering Connection and Positivity through Coffee Culture and Heartwarming Content | 3x31

In this episode we are joined by coffee expert, entrepreneur, and internet personality Nick Cho. Known for his online persona "Your Korean Dad," he uses social media to share heartwarming and relatable content that fosters a sense of connection and positivity among his followers.

Nick was born in Seoul, Korea in 1973. He immigrated to the US in 1975 with his father and mother, eventually settling in the Washington DC suburbs in Northern Virginia where he and his younger sister, Jennifer, grew up. After a number of different jobs including car sales, music teacher, and assistant to a radio producer for a nationally syndicated comedy radio show, he opened a small coffee shop in Washington DC in 2002 called "murky coffee." It quickly became renown throughout the country as one of the pioneering cafes for what would be called "third wave coffee."

He moved to San Francisco in 2010, starting a new coffee company with Trish Rothgeb called Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters. Both Nick and Trish would split time between running the coffee company and traveling the world, being invited as leading industry experts to speak and teach at various venues and events throughout the coffee world.

Nick started on TikTok in late 2019, and started posting videos as what would be known as "Your Korean Dad" in April of 2020. His audience has been growing rapidly ever since.

Kathy Khang: Inspiring Change, One Voice at a Time | 3x30

As a writer, speaker, and yoga teacher, Kathy Khang is also the author of Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent & How to Speak Up (IV Press, 2018) and Alabaster Guided Meditations, Psalms Vol. 1 and 2 (IV Press, 2020), and a contributing author in More Than Serving Tea (IV Press, 2006) and Voices of Lament (Revell, 2022). Her next book co-authored with Matt Mikalatos, Loving Disagreement, releases in October.

Ms. Khang is the board chair for Christians for Social Action, co-host of The Fascinating Podcast, and president of the Northwestern University Asian and Asian American Alumni (A-5) Club.

Ms. Khang was a newspaper reporter in Green Bay and Milwaukee, WI before spending more than two decades in vocational ministry where she focused on leadership development and training leaders in diversity and justice. She holds a BS in journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

She is based in the north suburbs of Chicago and blogs at www.kathykhang.com, is on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok as @mskathykhang, and posts at www.facebook.com/kathykhangauthor 

Empowering communities, uplifting futures: Dante Dauz, a Catalyst for Change | 3x29

Dante Dauz was born and raised in San Diego and developed and implemented numerous community engagement and empowerment programs with the Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC) throughout San Diego for 13 years. Programs included: community violence response, victim support, gang prevention, homeless advocacy, youth mentorship, employment, and business development for individuals with serious mental illness. Over the last 5 years, Dante spearheaded the development of a community center and social enterprise called “UPAC
Neighborhood Enterprise Center” (NEC) that focuses on advancing diversity, building neighborhood unity, and developing youth leaders. NEC’s focus is providing training and employment for disadvantaged youth in City Heights and Southeast San Diego through its café,
catering company, and print shop/graphic design operations; more importantly, youth are trained to lead and supervise numerous community impact programs. Dante is currently working on two
other social enterprise programs. One will be located in downtown that will train and employ homeless youth and modeled after NEC. The other will be coffee kiosk operations that will employ youth on probation. Another unique project is the development of a “cultural” food
distribution program. These new ventures have potential to impact and employ up to 150 youth within the next year. Dante has been a well-respected and reliable community advocate for 25 years and earned a reputation of being at the front-line of serious matters that impact the
community. Prior to joining UPAC, he was a successful probation officer, business owner, and community advocate. He is the recipient of several awards including: Probation Officer of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, Peacemaker of the Year, and recently named the Anthony Medina
People’s Champion. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from San Diego State University in Criminal Justice and his Juris Doctorate and Certificate in Global Legal Studies from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Spreading Smiles and Joy: Kathleen Kim’s Sesame Street Magic | 3x28

In this episode we are joined by puppeteer, voice actor, and producer Kathleen Kim, who has brought asian representation to Sesame Street, through the newest member of the beloved cast, Ji-Young. Her incredible role as Ji-Young not only empowers AAPI children as they see themselves in such a manner, but also reconnects the bond of diverse communities within this PBS longtime favorite. 

As Kathleen touches on the creation, progress, and overall impact of this journey with Ji-Young, we are immersed into the deeper meaning of Ji-Young’s presence, creating a picture of how she contributes to the AAPI community. On a more personal note, Kathleen shares her own relationship to the character, gratefully expressing that she learns many characteristics that she herself does not hone, describing that puppeteering is a force in which you breathe life into someone/ or something. Her lively personality rings through her jokes, laughs, and smiles as she expresses her luck in receiving this role, and how she plans to continue making a positive impact in television.

The See Us Coming Together special has been nominated in 2022 for Outstanding Fictional Special Emmy, and Outstanding Writing for a Live Action Preschool or Children's Program Emmy. You can also find her work in Awkwafina is Nora from Queens (2020), Helpsters (2019), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019).

Flavors Unleashed: Cheetie Kumar’s Culinary Adventure | 3x27

In this episode we are joined by Raleigh Star Chef, Cheetie Kumar, who has been profiled by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has been recognized as someone to watch in the culinary world, with numerous James Beard award nominations. Her new restaurant Ajja has opened up recently in Raleigh, and serves delicious  She is also known to master her crafts in the music industry as a guitarist in her band known as “Birds of Avalon”, a rock band hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kumar opens up about her time spent in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother in her younger years. Through her family's cultural roots, Cheetie shares that every new home was anchored by food, and was used as a powerful tool for memory and connection. Through these connections, she was also drawn to the wonderful world of music, brewing her passions of both culinary and melody, for most of her life. 

Her inspirations illuminate throughout her creations, championing through each path she lays before her. As Cheetie continues to grow in her knowledge and skill, she becomes a force in the kitchen and rock-star on tour, amplifying and empowering her voice

 

Shaping the World of Autobiographical Comics and Amplifying Underrepresented Voices | 3x26

In this episode, we are joined by the charismatic cartoonist MariNaomi (she/they), known for their evocative autobiographical comics and dedication to promoting underrepresented voices, their raw and intimate storytelling has captivated readers worldwide, while their creation of three online databases has empowered countless fellow cartoonists. MariNaomi opens up about how their Japanese culture plays a part in their work and how they intertwine those roots in their storytelling and visual styles. 

She is very excited to share their memoir I Thought You Loved Me, an homage to their past, recollecting the memories behind this journalistic story, paving the way through with growth due to such influence. As she continues their work today, their aim to amplify underrepresented voices in the comic industry, is an influential staple in the queer, disabled, and POC communities. Their unflinchingly honest and charismatic personality emanates through their narratives, and resonates with countless hearts. 

MariNaomi is the award-winning author and illustrator who lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their work has appeared in over eighty print publications and has been featured on websites such as The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts, The Washington Post, LA Times, The Rumpus, LA Review of Books, Midnight Breakfast and BuzzFeed.

Capturing the Essence of Celebrities in Timeless Portraits through the Lens of Peter Yang | 3x25

In this episode, we are joined with the renowned celebrity photographer Peter Yang, who has shot more than various high-profile actors and actresses, and has captured energy and bright kinetic emotion through his dazzling work. Through the lens of Peter Yang we are met with a great source of timeless material, furthermore advancing the meaning of mood, perspective, and artistry in the field of photography.

Peter’s bright and fun personality shines through as he talks about his passions in the field of photography, including his journey to get to where he is today. We learn more about what makes an image and how a visionary maneuvers with the growing climate of photography. He also shares stories of his past shoots, and chimes in on what he sees in the future. Aspiring photographers can grasp a sense of establishing themselves, as Peter dives into technique and strategies that help further ground him in his craft. 

Peter dives into technique and strategies that help further ground him in his craft. Peter lives in Los Angeles, hails from the great state of Texas, and photographs subjects all over the world. He is a contributor to GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire and The New York Times Magazine, and has shot campaigns for Coca- cola, Comedy Central and Bank of America, among others. His work has been recognized by American Photography and Communication Arts.

Breaking Barriers, Shaping Champions: A Trailblazer on the Softball Field | 3x24

In this episode we are joined by UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Inouye-Perez, head softball coach for the UCLA Bruins in southern California. Entering 2024, she leads all active PAC-12 coaches with 775 overall victories and 275 conference victories, securing four regular season PAC-12 titles in her tenure as head coach. Starting 2024, she will move onto her 18th season as lead coach. In 2022, Inouye-Perez led the Bruins to a seventh straight Women's College World Series appearance, and in 2019, she guided the Bruins to their 13th National Championship and 12th NCAA title.

We have open and important conversations about the relationship between ethnicity and athleticism, and touch upon different topics including women in sports, opportunity, college admissions, and diversity within the athletic community. Coach Kelly leads to empower the futures of young women through the sport, inspiring them to strive for better futures and well-being. She also touches on how she was fortunate to be a part of a traveling sport club when she was a teenager, and how that shaped her own journey to where she is today. 

She provides aid to those who might not have the opportunity to follow their passions and dreams, and encourages a fighting spirit in the entirety of her career. Coach Kelly dominates on and off of the field, all the while leaving a positive impact on the lives of others. We are left with an important message pertaining to focusing on your dreams, not the color of your skin, whether in a sport or in life.

Embrace the Power of Persuasion with Mx. SHI: Redefining Drag, Inspiring Change | 3x23

In this episode we are joined by Drag Queen, Makeup Artist, LGBTQIA Activist, and Founder of the House of Persuasions, Mx. SHI. Growing up in the South as a Japanese American, Mx. SHI provides insights on their personal journey including, generational/cultural differences, political identity, and prejudices they had experienced then to now. Mx. SHI’s freedom shines through as they open up about finding belonging, embracing identity, and how culture meets intersectional identities.

As the South's first and only all AAPI drag show, House of Persuasions (Atlanta, GA) was founded upon the sheer desire and aspirations to create a space for the queer AAPI in the south, with inclusivity for Asian culture, where they can belong to a community that accepts their identities entirely. We also get insight on the online drag show and fundraiser ‘18 Million Rising’, launched during Pride Month, and its significance for organizations fighting anti-trans bills.

Mx. SHI calls to action for the aid to the LGBTQIA community that is experiencing ongoing social and political turmoil, the constant escalation against their integrity, while advocating for the need to stand in solidarity. We learn more about the resilient fight for these communities and how we can help to provide an inclusive environment for all.