For this episode, guest Louis Lee joins us. Louis is the chief creative officer and co-founder of Bellweather, a strategy-led creative agency that specializes in transforming legacy brands in the non-profit healthcare and travel sector. Louis is passionate about helping brands thrive in an ever-changing landscape, particularly by expanding and diversifying audiences, including women, people of color, and Gen Z. In this episode, we chat about: Overcoming childhood challenges while living in...

This episode we're joined by guest Leslie Xia. Leslie is a queer Chinese American graphic designer and art director currently working at Invesco. They have worked at Fast Company, Vice News, and Men's Health to Millie Magazine, focusing on finance for women, and finally moved to Invesco. In this episode, we chat about: The importance of personal finance, especially for queer and Asian communities Balancing Creativity and Practicality the importance of authenticity in content creation...

This episode we're joined by returning guest ONCH. A multi-talented artist and jewelry designer. ONCH is a creative artist based in Los Angeles who makes amazing wearable art that goes beyond regular fashion. His unique pieces have been featured in a Biotechnology textbook by David P. Clark and in Vogue, as well as displayed in prestigious places like the MET Museum. In this episode, we chat about: vulnerability, authenticity, and the evolving nature of social media collaborating with...

This episode, we're joined by Miss Shu Mai, a Taiwanese American drag queen. We delve into Miss Shu Mai's journey into drag, her dance background, and her experiences with identity and homophobia. She is a founder of the Send Noodz Party, an API-centric drag show in LA. In this episode, we chat about: coming out and finding acceptance the importance of authenticity, community, and celebrating diverse experiences within the Asian American community touching on influences like anime,...

This episode, we're joined by an extra special guest, Kim Thai @kthai6 . She is a community organizer and founder of Joyful Liberation Collective. They are also a mindfulness teacher, writer and an Emmy Award-winning storyteller! Tune in to dive deep into topics of identity, healing, and liberation within oppressive systems. In this episode, we chat about: The ripple effects that either reinforce or work against systems of oppression Kim Thai's mission to help others reclaim their power...

In this episode, we're joined by Johnathan @jonahsahn , a pioneering content creator who began his journey in 2008. His unique perspective as a Black American and Filipino has made him a powerful voice at the intersection of Black and Asian identity. In 2020, he founded the Black and Asian Alliance Network, promoting solidarity between these communities during a time of heightened tension. Check out his podcast series, The Boys Are Black In Town @jonahsahn on YouTube. In this episode, we...

In this episode, we're joined by Tai, who is a freelance creative director. His hunger for building community ultimately led to the creation of Naarak in August of 2022, and he is now an event organizer in the gay API NYC nightlife scene.  In this episode, we chat about: Community resilience and fostering an environment where gay API have an accepting night-life space  Coming into queer identity and finding a way to navigate that Intersectionality of queer-ness and Asian-ness as an...

This episode, we're joined by Mike Curato, a gay first generation half Filipino-Irish American author and illustrator of books. He has created many picture books for young children, including his debut queer young adult graphic novel, Flamer, and upcoming books centering diverse creators and audiences. In this episode, we chat about: The launch of Flamer and how it was one of the most banned, talked about books of 2023 The difficulties with social media burnout, online bullying, and...

In this episode, we're joined by Harry Trinh, a queer Asian American art director and experiential designer based in NYC, and the Head of Creative of Welcome to Chinatown. In this episode, we chat about: His latest work with Welcome to Chinatown Pivoting from corporate life into his mission-driven work Understanding the value of community-centered work and raising the bottom-line The history of Chinatowns and unlocking our community’s potential through partnership Introducing creative...

In this episode, we're joined by Susan Liao, a product leader and champion of liberatory leadership working at the intersection of digital innovation, social entrepreneurship and non-profit impact strategy. In this episode, we chat about: Her journey into tech and product Navigating her life through agencies and startups Pivoting from the corporate world to impact-driven work Conforming into inequitable systems and role, and shifting away to find her voice Why we adapt as marginalized...

In this episode, we're joined by Haruka Aoki, a queer Japanese artist and poet-illustrator, who takes us on a journey of self-discovery and artistic expression. In this episode, we chat about: The challenges of integrating into a new community The impact migration can have on identity and intersectionality The power of manifestation and the importance of collaboration in the creative process The importance of solidarity among marginalized communities Issues of performative activism and...

This episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, Lee-Sean Huang (he/they), a queer first-generation Taiwanese, Cantonese American designer and educator based in New York City and Providence. Lee-Sean Huang is the director of Design Content and learning at AIGA and a co-founder, creative director of Foossa, and teaches design and innovation at Parsons and SVA. This episode, we talk about: Lee-Sean's "midlife crisis" and how he is navigating a new chapter in his life Navigating...

In this episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, ONCH, a multi-talented artist and jewelry designer based in Los Angeles. We chat about: The power of dreaming and creating a vision of our future Using a dream diary to record, capture, and realize everyday dreams ONCH's journey from Taiwan and finding oneself Setting intentions and manifesting reality Upcoming collaborations coming to life from dreams Becoming fearless and dreaming for a brighter future Learn more about ONCH: ...

This episode, we're joined by our lovely returning guest, Jonathan Gibbs, creator of the Black and Asian Alliance Network, a proud, gay, Black and Filipino American filmmaker, storyteller, podcaster, and gamer based in Brooklyn, NY. In this episode, we chat about: The importance of solidarity among marginalized communities Issues of performative activism and establishing genuine allyship Holding individuals and corporations accountable and enacting change The need for representation and...

In this episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, Dr. Jonathan Tolentino, Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami. We chat about intersectional healthcare and the importance of understanding our history, legislation, and evolving healthcare to show up for our historically marginalized communities & youth. We...

In this episode, we’re joined by a returning friend, Kim Thai, a queer Vietnamese writer, Emmy-award winning producer, social justice advocate, and mindfulness teacher based in New York. We chat about community building, cultivating joy, and her latest work with Ganeshspace, a mindfulness organization that creates healing spaces for historically excluded communities and social justice education for all. In this episode we talk about: Community healing and the importance of centering joy...

This episode we're joined by an extra special guest, Haruka Aoki. Haruka (she/they) is a queer Japanese artist, author and illustrator of children’s books based in Queens, New York City. Their narrative artwork, which has appeared in New York Times and the Washington Post, aims to inspire individuals with both wit and sincerity as their hand drawn characters engaged with the world around them growing up. In this episode we talk about: Haruka’s pivot from corporate life to exploring art...

In this episode, we are joined by a special returning guest, Johnathan Gibbs, to talk about the latest gay movie Fire Island, and also reflect on the harmful impact of the gay white gaze on our queer Asian communities. In this episode we talk about: Reflect on Fire Island movie’s representation of queer Asian perspectives and stories The gay white gaze and discussing the harmful impact of these narratives How to catch ourselves when we are co-opting into systems of power and oppression...

Excited to be joined by Linda Jiang, a toy designer living in Los Angeles, California. In this episode, we delve into the world of the doll industry and the representation of gender-inclusive doll design. Linda Jiang (she/they) is a toy designer living in Los Angeles, California; unceded Tongva land. Linda’s work centers around designing inclusive toys to create social change through play. They designed the recent Barbie Inspiring Women doll, specifically the doll for Ida B Wells, and led the...

We’re joined by Dr. JT (Jonathan Tolentino) once again to talk about our society’s obsession with the perfect physique. We chat about body and muscle dysmorphia, PEDs, the impact of social media, and how this ultimately impacts both our queer and Asian communities. Dr. JT is the Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami. In...

Another beautiful episode chatting about COVID, our mental health, and our future. We're joined by an extra special guest Dr. JT, Jonathan Tolentino, who is the Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami.

This week, we're joined by our favorite Derek Tran once again to chat about the state of COVID, rainbow-washing, performative allyship, and showing up authentically.

Another wonderful episode with our lovely guest Derek Tran, to talk about issues surrounding activism, current-day events, and the Asian culture.

Derek Tran and I chat about the rising anti-Asian hate crimes and what we can do to keep ourselves safe and sane during this time.