Episodes
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
Spreading Smiles and Joy: Kathleen Kim’s Sesame Street Magic | 3x28
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
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).
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Flavors Unleashed: Cheetie Kumar’s Culinary Adventure | 3x27
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
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
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
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.
Tuesday Aug 01, 2023
Tuesday Aug 01, 2023
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.
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
Breaking Barriers, Shaping Champions: A Trailblazer on the Softball Field | 3x24
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
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.
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
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.
Tuesday Jul 04, 2023
Uncovering roots, shaping legacies: A journey of identity and healing | 3x22
Tuesday Jul 04, 2023
Tuesday Jul 04, 2023
In this episode we are joined by documentary filmmaker Tran Van Kirk, who’s story highlights reconnecting and reclaiming identity and the journey to self discovery. Kirk takes the initiative to help adoptees and AmerAsians from the Vietnam War with their families, and has paved a way for many individuals in the same situation.
Kirk was born as Trần Văn Hung in DaNang, Vietnam in the summer of 1969 during the height of the Vietnam War. Immediately after being born, he was taken to the Sacred Heart Orphanage on the order of his Vietnamese grandfather, who felt shame from his daughter’s pregnancy by an American military service member. In 1972, he was adopted by a US Army Major that was serving in the Vietnam War and was raised in a wonderful loving adoptive family. After 48 years Kirk was able to wonderfully discover that his birth kin had been living in the US and spent the past few years since 2017 reconnecting to his roots.
Kirk is an award winning Documentary Filmmaker and serves as the Director and Executive Producer for the SEA2C in-house documentary series production, "Intersections". He also serves as the Race Director for the annual Ocean View "Storm the Bay" Race series. This race series benefits the military centric programs of SEA2C. When he's not working, he enjoys long distance running, fishing, surfing, boating, and most importantly of all, quality family time. Through the SEA2C Foundation, Kirk seeks to share his blessings by reuniting war orphans with birth families and veterans separated by the war and to help each find healing from a lifetime of stigmas attached to being a part of that tumultuous time in our history. He is also passionate about giving back to our active-duty military personnel and Veterans who have served honorably in combat to maintain the freedoms that are so often taken for granted.
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Breaking Barriers, Challenging Norms with Laughter | 3x21
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Standup comedian, actress, and musician: Margaret Cho shares with us her fantastic journey from her upbringing as an Asian American in San Francisco, to her riveting breakthrough into the industry. In this episode, she brings to light her experiences and challenges she had faced in the 90s and explains more about her first one-woman show: "I'm the One that I Want" that unearthed her struggles with All-American Girl (TV series 1994-1995). She also expresses the importance of representation in the comedy world and industry, and leaves us with a compelling and fundamental messages/ advice for aspiring comedians from marginalized communities who look to make their mark in the industry.
We learn more about her new tour- 'Live and Livid', celebrating 40 years of her career as a standup comedian. Her dazzling personality gleams through, as we share laughs, stories, and upcoming projects. Her unwavering support for LGBT rights has earned her accolades, and she has been recognized for her outstanding humanitarian efforts on behalf of women, Asian Americans, and the LGBT community.
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Unleashing Potential, Igniting Change, Embracing the Difference | 3x20
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
Tuesday Jun 20, 2023
In this episode we will be learn more about the dynamic non-profit organization AHAANA, led by visionary founder and Executive Director Nanda Mehta. AHAANA is dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through their multifaceted approach encompassing advocacy, education, and direct intervention. AHAANA dresses social, educational, and health challenges faces by marginalized populations. Nanda Mehta's unwavering commitment to social welfare drives AHAANA's mission forward, creating lasting change by fostering inclusivity, transparency, and accountability. Together, they inspire hope, transform communities, and build a brighter future through their tireless dedication to social justice.
As founder and Executive director of AHAANA, Nanda Mehta, her exuberant, charismatic personality comes through in all the events she has hosted in San Diego since 2013. Having been active in Indian organizations from the time she was 19, it was natural for Mehta to create AHAANA and launch "Yoni Ki Baat." YKB is the South Asian Version of The Vagina Monologues and has received rave reviews and strong attendance for the live performances. She encourages men and women to speak about subjects that are huge taboos in South Asian culture.
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Born and raised in South Korea, Ms. Welch immigrated to the US in 1971 and became a citizen in 1974 in a special circumstance. She was the first Korean American woman to be elected on a municipal water board in the history of the Water District and the San Diego County. She has a real estate broker license from the State of California Bureau of Real Estate since 1994 to present.
She serves as President, House of Pacific Relations International Cottages since January 2023, holding the title of first Korean/ Asian American woman elected as president since 1935. With an impressive professional background and a deep passion for addressing critical issues such as education, healthcare, and affordable housing, her vision for a thriving community is rooted in transparency, accountability, and empowering the younger generation through mentorship and youth programs.
In this episode Ms. Welch talks about her personal experiences she had faced during her early days in the US after moving from Korea. We also get deeper insight on her role as president and how her culture and background helps bridge the gaps within the Balboa Park community.