Nuances: Our Asian Stories

If you enjoy this show and would like to help me spread the word about it, or support it financially, you can find out more at nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Mar 31, 202447:57

S4 E06: Dr. Sachi Schmidt-Hori on U.S. vs Japan culture, parenting, social norms, & why gender pronouns aren't an issue in Japan

GUEST BIO

Prof. Sachi Schmidt-Hori is interested in investigating how gender, sexuality, corporeality, and power are represented and negotiated in pre-seventeenth-century Japanese narratives and illustrations. Her first book, Tales of Idolized Boys: Male-Male Love in Medieval Japanese Narratives (University of Hawai`i Press, 2021) is on medieval chigo monogatari (Buddhist acolyte tales), which often depict romantic relationships between Buddhist priests and adolescent boys. These tales challenge a host of normative and moral standards we (academics, especially) internalize, including such ideas as "sexual orientation," "transgenerational sex," and "sexual agency." Her current project is on the literary representations of "milk kinships" in pre-seventeenth Japanese tales, in cluding the Tale of Ochikubo, the Tale of Genji, the Tales of the Heike. She is also the director of the Springboard Japan Project, a multi-purpose open-access forum for Japan Studies.

Web

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

The equation of your career/life choices is for you to solve. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else if it makes sense for you.
You can seek out spaces where being you is a plus instead of a minus. Don't settle.
If you're not a white man, emulating white men probably won't help. Be goofy :-)
Language shapes our discussions.
Identity is seen as static, whereas actions are choices that we could change in the future, not immutable character traits.
How integrity is perceived is one of many things that can vary widely outside the West.
In Japan, parenting is about taming the child's ego. In the U.S., parenting is about nurturing the child's ego.
Do not talk to cats and babies in Japan.

CONTACT

If you enjoy this show and would like to help me spread the word about it, or support it financially, you can find out more at nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Mar 17, 202401:01:56

S4 E05: Er-Gene Kahng found community, Florence Price, and her Asian American identity in Arkansas

GUEST BIO

Er-Gene is a Korean-American violinist and college professor who lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas. As an immigrant, she was always interested in assimilation as a survival strategy until she discovered Florence Price, the first Black American woman composer whose compositions were performed by major symphony orchestras. Since then, she has championed Price's music and continues to investigate ways classical music can participate in global conversations around diversity, social justice, and equity..

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Web

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

People from so-called progressive states like California often make assumptions about the South but fail to realize the same issues exist at home.
Exposure to classical music early and ability to afford lessons is a key determinant of one's chances of making it into an orchestra. Diversity efforts need to start there.
History is far from static because it only shows the perspective of those who wrote it. Whose perspective might have been left out?
To be in community is not only to receive, but also to give back.

CONTACT

If you enjoy this show and would like to help me spread the word about it, or support it financially, you can find out more at nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Mar 10, 202455:26

S4 E04: Ed Pokropski talks about his Emmy nominations, his comedy show about adoption, and doing his best even if he doesn't always get it right.

GUEST BIO

Edward Yoo Pokropski is one of the Executive Producers of the Asian Comedy Fest and Emmy Nominated Senior Writer/Producer at NBCUniversal. He is also a comedian touring his storytelling show, Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A.. The show touches on how the media shapes our view and misconceptions about adoption. .

Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Web

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Everyone has an accent. Part of decentering whiteness is to no longer center certain types of accents and look down on others
It's better to try, fail, and do better next time, than to not do anything at all.
We don't make choices based on whether it's an Asian thing to do. Breaking the mold or fitting into a stereotype is often not the intention driving our choices, but a side effect of being ourselves.
When we have limited time to to tell a story, we build on existing understandings as a shortcut. We just gotta make sure that those foundation pieces are solid.
Writing for kids is a lot harder than it sounds. You have to be family friendly, educational, and still exciting and fun.
There's never been a better time to create art.

CONTACT

If you enjoy this show and would like to help me spread the word about it, or support it financially, you can find out more at nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Mar 03, 202440:58

S4 E03: Ryan Alexander Holmes reminds us the importance of art to connect us with our humanity, and that Asians don't all look alike.

GUEST BIO

Ryan Alexander Holmes [何仁安] is an actor and content creator based out of Los Angeles, CA. Having garnered a sizable presence on social media by using his platform to embrace his mixed Chinese/African American background through comedic story telling and poignant writings about his family’s perseverance, Ryan has made it his goal to encourage others of mixed ethnic/cultural backgrounds to fully embrace who they are and to show the world there is unimaginable strength in discovering harmony in multiculturalism. His acting credits include For the People on ABC, Dear White People on Netflix, The Morning Show on AppleTV+ and Back on The Strip, where he stars alongside Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes.

Instagram | TikTok

DEFINITIONS

D.A.R.E.: Drug Abuse Resistance Education is a program in which police officers make visits to elementary school classrooms, warning children that drugs are harmful and should be refused. It was created as a part of Reagan's so-called war on drugs initiative. Its effectiveness is highly contested and some studies show it can be counterproductive.

TAKEAWAYS

If you are Asian, then you look Asian. Just like if you are American, then you look American.
It is not our job to educate white people about their racist behavior.
It is our job to hold our own community accountable by having non-judgmental conversations about racism that is embedded in our culture.
If you’re an artist, then you create art, people see themselves reflected in it, and it makes them feel connected to other humans. That’s pretty magical if you think about it.
Keeping in mind that the industry is a box can be helpful to remember when your art doesn’t fit in.
How can we celebrate our cultures in more inclusive ways that don’t implicitly put others down? How do we decolonize our culture?

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Feb 25, 202459:01

S4 E02: Dr. Paul Song on why medicare-for-all would help both patients and doctors. Also: Natural Killer cells & Alzheimer's

GUEST BIO

Paul Y. Song is an MD, entrepreneur and health activist. He is currently CEO of NKGen Biotech. Dr. Song served as the very first visiting fellow on healthcare policy in the California Department of Insurance in 2013. His last clinical role was Asst. Professor at the Samuel Oschin Cancer Center at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He currently serves on several boards including: the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago Mercy Corps, The Center for Health and Democracy, Gideon’s Promise, and Progressive Democrats of America. Dr. Song graduated with honors from the University of Chicago and received his M.D. degree from George Washington University. He completed his residency in radiation oncology at the University of Chicago..

Instagram

DEFINITIONS

Single-payer healthcare: A type of universal healthcare in which the costs of essential healthcare for all residents are covered by a single public system (hence "single-payer"). Single-payer systems may contract for healthcare services from private organizations (as is the case in Canada) or may own and employ healthcare resources and personnel (as is the case in the United Kingdom).
Medicare: A government national health insurance program in the United States. It primarily provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older, as well as for disabled people.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Alliances are powerful. Finding common goals across movements can amplify each of their individual causes more effectively.
A single payer system isn't just better for patients, but also for doctors, who won't have to spend resources fighting insurance companies, or worrying about malpractice insurance.
In reality, US patients are not really free to choose their providers. Most of the time, the insurance provider is the one dictating who you have access to, and what medication you're allowed to take under their coverage.
As long as our politicians remain beholden to the insurance lobby, we will not get universal healthcare.
A new therapy using the patient's own natural killer cells may be the key for Alzheimers, Parkinsons and Cancer patients.

CONTACT

"Where I Belong: Healing Trauma & Embracing Asian American Identity"

Host: Lazou

Feb 18, 202438:22

S4 E01: Soo Jin Lee's mom never told her she was undocumented, but she just knew. Also: therapy isn't the only way to heal.

GUEST BIO

Soo Jin Lee is a licensed therapist, the author of 'Where I Belong: Healing Trauma and Embracing Asian American Identity,' and a guiding force at the Yellow Chair Collective. Her journey from an undocumented immigrant to a mental health advocate shapes her unique approach to healing. When not writing or in session, she’s reconnecting with nature on a hike. Let’s dive into her story!.

DEFINITIONS

DREAM act:short for The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, is a United States legislative proposal to grant temporary conditional residency, with the right to work, to illegal immigrants who entered the United States as minors—and, if they later satisfy further qualifications, they would attain permanent residency. It was first introduced in 2001 and has been reintroduced multiple times since, but has never gotten majority votes from either house of the U.S. congress.
In 2012, President Obama signed an executive branch memorandum called the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative, DACA for short, which provided a temporary reprieve from deportation to qualified unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. In 2017, the Trump administration announced the program's termination.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Undocumented migrants take great risks to come here because they believe in the American dream so much, but often have no chance of getting a work visa if they are poor or uneducated. People will do anything if it means a better future for their kids.
Undocumented migrants are often very self-conscious about their status and eager to prove they are hard working, and self-sufficient. They are diligent about paying their taxes and steer clear of anything resembling government aid. Many, like Soo Jin's father, even create businesses that employ Americans. This is not the portrayal we see in the news very often, but it is an important one.
Undocumented migrants can be smart professionals, they can be Asian, they can be entrepreneurs and employers. They aren't a monolith.
Mental health and wellness can and should look different depending on who you are and what you value. Especially for our elders, healing can come from sharing memories, teaching the next generation their family recipes or their favorite games, instead of going to therapy and talking about their traumas.

CONTACT

https://nuancespod.com/2023/09/24/amanda-b/

Host: Lazou

Feb 11, 202452:50

Podcast Recs - Part 1: 6 Degrees of Cats!

If you love the Nuances Podcast, you might also enjoy:

6 Degrees of Cats is a cat-themed culture, history and occasionally science podcast that investigates the surprising intersections between human and felinekind.

Season 2 of 6 Degrees of Cats premieres on Halloween 2023!

Follow @6degreesofcats on Instagram | TikTok | Twitter

Oct 18, 202323:30

S3 E15: Amanda B. on 6 degrees of cats, educating in the domestic violence space, and her experience as a trans-national & trans-racial adoptee.

GUEST BIO

Amanda B. is the executive producer and host of 6 Degrees of Cats, a cat-themed culture, history and occasionally science podcast that investigates the surprising intersections between human and feline kind, with the help of a interdisciplinary roster of guest experts. She has worked internationally in the fields of clinical research, public health, social impact and tech, and is a trained advocate for violence survivors and youth mental health. As a musician, Amanda composes and plays lead guitar in Leathered, an NYC-based rock 'n' roll band and has supported major artists on live broadcasts and stages in the U.S. and Europe. Amanda also freelances as a producer of live and virtual professional development programming for clients such as The Podcast Academy. She can be followed on Instagram and Twitter @6degreesofcats and @leathered4ever..

Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

DEFINITIONS

Rust Belt: a region of the United States that experienced industrial decline starting in the 1950s
Tabula rasa: Blank slate
Cisgendered: a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth; not transgender.
Trauma-informed: Trauma informed, which is a buzzword, simply means that I have training and education, understanding the neurobiological holistic impacts of Big T trauma, which is different than the way we use the word trauma in our common language, on the way we expect people to react.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

The reasons behind toxic masculinity is different for men with oppressed identities, versus men who are part of the majority, and we need to acknowledge that difference if we want to meaningfully address the problem.
Consent is not something that you give once and is valid forever. Consent has to be given every single time.
If you wouldn't ask the same question to a non-adoptee, then don't ask it to an adoptee either. By the same token, if you wouldn't ask a question to a white dude, (eg. where are you really from), then don't ask it from a POC either. It comes off as ignorant.
We do our most compelling work when we embrace who we are and all our quirks. See Amanda's 6 degrees of cats or Ivy Le's FOGO: Fear of Going Outside

CONTACT

https://nuancespod.com/2023/09/17/charles-levan/

Host: Lazou

Sep 24, 202345:17

S3 E14: Charles Levan on his career working at EMI/Capitol Records, and becoming a licensing agent for independent artists.

GUEST BIO

Established in 2002, Charles Levan, C.E.O/Owner of Blue Buddha Entertainment, LLC specializes in sync placement for independent artists and labels, serving as a premier conduit for contemporary groundbreaking artists and repertoire. Past sync placements include: Shrinking, Found, All American, This Is Us, Supreme Models, & Grey's Anatomy to name a few. With over 27 years of experience in the music industry, Charles' passion in the sync space is coupled with a focus on artist development, helping artists hone their musical craft in an ever-changing entertainment world. Starting out at The Right Stuff/EMI-Capitol Records (North America), in the Marketing & Radio Promotions Department. Charles’ most notable work includes marketing Al Green’s platinum-selling Greatest Hits album and other high profile reissues. Charles balances his work life through an extreme passion for music, basketball, working out and mediation to stay spiritually grounded. .

Instagram | YouTube | Web

DEFINITIONS

Wet behind the ears: Lacking experience/immature
AAPI: Asian American Pacific Islander
Sync: Synchronizing music to another medium such as video or even podcasts.
Music supervisor: A music expert who typically offers music suggestions to be used in a scene, and is also responsible for clearing the licenses from all stakeholders for the song to be used.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Even in industries that are white dominated, there are some good mentors out there who can actually shield you from a lot of the discrimination. So make every effort you can to find those supporters who will use their privilege to back you when you need them to!
When you have the opportunity to work with a mentor, showing up and developing that relationship makes it more rewarding for both parties. As someone who has been mentoring podcasters and music producer, I 100% agree with that.
Because East Asians often have baby face, they are often assumed to be younger and less experienced than they actually are. So if you find yourself thinking an Asian colleague is likely too young or too inexperienced, it's good to quickly check yourself and make sure you haven't been fooled by the genes we stole from the fountain of youth.
We’re not a monolith so our experiences vary widely. That’s expected and one does not invalidate the other. Charles, as an Asian American cis-straight man, has a different experience from Tonie (S1E3) who is non-binary, or Summer Swee Singh (S2E6) who's a woman, or Dani Saldo (S3E5) who is a disabled woman. We exist across a broad range of experiences.

CONTACT

https://nuancespod.com/2023/09/10/samantha-ong/

Host: Lazou

Sep 17, 202332:34

S3 E13: Samantha Ong on the need for representation in toys, colorism in Asian culture, and how her culturally accurate dolls sold out on launch day.

GUEST BIO

Samantha Ong is an entrepreneur, business owner, and mother to two young girls based in Toronto, Canada. Samantha founded Joeydolls in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate around the world during the pandemic lockdowns. Her goal is to help young children feel proud of their heritage and feel valued in society by creating diverse Asian cultural dolls that celebrate every culture. As the founder and CEO of Joeydolls, Samantha is on a mission to provide a representation of Asian culture in a cute and playful way and also deconstruct both racism and colorism. Joeydolls are designed to be a child's friend for life, with soft and cuddly bodies, and culturally accurate attire. She hopes the dolls will help create more awareness and education around Asian culture and diversity..

DEFINITIONS

MENTIONED

Children notice race several years before adults want to talk about it

TAKEAWAYS

Better done than perfect. At some point perfectionism gets in the way of the positive impact you could already be having on your community.
Kids internalize concepts of race and belonging as early as 10 months old, so feeling represented as early as possible is important.
Entrepreneurship keeps you on your toes, no matter how prepared, so might as well jump in if you have an idea you believe in.
Telling expecting parents you hope their kids have certain physical features is hurtful.
Colorism in Asian culture is very real. If you see this in your family, gently remind them that the child will be loved and welcome no matter what they look like.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Sep 10, 202335:51

S3 E12: Ivy Le on being a comic, a mom, and a flaming bisexual whose nature show, FOGO, explores the outdoors so you don't have to!

https://nuancespod.com/2023/09/03/ivy-le/

GUEST BIO

Ivy Le is a Vietnamese American comedian, actress, and writer based in Austin, Texas. She is the creator of the critically-acclaimed Spotify Studios podcast FOGO: Fear of Going Outside, a nature show by the most reluctant host ever. FOGO is featured on Delta flights and recommended by The Guardian, CBC, Oprah and, inexplicably, Outside. She hosts the only queer comedy open mic in Austin, and performs at comedy festivals all over the country. She is also mom to two as-yet untraumatized kids..

Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube | Web

DEFINITIONS

CPTSD: Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) can result from experiencing chronic trauma, such as prolonged child abuse or domestic violence. It’s closely related to PTSD and borderline personality disorder.
ADHD: ADHD is a long-term (chronic) brain condition that causes executive dysfunction, which means it disrupts a person’s ability to manage their own emotions, thoughts and actions.
Heteronormativity: When heterosexuality (cis-man & woman) is the norm, and any other sexual orientation or gender identity is seen as outside the norm, and hence has less privilege.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Representation can get in the way of real institutional progress if we're not demanding more than just visible representation on screen, but also behind the scenes at all levels of organizations.
Each child is our collective responsibility to raise as a society, and community support can help us all thrive together rather than struggling in isolation.
Texas is a lot more diverse than its politicians make it out to be.
We do not need to assimilate into America. We are America and we're defining what America is.

CONTACT

For the full show notes, go to https://nuancespod.com/2023/08/27/nastassia-jagatsingh

Host: Lazou

Sep 03, 202341:52

S3 E11: Nastassia Jagatsingh on deconstructing her Mauritian and Canadian identities, unlearning colorism, and living with chronic illness.

GUEST BIO

Nastassia is a 31 Indo-Mauritian Montrealer currently based in so-called Vancouver. After a little under a decade in the banking and ESL teaching spaces, she’s exploring non-traditional avenues for work and embracing slow living as she learns to live with chronic illness. During the “summer of racial reckoning” she, like many, turned to social media spaces and literature to make sense of the world around her. Since then, she’s been reading and writing at the intersections of indenture, diasporic Brownness and disability while cultivating a keen interest in the millennial/Gen Z zeitgeist. She’s also a photographer, an aspiring bookstagrammer and is working on her first book! .

Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Web

DEFINITIONS

Creole Mauritians: mostly descendants of African slaves, or racially mixed Mauritians who are also Christians.
Creole: A stable natural language that has been created through the mixing of two other languages.
Kaya: A Mauritian artist who pioneered the Seggae genre, which mixed Mauritian Sega with Reggae influences. He was arrested for smoking marijuana at a concert and died in police custody in 1999. He was our George Floyd.
Substack: A blogging/newsletter platform that allows writers to monetize their content through subscriptions.

MENTIONED

US physicians in Canada

TAKEAWAYS

It's important to talk to people in your community and ask rather than assume what their experience has been like.
Believing that Western countries were better is white supremacist thinking and something we're both trying to deconstruct.
Although Mauritius has very few whites, white people still hold a lot of economic & social power, and are treated as such.
Beyond the US, the 2020 BLM protests had the worldwide effect of giving people the vocabulary and the tools to start the painful process of confronting and healing from racial trauma.
Canada is often touted as an immigrant-friendly country, but it actually is really hard for immigrants to find jobs if they did not study in Canada.
Behaviors commonly associated with rape culture include victim blaming, slut-shaming, sexual objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge the harm caused by sexual violence, etc. This is a huge problem in Mauritius, but it exists everywhere. If you see this in your community, speak up and let them know that it's not okay.
Looking good doesn't matter if you don't feel good.
Brown kids are given so many signals so early on that lighter skin is the standard of beauty. Comments like ""don't go in the sun"" or ""oh she's lighter now, she's more pretty"" are so harmful. Again, if you hear these comments, gently educate your circles on why these are harmful.

SONG

"Where Do We Go" by 23rd Hour. Written by LAZOU & Edi Jon Yuk

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Aug 27, 202301:03:30

S3 E10: June Chua on learning to love herself through dance, how her films led her to Norway & Nepal, and why she moved to Berlin from Canada.

GUEST BIO

June Chua loves to tell stories in a myriad of ways. She's an award-winning filmmaker with more than 20 years experience in journalism, writing, editing, broadcasting and communications. She also helps artists with their proposals and grants. She's now developing a creative nonfiction project - a collection of poems & stories. In 2015, she decided to resign from her life in Canada, selling her things, giving away books and moving to Berlin--alone. It would mark a 2nd migration. Her family moved from Malaysia to Canada in the 70s.

Instagram | LinkedIn | Web

DEFINITIONS

Laksa: A spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia.
Stipendium: A scholarship (in German)
Sandra Oh: A Canadian & American actor of Korean descent. She's Dr. Christina Yang in Grey's Anatomy and the star of the BBC spy thriller "Killing Eve".
Mr. Miyagi: A fictional character in the Karate Kid franchise.

MENTIONED

9-Man by Ursula Liang
Moon Is The Oldest TV by Nam June Paik
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee
My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki
Forever Chinatown

TAKEAWAYS

Immigrant parents struggling to survive often do not have time or bandwidth to provide emotional support
Art is not created in a vacuum. It is always a reflection of its time, and its creator.
We often deny ourselves the life we want because we think that's the right thing, the honorable thing, the expected thing to do. But if we peel back the layers, sometimes all we have are excuses and fear.
Feeling beautiful is not about external looks, but about feeling comfortable in our own bodies, and our own power.
Quiet time alone (and or therapy i might add), can help us untangle what we really want, what is really possible, and every other obstacle or expectation that we've taken for granted as fact without questioning

Full show notes: https://nuancespod.com/2023/08/20/june-chua/

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Aug 20, 202301:04:27

S3 E09: Rita Phetmixay: No such thing as boundaries in Asian culture - the Lao diaspora, owning the narrative, and healing intergenerational trauma with compassion.

GUEST BIO

Rita is a 2nd generation Lao Isaan (pronounced E-sahn) American holistic mental health & wellness professional based in Los Angeles. She is also the creator/host of the Healing Out Lao'd podcast, which explores the intersections of Lao diaspora storytelling, healing, and tools for sustainability.

Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook | Web

DEFINITIONS

Pho: Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.
Laos: Country in South East Asia bordered by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar & China

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Laos is the most bombed country per capita, and it was bombed by the US during its secret war on Laos and Cambodia at the same time as its war on Vietnam.
Being able to name previous generations' trauma responses, such as being overly protective, or overly frugal, and how they shaped our behavior patterns (eg. lack of agency/trust) can help us finally heal and stop the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
Moving from a place where you're the only Asian or only anything, to a place where you're surrounded by your people can be jarring at first.
In Asian cultures, setting boundaries can sometimes feel rigid. The way to soften these black and white definitions is to learn to communicate our love and desire to please, while still also communicating our own needs.
While our culture was shaped by the people who created it and the norms at the time, we in the present have a chance to shape it for our current time.
Patriotism is more nuanced than unconditional love for the country. For many, it comes with pride, joy, but also grief and a feeling of responsibility.
Losing part of our identity is hard, but it can also bring a lot of growth as we expand how we define ourselves.
It's easy to blame other people or circumstances, but no matter what the situation is, we are ultimately responsible for managing our feelings, and setting healthy boundaries.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Aug 13, 202359:42

S3 E08: Kiran Kaur Gill on fighting Turban Myths with occupationally relevant training programs at the TSA, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies.

GUEST BIO

Kiran Kaur Gill is the executive director at SALDEF, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, where she oversees and executes programs related to policy, research, education, civic engagement, and youth leadership in the Sikh American community. Prior to her executive role, she volunteered at SALDEF to create and conduct Sikh awareness training around the country for schools, law enforcement, and state and local governments. She worked with the New Jersey Attorney General's office to develop statewide curricula and helped establish the SikhLEAD New Jersey program, which encourages civic engagement. among Sikh students. Additionally, Ms. Gill ran her own company PARS Environmental Incorporated from 2003 to 2017. Ms. Gill served as a board member of The One Project, an interfaith and community coalition organized to address social needs through education and volunteerism, and was the president and founding member of the Inspiring South Asian American Women. Her leadership and business acumen has won her numerous accolades. Full bio at nuancespod.com.

DEFINITIONS

TSA: Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security that was created as a response to 9/11
Gurdwara: A place of worship for Sikhs

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Most Americans know very little of Sikhism and associate their turban to Bin Laden
Sikhs & Muslims became victims of Islamophobic hate crimes after 9/11.
As leaders, we can redefine our workplace so everyone thrives.
Getting to know even just the basics of a community's culture goes a long way to prevent misunderstandings and reduce fear and distrust.
Trainings using relevant hypothetical situations, facilitated by people who are local to the community, or have ground knowledge of the day-to-day situations faced by the trainees are most effective.
Preserving our culture does not mean we have to keep the bad parts too.
Providing access to mental health resources that are culturally sensitive and timely are a key component to creating safer communities

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Aug 06, 202348:22

S3 E07: Scott Okamoto on losing faith and becoming an English professor at an evangelical school + his thoughts on Oppenheimer

GUEST BIO

Scott Okamoto is a former English professor and ex-Evangelical writer, musician, and home chef. His newly released book is called Asian American Apostate: Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University. In the book, Scott tells his story of losing all faith while teaching at an evangelical university. Through this process, he dug deep into his roots as a 4th generation Japanese American and found community, art, music, and a life worth living. Scott also has a podcast called Chapel Probation.

Instagram | Twitter | Web

DEFINITIONS

Religious Deconstruction - a process in which people re-examine their faith and previously held beliefs, sometimes to the point of leaving the religion.
Religious Deconstruction - a process in which people re-examine their faith and previously held beliefs, sometimes to the point of leaving the religion.
Heart Mountain is a historic site sharing the stories of WW2 Japanese American prisoners.
Reparations: $20,000 checks paid in the 1990s to some 82,000 surviving Japanese American individuals who was detained in the camps. Camp residents lost some $400 million in property during their incarceration.

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Japanese Incarceration Camps are still glossed over in history classes. We need to demand that it be taught like Germany teaches about the Nazis.
Many felt embarrassed about their incarceration and tried to be exemplary patriots after their release in order to avoid being sent to camps again.
Representation helped many Japanese Americans feel like it was ok to talk about the camps.
Redlining and other discriminatory practices affect all of us.
You don't win people over with facts and arguments, but by building relationships with them.
Many of the views of evangelicals are not actually rooted in the bible. Religious texts are updated by flawed humans.
Deconstructing is easier if you have a good support system and community outside of religion.
You don't have to understand someone's experience to show compassion.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Jul 30, 202301:06:58

S3 E06: Travis Nguyen, interpreter & translator, on working with the deaf & deaf/blind communities, how intergenerational trauma manifests in day-to-day life, and more.

GUEST BIO

Travis Giuse Nguyen (he/él) is an interpreter and translator born and raised in Southeast Texas. The son of a Vietnamese fisherman in the U.S. and the long-time resident of two minority-majority cities (Port Arthur and Houston), syncretism is the defining attribute of Travis's lived experience. In his free time, Travis practices self-care by playing boleros on his trusty ukulele, singing, sewing, and caring for his plants..

Instagram | TikTok

DEFINITIONS

ASL: American sign language
Hakka, Hokkien, Cantonese are languages originating from Southern China.
Neurotypical/allistic people do not have autistic or other neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behavior. People who have ADHD, ASD are neurodivergent.

MENTIONED

Ocean Vuong
Protactile

TAKEAWAYS

We naturally internalize traumatic experiences, and they shape how we view the world and interact with it, whether we are cognizant of it or not.
When multi-lingual people get dementia, they will lose the last language they learned first.
As people who hear, we have access to a lot of auditory information that we glean in passing everywhere we go because people around us communicate in a language we can understand. That is not a privilege that deaf people have, because very few people around them use sign language.
Even if you don't know sign language, don't be intimidated to interact with deaf people.
Many of us do not speak our cultural language because our parents were wrongly told that teaching us anything other than English would prevent us from becoming fluent in English.
Getting to know people who have different lived experiences can help you see your blindspots.
Discussing politics/religion only leads to arguments if we don't know how to talk about them.
Self-determination is a myth. While we do have choices, our views, our taste, our personality is inevitably shaped by the people and media that surround us.
Pulling yourself by your bootstrap is also a myth. No one can claim to be entirely self-made. No one can be part of society without using resources that they didn't create themselves.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Jul 23, 202357:20

S3 E05: Dani Saldo is a hot, talented and disabled bisexual pop star on the rise who's breaking up with her old (able-bodied) self.

GUEST BIO

Dani is a Filipino Canadian artist who creates music that effortlessly laments on young love and self-discovery. Moody, melancholic, and dreamy coming of age instrumentation complement the oozing nostalgia of her honest, hyper vulnerable, and conversational lyrics. Dani's song "All I Need" was featured on Anna Kendrick's movie, "Alice Darling", and several of her collaborations have been used in Netflix's Love is Blind and MTV's Teen Mom OGg. Artist cuts include Jillian May, Harley Huke, as well as Arcana's viral hit Stockholm syndrome performed by the dance studio ALiEN in Korea. Dani's debut ep, "everything I couldn't say", comes out early next year and it explores her experiences with grief, disability, love, and mental health.

For full definitions, mentioned links, takeaways, transcript & video with captions: ⁠https://nuancespod.com/2023/07/15/s3e5-dani-saldo/(opens in a new tab)⁠

DEFINITIONS

Pancit
Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
Ableism
Grind culture
ODSP
Sensory friendly

MENTIONED

S2E1: Masaru Tanabe
S2E3: Tiffany Chou (Depo Market)
IKEA Philippines - Hapag | Paskong Pinoy Serie
Starter guide to more accessible, sensory friendly events
Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice
Andrew Gurza
Rachel Romu

TAKEAWAYS

If you are a parent struggling with your child's queerness because of your religion or other beliefs, just remember that whatever discomfort you're feeling, your child is likely going through much worse. Commit to learning more and continue to provide a safe space for your child to be themselves at home.
Feeling secure in your queerness and knowing that you are more than just your queerness can make it easier to talk about it with loved ones.
Becoming disabled comes with a lot of grief over your old self and a lot of unlearning your own internalized ableism.
Rest is healing. If you do not allow your body to rest, your body will make you do so eventually. So listen to your body and rest.
The cost of living is much higher for disabled individuals. Accessible options often cost more. This is yet another example of ableism in society.
Disabled people have an income cap, but billionaires don't. This is by design because capitalism is inherently ableist.
People with disabilities often feel like they are a burden to those close to them. If that is you, please know that you don't have to do anything to be deserving of love and kindness.
Disabled people can be hot. If that sounds weird to you, it's because we all have internalized ableism. But the good news is, this is fixable with better representation.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Jul 16, 202301:11:06

S3 E04: Teresa Suydam, Filipino & First Nations Ojibwe artist, on being a "Lost Bird", reconnecting with their biological mom, and making deliberate efforts to find their roots.

GUEST BIO

Teresa Suydam is a lost bird songwriter and producer of Indigenous and Filipino descent who makes cinematic pop infused with honey-like vocals. Based out of Denver, Colorado, Teresa chases their own culture and identity with their music, and is a safe haven to other multicultural individuals who don’t feel at home in their own skin. In 2022, Teresa's music video for "Take Me to the Water" was nominated for the Native American Music Awards (NAMA)..

DEFINITIONS

Smudging is a cultural ceremony practiced by Native peoples. It involves burning sacred herbs like tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, and cedar for medicinal, practical, and spiritual purposes. The smoke carries prayers and healing powers. A vessel holds the herbs, and the smoke is guided over the body using a feather (preferably eagle) or hand. Smudging a room involves directing smoke while praying for positive energy and removing negative energy. Ashes are placed outside to symbolize removing negative energy from our lives.
Smudging is a cultural ceremony practiced by Native peoples. It involves burning sacred herbs like tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, and cedar for medicinal, practical, and spiritual purposes. The smoke carries prayers and healing powers. A vessel holds the herbs, and the smoke is guided over the body using a feather (preferably eagle) or hand. Smudging a room involves directing smoke while praying for positive energy and removing negative energy. Ashes are placed outside to symbolize removing negative energy from our lives.
A powwow is a ceremony held by Native American peoples involving feasting, singing, and dancing.
Side note: You may have heard or used the term "powwow" to refer to meetings that are completely unrelated to the original Indigenous context. This is an example of cultural appropriation and is offensive to Native Americans because it strips the word from its great cultural importance.

TAKEAWAYS

When your people have been driven to near extinction by colonialism and constantly subjugated to brutal treatment, being alive today and occupying space is a form of resistance in itself.
For people who have grown up with no connection to their roots, it can take a while to warm up to the idea but with the unrelenting, gentle support of their mentors, Teresa did start to learn more about their cultures.
Sometimes we don't know what we've been missing until we experience it. Teresa had this experience both when connecting with their cultures and when reconnecting with their biological mom and described it as feeling more like themselves, more whole, and more at peace with who they are.
Learning can feel overwhelming when we know next to nothing, be it a language, a culture, or music production. But it gets easier if we start small and give ourselves some grace to make mistakes in order to learn.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Jul 09, 202339:43

S3 E03: Dr. Manijeh Moradian on why Iran isn't always considered part of Asia, and how the West may be misinterpreting what Iranians truly want out of the current feminist revolution.

If you’ve ever wondered why Iran sometimes is, sometimes isn’t considered part of Asia, this episode has the answer. Because of the revolution in Iran, I really wanted to talk to a woman from the Iranian American diaspora and had the privilege of talking to Women’s, Gender & Sexuality studies professor, Dr. Manijeh Moradian. Manijeh talks about how the U.S. - Iran relationship evolved over decades from the ‘50s to the ‘79 revolution, and beyond. She also shares her thoughts on Western involvement and media coverage of the current feminist Iranian revolution, and what the Iranian people really want.

GUEST BIO

Manijeh Moradian is assistant professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Barnard College, Columbia University. Her book, This Flame Within: Iranian Revolutionaries in the United States, was published by Duke University Press in December 2022. She has published widely including in American Quarterly, Journal of Asian American Studies, Scholar & Feminist online, and Women’s Studies Quarterly. She is a founding member of the Raha Iranian Feminist Collective and on the editorial board of the Jadaliyya.com Iran Page.

DEFINITIONS

Coup d'état, a.k.a coup, is an illegal and overt attempt by the military or other government elites to unseat the incumbent leader.
Western hegemony: domination of the west over other countries through economic, political and military power. The
While colonialism used direct military control or hegemony to control or influence a colony, neocolonialism uses economic, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former colonies or
Shah:the leading figure (or king) of an Iranian monarchy
Hijab: headcovering worn by Muslim women

MENTIONED

TAKEAWAYS

Many of the stereotypes we know are more recent than we think and they happened quickly, seemingly overnight.
Pitting minorities against each other is a common way for oppressors to keep the status quo. Iran distanced itself from Asia to avoid being subjugated by Europe.
Instead of always working through our governments, we can think of ways to create solidarity between our local grassroots movements across borders.
Asian Americans are Americans too, and our marketability should not be restricted to the Asian diaspora, but rather America at large.
Women's liberation does not mean assimilating into western culture.

CONTACT

Host: Lazou

Jul 02, 202301:02:28

S3 E02: Cherie Hu on music, culture and technology, and why you can't copy/paste deployment strategies across cultural contexts. We also talk about AI, ChatGPT and deepfakes in music & media.

GUEST BIO

Cherie Hu is the founder of the music-tech research organization Water & Music. Water & Music's mission is to make the music industry more innovative, cooperative, and transparent, by building a collaborative data and education hub that consistently beats the market on identifying trends in music, technology, and culture. Previously, Cherie penned hundreds of articles on music and tech as a freelance writer for publications including Billboard, Forbes, Pitchfork, and Variety. She has spoken as an expert commentator on CNBC and SiriusXM Volume; as a guest lecturer at institutions like Harvard University, New York University, and Northeastern University; and as a moderator, panelist or keynoter at over 30 conferences around the world..

Twitter | LinkedIn | Web

DEFINITIONS

Merch: merchandise sold by music artists, eg. t-shirts.
Bear market: market in which prices are falling, encouraging selling.
Beat (journalism): area of specialization for reporters where their newsgathering efforts are focussed on specific subjects or locations.
IRL: in real life (as opposed to virtually)
AI: artificial intelligence
ChatGPT: AI chatbot notable for its ability to adapt to desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language used
Midjourney: Ai tool that generates pictures based on text prompts.
Deepfake: synthetic media that has been digitally manipulated to impersonate one person's likeness convincingly.
DAW: digital audio workstation, software used to record & process sounds.
Splice: cloud-based music creation platform mostly known for its sample library.
Blockchain/Crypto/NFTs

MENTIONED

What’s The (Far) Future Of Music Listening? By Cherie Hu

TAKEAWAYS

Understand what you are committing to before picking a career and make sure it works for you.
Being unapologetically yourself can help you stand out and carve out a niche for yourself.
Partner with peers to create win-win situations that help you both grow.
When trying to understand trends, it’s helpful to ask whose perspective is being left out, and whether that information could move the conversation forward.
AI will likely transform most jobs in some way, but the key is to find out what human skills are still irreplaceable.
A company's incentives will dictate its policies on AI usage to automate tasks.

CONTACT

Support the show:nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Jun 25, 202358:15

S3 E01: DJ Mimi Chen on knowing her worth, standing up for herself, and having a blast doing it.

Nuances: beyond first impressions with the Asian diaspora is a podcast exploring diverse intersectional identities, career paths and more.

Join our discord: nuancespod.com/community

GUEST BIO

Mimi Chen is a long time radio DJ who has been heard in Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles. She is currently at KCSN 88.5FM in Los Angeles. In her spare time, she acts and has co-founded several tech companies. One is a conversational AI company. The more current company, Vlipside, is an metaverse company. It isn't every day that you get to talk to a trailblazer in the radio industry..

DEFINITIONS

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States.

TAKEAWAYS

You deserve a raise & promotion if you've been at your job for several years. Ask for it.
There are lots of opportunities out there and you deserve to be treated well everywhere you go. Your job does not have to be terrible for you to leave.
You don't have to live off your craft. Day jobs or side gigs that generate consistent income are great.
Not all POC face the same kind of discrimination. We need to learn from and support one another.
Working moms often feel guilty. If that's you, remember that you're doing your best and give yourself some grace
Career milestones are great but will not make you happy. Find happiness outside of work.

CONTACT

https://nuancespod.com/support

Host: Lazou

Jun 18, 202348:46

Nuances Podcast Trailer

Season 3 coming this Sunday!

Support:

Connect:

Host: Lazou

Jun 16, 202304:30

Bonus: AAPIHM history, books, movies, music panel + Nuances celebrates 1 year!

What's the history behind AAPI heritage month? When did it start? Who were the first Asians to reach the Americas?

Find out in this episode!

The Nuances Podcast is now one year old! Two seasons and 25 nuanced conversations in, we're only just getting started. Host LAZOU shares some insight on the show's goals and reflects on the impact of the podcast.

For books, movies, events mentioned in the show, go to nuancespod.com to see this episode's show notes.

SUPPORT

nuancespod.com/support

JOIN OUR DISCORD

nuancespod.com/community

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

May 01, 202314:31

S2 E15: Justine Osilla, winemaker, talks career choices, diversity in wine, and the best wines to pair with some of our favorite Asian dishes.

DESCRIPTION

Winemaker Justine Osilla walks us through the various career opportunities in wine, and how she is creating the support network and community of diverse wine professionals she wishes existed when she first started. If you've ever wondered what wine would pair well with sashimi, Vietnamese spring rolls, Mongolian beef, sinigang, adobo, or kare-kare, be sure to listen to the full episode.

GUEST BIO

Justine Osilla was raised by a traditional Filipino family that taught me their narrow definition of success—the one that implies you can only be happy, successful, and fulfilled if you’re a nurse, doctor, engineer, or lawyer. Little did they know, a different career would be calling for me.

As a daughter of a wine enthusiast, Justine frequently visited Napa and Paso Robles and started developing a palate at a young age. It was this interest that unanticipatedly turned into my career. My family thought wine was an unconventional path. “I’ve never seen a woman winemaker, let alone a Filipino winemaker,” her dad said. They came around because Justine was able to make them feel passionate by unashamedly sharing what she loves & being inclusive despite their doubts.

Justine has worked in the wine industry for over 6 years as a vineyard sugar tester, winemaking/harvest intern, hospitality, cellar worker, phenolics researcher, wholesale assistant, customer care representative, and social media marketing director. As Justine pursues her goal of having my own wine label this year, my mission is always to make wine education more accessible and advocate for women and diversity in wine.

Instagram

DEFINITIONS

PA: physician's assistant
Green card: U.S. permanent resident card.
Cisgender or cis: a person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for them at birth; not transgender.

TAKEAWAYS

There are so many careers out there, we do not need to pick one and stick with it for life.
There are many professional groups that are now bringing about much needed diversity in the wine industry, but there's still a long way to go.
Organizing and advocating for yourselves can be a great way to both find community and advance your careers together.
Don't be afraid to experiment with business models, such as co-ops, that are more employee friendly.
We don't need "greencard jobs" if we're already here.

PS: If you enjoy this episode, you might also like S1 E6.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST: https://anchor.fm/nuances-podcast/support

CONTACT: Instagram | TikTok | Web | LinkedIn | Twitter

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Mar 12, 202336:45

S2 E14: Nicolas Kee Mew on recognizing signs of dementia, the importance of planning, tips on choosing a care options, and how to support without infantilizing newly diagnosed loved ones.

GUEST BIO Nicolas Kee Mew is a Sino-Mauritian-British award-winning care home manager based in London. He was recently awarded the British Citizen Award Medal at the Palace of Westminster and has won several national dementia awards. When he is not taking care care of patients, he is raising awareness or fundraising for dementia research.. Instagram | Facebook DEFINITIONS Hakka: Chinese ethnic group, and language spoken by the group. A-levels: Standardized exams administered by Cambridge University (U.K.), similar to the Advanced Placement (AP) programs in the U.S. TAKEAWAYS Your high school grades are not the end all be all. Asking people what support looks like to them instead of taking over and telling them what to do is likely a more productive strategy. Dementia is a fatal illness that still has no cure. But it can be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes. Recognizing early signs of dementia and seeking diagnosis is key in order to start treatment as soon as possible. There are two types of professional care to consider. Home care, and care (nursing/retirement) homes. SUPPORT THE PODCAST If you would like to buy me a coffee about once a month, you can make a small monthly donation: https://anchor.fm/nuances-podcast/support Don't worry, I don't need a fancy coffee - anything amount will be immensely appreciated. It will help offset the cost of consistently producing engaging, high-quality episodes for you to enjoy. And if you can't support right now, it's okay, don't feel bad! Still happy you're here. CONTACT Website | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | Twitter Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

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Mar 05, 202333:07

S2 E13: Waddy Dacay on how he sold his mom on an art degree back in the 70s, how anthropology helped expand his worldview, and how he adapted to the digital age as a pen & ink technical illustrator.

GUEST BIO

Waddy Dacay is from the island of Kauai, Hawaii. He attended Kapiolani Community College on Oahu in 1973 then went to art school in 1976 in Oakland CA at California College of Arts and Crafts, now called California College of the Arts. He graduated BFA in 1978 and got a job in Palo Alto doing technical illustrations for two years. Then he took another position with Lockheed Martin as a technical illustrator and transitioned into 3D animation for 15 year, joined Electronic Arts in 1995 for another 15 years and finished his remaining 7 years at Bandai Namco Gaming as a Senior Marketing Artist..

Instagram | Web

DEFINITIONS

Kokua: To cooperate and pitch in without regard for self and to have consideration for others.
Pidgin: A grammatically simplified means of communication that develops between two or more groups of people that do not have a language in common: typically, its vocabulary and grammar are limited and often drawn from several languages.
Creole: A mother tongue formed from the contact of two languages through an earlier pidgin stage.
May Day/ Lei Day: A statewide celebration in Hawaii that begins in the morning of May first every year and continues into the next day.

TAKEAWAYS

Having a rare and highly sought after skillset can sometimes shield minorities from some workplace discrimination.
When in unfamiliar places, we tend to seek other people like us, who share our experiences.
Reacting defensively isn't the only way to assert and protect your own beliefs and sense of identity. Listening and understanding other viewpoints doesn't mean you agree with them. Arguing is not always productive. So engage with open ears and hearts, and pick your battles carefully.
Art is everywhere you look. Art isn't just fine arts.
Tech breakthroughs are always a challenge to navigate, but often, the only choice is to adapt like Waddy did. We are now at the cusp of a similarly far-reaching breakthrough with AI and ChatGPT.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Feb 26, 202342:19

S2 E12: Rod Kim on why an Asian Bruce Springsteen is overdue, full circle moments with his parents & music, and reclaiming his youth. BONUS: see why he gets our vote for coolest uncle!

DESCRIPTION

Rod had every intention of following the traditional path and become an automotive engineer in Indiana. But he chose to follow his passion instead. We talk about breaking the news to his family, how his parents struggled to understand what being a professional musician really means, and how the BLM protests have inspired him to reclaim his youth and be more vocal about his experiences. We touch on Asian expectations and stereotypes, and why he thinks we're overdue for an Asian American Bruce Springsteen or a Japanese Country star. We also get a glimpse of how cool an uncle Rod is. This episode is brimming with full circle moments, fun anecdotes, and hope for the future.

GUEST BIO

Rod Kim is an American songwriter (and occasional actor) based in Los Angeles, CA. Some of his recent credits include the Philadelphia Phillies mascots' theme song, music for the official YouTube Audio Library, the end credit theme for "Pretty Outrageous" as well as music for the YouTube channels NerdSync, Yo Mama and many more.

In addition to songwriting and composing, Rod is a YouTuber who has collaborated with Ron Wasserman (Power Rangers, X-Men: The Animated Series), Michael and Patty Silversher (Disney's Talespin, Gummi Bears) and Ryan Elder (Rick and Morty).

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Youtube links:

Where are you really from?

Movies:

TV:

TAKEAWAYS

If it feels wrong for you, it might be.
Shortcomings are often fixable if you can leave your ego at the door.
It's not the milestones you hit, but the daily choices you make that define you in the end.
Two people can go through the same event but have different experiences.
Use your privilege for good.
Call out all the isms in your circles, because that's where you have the most influence.
Diversity needs to come from behind the camera, in writers rooms, all throughout the creative process in order to tell authentic, nuanced, relatable, and truly diverse stories.
Oppression isn't a contest. Help fix it for everyone instead of arguing about who is more oppressed.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Feb 19, 202359:36

S2 E11: AIR APPARENT (Neil Sethi) on his kinship with Southerners, what California could learn from Georgia, using his music as a platform for change, and embracing his own unique path.

GUEST BIO

As AIR APPARENT, San Francisco-based artist and producer Neil Sethi makes exuberant electronic pop that invites both escapism and self-discovery. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Sethi grew up on Bollywood and Hindu spiritual music, early 2000s Atlanta rap, and explosive nu-metal. Since releasing his first tracks in 2017, the independent Indian American musician has swiftly gained buzz for his expansive take on EDM that draws from influences like James Blake, Mitski, Kaytranada, and Jai Wolf. After landing placements on Spotify’s Beats of Tomorrow playlist and making his live debut at last year’s Joy Ruckus Club 4 festival, Sethi released his debut album, Chromatic, in August 2022. On the ‘80s electronic-influenced project, Sethi captures the highs and lows of a romantic relationship and steps into a bolder, more colorful era of Air Apparent. .

DEFINITIONS

BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, People of Color
AAPI: Asian American or Pacific Islander
Twitter Spaces: Live audio feature on Twitter
CS: Computer science

TAKEAWAYS

Children face racism as early as kindergarten.
Kids often forget about it but their parents remember. We saw this in Lisa's episode as well in S1 E4.
Moving to a more diverse neighborhood can mean lower tolerance for racism, and hence a much more enjoyable experience for kids.
While the American south may lack the nuanced understanding or interest in conversations about race, there is a genuine interest in engaging in a positive way.
Finding others who share our experiences in our field of interest, being inspired by each other, supporting each other, and growing together is a powerful way to grow.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Feb 12, 202344:05

S2 E10: Jess Pillay on juggling multiple cultural identities as an Indo-Fijian-American, finding applicable career advice as a woman of color, and reconnecting with her faith through therapy.

GUEST BIO

Jess Pillay is an Indo-Fijian-American independent singer/songwriter and podcaster from the Pacific Northwest. Growing up in Seattle with Indo-Fijian roots, she spent most of her life feeling like a cultural orphan, but music gave her a sense of identity and purpose. Now in her 30s, she's deeply passionate about racial and gender equity and always looks for ways to explore these subjects through her creative work. Her goal is to use her art to create community and to help others find their own voices. .

Instagram | Web

DEFINITIONS

Being Gaslit means being manipulated into questioning your own sanity using psychological methods. It comes from a 1944 movie called Gaslight.
DMs stands for direct message, which is the chat feature on instagram and other social media.

TAKEAWAYS

When religion and culture are so intertwined, joining a different religion can be seen as a rejection of your own culture and create family tension.
Seeing the very food that got you rejected as a kid be appropriated and become the latest trend is a jarring experience that many Asian Americans have experienced.
We’re more likely to create change in our own circles where we are already accepted and valued, and hence can have the most influence.
Consent is an important part of allyship because it ensures you’re not causing more pain to the people you are trying to help.
People’s advice reflects their privilege.
Valuing your religion does not mean you need to rely on it entirely for support. Religious communities often have good intent but are ill-equipped to help. Seek appropriate support from other channels.
Therapy and religion can go hand in hand and can actually help people who are going through a faith crisis reconnect with their faith in a more healthy way.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Feb 05, 202356:49

S2 E09: Offering Rain on reclaiming their Ecuadorian and Indian roots as a mixed-raced multimedia artist, and the importance of early access to the arts to increase diversity in the creative fields.

GUEST BIO

Offering Rain is an NYC born and based multi-media artist and organizer working in the realms of audio, poetry, painting and design. They utilize their artistic practice in hopes of refreshing the earth like rain through multicultural sound and poetic lyricism. Their previous work has been exhibited at Art on the Ave NYC, Soho House, Knockdown Center and Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance. As a DJ, they have worked in collaboration with HBO Max, mutual.love, Kajal Magazine and their music has been featured on Euphoria, Genera+ion and Walker..

DEFINITIONS

Desi: someone who comes from or whose family comes from India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh but who lives in another country
Masking: hiding your authentic self in an effort to gain greater social acceptance.
Code switching
LGBTQIA+
Queer

TAKEAWAYS

Hollywood's caricatures of Indian people created negative stereotypes that cause many Desi kids to be bullied and shamed for their ethnicity.
Surrounding ourselves with a supportive community is key to reclaiming our whole identities and finding happiness.
Mixed-race kids need the adults in their lives to claim them fully, but also to celebrate their mixed identity by showing interest in the other
Events celebrating our ethnicities could also do the same to be more inclusive and welcoming to mixed-race members.
Music and art are vehicles of connection. They often are the first experience of representation for people who have felt different their whole life.
The arts would be more diverse if more people had access and exposure at a young age. Increasing access to creative tools and spaces is key to
Although they received little media attention, there are many diaspora artists that have been paving the way for decades.
Feed the fire in you, fan your own flames, people will catch on eventually.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Jan 29, 202336:12

S2 E8: Judy Leia on using music to process the trauma of surviving war, becoming disillusioned after signing with a label, then falling in love with music again on her own terms.

GUEST BIO

Judy Leia is a Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter creating cinematic darkpop that blends her ethereal, sultry vocals with a hybrid production of orchestral and electronic elements. Her unique sound can be described as: "Lana Del Rey meets Hans Zimmer in a dystopian film. She began learning piano at age 5 and wrote her first song at age 11 to process the gravity of surviving war. This experience often informs the haunting melodies and somber lyrics in her songs. She enjoys finding inspiration in film scores and her favorite composers include Ramin Djawadi, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Max Richter, and Pasek & Paul. Ever passionate and curious, Judy Leia is currently in the studio creating more songs.

Instagram | Web

DEFINITIONS

Dammam is the fifth-most populous city in Saudi Arabia.
PC: politically correct
Sync: refers to synchronizing music to another medium, such as a movie, or a game.

TAKEAWAYS

We often fear bringing shame to our community more than we fear failing.
If a cultural food isn't for you, you can respectfully decline without being judgmental of people who enjoy it.
Age brings self awareness, which itself brings out more authentic art.
Self love and acceptance help us distinguish between useful feedback and well-meaning opinions that are irrelevant to our artistic vision.
People giving feedback aren't always good at articulating their thoughts. Take it with a grain of salt.
There's a difference between tweaking your art reach more people and creating your artistic identity around viral trends. The latter is not sustainable.
If you have a less common name, it might be a good idea to tell people how to pronounce it on your website.

CONTACT

Hosts: Lazou & Ariadne Mila

Jan 22, 202341:34

S2 E7 - Darrel J. Delfin on being a Filipino-American actor, working with his childhood heroes, and finding his niche in voiceover.

GUEST BIO

Darrel J Delfin is a 30 year-old Filipino American actor based in Los Angeles, California. He is Kaede in Fena: Pirate Princess, Kazuma Arashiba in Scar on the Praeter, Legatus Laendur & Legate Pumpkee in the Fallen Legion series, General Geshtar in Secret of Mana, and Emilio Baretti in Lupin III vs Detective Conan: THE MOVIE. He has provided voices for shows like Sword Art Online, Hortensia Saga, Kill la Kill, Beyblade Burst Rise, Dragon Ball Super, and many more. He is also a regular cast member and lead stunt coordinator of the "We The Geeks of East LA" YouTube Channel.

Instagram | Twitter

DEFINITIONS

Bisaya also known as Binisaya or Cebuano is a language spoken in the southern Philippines and counts 22 million speakers.
Ilokano - is also a language spoken in the Philippines. It is the third most-spoken native language in the country, with 8.1 million speakers.

TAKEAWAYS

We often need a cheerleader before giving ourselves permission to dream big.
The diaspora experience of a culture is often less nuanced, reductive. For many of us our only connection is food.
Weird is relative. Asians aren’t objectively weird. Only relative to whiteness.
We often only start to appreciate our culture in adulthood, when there’s less pressure to fit in
Many of us regret not learning our culture’s language.
The pandemic has made hiring remote talent the norm, and has raised the bar when it comes to accurate media representation of our cultures.

CONTACT

Summer Swee-Singh is an AAPI studio/event/touring pianist and keyboardist, string and orchestral arranger, composer, music director, string contractor, backing vocalist, and music educator. Summer graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Legal Studies and a Music Minor. After graduating, she worked full-time at Jones Day San Francisco, a law firm, as their Recruiting and HR Assistant and was planning on applying to law schools when she decided to take a chance on her passion—music. She cold-called her way into her first piano residencies, as she had no music industry connections when she first transitioned to a music career, and her unique piano and string arrangements that she posted to social media led to her first touring experience ever with the band Circa Survive. Now Summer's notable studio and live performance credits include Bebe Rexha, KSHMR, Chon, Circa Survive, Naia Izumi, Roddy Ricch, Anthony Green, Chief Keef, Keiynan Lonsdale, Until the Ribbon Breaks, Gashi, Thunder Jackson, Mothe, Psychic Barber, and Alexandra Shipp. Summer also founded and runs the blog AAPI Musicians and its corresponding Instagram which spotlight established AAPI music creators and touring pros.

Host: Sherry-Lynn Lee & Ariadne Mila

Jan 15, 202343:26

S2 E6: Summer Swee-Singh on becoming a successful pianist with zero connections, being female and Asian in the industry, the importance of representation, and how colorism affects mixed-race kids.

GUEST BIO

Summer Swee-Singh Insta | TikTok | Web

DEFINITIONS

Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men.

TAKEAWAYS

Statistically, if you cold-call enough potential clients, you’re bound to get a few good leads.
The first gig is the hardest to land, but each gig opens doors to more opportunities. So get those first few and blow their socks off.
Women in the music industry are often assumed to be less competent than men before they even play the first note. Their looks are also micromanaged while men rarely get any comments on their outfits. If you ever find yourself questioning a woman’s abilities, or criticizing her outfit in your head, stop yourself and ask - would I ask these same questions if she was my white male buddy? If not, congratulations, you have just recognized a subconscious bias that you now have the power to dismantle in your own life.
Women can also be sexist toward other women and often are, so we need to examine ourselves too and choose to uplift each other instead.
Lack of transparency in auditions causes many like Summer to waste their time on try outs that were never going to land them anything because of their race, ethnicity, or gender.
A career in music isn’t limited to starving musician or Beyonce level fame. There is a middle class where you can be successful and financially stable, without being a household name.
Careers don’t have to be static.
If you want your kids to learn an instrument, let them play music they love.
Representation inspires people to consider paths they didn’t think were possible for them before.
Money is important, but it isn’t everything. Our fulfillment, our physical and mental health, and time spent with loved ones are equally important variables in the equation for success.

Insta | TikTok | Blog | LinkedIn

Hosts: Sherry-Lynn Lee, Ariadne Mila

Jan 08, 202301:01:07

S2 E5 - A Holiday Special featuring our guests' holiday traditions and how they have evolved over time.

GUESTS

Rahul Borkar - S1 E2

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/kzFw6I4UYvb

Tonie Nguyen - S1 E3

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ubIj3IUUYvb

Lisa Danaë - S1 E4

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/nI5yMIUUYvb

Cece Chow - S1 E7

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/I69BSHUUYvb

Edmond Chan - S1 E8

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/he0PAHUUYvb

Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim - S1 E11

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ViJkAGUUYvb

Charlene Vela - S2 E2

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/zL8HEFUUYvb

Tiffany Chou - S2 E3 (see link for giveaway instructions)

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/HfuLDn6UYvb

Upcoming season 2 guests:

Rod Kim
Offering Rain

MUSIC

“Have You Noticed the Season?” and “Let a Day Together Be Christmas” by 23rd Hour

Spotify | Apple | Website

CONTACT

GUEST
Qasim Rashid is a Pakistani-born human rights lawyer, author, and Executive Director of Common Purpose, an organization dedicated to electing more women and underrepresented Americans to public office. Through his work, he supports survivors of domestic and sexual violence, represents asylum seekers, uplifts the incarcerated through prison chaplaincy, and advocates for universal religious freedom. Instagram | TikTok | website

Host: Sherry-Lynn Lee (Lazou) & Ariadne Mila

Dec 23, 202241:39

S2 E4: Qasim Rashid on how Islam inspires him to advocate for women, for the poor, and even for his haters, and how he remains focused in a world full of injustice.

TW: Domestic violence
🇺🇸: ☎️ 800-799-7233 | text START to 88788 | visit thehotline.org
🇲🇺: ☎️ 139
Other: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domestic_violence_hotlines

DEFINITIONS
Jim Crow era - when local and state governments enforced racial segregation in various parts of the U.S. from late 1800s to 1965.

MENTIONED
Unworthy victims

TAKEAWAYS

If you don’t tell your story, someone else will write a narrative for you, and you might not like it.
Many African slaves were Muslim and were educated. They organized revolts and protests against slavery. They also built much of the country.
White supremacy thrives on pitting minorities against each other.
DV takes on many forms including physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats of deportation, financial restrictions, and other forms of intimidation.
Without financial, legal, logistical, and emotional support, it can be nearly impossible for someone to escape from an abusive relationship.
DV is everyone’s problem and Qasim calls on especially his fellow men to do their part and intervene when they see men abusing women.
When discussing serious topics such as race, keep in mind the end goal. If the goal is to change hearts and minds, then you have to assume positive intent, and truly try to understand where the other person is coming from.
Often, you won’t change someone’s mind. But if you’ve conveyed your message in the way that you wanted to, it might inspire others watching to learn more about your perspective. Collateral education.
Activism is different for everyone. The key is doing something that is sustainable for you.
It is important to be on many different platforms both to connect with different people, and to protect yourself from being subject to the whims of any particular platform.
Pick your lane, and elevate the experts voices in other areas you care about without stepping on shoes.
When someone sets a boundary with you, that means they want you in their life, AND they want that relationship to be a healthy one.
Know what is truly important to you, and organize your life around it.

CONTACT
Website | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | Twitter
Hosts: Sherry-Lynn Lee (Lazou) & Ariadne Mila

Dec 18, 202257:19

S2 E3: Tiffany Chou on never underestimating people, and why she founded Depo Market to give disabled people like her brother enjoyable, meaningful, and visible jobs.

GIVEAWAY

To win our giveaway from Depo Market, do one of the following:

Follow @depo_market and @nuancespod on Instagram AND comment on this episode's IG post on @nuancespod.
Follow @depomarket and @nuancespod on TikTok AND comment on this episode's TikTok post on @nuancespod.
Leave a review on any podcast platform and send us a screenshot at nuancespodcast@gmail.com

Winner will be announced at the end of the season. You can enter all 3 ways, which would triple your chance of winning!

GUEST

In 2019 Tiffany moved home to Maui, Hawaii to become primary caregiver to her brother Christian, who was diagnosed with autism at 5 years old. Inspired by her brother's interest in jewelry and wanting to help him find a job, Tiffany created Depo Market, a retail business that provides jobs to other adults with disabilities like Chris.

Instagram | TikTok | website

DEFINITIONS

Allistic - someone who is not affected by autism.

Neurodivergent - Someone who has some sort of variation to their neurology or overall brain structure. This umbrella term can apply to:

Autism
ADHD
PTSD
Alzheimers or dementia
Epilepsy
Tourette's syndrome
Traumatic brain injuries (or TBIs)
Blindness
Deafness

TAKEAWAYS

When disabled people like Chris are kept away from customer-facing jobs, it further perpetuates stereotypes and fear. Depo Market thinks that having disabled employees interact with customers is the best way to help able-bodied people get to know them, empathize with them, and truly give them the space they deserve in our communities.
Whatever it is that you want to do, just start somewhere, even if you’re scared of failing. Because whatever might fail might also create something amazing for your community.
Don’t underestimate people just because they’re disabled. With a few adjustments they are just as capable provided a conducive environment.
Finding community in our shared experiences is invaluable. For Tiffany, meeting so many other families like hers and exchanging tips and stories on TikTok has been an unexpected but very welcome gift. If you’re feeling alone in your struggles, there’s a good chance that there’s a community out there waiting for you. Go find it.
Chris has never seen himself represented on the TV shows that he loves to watch, and the lack of representation as a disabled Asian man has made it hard for him to celebrate his ethnicity. This is why representation matters

CONTACT

Charlene is a Filipino American. She was born in Switzerland and moved to the states with her parents and younger brother when she was four years old, living most of her life in Texas. During the day she works at a tech company in Austin, and in her free time she loves being part of the local dance community, and playing board games with her friends and husband. Instagram

Hosts: Sherry-Lynn Lee (Lazou) & Ariadne Mila

Dec 11, 202241:10

S2 E2: Charlene Vela on dance aesthetics, Asian accents, and what to do if you don't know how to pronounce someone's name.

GUEST

DEFINITIONS

Body shaming is criticizing or mocking someone for supposed bodily faults or imperfections, such as their height, weight, facial features, skin, hair texture, tattoos, etc.

TAKEAWAYS

Growing up in the only Asian family in town can make it hard to connect with one’s culture when we have no one to compare notes with. It becomes hard to know what’s a family quirk versus a cultural thing.
Negative comments about accents add pressure on immigrants and their kids to assimilate. When people commented on their parents’ accents, both Ari and Charlene were embarrassed, thinking there was something wrong with their parents. So they tried to sound more white, and do what the white kids do, which sometimes meant distancing themselves from their Asian culture in order to fit in.
Careless words can have lasting impact.The people making these off-hand comments often don’t think they said anything hurtful and soon forget about it. But their words have lasting impacts on the people receiving them.
While it might be hard to understand someone with an accent, it’s worth remembering that they are speaking in a language other than their mother tongue, and appreciate their ability and willingness to do so for our benefit.
Simply being surrounded by people who look different can make you self conscious, even if no one ever body shames you. In ballet for example, the costume sizes being unrealistically small, or the curvier dancers being placed in the back enforce a culture of valuing thinness without necessarily saying so.
If you don’t know how to pronounce someone’s name, ask them how to pronounce it, and then give it a shot. People will appreciate you trying rather than giving up and saying “Oh I’m not even gonna try to pronounce that”. Coz that makes them feel like they don’t belong and that they’re an inconvenience to you.
Finally, it doesn’t matter whether you speak the language, or spent time in the country your ancestors came from. You are Asian enough.

CONTACT

Hosts: Sherry-Lynn Lee (Lazou) & Ariadne Mila

Dec 04, 202244:39

S2 E1: Masaru Tanabe on attitudes towards disabled people in Japan vs. the U.S., anti-Asian hate in liberal states like Oregon, and the model minority myth.

GUEST

Masaru Tanabe is a 34 year old disabled trans non-binary Japanese American fiber artist. Contracting the H1N1 (Swine flu) virus in 2009 left them with ME/CFS, a post-viral syndrome which, combined with their genetic disability of Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos, has left them so disabled that they are now unable to work. They now spend their time making and selling fiber art online, and bringing awareness about Disability issues, anti-Asian Hate crimes, and Trans Rights issues.

Instagram | TikTok | Ko-fi shop

DEFINITIONS

Pansexual - someone who is attracted – either emotionally, physically or both – to all genders. This includes cisgender, transgender, agender and gender nonconforming individuals.

Ableism - discrimination against disabled people, in favor of able-bodied people.

TAKEAWAYS

1. If you are a victim of discrimination, you do not owe closure to your oppressor. You do not have to suppress your own feelings in order to make them feel better about what they did.

2. Disabled is not a dirty word. It’s just a fact. Talking about disability should not be a taboo. Not talking about disability keeps the disabled community invisible, and makes it harder for them to access the support they deserve.

3. The way we view disability in the west is only one of many possible ways to do so, and a better system is possible for all the stakeholders. In Japan, instead of viewing disabled people as a liability, they use technology to empower disabled people to work and to continue to be an integral part of their community.

4. Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act, the accessibility standards are not comprehensive enough to ensure access. Builders will often meet the minimum ADA requirements and neglect to add essential features such as curb cuts if they are not required to do so.

5. Anti-Asian hate crime has been on the rise since the pandemic, and many of us, myself included, do not feel safe in spaces where we are the only Asian or person of color.

6. Even if you live in a community that is deemed liberal or progressive, you cannot assume that there isn’t racism. Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles are not immune to racism. If you want to be true allies, ask your friends about their experiences, and ask them how you can be of help. Most of us will not tell you unless you ask, because we don’t always know how you’ll react.

7. Being an ally is a title that you earn through action, not by association.

CONTACT

To listen to all of our episodes, you can visit our website

Hosts: Sherry-Lynn Lee (Lazou) & Ariadne Mila

Nov 27, 202251:28

S1 E12: Ariadne & Sherry-Lynn reflect on season 1 and its impact on the creators and listeners of The Nuances Podcast.

For the final episode of the season, Sherry & Ari take the mic to reflect on Season 1.

We've learned and grown so much in 12 short weeks. We are so proud of the safe space we've created for our guests and listeners alike and are eternally grateful for the gift of your time. Some of you were gracious enough to send us your comments on how much you enjoyed the podcast. We are happy to include those here.

We also give you a glimpse of our lives outside of the podcast, through our music reels at the end of the episode.

You can also find us on Instagram | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter

- Season 1 Spotify playlist.

- Spotify playlist of music by indie AAPI artists.

Jul 17, 202238:51

S1 E11: Dr. Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim on how bilinguals' brains differ from monolinguals', and how bilingualism improves performance at other tasks.

This week, Dr. Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim brings some excellent news for bilinguals! Find out how speaking another language makes your brain more efficient, as early as infancy. You do not want to miss this one.

GUEST BIO

Dr. Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on the neural and cognitive consequences of bilingualism. During her PhD, she was awarded the ThinkSwiss Research Award and Mitacs Globalink Research Award to conduct research abroad at the Institute of Multilingualism in Fribourg, Switzerland. Before her postdoctorate position at Northwestern University, Ashley earned her PhD from York University in Psychology.

https://sites.google.com/site/ashleykchungfatyim/

TERMS

Mauritian
Mauritius
Creole
Monolinguals
Bilinguals
Psycholinguistics
WEIRD samples

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

The Power of Language - Dr. Viorica Marian

TAKEAWAYS:

Many immigrants pride themselves on working hard, contributing to their adopted country, and assimilating to the best of their ability.
When we move out, our parents can’t be responsible for our safety and success anymore. This sometimes helps them relax and shift into a more supportive role rather than actively worrying 24/7.
We can’t always articulate our need for diversity. Even though Dr. Chung-Fat-Yim never experienced overt racism, moving to a school with more Asian kids was a welcome change.
Both Dr. Chung-Fat-Yim and Sherry feel that moving to the U.S. made them more aware of their Asianness and their status as a minority.
Sexism is alive and well in academia. If you see your female colleagues’ ideas shot down, then applauded when coming from a male, speak up and give the female colleague due credit.
Cross-linguistic and cross-cultural research is driven by questions posed by people like Dr. Chung-Fat-Yim, whose unique backgrounds help identify gaps in psycholinguistics that are only beginning to be filled.
In a bilingual brain, there isn’t a switch to use one language or the other. Rather, every language is activated at the same time, and we have to inhibit all of them except the one we want to use.
Bilinguals’ language processing areas of the brain develop more grey matter and white matter. This translates to better performance on both linguistic and non-linguistic tasks. Bilinguals also process some information faster than monolinguals and can be observed even in infants who have not yet acquired language, but who live in a bilingual household.
Some cultures place more emphasis on the tone of voice to detect or express emotions, while others rely more on facial expression.
It does not matter at what age you start learning a language, you can reap the benefits of bilingualism as long as you keep practicing and maintain fluency.
Using the Duo Lingo app is as effective as doing brain training exercises and leads to improvements in performance in older adults.
If you learn a new language later in life, you experience the foreign language effect, where you process things with more emotional distance in the new language than in your native tongue.

Instagram | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter

Atlantic article - “Even My Business Students Have Doubts About Capitalism” - Glen Hubbard

Jul 10, 202250:13

S1 E10: Nathan Rogers on being an AAPI from the South and his evolution on his political beliefs

This week, Nathan Rogers chats with us about his experiences growing up as a biracial Filipino-American in the South, the evolution of his political views, his thoughts on religion and faith, and the importance of representation.

TERMS

Capitalism, Aquino Administration, HeLa cells, Moral majority, Abrahamic religions, Lobbying

MENTIONED:

“Seeing White” Podcast

“Southern Baptists Refused to Act on Abuse, Despite Secret List of Pastors”

Racial bias in medicine

TAKEAWAYS:

The ideals that the United States promotes–of freedom and self-determination–are appealing in theory. But in practice they are not equitably accessible to everybody.
In America, Christianity is strongly associated with being Republican, but actually, many Democrats are devout Christians too. In most countries, there is no strong association between political parties and specific religious sects. And religious beliefs typically don’t influence political policy.
In many conservative Christian households, the pressure to go along with the party’s political stances often leaves no room for nuance because any questioning of the GOP is immediately reframed as an attack on Christianity and a weakening of their faith.
It takes a lot of work to disentangle identity, religion, and politics. Asking ourselves if the systems and policies we have in place truly represent the people’s interests is uncomfortable. It takes unlearning, and re-learning, to piece together a more objective worldview that is free from religious or political agendas.
If religion is to be a safe space and a supportive community, religious leaders need to help depolarize politics and encourage true separation of church and state.
It’s important to hold political leaders accountable, & research each candidates' platform before voting, instead of simply voting along party lines.
One of the main issues with the “pro-life” movement is that, for them, “pro-life” seems to stop at childbirth. They do not advocate for these children once they become school children, mothers, or members of marginalized minorities. This has caused many religious conservatives to question their affiliation with the GOP.
The two party system has led to two fractured parties by which many Americans do not feel adequately represented due to an increasing disconnect between the party’s values and the people’s interests.
Capitalism and the free market function as intended. They were designed to enrich some and exploit the rest.
Many BIPOC & AAPI grew up as conservative Christians and their voices can bring great perspectives to these conversations, as we’ve heard today.
Finally, if you’re a Christian conservative, we hope this conversation empowers you to have nuance in your political opinions, like Nathan did. And If you’re more on the left, we hope this conversation gave you hope and helped you see that not all Christian conservatives are willing to blindly follow the GOP.

Instagram | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter

Jul 03, 202250:40

S1 E09: Sally on working with young people, Asian representation in media, mental health, gender roles & bisexuality.

This week, Sally shares her experiences growing up as a Taiwanese-Coquitlamite-Torontonian and her thoughts on diversity and inclusivity in higher education.

TERMS

Resident student leader

Orientalism

Colonialism

Microaggression

Spiritual pluralism

Islamophobia

MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

Orientalism - Edward Said

Yuri On Ice

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin

Paradise Lost - John Milton

TAKEAWAYS:

Sally grew up in a diverse city with other Asian-Canadian peers, which helped her feel less alone in her experiences. This is why diversity and representation matter.
Even if you speak the language of your home country, there are still things that can get lost in translation. Language evolves, and members of Asian diaspora communities don’t always know the latest slang.
One of the trickiest things to navigate as an Asian diaspora person is balancing Eastern and Western ideals. For example, choosing an area of study purely based on your own interests and dreams, rather than a career your family wants, is a more Western mindset, and it can be difficult to explain these decisions to family members.
Being vocal about social issues is something that a lot of Asian diaspora members have had to grow into. It wasn’t ingrained in us to be vocal about these things; we were taught not to make waves and not to rock the boat. But now, more than ever, it’s important that we use our voices to talk about things that matter. Last week, Edmond talked about the hashtag #PrideInEveryColor and how he is creating a safe community to share our voices. We encourage you to find them on IG and TikTok and interact with their content.
Racism is not just an individual behavior; it is a complex system that encourages/facilitates racist behaviors or policies.
As Asian diaspora members, while it’s important to help do the work of dismantling colonialist, oppressive systems, it’s also important that we give ourselves permission to rest. We do not need to reduce our identity to only doing this work.
Sometimes it is a tricky balance to navigate being feminist and being Asian, and being LGBTQIA+ and being Asian. There are Orientalism tropes and sexist mindsets to get past. Gender norms are often more binary in Chinese culture, whereas in Western countries, diverse expressions of gender identity are more common and accepted, but Asian representation tends to be lacking.
Not all Asian media representation is good. A lot of it is based in stereotypes, and not well-researched. Their Asian identity is often a punchline or their entire personality. It’s important to push for meaningful representation that portrays Asian characters as complex human beings, rather than tropes.
Mental health is still a taboo subject in many Asian families. If someone is struggling but refuses to get help, setting boundaries on what behaviors would be deemed serious enough to call for professional help can be useful for both parties.

Instagram | Blog | LinkedIn | Twitter

This week, Edmond Chan shares his experience carving out a career as an AAPI violinist and his work on the Pride in Every Color movement. We talk about navigating racial micro-aggressions and the model minority stereotype,, protecting the elderly Asian community, and what true allyship and inclusivity looks like. GUEST BIO Corpus Christi, Texas native Edmond Chan is a historical violinist who performs with many early music ensembles and orchestras in the United States, Europe and Hong Kong. Edmond completed his master’s degree in historical violin at the HKU: Utrechts Conservatorium in the Netherlands. His master’s thesis entitled “The Fashionable Violinist: Fashion and How to Hold the Violin in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries” focused on exploring historical clothing and historical violin technique. He also completed an Artist’s Certificate in baroque violin at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague. Edmond teaches historical violin and viola at the University of Pennsylvania as a private lessons instructor and has lectured on historical clothing to audiences in both the US and in the Netherlands. In his free time, Edmond enjoys cooking, swimming, running, going on bike rides and playing board/card/computer games with friends and family. @brqvlnfoodie on Instagram | TikTok @prideineverycolor on Instagram | TikTok TERMS DEFINED Ableism #prideout Learn more here, here, and here. Duet / stitch features on TikTok Model minority MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Timeline of voting rights in the United States Jean Féry Rebel, Onziéme Sonate B flat Major Johann Pachelbel, Canon & Gigue in D Major Eliza VanCort TAKEAWAYS: Speaking up for yourself gets exhausting. But having the ability to do so safely is a privilege that not everyone has. For those who can’t speak up, just hearing other people speak up validates their experiences and helps make voices like theirs matter. If you want to help protect our elderly Asian American community, you can position yourself near them so that you can easily intervene if need be. Being an ally is not a label; it’s a habit, an action. Just as musicians practice so that in stressful situations, our muscle memory takes over, we have to practice so that we have muscle memory to act like an ally. It’s important for every movement and community to be inclusive. Pride In Every Color was created specifically to amplify the voices of BIPOC, 2 spirit, and disabled creators within the LGBTQIA+ community. Within a movement, it’s important to actively uplift the voices of those that typically get even further marginalized. Hosts: Ariadne Mila & Sherry-Lynn Lee

Jun 26, 202259:53

S1 E08: Edmond Chan (brqvlnfoodie) on music,LGBTQ+ Asian hate, protecting elders,#prideineverycolor

Jun 19, 202258:16

S1 E07: Cece Chow (@thetransplanter) on coming out as a trans woman after filling the role of eldest male in a Chinese family, the value of representation, and the definition of true allyship.

This week, Cece Chow a.k.a @thetransplanter, shares what it was like to leave a lucrative career, come out as a trans woman, and become an advocate as someone who was previously filling the role of the eldest male of the family. We talk about how Asian courtesy can get in the way of allyship, how Eurocentric beauty standards affect our self image, and how becoming a woman also meant experiencing misogyny for the first time.

GUEST BIO

Cece Chow is:

A visual artist connecting people through plants.
A filmmaker connecting people through story.
A trans fashion model and advocate, creating positive QTPOC representation

Follow Cece: @thetransplanter Instagram | TikTok | kokedama.ca

TERMS DEFINED

Gaslighting
Body dysmorphia
Transphobia & homophobia
Intersectionality
Third culture kids (TCKs)
Patriarchy & misogyny
Allyship
Eurocentric

TAKEAWAYS

You are not an ally until you perform acts of allyship for someone who needs an ally, whether it's online, on the streets, at family gatherings.
If you're serious about being an ally, practice what you would do in those situations. Role play and prepare so you won't freeze.
Trans people aren't changing who they are. They are no longer accepting to play roles assigned to them that go against who they've always known they were.
Trans women face additional layers of danger and discrimination from men due to homophobia & transphobia.
Bodies idolized by mainstream media often set unrealistic beauty standards, which can cause body dysmorphia. This is why representation matters
Cultural context and intersectionality are crucial to understand. The experience of LGBTQIA+ Asian people can be very different from that of LGBTQIA+ white people.
Third culture kids aren't always a blend of cultures, but rather identify more with one or the other in different situations.
Women are often given unsolicited opinions instead of solicited help.

Links:

Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

Jun 12, 202259:41

S1 E06: Josh Decolongon (@sommeligay) on bringing diversity to the wine & beverage industry.

Josh Decolongon

is an avid lover of flavor experimentation, especially through a queer and Filipino lens. Josh is dedicated to making the wine world inclusive and fun.

Josh’s links:

Josh Decolongon | @sommeligay | Instagram | TikTok | @readbotelya on IG

Mentioned in the show:

Book: “I Am Filipino” by Nicole Ponseca

Terms:

Tagalog, Ilocano - two of the 100+ distinct languages spoken in the Philippines.
Tinikling - a traditional Philippine folk dance that originated during the Spanish colonial era. The dance involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance.
Adobo (the national dish of the Philippines) - chicken marinated in a sauce made up of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorn.
Piaparan a manok - dish consisting of chicken cooked in a coconut milk-based broth with grated coconut, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, young wild shallots, labuyo chili, and various vegetables and spiced with palapa.
Lumpia - spring rolls commonly found in the Philippines and Indonesia, made of thin paper-like pastry skin enveloping savory or sweet fillings.
Manok - the Tagalog word for “chicken”
Lechon - a whole roast pig dish usually prepared for special occasions and gatherings.
Palabok - a rice noodle dish composed of minced pork, tinapa flakes or smoked fish flakes, and annatto water.
Sinigang - a soup or stew with a tamarind base, meat, vegetables, onions, tomatoes, tamarind, and fish sauce.
Pinakbet - an indigenous dish from the northern regions, made from mixed vegetables sautéed in fish or shrimp sauce.

Takeaways:

Wine is at the intersection of science, art, culture, food, and connecting people.
Wine making in a lab might sound like heresy, but with California struggling with severe droughts, it might be just the innovation the industry needs.
Broad recommendations like “Asian food pairs well with dry riesling” is way too simplistic.
The rules of Western wine pairing don’t always apply to pairing wine with Asian foods.
Diversity is not just about gender or skin color, but also language, cuisines and occasions around wine.
Sometimes, leaving the comfort of home is the price to pay to freely explore our truest selves, but of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t miss aspects of living closer to our family.
Many of us now crave the foods that we used to take for granted as kids.
Not all Asians like Boba/Bubble Tea!

Say hi: Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog