Asian Pacific Voices Radio

LGBTQ+ Activism in the Military │ 2x22

Born in Guam to Filipino parents, Hosanna grew up and went to school in New York. After one year of college, she decided to enlist herself in the Army at age 18, serving a total of 5 years, where she served as an Intelligence Analyst. However, she got discharged under the old "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy due to her sexual orientation.

She then became a dedicated LGBTQ+ activist in Washington, D.C. while continuing her role as an Intelligence Analyst for the Department of Defense. Years later, when the Obama administration repealed the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, she was able to re-enlist and re-join the military, resuming her service again in 2015. 

Health and Wellness with Dr. Cindy Tsai & Dr. Khoa Truong │ 2x21

On this episode, Dr. Cindy Tsai and Dr. Khoa D. Truong chat with host Linda Schwartz on the importance of integrative medicine and holistic health and wellbeing.

Dr. Tsai was born in Vancouver, Canada and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. She is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician and medical director. She has achieved balance between the cultures and medicinal philosophies of both East and West. Her philosophy is centered on the mind-body connection—something that is unique to each individual. Her training in coaching, mindfulness, and various energy healing modalities are used to curate a holistic and personalized approach to healing and growth.

San Diego native Dr. Khoa D Truong is a decorated member of several associations for over 15 years, including the American Optometric Association, the California Optometric Association, and the San Diego Optometric Society. He was a member of the President’s Lions Club and used his expertise to conduct free vision screenings and health fairs for the community of San Diego. He also has his own wellness talk show on Vietnamese Television (VNTV) that he co-hosts with Dana Vo. The show helps address different aspects of health and life.

For more info on their practices, visit cindytsaimd.com and kdtoptometry.com!

Cultivating Community for Women of Color with Asha Dahya │ 2x20

Asha Dahya is a producer, author, and speaker. She is considered a voice of authority in the feminist media space. She addresses topics of reproductive rights, gender equality, and the representation of women in media.

Dahya founded GirlTalkHQ.com in 2013 as a platform for empowerment and education for girls and women. She also gave a talk on TEDx Normal on reproductive rights in 2019 (available on YouTube).

Sheena Yap-Chan is also an author, speaker, and advocate for women empowerment. Together, they discuss topics of identity, representation, women's rights, and human resilience. 

Spearheading AAPI in Space with Dr. Leroy Chiao │ 2x19

On this episode of Asian Voices Radio, Sasha Foo sat down with Dr. Leroy Chiao, PhD, a former NASA astronaut and International Space Station commander. Dr. Chiao delves into his experiences with NASA, the process of the training program, and his missions working with Russian, Japanese and European Astronauts and their affiliated space agencies.

Across his 15-year career with NASA, he has served on four space missions, and most recently served as Commander and NASA Science Officer of Expedition 10 aboard the International Space Station. A native English speaker, he is also fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Russian. He has flown space missions and worked closely with Russian, Japanese and European Astronauts and their affiliated space agencies. Dr. Chiao is uniquely qualified to speak about the United States, Russian, Japanese, European and Chinese Space Programs.

Currently, Dr. Chiao works in business, consulting, executive coaching and space education. He is a a professional international speaker, and a co-founder and the CEO of OneOrbit, providing keynotes and training to companies and schools. Chiao also holds an appointment at the Baylor College of Medicine, and is an advisor to the Houston Association for Space and Science Education. He has worked in both government and commercial space programs, and has held leadership positions in commercial ventures and NASA.

Visit his website at https://www.leroychiao.com/

2Chang: Taking our own Stories Back │ 2x18

In this episode, brothers Jonny and Solomon Chang share their experiences growing up Asian American, their exploration of multidisciplinary art, and how it became an outlet for their stories in a world that neglects AANHPI voices.

 

Jonny Chang is a recording artist and musical producer with roots in spoken-word poetry. Solomon Chang is a passionate storyteller studying Television Writing and Production at UCLA. Together, they make up the creative duo of 2Chang: 2 Chinese-Filipino-Hawaiian American brothers, who believe it's time for the next generation of AAPI storytellers to be heard. 2Chang strives to honor forgotten perspectives, tell their stories in beauty and in truth, and empower their fellow young folks, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders to tell their own story. 

 

Their debut project, THE WEATHER INSIDE, is a 5-part narrative music video series exploring themes of identity belonging, mental health, and growing pains through their Asian American lens. To learn more about their collaborative creations, visit their website https://www.theweatherinside.org or visit @jonnychang.music on Instagram!)

Farm to Table Dreams with Chef Lan Thai │ 2x17

On this episode, Sasha Foo interviews Chef Lan Thai—aka Chef Lando—the culinary creator of Enclave Cafe. 

Chef Lando breaks down the FAM (Food as Medicine) philosophy and delves into her the nutritional value of a diverse diet. She also discusses her unique upbringing and cultural roots, growing up in a refugee camp in Thailand following her family's fleeing of Vietnam.

Chef Lando's Enclave Cafe has 3 locations across San Diego as well as a 90-acre regenerative farm. She also has a chow on YouTube called the FAM Show, where she shares knowledge on nutrition, ingredients, and recipes. 

 

Visit the website for Enclave at https://adventuroussuperfood.com 

View episodes of The FAM Show on their YouTube Channel

The Storytelling Power of Photography │ 2x16

Emanuel Hahn (he/him) is a Los Angeles-based commercial and documentary photographer/director. As a Korean Third Culture Kid growing up in Singapore and Cambodia, he developed an interest in storytelling, especially on topics of identity, culture, diasporic experiences and the question of what it means "to belong".

His deep observational and listening abilities have led him to tell the stories of the coffee farmers in Colombia, Chinese grocery store owners in the Mississippi Delta, the Korean Uzbeks in Brooklyn, and most recently the Koreatown community in Los Angeles through his photo book Koreatown Dreaming.

Being Asian in Law Enforcement with FBI Special Agent Stacey Moy │ 2x15

This episode of Asian Voices Radio features FBI Special Agent Stacey Moy. A graduate of Torrey Pines High School and a Navy veteran, Moy was recently named the special agent in charge of the San Diego Field Office. Moy most recently served in the same role, overseeing the Intelligence and Incident Response Division in the Washington Field Office. 

First joining the FBI in 2004 working counterintelligence and espionage, he has climbed the ladder and his work has brought him across Washington, D.C., the Bay Area, and San Diego. 

Creating your Own Representation with Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja │ 2x14

In today's episode of Asian Voices Radio, we have Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, an Indonesian American actress whose began her career at age 4. Growing up and seeing a lack of people that look like her on TV shows and movies, she took charge and became her own representation. 

Malea speaks English, Mandarin, Indonesian and Spanish. She plays piano, violin, guitar and ukulele. Malea also loves contortion, gymnastics, dancing and soccer. Malea is also a singer, going viral with her National Anthem video in LA Galaxy game in 2018. 

Her latest work is A24's feature film After Yang (2021) opposite Colin Farrell. She is also known for her recurring guest roles on iCarly (2021) and on Disney Channel shows Coop and Cami Ask the World (2018) and Raven's Home (2017).

The American Secret War in Laos │ 2x13

Sera Koulabdara (Sa-rah Goo-lap-dah lah) serves as Executive Director of Legacies of War, the only international U.S.-based  advocacy and educational organization working to address the impacts of the American Secret War in Laos and conflict in its neighboring countries of Cambodia and Vietnam during the Vietnam War-era. This includes the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and victims/survivor assistance. In this episode, Sera discusses this part of our joint history as Americans that isn't taught or talked about.

Under Sera’s leadership, US funding for UXO clearance in Laos reached $45M - the highest level in history and the Legacies of War Recognition and UXO Removal Act was introduced by Senator Baldwin (D-WI). If approved, this historic bill authorizes landmark funding of $500M over  5 years divided among the 3 countries of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Legacies of War also received the inaugural Humanitarian Award of 2022 given by the Lao PDR for its successful advocacy efforts in securing funds for bomb removal and victims assistance.

Sera is a proud Buckeye and received her undergraduate degree from THE Ohio State University.