Mx. Asian American

Nhan Danh is the founder of the White Lotus Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Oregon committed to supporting and empowering the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. In this episode, we talk about Nhan’s upbringing, how he came to start this organization, its missions and values.

Kane Vongsavanh is an immigration attorney focused on finding immigration solutions for business and families. In this episode, we talk about Kane’s early years, his experience in immigration law, and his journey into opening his own firm.

Colleen Leung is the founder of Unmute, company that strives to provide culturally-affirming mental health care to under-served communities. In this episode, we talk about Colleen’s journey and inspiration to build Unmute, diving into her and hermother’s relationship to mental health.

unmute.today

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IG @mxasianamerican

Xiren Wang is a third culture kid, coming from a mixed background of International Relations/Politics and transitioning into acting/voice acting/music. In this episode, we talk about the cultural divide between generations of Asian/Americans who speak English and/or Chinese as their main language. Xiren tries to bridge the divide between the two.

Connect with Xiren:

xirenwang.com

“Xiren Let’s Talk”

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@mxasianamerican

René Helit Jr, born and raised in Guam, is the founder of The Cultured Chefs, a personal/private chef service in Austin, Texas. In this episode, we talk about Rene’s upbringing, his various culinary journeys, and finally The Cultured Chefs.

Connect with René:

theculturedchefs.com

@theculturedchefsllc

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@mxasianamerican

Joseph Be is the founder of Meccha Matcha, a high-quality matcha provider known for their different levels of matcha intensity. In this episode, we chat about Joseph’s upbringing, his experience working in the restaurant industry and eventual transition to start Meccha Matcha.

Connect with Joseph:

mecchamatcha.com

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@mxasianamerican

Jane Wong is the author of debut memoir, Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City (Tin House 2023) and two books of poetry, How to Not Be Afraid of Everything (Alice James 2021) and Overpour (Action Books 2016). In this episode, we dive into Jane’s upbringing and the ways that Jane wrote her new memoir, which really, is a love letter to her mother.

Connect with Jane:

janewongwriter.com

@paradeofcats

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@mxasianamerican

Andrea Xu is one of the founders of Umamicart, an online grocery story delivering your favorite Asian products, produce, and ingredients. In this episode, we dive into Andrea’s upbringing in Spain, her finance career at Goldman Sachs, and then finally now running Umamicart.

Connect with Andrea:

umamicart.com

@umamicart

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@mxasianamerican

Eric Y. Chen is a serial entrepreneur and the creator and founder of Sabobatage: a Boba Card Game. In this episode, we dive into Eric’s upbringing, his corporate journey, serial entrepreneurial journey, and finally to the creation of Sabobatage.

Connect with Eric:

sabobatage.com

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@mxasianamerican

Wendy Shew is the founder and CEO of Building Education, a nonprofit organization that works to build and transform villages in impoverished communities by building schools, water systems, and electricity systems. In this episode, we dive into Wendy’s upbringing from losing her mother as a child, to her rebellious phase of aviation studies and to starting Building Education.

Connect with Wendy:

bebuildingeducation.org

@itswendyshew

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@mxasianamerican

Samantha Ong is an entrepreneur, founder and CEO of JoeyDolls, and mother to two young girls. In this episode, we dive into Samantha’s upbringing and childhood of following the conventional path and then pivoting into entrepreneurship and now having founded Joeydolls to inspire and change the narrative for future generations.

Connect with Samantha:

joeydolls.com

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@mxasianamerican

Joyce Ai is a physical therapist and coach who founded @thephysioraver to help DJs, ravers, and shufflers protect their bodies while also having fun! In this episode, we discuss Joyce’s journey into physical therapy and as well as the beginning of ThePhysioRaver.

Connect with Joyce:

@thephysioraver

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@mxasianamerican

Kai Ono is a bi-coastal singer-songwriter, pianist-composer, and teacher. In this episode, we talk about Kai’s journey with classical piano and now transitioning into more pop-focused music.

Connect with Kai:

Spotify @Kai Ono

Dr. Toni Liu is an ex-doctor, cartoonist, and coach. In this episode, we dive into Toni’s journey into medical school, as a physician, and then pivoting to turn careers into doing what she loved, which is art and building community.

Connect with Toni:

drtooni.com

@drtooni

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@mxasianamerican

Alyssa San Agustin is a Filipino American, amateur fighter, and boxing trainer. In this episode, we dive into how Alyssa transitioned into focusing solely on boxing and fighting.

Connect with Alyssa:

@small_yet_fearlyss

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@mxasianamerican

Ivy Le is a Vietnamese American comedian, actress, and writer based in Austin, TX. She is the host and creator of the Spotify podcast FOGO: Fear of Going Outside, a nature show by the most reluctant host ever. In this episode, we talk about Ivy’s upbringing, FOGO the podcast, speaking or not to the white audience, and Asian/American representation and lack of structural change.

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Alex Zhou is the founder and CEO of Yami, an ecommerce website that provides Asian products to those who cannot easily access them. In this episode, we talk about Alex’s beginning in China, his move to the US, and also his notice of the difficulty of access to Asian products in the Midwest.

Connect with Alex:

yamibuy.com

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@mxasianamerican

Sara Qiu, born in Spain, is an independent Chinese female solo-traveler. She is primarily interested in backpacking and cycling. In this episode, we dive into Sara’s upbringing and her journey with the project Journey From the Road, which is a cycling from Spain towards Asia with no specific destination in mind but focusing on the journey itself.

Connect with Sara:

journeyfromtheroad.com

GoFundMe for Turkey and Syria:

Kevan Mau is the founder of Oooh Mami, a company specializing in interesting and unique flavors of Hawaiian beef jerky. In this episode, we talk about Kevan’s journey into his own business.

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Christine Wong-Tai is the founder of Compounding Penny, a company striving to educate and bring financial resources to the general public, and the author of the children’s book The Compound Penny, co-written with her daughter. In this episode, we talk about Christine’s journey into finding her company and writing the book.

Connect with Christine:

compoundingpenny.com

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@mxasianamerican

JF Lee is Chinese Singaporean wuxia writer, currently residing in the Cayman Islands. In this episode, we dive into JF’s journey into and out of and then back into writing and the genre of wuxia.

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Arielle Murata is a travelling photographer who lives in her car. In this episode, we dive into Arielle’s various pursuits in life including a food-truck business, marketing photography, van-life, and now travelling in her car.

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Arda Sitiprawet is a first generation Asian American, owner and founder of SugarCube Marshmallows. In this episode, we dive into Arda’s passion for cooking and food service and journey to finding her passion.

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TJ Wey (Zhi/Zir) is your #VeryAsian, non-binary, gluten-and-dairy free money habits and wellness coach. Zhi is the host of the Asian Detox podcast and does some corporate consulting on the side. In this episode, we dive into TJ’s ongoing journey of searching for zir identity within the Asian/American and Asian and American and Asian American (any of the combinations combined) communities.

Connect with TJ:

@tj.wey

Olivia Chen is the CMO of Twrl Milk Tea, bringing organic and artisanal milk tea. In this episode, we dive into the beginnings of Twrl and lots of thought that has been put into every single aspect of the company.

Connect with Twrl:

@twrlmilktea

Serena Li is a mom-trepreneur who is first and foremost a mother, a marketing agency professional, and the founder of Duck Duck Books. In this episode, we dive into Serena’s immigration journey, postpartum mental health issues, and entrepreneurial journey.

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Chris Pin is an artist, designer, and founder of Haute Hero Studios. He makes collectible clothing, accessories, and custom figures. His work has been featured on Hypebeast Kicks, Business Insider, and Galileo. In this episode, we dive into Chris’s journey into the fashion industry as he worked for Converse and how he pivoted to starting his own business.

Connect with Chris:

@haute_hero

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@mxasianamerican

ábi is a rising Korean American pop/r&b artist with mixed heritage. Inspired by her dual identity, she strives to represent the aapi and multicultural community in the music. In her songwriting, she incorporates personal experiences of navigating racial trauma and anxiety. She is currently based in Nashville, TN. In this episode, we dive into her mixed heritage and her journey towards her artistic pursuits.

Connect with ábi:

abimusic.us

@abigailkim_

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@mxasianamerican

Jenkin Au is the co-founder of Knead Furniture, making spaces feel great for small and medium-sized companies and organizations. In this episode, we dive into Jenkin’s early years in entrepreneurship, his experiences in the furniture industry, and then now his management of Knead.

Connect with Jenkin:

kneadfurniture.com @kneadfurniture

Connect with us:

@mxasianamerican

Dr. Jacob Chacko (he/him) is the director of the Asian American Cultural Center at Rutgers University. In this episode, we dive into Jacob’s few moments of transformation, including his queer awakening, racial awakening, and the realization of the intersection of his identities, specifically his South Asian racial identity, his queerness in a predominantly white and Catholic environment, and his navigation of all of these within his family.

Connect with Jacob: @director_chacko

LinkedIn: Jacob Chacko

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@mxasianamerican

Kitty Wu is a holistic health coach, helping high achieving women of color transform their lives. In this episode, we talk a about Kitty’s journey into corporate and transition into her current career path.

Connect with Kitty:

@kittywucoaching

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@mxasianamerican

Shin Yu Pai is a Seattle-based writer and author of 11 books of poetry, an interdisciplinary artist spanning across visual work, photography, music, performance art, and most recently, podcasting, and others. In this episode, we talk about Shin Yu’s approach to poetry and interdisciplinary art, the difficulties of being an Asian women in the industry, and most recently, her experiences with podcasting.

Connect with Shin Yu: shinyupai.com

The Blue Suit podcast

Brian Cuyno is a Filipino, American veteran, who resettled into America when he was 28. In this episode, we dive into his life, talking about his younger years in the Philippines, his experience in the US military, and his most recent experience with fostering and adopting a daughter.

Connect with Brian:

Brian Cuyno @ LinkedIn

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@mxasianamerican

Rebecca Jiang and Misha Lau are two recent graduates living in Los Angeles, California. The two met in college and quickly became close friends, connecting through their shared diasporic experiences. As daughters of immigrants, they often felt distant to their parents. In this episode, we dive into their journey in the creation of Unspoken Words, a card game aimed to help facilitate conversation between generations.

Connect with Rebecca and Misha:

bit.ly/bwkickstarter

IG: @unspokenwordsgame

Twitter: @unspokenwordcg

Tik Tok: @unspokenwordsgame

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@mxasianamerican

Bianca Trinidad-Lam is a Filipino, founder of Filiflavors, a snackbox curating Filipino culture and flavors. Filiflavors also donates a portion of its earnings to non-profits working with Autism and special-needs communities.

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Ashley Xie and Hedy Yu are co-founders, childhood friends, and daughters of immigrants who work together on Rooted Fare. Rooted Fare works to link local immigrant chefs with the national public, in which flavors and recipes are bottled into jars to share with others. Their number one best-seller is the black sesame butter, as Asian and American fusion of black sesame and peanut butter. Listen to this episode to find out more about their story as friends and later co-founders.

Connect with Rooted Fare:

rootedfare.com

IG: @rooted.fare

TikTok: @rootedfare

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@mxasianamerican

Roger Vasak is the owner of Scalp SGV (San Gabriel Valley), a company that uses scalp micropigmentation (hair tattoos) to help people who are balding or want to see a full head of hair. In this episode, we dive into Roger’s adolescent life, growing up near lots of gangs, getting shot, moving to Korea, coming back to the states to do sales, and finally pivoting careers to become an entrepreneur.

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Bob Chao started Boba Fit tangentially during his time in college when he went through a depressing slump. To get back into shape but also to help empower the Asian/American community through a protein-filled version of milk tea (or a milk-tea filled version of protein powder). Listen to this episode to learn more about Bob’s journey.

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Daniel Chan is an internationally renowned, award-winning magician and mind-reader. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dan is regarded as one of the world’s top virtual magicians. In this episode, Dan shares his experiences with corporate life and transitioning into doing magic full-time.

Connect with Dan:

https://www.danchanmagic.com/

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@mxasianamerican

Malisa Tep a Cambodian American and the founder and CEO of bbtea jars, a sustainable boba accessories company that offers glass boba cups and most recently soy wax bubble candles. In this episode, Malisa shares her entrepreneurial journey thus far.

Connect with Malisa:

bbteajars.com

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@mxasianamerican

Andy Baptista is one of the co-founders of Cookie Command Center, a small business based in New York. She works full-time in the alcohol marketing industry while balancing her cookie business with her partner Rob. In this episode, we explore her beginnings in her career in the alcohol industry and the start of Cookie Command Center.

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Stacey is a co-founder of the world’s first self-serve boba truck, Milk + T. Along with Beyah, Stacey began the journey in December of 2015. They have since settled in Little Tokyo since 2017 as their flagship location. You can also find Milk + T in DTLA and Portland, OR. In this episode, we dive into Stacey’s experiences with beginning this boba-filled journey.

Connect with Stacey: milkandt.com

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@mxasianamerican

Ashton Yoon is a co-founder of Antithesis Foods. In this episode, we talk about Ashton’s journey transitioning from a career in fashion into an entrepreneurial journey in food science and product development. Antithesis Foods’s brand Protos uses chickpeas and other pulse ingredients to create high fiber and high protein snacks that are good for you.

Connect with Ashton:

@eatprotos

eatprotos.com

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@mxasianamerican

Simon Tam is the founder and bassist of The Slants, an electronic dance music, indie, pop, rock band founded in 2004. In this episode, we dive deep into the beginnings of the band, the long and hard legal battle with trademarking the name, and finally, the establishment of the nonprofit organization The Slants Foundation, dedicated to changing culture using arts and activism.

Connect with Simon:

theslants.org

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@mxasianamerican

Catherine Zhang is a Chinese Australian recipe developer and pastry chef. She competed in Netflix’s “Zumbo’s Just Desserts” in 2019. After the show, she runs her own online blog content and Youtube channel sharing her recipes with the world. In this episode, we discuss her journey with making desserts, filming the show, and her future plans.

Mango Spongecake Recipe: https://zhangcatherine.com/mango-cake/

Connect with Catherine:

IG: @catherine.justdessertsau

zhengcatherine.com

Rina Takikawa is a ballerina, full-time product designer in fintech, and a youtuber. In this episode, we discuss Rina’s journey in the professional ballet industry into her pivot into a completely different career and circling back to her doing ballet as a hobby now.

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