The AuthEthnic Podcast
By The AuthEthnic Podcast
The AuthEthnic PodcastJan 11, 2023
Growing Up Mixed Asian
Thank you Amber, Nati, Rose, and Christina for your questions/comment!
Dim Sum is in the Heart: Being British Born Chinese
We go across the pond to the UK! Yonsoo and his guest, Allie Liu, get into deep discussion about her complicated relationship with dim sum (3:07)! Pressure of being a food conductor for your friends and guests (10:28). Living and working at your family's Chinese carryout (17:28). Aspects of British Asian Diaspora and the life of being BBC (26:31)
Revisiting Why Some Asians Tend to Vote Conservative
Red-baiting! Affirmative Action! Healthcare! Citizenship! Reproductive Rights! These are just a few of the political issues being debated around the US right now.
As various Midterm Election battles rage across the country yet again, we revisit an old (but still relevant) topic regarding Asian American political power and ideological leanings in the nation. Our guest, Bill Tamayo is the District Director for the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offers his professional experience & historical knowledge to shed light on how US foreign policy, immigration trends, and colonialism have all influenced certain groups to ideologically vote the way they do.
This episode originally posted Oct 2020 under "Why Do Asians Vote for Trump?"
Teachers and Techies Talk
Our Season 3 Opener! The lowest paid and the highest paid have a chat.
We bring our guests, Lillian and Lior, to share their thoughts about their experiences from Silicon Valley to your local public school.
- How history, gender, and capitalism have helped create this disparity between tech and school. (5:30)
- Are we able to stick to our values? Finding those bits of joy in our profession! (12:46)
- Who gets left out in fields that are not designed for us? (16:46).
- Dealing with harmful workplace behavior. i.e. microaggressions, retaliation, exclusion (29:19).
- Advice to anyone who's interested in these industries (38:52) and answering a few questions submitted by our listeners on Instagram (41:45).
Boba Liberalism
What is Boba Liberalism, and why do we keep hearing people accuse others of being a "boba liberal" on social media? For our season finale, Neha comes back to the show for an authentic discussion around the perils of cultural awakening, the dangers of consumerism, and becoming a politically conscious Asian American. We also talk about the Desi equivalent of Boba Liberalism (which we dub "Chai Liberalism"), and the negative effects this term often has when it's used as an insult in Asian liberal spaces.
Guest Bio:
Neha is a recurring guest on the AuthEthnic Podcast. Her extensive experience in Asian American studies, organizing, and teaching allow her to give us a nuanced level of analysis.
Asians for Sex Positivity
Jen, Yonsoo and Christina from "The Best is Yet to Cum Podcast" talk about sex. We get to the bottom of what sex positivity is, why Asians feel shame when talking about sex, the lack of sex education, and the double standards Asian women face in both dating and sex. We also discuss how to start normalizing sex talk — both in and out of the bedroom.
About Our Guest: Christina is a writer, artist, swimsuit sewing extraordinaire, zine-maker and the host of "The Best is Yet to Cum" podcast. Her show celebrates sex and pleasure in all its beautiful forms and expressions. You can find her at @yet.to.cum on Instagram.
Be Áothentic: Building a Fashion Brand in the Pandemic
How do you launch a fashion brand in the pandemic? Van Phan and Patricia Cruz, the creatives behind Vietnamese clothing brand Áothentic, sit down with Jen for an authentic conversation about the fashion industry and staying true to your heritage. We also talk about the dangers of selling out to a white audience, fast fashion and the struggles of building a brand virtually. We also discuss Van and Patricia's personal experiences as first-generation Vietnamese and first-generation Mexican Americans – and how that inspired their first collection.
About Our Guests
Van Phan is a first-generation Vietnamese American fashion designer based in Austin, Texas. With a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising, more than 10 years of working in retail, and her most recent experience as a merchandise manager, Van decided to pivot her career path and begin building her own clothing brand. She recently launched her fashion brand Áothentic, which focuses on quality fabrics and careful craftsmanship. Her collections are inspired by Vietnamese clothing and culture, as well as the women in her life.
Patricia Cruz is an artist, visual designer and art director from Monterrey, Mexico who currently lives in Austin, Texas. The creative behind Áothentic’s lookbook and photography, Patricia also draws at @cara.de.paca on Instagram.
About Áothentic: Inspired by Vietnamese heritage, the name Áothentic comes from the Vietnamese word, “Áo,” meaning “shirt,” or “clothing,” when used with other words. Combining the word “Authentic” with “Áo”, we came up with Áothentic. Our clothing is meant to help you embrace your most authentic self and realize that you can rock any piece with confidence. One of our greatest influences is the fashion scene in Vietnam during the 1950s-1970s. This time period was bustling with energy, with women strutting around in both Áo Dài (the Vietnamese traditional dress) and the trendiest outfits of the time. We want Áothentic to carry that same energy, along with a touch of modern elegance. https://aothentic.com/
The Price of Asian Food
We see an increase of non-Asian folks exploring and popularizing Asian cuisine into mainstream America. Chefs also seek to expand the traditional boundaries of Asian cuisine by elevating dishes using more luxurious ingredients and different cooking methods. Some welcomed this development while others see it with disdain. We discuss the benefits and pitfalls of expensive Asian food.
Saadia explains what it's like to be a foodie on social media (2:15) and gives some major shout outs to foodie accounts and businesses local to D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV) (10:14). The criteria to judge "good food" (12:51). Is Asian food supposed to be cheap? (22:36). Asian dishes that notoriously slept on by the wider public (32:13). Food/drink opinion speed round game: "Yay or Meh" (37:30).
Guests: Saadia & Charles
Teaching Overseas in Asia
Jen & Yonsoo explore this trend where Americans and other Westerners leave their countries to teach overseas. A prime destination is East/Southeast Asia because the positions are regarded as opportunities for affordable work and play. Some teachers praise the better treatment and pay they received in Asia in contrast to working at home. Dominique shares with us the difference between an International and Bilingual School (4:54), the benefits of teaching in Shanghai (19:58), the foreigners with "yellow fever" (26:25), and the ultimate bargaining story (44:04).
Guest: Dominique Duarte
Is "Asian American" Relevant Anymore?
We're back! Welcome to Season 2.
Jen & Yonsoo discuss whether it's time to retire "Asian American" as a useful label. Milan offers a Pacific Islander's perspective on "APIA solidarity"(4:47) and gives a hot take on non-Hawaiians using "Hapa" (12:44). Prof. Tanglao-Aguas takes us on a deep dive into the political roots behind the label "Asian American" (21:11). A recording of the late Hawaiian activist, Haunani Kay-Trask, still remains relevant & supports Milan's views of Asian political & material power on the Hawaiian islands (46:41).
Guests: Milan Burke & Professor Francis Tanglao-Aguas of the College of William & Mary and founder of Aguas Arts Ink.
The Toxicity of Asian Dating Shows
Netflix shows Indian Matchmaking and Terrace House perpetuate misogyny, casteism, colorism and fatphobia — but we’d rather enjoy a good dating show and not think about the darker sides of Asian culture. (Our culture.) For our season finale, we invite Neha back to the show to decode caste, love jihad, and the ways in which Sima Auntie and the show’s producers perpetuate a high caste, high class, and light-skinned narrative. Jen also unpacks misogyny in Japan and the toxic role the panel plays in "Terrace House." How do these shows affect or own dating biases, and how do we internalize its toxic messages? // Follow us @authethnicpodcast on Instagram for more content!
Asian Fusion Food: Born from Conflict and Colonialism
Would you like a side of colonialism to go with your Asian food? Jen and Yonsoo bite into the colonial history behind some iconic Asian fusion dishes like banh mi and Korean Army Stew, which are steeped in trauma and power. Was this East meets West collaboration forced? Or born out of survival? How do white people rewrite us and our food? We also define decolonization and how we can start decolonizing our diets — just in time for Thanksgiving!
Why Do Asians Vote For Trump?
Why do Asian-American immigrants and first-generation Asians vote for Republicans, even though conservative agendas exclude them, harm them, and work against them? Or is it less about political identity, and more about the time period they arrived in America, as well as the colonial mindsets that have been injected into their psyche? Our guest Bill Tamayo, the District Director for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), lends his insight as a Filipino-American, an activist, and as a civil rights lawyer.
About Our Guest: Bill Tamayo was born and raised in San Francisco and has been a civil rights lawyer for several years. He is the son of immigrants from the Philippines. He worked as as staff and Managing Attorney for the Asian Law Caucus where he practiced immigration and nationality law and employment discrimination, and represented many Filipinos and other Asians. He served as the Regional Attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Northern California, Northern Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana) for 20 years where he filed over 300 lawsuits and recovered over $300 million for victims of discrimination. And for the last five years, he has served as the District Director overseeing investigations of employers and operations. Today, he shares some personal thoughts about the Filipino community and social justice.
Follow us at @authethnicpodcast on Instagram.
To All The Wasians I've Seen on TV: Why Asian Writers Push for Asian/White Love
As Asian-Americans gain more visibility in mainstream media, we’ve noticed a few new trends: Asian protagonists often end up with white people. And Wasian (White/Asian) men are filling the (rare) role of Asian male love interest. How do these decisions from Asian writers perpetuate whiteness within our own community, and how does this affect Asian masculinity? In this episode, we critique Aziz Ansari's Master of None, Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever, and Jenny Han's film adaptation of To All The Boys I've Loved Before. We also talk about popular mixed actors including Charles Melton (Riverdale) and Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians).
How Can Asians Actively Support Black Lives?
We invite our friends Michaela Francis and Nana Yaa Ansa to weigh in on a Black/Asian roundtable discussion: what can APIAs do to be active allies for Black folks and the Black Lives Matter movement? In this episode, we also discuss Black and Asian relations, stereotypes, and our own lived experiences of ignorance, frustration, and hope. Find us on Instagram @authethnicpodcast
Addressing Anti-Blackness in the Asian Community
We can't celebrate Asian-American identity without talking about the darker, more racist parts of our culture. In this episode, we learn about the historical and sociological constructs that have influenced the harmful stereotypes Asian-Americans have perpetuated about Black folks today. We break down the model minority myth, colorism, the LA Riots, and examples of Black and Asian solidarity.
Find us on Instagram @authethnicpodcast