Asian Pacific Voices Radio

First Step Into the Film Industry | 3x15

Hayslip is a highly-regarded film producer known for his involvement in some of the biggest blockbuster films in recent history. His significant contributions to the film industry through his technical roles for major motion pictures include serving as Unit Production Manager for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation, and Guardians of the Galaxy, among others. Hayslip has also produced popular TV series like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mandalorian, and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Throughout his career, Hayslip has collaborated with many acclaimed filmmakers and A-list talent, including John David Washington, Christopher Nolan, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, and Michael Caine, to name just a few. With his extensive experience and impressive track record, Hayslip is a trusted and respected figure in the film industry, and his contributions have helped bring some of the most beloved films to the big screen.

Cultivating Culture Through Storytelling | 3x14

Jason Chu speaks hope and healing in a hurting world, blending high energy performances with thoughtfully crafted lyricism. As an Asian American kid in suburban Delaware, he found a vocabulary for racial identity and liberation in rap music and hip-hop culture. Starting out freestyling with friends at school, he began recording and performing music in college.

Preservation and Amplification of Legacies | 3x13

Stephanie KyeongSeon Drenka is a Korean adoptee writer and co-founder of the Dallas Asian American Historical Society, whose mission is to research, preserve, and amplify the legacy of Asian Americans in the Dallas area.

In this episode, Stephanie talks about her life as a transracial adoptee and her relationship with Korea and the Korean culture of her biological family. She shares her experiences of racism and her involvement in Asian and Korean activism and history spaces. She also describes the goals of her non-profit organization the Dallas Asian American Historical Society, and what her work looks like and draws inspiration from. 

Inspiring Aspiring Filmakers | 3x12

Jing’s love of storytelling began on the floor of the library. The only child of immigrants, reading stories was his way of feeling less lonely and learning the ways of America. This love eventually transferred to filmmaking which he saw as a means to not only entertain others but also to free those hard to express thoughts and feelings within himself.

Mother and Son’s Journey of a Thousand Miles | 3x11

Journey of a Thousand Miles is a 90 minute feature documentary film written, shot, directed and produced by Zhu Shen, a multiple award-winning filmmaker who was formally trained in biomedical research and business. She is best known for producing two Oscar-qualified, critically acclaimed animated documentary shorts: Changyou’s Journey about her late husband’s life, written and directed by her son Perry Chen in 2018, and Ingrid Pitt: Beyond the Forest about a young Holocaust survivor, character design and storyboarded by two-time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton, animated by her 11-year-old son Perry Chen in 2011. Both films qualified for best animated short film Academy Awards, won multiple US film festival awards, and screened at dozens of film festivals worldwide.

The Beauty of Dance | 3x10

Jessica Chen, a Choreographer and Dancer, who uses movement as a vehicle to heal wounds, share stories and better understand our human existence. Jessica believes that the visceral experience of witnessing a moving body can elicit a profound sense of empathy and that empathy is vital in navigating today's cultural landscape. Jessica is the Artistic Director of a contemporary dance company based in New York City called J Chen Project, whose mission is to create dance works that deconstruct identity, cultural diversity, and belonging, and to promote radical, equitable access to the arts.

Making Changes for the Better | 3x9

Nghiep “Ke” Lam is the Program and Facility Manager for Asian Prisoner Support Committee and a former juvenile lifer. He was incarcerated at the age of seventeen and served 23 years. He assists formerly incarcerated, i.e. API and "Stranded Deportees" with accessing resources (ID, Work Permit, Mentorship, etc.) in their transition back into society. He is also the Facility Manager to oversee the maintenance of the office. He is one of the Co-founder of the ROOTS program inside San Quentin State Prison. One of his passions is fixing bicycles and donating them to our system's impacted communities.

Never Too Late To Change | 3x8

An actress, director, writer and comedian, Veronica was born in Pennsylvania to a large family who escaped Saigon alongside the last U.S. troops in Vietnam. Veronica is a rising star featured in various television shows, ranging from hipster who finds a dead body on Law & Order: SVU, to representing sweatshop workers on Saturday Night Live.  Veronica has also starred in independent films and Off-Broadway shows and been featured in a wide variety of commercials and print campaigns. She is the founder of NYC's premier All-Asian American Sketch Comedy Team Model Majority which has sold out all their New York Times and Timeout NY recommended live shows. Learn more about her up bringing, how she switched to comedy and what she is up to now!

Balancing Life as Attorney and Music Teacher | 3x7

A woman of many talents, Robin is the President and CEO of San Diego Music Studio since 1994. She’s also the founder of the Phillipines Ukulele Project that connects donors to children at risk in impoverished areas internationally, brining music education and inspiration to a global level. Additionally, she is a licensed attorney with a private practice and serves on the board of Storix, an AIX and Linux backup and recovery solution company. Get ready to learn more about how she has broken through societal stereotypes!

Developing Asian Theater | 3x6

Gingerlily Lowe is one of the founding producers of the Asian Story Theater/Chinese Story Theater in which she also serves as the educational director, using live theater as a medium for education as well as truly exciting entertainment and bringing multi-cultural theater experiences to thousands of young audience members every year. Gingerlily has served on various community boards such as the San Diego Chinese Center, and Teatro Mascara Magica, and the Magic Machine. Ms. Lowe was a founding member and served as president of Pacific Asian Actors' Ensemble (PAAE), a company specializing in theater opportunities for Asian and Pacific Island performers. In this podcast we get to learn how Gingerlily has began growing Asian theater and her journey through out her life!