This week’s MUST WATCH multicultural movie is Coco.   Set in Mexico during Dia de la Muertos, Coco is the story of a little boy and aspiring musician Miguel, who despite his family's ancestral ban on music, desires to be a musician like his famous legendary deceased musician & movie star Ernesto de la Cruz, so he sets out on a journey journey to the “Land of the Dead” to meet his ancestors and find Ernesto de La Cruz with the hope that Ernesto de la Cruz’s blessing will show his family...

In Episode 21, I’m recapping & sharing the best moments from Episodes 5 - 8 of the I Am Multicultural Podcast.   1.    Episode 5: 2.    Episode 6: 3.    Episode 7: 4.    Episode 8:

This week’s MUST WATCH multicultural movie is Black Panther based on the Marvel comic book Black Panther and is the story of T’Challa, king of Wakanda, a fictionalized African nation formed by a coalition of multiple tribes who united & harnessed the power of vibranium, a nearly indestructible natural resouce, to develop a technologically advanced society. Since then, Wakanda has been the only African nation to avoid colonization, so it’s developed it’s own culture free from European...

When you’re of a completely different race, culture, religion or demographic from someone else but are genuinely curious about who they are, what they believe in, how do you cultivate a friendship where you can ask the really hard or “dumb” questions? In Episode 20, I talk to Ashley Gerrity about how to cultivate a genuine, interracial friendship. We talk about:  How to quickly identify who you most relate to How to cultivate a space to have tough conversations about race, culture,...

This week’s MUST WATCH multicultural movie is LOVING.   Loving is the beautiful love story of Richard & Mildred Loving, a couple whose arrest for their interracial marriage in Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the United States Supreme Court's historic 1967 decision and define all interracial relationships going forward.   Watch the movie trailer HERE Find out where you can watch the movie HERE Learn more about the movie HERE

In Episode 19, I’m recapping Episodes 1 - 4 of the I Am Multicultural Podcast.  1.    Episode 001: Why 1 Wedding Photographer Launched a Podcast on Multicultural & Interracial Relationships 2.    Episode 002: How 1 Dad teaches his Multicultural Kids to Be True to Themselves | Rob Yaskovic 3.    Episode 003: How 1 Interracial Couple discovered the true meaning of family | Lily Yange + Kent 4.    Episode 004: How They Thrived in 6Yr Long Distance Courtship | Evelyn + Jeff

This week’s multicultural movie review is on the romantic comedy My Big, Fat Greek Wedding. It’s the story of a young Greek woman Toula, who falls in love with a non-Greek man Ian, a high school teacher, and struggles to get her family to accept him (as the first non - Greek Guy to date someone in her family) while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity.    Watch the movie trailer HERE Find out where you can watch the movie HERE

In Episode 18, I had a fascinating conversation with multicultural married couple Ilene & Jorge about cultural identity & how it significantly shapes everything from personality, to relationships, to communication styles, traditions to raising kids. Ilene's father is a 2nd generation Russian and Jewish and her mother is Filipino & Catholic. Jorge grew up in New York with parents who were Puerto Rican + African American, Colombian, Mexican and self-identifies as Afro-Latina. We...

This week’s multicultural movie "Guess Who" is the story of a young black woman Theresa, who comes home for her parent's 25th anniversary celebration, and introduce them to her new boyfriend Simon home who they don’t know is white or that they are engaged. This hilarious romantic comedy starring Bernie Mac, Zoe Saldana and Ashton Kutcher explores what it means to be black, white and race relations in the context of love and marriage. Watch the movie trailer HERE Find out where you can...

Episode 17 is the story of an Indian-Pakistani woman Annum, who as a Muslim wasn’t allowed to date, but fell in love with a South African Jewish man Jordan & how together as a couple, they’re figuring out what married life and kids will look like as an interfaith, multicultural couple. I ask them the following questions to understand how they’re making their interfaith, multicultural relationship work. How she introduced her Jewish “special male friend” to her parents How they figured...

This week’s multicultural movie review is on Bend It Like Beckham is the story of the daughter of orthodox Sikh family rebels against her parents' traditionalism by joining a soccer team.   Main character is 18 year old Jessminder, who is the daughter of Punjabi Sikhs living in London & becomes friends with Jules played by Keira Knightley & after seeing her playing soccer with some boys, invites her to play join a premiere soccer team.    Multicultural Topics Explored: Are you...

Episode 16 is the story of a Bolivian - American couple Patricia and Juan Pablo, who despite being born in the same city & country, grew up with very different family traditions & but are now forging their own path & traditions as a family, raising 2 kids. We talk about: How they met & maintained a long distance relationship (she was in Virginia & he was in Bolivia) up until 1 month before having their first child together How Juan Pablo proposed via regular snail...

This week’s multicultural movie review is on Victoria and Abdul. Based on the book by Shrabani Basu of the same name, the film is about the true story of an unlikely but extraordinary friendship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Abdul Karim, a tall, handsome Indian clerk. The movie explores how Victoria and Abdul became very close friends and the Queen's closest confidant and how the Royal family, friends and Victoria's household reacted with controversy to their interracial...

Episode 15 is the story of a Korean - Canadian mom, who as a young girl didn't fully embrace her Korean heritage only to marry a blue eyed blonde American Marine, have kids and realize the importance of celebrating her Korean heritage, food and language.   In Episode 15, I talk to the witty Jihae Watson, a Korean-Canadian mom living in Arizona about her journey to fully embracing her Korean heritage as a kid, wife and now mom.   We talk about: Her childhood experience as a Korean...

This week's multicultural movie review is on The Joy Luck Club. Based on Amy Tan’s book of the same name, The Joy Luck Club is the story of the relationships between 4 Chinese women and their Chinese – American daughters.  Watch the movie trailer HERE  Find out where you can watch the movie HERE Learn more HERE 

Episode 14 is the story of how Nathalie from Martinique & Casey from the United States quickly figured out if they were a good match for each other using humor & vulnerability. We talk about: • What it was like growing up in a Martiniquan dual language household vs a black American family household • Growing up in a strict French Caribbean household • How Nathalie and Casey met • How a belly bump set the tone for their relationship • Keeping peace with the in-laws • How they...

This week's multicultural movie review is on Hasan Minhaj's Homecoming King. In his first stand-up special, Hasan Minhaj weaves humorous & heartbreaking anecdotes to tell his life story as an Indian - American Muslim.  Rated 8.3/10 on IMDB, the film is absolutely hilarious and does a good job of giving viewers insights into the immigrant and multicultural experience. Watch the Movie Trailer HERE Find out where you can watch it HERE

Episode 13 is the story of a blond kid who wanted to belong in a place where no one looked like him. In Ep 13, I talk to Nathan Holritz, father of 2, minimalist & CEO of Photographers Edit about this third culture experience as a foreigner or “gaijin” growing up in Japan & what he did to immerse himself in Japanese culture, even though he looked distinctly different from everybody else in his neighborhood.   SEE photos of Nathan & show notes here

This week's multicultural movie review is on The Big Sick. The Big Sick is the multicultural story of Pakistani-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani (as himself) & Emily Gardener, (played by Zoe Kazan) as Kumail’s white American girlfriend. They fall in love but struggle as their cultures clash. Watch the movie trailer HERE Find out where you can watch the movie HERE

Episode 12 is the story of Alex Barnett, a New York based comedian, writer & white, Jewish multiracial dad, married to an African - American woman (who converted to Judaism) & why it was important for him to raise his 6yr old biracial son in the Jewish faith. We talk about: His love story with his black wife why his wife converted to Judaism What it means for him to be Jewish Ashkenazic vs Sephardic subcultures of Judaism why it was important for him to raise his son in the...

Episode 11 is the blasian love story of Chie Davis, who leaves behind her family in Japan to move abroad (the 1st in her family) and in the process falls in love with a famous African-American musician Dennis Davis, 25years older than her. See photos of Chie + Dennis David & detailed Show Notes HERE

Episode 10 is the story of my brother-in-law Ken & his outsider perspective as an American traveling to Kampala, Uganda to get officially engaged to his fiancé (my sister) as part of the traditional Ugandan engagement ceremony, the kwanjula . Along the way, he questions the why behind each Ugandan tradition vs his upbringing & makes a compelling observation that brings him closer to his future wife.   Resources mentioned: BOOK: The Good Earth by Pearl Buck DANCE TROUPE: Ndere...

In Episode 9, I interview Ria & Jon, a Chinese – Filipino couple who met in the Philippines about how they’ve learned to communicate, love and resolve conflict despite their different cultures and the clever disagreement conflict management gimmick they’ve developed to say sorry and apologize.    Resources mentioned: Hashtag: #JRSeestheWorld The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller Filipino Tocino – pork dish Despacito – Luis Fonsi  & Daddy Yankee The Green Mile movie Pan's...

In episode 8 of the IAM podcast, I chat with the cheerful, award winning media producer & diversity champion Anna Lauren Tufecki about her love story with her Turkish Muslim husband Eren & how together they’re pioneering & redefining what love & faith looks like in a healthy, fulfilling Christian – Muslim marriage.   We chat about: Anna Lauren’s Christian upbringing How she met her husband Eren & how they celebrated an emotional interfaith wedding Eren’s religion:...

What’s a head explosion & how do some people react when they see blasian couple Timolin & Eric?   In episode 7 of the IAM podcast, I chat with the bubbly and fun Eric & Timolin about   What We Discuss Head explosions: How people react when they see them How it’s sometimes hard for people to comprehend that they are together as a married couple How they met How Eric proposed onstage as part of an improv act How cultural background can influence a person’s communication style...