Tim Hwang just turned 31 this past February, and he's already the youngest Asian American founder and CEO on NYSE/NASDAQ! His experiences working on the first Obama campaign actually taught him many of the critical lessons for creating a business startup. By applying those lessons, he and his two long-time friends created Fiscal Note, a global technology and media company focused on delivering timely and relevant policy information in a complex and evolving world.

In Skull Water, Heinz Insu Fenkl has crafted a uniquely autobiographical novel based on his experiences growing up as a German/Korean child in postwar Korea. Incorporating his vast knowledge of Korean folktales, Buddhist karma, daoism, and the ancient Chinese I Ching Book of Changes, Fenkl has created an engaging, unpredictable storyline, and our conversation gave him a chance to reveal how Skull Water came to life.

In this latest edition of the collaborative Two Kens Podcast, Kemp and I focused on what we are thinking about the unprecedented indictment and arraignment of former POTUS Donald Trump. I also use this episode's Intro to share a few brief thoughts about the GOP's expulsion of members Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.

In his latest book "Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next," Dr. Brad Onishi, who teaches at the University of San Francisco and co-hosts the hugely popular podcast "Straight White American Jesus," offers us a "...clear-eyed, compelling study of the road to Jan. 6 and the possible future of the politics-versus-religion battle in the U.S." (Kirkus Reviews). In this interview I asked him to focus on the powerful and increasingly pervasive myth that motivates White Christian Nationalists, as well as the sizable migration of WCNs from Blue States to heavily Red States.

Licensed clinical therapist Nat Vikitsreth is back so that we can finish talking through her lessons on how best to communicate with children, both when they're quite young all the way to when they're on their own. If you'd like to find the links that she's so graciously provided, please check out the shownotes from Part I.  Here's the link to her extremely thoughtful and helpful podcast: www.comebacktocare.com/podcast  INTRO: The End Is Near

Nat Vikitsreth is a recognized expert on how to teach young children to navigate their and your feelings. And when you learn how she came to fully embrace herself as a trans woman, you'll understand how she arrived at her core convictions about children. She has graciously and generously provided the following links that you might find quite helpful:

Intro: Heed the Experts in the Room

Just glancing at Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi's resume will immediately tell you that she is a gifted and capable leader who isn't afraid of getting involved to make a difference. In addition to all the works she does with non-profits and commissions, Rachelle was the first woman of color elected to the Sierra Madre City Council, and was chosen by her peers twice to serve as mayor. Introduction: More Than Just Bones

Attorney and author Shirley Ann Higuchi was puzzled when her dying mother asked that the koden money from her pending funeral be donated to a place called Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming. After her mom died, Shirley was even more mystified when a committee claiming to represent HMRC asked a representative of her family to attend a ceremony at there as they dedicated a trail to the late Setsuko. Her reluctant decision to travel to this remote site that had unjustly imprisoned nearly 11,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry after the attack on Pearl Harbor, HI, not only started her on an in-depth journey into this dark chapter of America's racist past, but it slowly opened her eyes to the long-term, lingering effects that this traumatic experience had on her parents and on her and her sibling. Her book "Setsuko's Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration," not only chronicles the injustices and the in-fighting, but is also illustrated with little-known stories of the suffering that some of the Japanese Americans had to endure.

With his intersecting disciplines of Asian American studies, the medical humanities, and Christian theology, UC Irvine's Rev. Dr. James Kyung-Jin Lee is uniquely positioned to offer in-depth insights on the human problems of sickness, suffering, disability, and death, especially when seen through the filter of the Christian faith.

Nell Yukiye Murphy has been enthusiasticallyinvolved with the Girl Scouts since she was just five years old. She'd earned their Bronze and Silver Awards, but she waited until her senior year in high school to propose her Gold Award project to the committee. While she'd grown up making untold family pilgrimmages to Manzanar, where her late grandfather had been held unjustly, she decided that few people would be willing to make the four-hour-drive from LA to visit this remote and barren site. So she created "Journey to Manzanar," a virtual introduction to the camp, the prejudice that imprisoned over 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry there and in the other camps, and the hardships that her predecessors had been made to endure. Nell persevered in the face of obstacles like shocking ignorance and policies that prohibit launching drones above national parks. You can experience her remarkable achievement "Journey to Manzanar" by visiting www.sierraforever.org/journey-to-manzanar. 

If you don't live in Southern California, it's quite possible that you have no idea of how central the San Gabrielf Valley (of the now-famous 626 Area Code) has become to a diverse array of AAPIs, and why Monterey Park has become such a symbol. In the immediate aftermath of the horrifc mass shooting there, I read a fascinating LA Times Op Ed by USF's Dr. James Zarsadiaz, who grew up in the SGV and has become one of the leading experts on this region of SoCal. In our conversation, you'll not only learn the history of Monterey Park and the rest of the 626, but also why the fact that this shooting happened there is so traumatizing to many AAPIs, even though the shooter was an Asian American.

Whenever I bring American comedic actor Kristina Wong on my show, there's never a dull moment, and never any uncomfortable silent gaps. She came on this time to promote her award-winning solo show, "Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord," a co-production of the Center Theater Group and East West Players at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City, CA, from February 12-March 12. You're going to love hearing her recount how she initially responded to a severe shortage of face masks at the start of the pandemic to her organizing and directing an army of 'aunties' who made and gave away well over 300,000 face masks to those needing them most.

In this first collaborative conversation between Ken Kemp (The Beached White Male podcast) and Ken Fong (AA:TKFP), after a fun and informative segment on Fong's recent Snowy Owl Prowl in Canada, the Two Kens share their perspectives on the recent appalling mass shooting in Monterey Park and the brutal death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Black police officers.

In retrospect, Eric Chen and his friend literally dodged a bullet when they decided to decline the invitation to attend the Lunar New Year's Eve dance party in Monterey Park. As a familiar, trusted, and trilingual member of the studio's private online community, Eric has been hearing from the victims, providing updates about resources, and working hard to coordinate and centralize the myriad lines of communication. I believe that our conversation will give concerned listeners a real-life look at the immediate aftermath of this horrific mass shooting. 

University of Colorado's (Boulder) Dr. Jennifer Ho is able to connect America's culture of gun violence, toxic masculinity, and history of White supremacy to the fact that last week, two older Asian American men became mass murderers. What can all of us do to reduce the occurrence of these senseless tragedies?

Actor and writer J. Elijah Cho is performing his award-winning solo show "Mr. Yunioshi" from January 27-Feb 5 as part of the Solo Shows Festival of 2023 at the charming Sierra Madre Playhouse (Sierra Madre, CA). Cho portrays the late actor Mickey Rooney after he is cast to play a Japanese photographer in yellow face in the classic film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in 1961. It is both hilarious and thought-provoking to have an Asian American actor playing the White Rooney as he works out exactly how to portray this Japanese character. 

Recently rapper and filmmaker Kyle Jae Shin aka Son of Paper uncovered a painful experience of anti-Asian violence that he'd buried for years, unconsciously allowing this trauma to color his day to day outlook and attitude. One of the tracks on his just-released album "From a Rooftop in Chinatown" ties together how he's learned to process that attack with the epidemic of anti-Asian hatred and violence today. You'll have the opportunity to hear that track ("Overcame") in its entirety, as well as snippets of two other ones. You'll also come to appreciate why this young Asian American artist and his new music are so grounded in San Francisco's Chinatown.

California's 26th District Assemblymember Evan Low describes what it will take to see more AAPI politicians both in his state and across the nation. He also explains why the API Legislative Caucus (he is the new chair) prohibits Republican API members from joining. He also believes that a day is coming sooner than later when the majority of Americans will elect an openly LGBTQ+ POTUS.

After many years of asking, award-winning Alaska-based journalist Lisa Phu was finally able to coax her Cambodian Chinese mother Lan Phu to open up about her life "Before Me (Lisa)." Growing up in Cambodia, fleeing the onslaught of the Khmer Rouge with three daughters and pregnant, then making a new life in America. This new 5-part podcast series (www.beforemepodcast.com) is masterfully produced and wonderfully written and narrated by Lisa.

In this final episode of 2022, podcaster-friends Ken Fong and Ken Kemp recommend the new "The Charismatic Revival Fury" series by their mutual friend Dr. Brad Onishi over at the "Straight White American Jesus" podcat. What government officials and most mainstream media outlets apparently have overlooked is the part that many charismatic and Pentecostal Evangelicals played in not only the attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of POTUS power on 1/6/20, but in creating a global network that continues to seek power and authority by almost any means necessary.

Anita had built a successful therapy practice over 20 years, but she'd also grown up with a deep appreciation for architecture and interior design. Realizing that she naturally understood how those intersect, she launched a blog in 2016 about the importance of creating living spaces that foster mental health. That led to her becoming a social media influencer, receiving accolades and assignments from the industry, and today, Anita has published her first book "Home Therapy," and she and her husband now work side-by-side in this unique approach to health and home.

Ranger Yenyen Chan has been on the permanent staff of this incredible national park for the past 20 years. Not only is she an expert on its history, geology, and biology, but she's also the one to consult to learn of the vital contributions of many Chinese Americans to this iconic park. 

Bernice Chao continues to be recognized by her industry as an outstanding and creative leader. Even so, what impresses me about her is that she has partnered with Jessalin Lam to enable and empower untold numbers of other AAPIs to break through 'bamboo ceilings' by learning how to make themselves not only more visible to the powers-that-be, but also to themselves. Together they co-founded the now-global "Asians in Advertising" non-profit, host a biweekly podcast, and in November 2022 co-authored "The Visibility Mindset: How Asian American Leaders Create Opportunities and Push Past Barriers."

What started as a film project to chronicle the campaign of California State Treasurer John Chiang as he ran for governor later expanded into a rivetting documentary about the reality of hate-speech and violence aimed at innocent AAPIs, both in the past history of America and in the present-day scapegoating of AAPIs due to the politicization of the COVID pandemic. Public affairs consultant and long-time civil rights advocate Ronald W. Wong, along with his Asian Pacific American Leadership Foundation, have produced "The Race Epidemic: Resurgence of the Yellow Peril," as a clarion call for more AAPIs to speak out and push back against racism and xenophobia aimed at our communities. 

First appearing on this pod on 22 October 2019 (#219), actor and now also writer Anu Bhatt recently returned to spotlight "Autocorrect," her debut short film that she conceived and created during the pandemic. Anu's character gradually finds the courage and determination to insist that her director (a white female) pronounce her South Asian name correctly. As you will soon learn, this was truly a case of art imitating life. On the surface, this is simply about asking people to stop mispronouncing non-Western names. But Anu reveals that this act of insistence is actually one example of when people decide that it's time to reclaim 'agency' over their lives for the sake of their own congruency and mental health.

The recent midterm elections officially ended on November 8th and we already know that there wasn't a resounding Red Wave of change as many had predicted. But we also may still not know the final outcomes of Senate races in Arizona and Nevada. The two Kens got back together the day after the midterms to understand why things didn't heavily tilt to the extreme right, as well as to puzzle over what this might mean going forward for Trumpism and the shape of the 2024 presidential contest.

Christopher Huang is a professional photographer who also blogs about how Hollywood handles race, especially as it pertains to Asian Americans. The recent casting of a young Black actor to star as "Ariel" in the upcoming "The Little Mermaid" live-action remake provoked quite a bit of disagreement. That's what led me to Huang's provocative blog on Medium (https://christopherhuang.medium.com/3-dimensional-portrayals-of-women-of-color-but-only-if-they-have-white-male-love-interests-9f06c78491a9?sk=cb91d715ac283b845549d4e149b23bed

I then invited him to give my listeners an abridged experience of how he sees this controversy and Hollywood's still-problematic history of telling white-male-hegemonic stories.

Untold numbers of Americans are celebrating the issuing of a new quarter dollar for the first time that features an American of Asian ancestry, the iconic actor Anna May Wong. Yet how many of us--even those who are Asian American--really know anything about Wong's storied career in Hollywood? Asians in Hollywood film savant Arthur Dong not only recounts the arc of this native Angeleno, but also tells us how we can view standout films from the 100 years of Chinese in Hollywood at the Academy Museum's theater (www.academymuseum.org) throughout the month of November.

To see one of today's AAPI actors exercise agency, check out Anu Bhatt's short film "Autocorrect" either at the Los Angeles Asian Film Awards on Saturday, 11/12 @ 6PM (https://filmfreeway.com/LAAsianFilmAwards/tickets) or the online screening from 11/12-15 (www.poweroffilm.xyz)

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed was a mild-mannered accountant from Bangladesh who may be the most influential person the majority of people in the world have never heard of. I only learned of him and his NGO's unparalleled innovations that are breaking the cycles of poverty because of American author Scott MacMillan's must-read book "Hope Over Fate: Fazle Hasan Abed and the Science of Ending Global Poverty." This is your opportunity to start learning Abed's story and to learn how the power of hope can actually be harnessed. 

This summer U.K.-based American author and activist Winnie M. Li circled back to my home studio, this time to talk about Complicit, her newest novel that takers readers behind the scenes and into the minds of those working in the film industry. From the rich and powerful men who hold all the cards, to the powerless young aspirants who far too often are their targets. As a survivor of sexual assault and also as one who worked in the movie business, Winnie has once again written a devastatingly relevant book.

One of America's funniest commentators on modern life, Sandra Tsing Loh, will be discussing her latest book The Madwoman and the Roomba: My Year of Domestic Mayhem, with Samantha Dunn, her co-host on Bookish and the senior editor of engagement at the Southern California News Group. Open to the public and free, it will be held at Beckman Auditorium @ CalTech in Pasadena, CA, on Thursday, Oct. 20th, at 6PM PT. To register, please go to www.events.caltech.edu and clink on link. By registering, you'll also be able to watch the livestream on YouTube.

Sandra and I never fail to make each other laugh, especially as we point out the quirkiness of being Asian Americans.

In this fascinating and informative episode, Yuri Sudhakar and Rick Abe joined me to share about their latest venture. Nudj Health is a tech-enabled health service that integrates evidence-based mental, behavioral, and social health aspects of patient care in collaboration with physician organizations nationwide. In short, Nudj Health has created a way for people's doctors to help them achieve their health goals like never before.

Long-time friend, former pastor, and fellow podcaster Ken Kemp ("The Beached White Male" podcast) and I finally resume our semi-regular collaborative conversation after being part for most of the summer. This time we reflect long and hard about why the powerful and privileged need to cry out in desparation to those who are marginalized or oppressed to come heal and save them. It's a fresh look at the parable of the Good Samaritan through the lens of the Samaritan.

The South Side of Chicago meets South Korea in "The Great Jheri Curl Debate," a heartfelt play where a business partnership between an African American employee and an immigrant Korean owner plus a touch of magical realism bring these two very unlikely friends closer to understanding themselves and each other. Ryun Yu, already a favorite of this podcast, stars as "Mr. Kim" and Julanne Chidi Hill stars as "Veralynn Jackson." The play runs from September 15-October 9 at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.

Filmmaker and broadcast journalist David Ono has created something that defies well-known descriptions. His "Defining Courage" is a tribute to the courage and patriotism of the Japanese American soldiers who fought and died during World War II, even as many of their family members were unjustly imprisoned in desolate prison camps. Combining his live narration with cinematic drone footage of five storied battlefields, accompanied by a choir and musicians, Ono humanizes the stories of those who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS), while taking us all on an emotional journey to the places where so many lost their lives. 

Earlier this year, Dr. Thea Pham posted a TikTok video that has now been viewed over 100 million times on this and other platforms. And almost overnight she went from having just 20 TikTok followers to well over 400,000. Even if you already know what it was that she talked about, I promise that my recent conversation with her will be a deep dive into why she's connected with what so many people around the world are going through, too.

Why has a PE teacher in NY who hates to travel started a library, a gym, and a school in Kenya? According to Garrett, it was something he heard me say long ago at a Christian conference. Even if you're not a Christian, you'll find his efforts to live out The Hero's Journey quite fascinating. www.thegapmission.com

In response to an alarming number of Asian American deaths due to drug overdoses during the Summer of '72 in Los Angeles, local Asian American activists banded together and started the Asian American Drug Abuse Program. New CEO Dean Nakanishi and new trustee John Saito, Jr., not only reflect on the agency's history, but also talk about its impact and dreams for the future as AADAP marks its 50th anniversary this month.

Korean American Dave Young Kim today is an acclaimed and respected muralist, but he started out as an animal behavior major at UC Davis! His journey to covering gigantic exterior spaces with culturally-infused and contextually-informed art is mind-boggling. Dave is first and foremost a storyteller, and he will continue to search for creative ways to share his stories.

Earlier this year, narrative-historian Dr. Russell Low published his latest book, "The All-American Crew: A True Story of a World War II Bomber and the Men Who Flew It." Once again, Low's prodigious research and masterful storytelling has resulted in a book that not only details what it was like to serve together on a B-24 in the Pacific Theater, but also connects us to his father's and his younger brother Stan's stories. Over 20,000 Americans of Chinese descent served bravely and sacrificially during World War II, and yet America as a whole hasn't heard any of their stories. Through this book, Russell Low is helping to rectify that glaring omission.

When you learn how Amman Jordan first came across my podcast, you might be shocked to hear that he initially thought I wasn't worth listening to (it had to do with what he thought I was saying about the movie "Black Panther.")  To his credit, he hung in there and came to the opposite conclusion. Today, he loves my pod, and I'm so grateful to have a compadre like him in the effort to build a deep and lasting unity between African Americans and AAPIs, and with everyone else. Among things, this difficult work requires honest conversations between those who love and trust each other. That was definitely our aim here.

Coming on the heels of her Great Uncle Ted Ngoy AKA The Donut King, Cambodian American Mayly Tao grew up watching her parents resurrect a dying donut shop in Santa Monica, CA. After college, Mayly worked to refresh the shop's image, and pioneered all kinds of new donuts. You'll also learn how she's harnessed her "Mayly Magic" after her parents finally retired and she sold the business. 

Director Ron Howard's engrossing new movie "Thirteen Lives" takes us back to those weeks in 2018 where the world was holding its collective breath, wondering if the young Thai boys and their coach would ever be rescued from the flooded cave in Chang Rai. This episode gave me the unique opportunity to interview several of the key Thai players who've brought this gripping story back to life.

This episode highlights the hilarious and groundbreaking film "Easter Sunday," which opens in theaters on August 5th. Filipino American comedian Jo Koy, actress Lydia Gaston, and SIPA Director of Operations Hannah-Kalea Enriquez share why this new comedy will truly be a love letter to their community.

Back in June and July of 2018, the entire world was transfixed with the drama playing out deep within the flooded chambers of the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. Twelve young teens and their soccer coach found themselves trapped over two miles deep and half a mile down. Legendary director Ron Howard's newest film "Thirteen Lives" moves us to relive those unforgettable challenges, obstacles, sacrifices, and acts of heroism. And award-winning author Christina Soontornvat ("All Thirteen") adds remarkable detail and dynamism to this rivetting story.

In 2007 18-year-old Justin Chung was sentenced to 82 years to life for the  murder of one person and the shooting of another when he was part of a Korean American gang less than two years earlier. Throughout the 15 years that he spent behind bars, he refused to affiliate with any gang, renounced all violence, earned his GED and college diploma, and deepened his Christian faith. As a result, he was granted parole and California's Gov. Newsome commuted his life sentence to time served. However, due to the fact that he had committed an "aggravated felony" as an undocumented immigrant, ICE immediately began the process to send him 'back' to South Korea. Supporters are petitioning Newsome to pardon Chung, so that he won't be deported.

Marie is a Korean American award-winning, widely published writer and author. In this episode she explains why it took her eighteen years to publish "The Evening Hero," her first novel for adults. And in the last portion of this interview, she reveals the recent astounding development in her autistic young adult son's ability finally to communicate. 

Dr. McNeil has long been one of the leading Christian voices on racial reconciliation. She's spoken to tens of thousands of people, written several books on the topic, and teaches the subject at Seattle Pacific University. However, when 81% of white Evangelicals voted for Trump in 2016, Brenda decided she would no longer mince words when in front of them. She's also taken the bold step to include queer and trans people in the mission of reconciliation. 

In this latest collaborative episode you'll hear Ken Kemp share some key takeaways from his second Civil Rights pilgrimage, and then we jump right into reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to vacate Roe v Wade. 

Relocating to the Pacific Northwest and then the pandemic prompted physical therapist Dr. Kat Lieu to begin experimenting with Asian baked desserts in her new kitchen. That was 2020, and today she oversees the Subtle Asian Baking global community and has just authored the "Modern Asian Baking at Home" cookbook. 

To celebrate PRIDE Month this year I finally landed the amazing Aiden Aizumi, a Japanese American trans-male who lives and works here in the LA area. His story is not only a testament to his courage and determination, but also how crucial it is to belong to a loving and supportive family.

All of us are hardwired from birth to seek meaningful connections, which is why we get so frustrated when we fail to make them or keep them. Singapore-based human connection specialist Simone Heng is traveling the world again, in order to help us all make better connections. She graciously shares her lessons with me in this episode.

My conversation this episode is with Phil Yu and Jeff Yang, who partnered with Philip Wang to write and curate the first definitive book about the increasing prominence of Asian American culture from the Nineties till today. Much more than a descriptive history of this unprecedented surge, their amazing book "RISE" oftentimes gives the reader experiences of the culture itself!

Attorney Dale Minami is most known for leading the legal team that overturned the conviction of Fred Korematsu. Forty years earlier, Korematsu had defiantly disobyed Executive Order 9066--which unjustly incarcerated over 100,0000 Japanese Americans during World War II--  which led to Korematsu v. United States, widely considered one of the worst and most racist SCOTUS decisions in American history. 

According to the Dept of Homeland Security, domestic terrorism is a greater threat to the safety and well-being of Americans today than any potential outside forces. The recent mass-shooting and killing of Black Americans in Buffalo, NY, is just the latest terrorist attack. The young white gunman's rage was fueled by something called "the great replacement" theory. The Two Kens decided that it was time to talk about this.

Actor Dennis Dun is seared in our collective memories from his iconic role in "Big Trouble in LIttle China" (1986), but before he hit the big screen, he was learning his craft on stages in the Bay Area. In this episode he shares why he jumped at the chance to return to the stage in "King of the Yees," while also recounting how Director John Carpenter cast him in "BTILC," which soon became a cult classic.

Many fans of rock and roll somehow either missed "Fanny," or forgot about this first commercially viable, critically acclaimed all-female rock band, founded and fronted by Filipina Americans sisters June and Jean Millington. I tracked June down and she packed in more stories in her episode than any other guest! 

This is a special episode for several reasons: My friend Patrick Hare is on the ballot in LA County to be a Superior Court Judge; the election is a month away on June 7th, but voters can mail in their ballots early; he would bring some unique and needed perspectives to the bench; I believe that once you hear from him, many of you will cast your vote for him, too. And even if don't live in LA County, I think you'll find Patrick to be a fascinating person and our conversation to be worth a listen.

Starting on May 20th, veteran actor Christopher Chen will be in acclaimed American playwright Lauren Yee's "King of the Yees" at the historic and charming Sierra Madre Playhouse (Sierra Madre, CA). Learn why he's so excited to be cast in one of Yee's plays, and to be directed by the legendary Tim Dang.

In writing "When We Fell Apart," notable new novelist Soon Wiley has masterfully woven a story where his two protagonists come from very different experiences and places, yet share the struggle to carve out their own identities. Set in modern-day Seoul, it's also a love letter to Korea itself, but one that doesn't pull any punches.

Austrian sinologist Regina Larko launched her Hashtag Impact podcast while living and working in Hong Kong. She herself is a person of impact, and she has populated her show with a variety of people who are also making a difference in the world. Of course, all this talk about making an impact led to our facing our mortality by living more purposefully.

I last had Lisa Sharon Harper on in the immediate aftermath of the now-infamous "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. She'd been part of a peaceful pushback by Christian clergypersons. She's recently published "Fortune," where she intertwines the experiences of ten generations of her forebearers and white America's history of passing racist, unjust laws. And in light of how some of the Senators badgered SCOTUS nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, we found time to talk about how ascendant BIPOC candidates are tested to see if they are "safe" enough to be given power and authority in historically white organizations.

Russell Leong, especially through his words, has long helped to shape the Asian American movement. He was an undergrad at SF State as students went on strike to demand an ethnic studies program. He was the editor of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center "AmerAsia Journal" for more than three decades, and then as the founding editor of "The CUNY FORUM: Asian American/Asian Studies."

If you didn't grow up as a certain kind of Christian, you might be dumbfounded as to why so many conserverative American Christians admire Russia's President Putin, despite his ahborrent abuse of power and his current unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Fong and Kemp discuss where this oxymoronic support comes from, and also discuss the Far Right's racist dog whistles aimed at Biden's SCOTUS nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Sean Lew has already made a name for himself as an innovative choreographer and dancer, but he's now carving out a new career as an actor. Currently playing "Chris" on the new hit FOX series "The Cleaning Lady," Sean talks about this shift for him, and really unpacks how he deals with the ongoing temptations to disconnect from the source of his creativity and passion.

Author, historian, and educator Dr. Pamela Rotner Sakamoto invested seventeen years of her life to be able to tell the unbelievable true story of the Fukuhara family, who had immigrated to the U.S. from Japan, where all four children were born. But when the patriarch died, his wife moved her young family back to Hiroshima. What followed was the rebellion of her two oldest children, and then the injustices, poverty and horrors of World War II.

Dr. Timothy Fong is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA's Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, specializing in addictions. Our conversation explored the nature of addictions, and then looked at addictions related to gambling and cannabis, two of his areas of specialization.

Many of us first became aware of Pudi and his immense talents when he was part of the hilarious ensemble cast of "Community" (NBC, 2009-2015). In this deeply personal (and of course, still humorous) journey to uncover his estranged South Asian American father, Pudi beckons us to reflect on our parents.

The COVID-pandemic inspired a petite Chinese American Southern California woman named Winnie Yee Lahkani to boldly insert herself into a subculture from the Deep South which has long been populated by large Black or White men. Her deftly seasoned smoked meats and business model have created a swelling fan-base, as well as the validation and admiration of famous BBQ judges and food critics. 

This episode was sparked by a recent Op Ed piece in the LA Times. The writer had recently learned that a 72 million year old dinosaur embryo fossil had been found in China, which then caused him to think deeply and differently about the age of Earth, and our own brief time on it. The Two Kens both share their own reflections, while also speaking openly about how they feel about being getting old and why their faith in God is no longer threatened by scientific discoveries.

Nonprofit expert Vu Le speaks frankly and critically about the ongoing problems and challenges facing many nonprofits, and explains what he thinks need to change in that world and why.

Australian Filipina Martha Millan shares how she landed this career-defining role in first-ever prime time drama created by an Asian American woman and anchored by two AAPI actresses.

“Changing Tides” program coordinator Matthew Yonemura explains how a handful of Japanese American Millennials felt compelled in 2018 to launch a new non-profit to bring AAPI mental health problems out of the shadows and into normal conversations.

After working as a writer/producer on The 100 for 4 seasons, Miranda earned a blind script deal with Warner Bros. Television. She developed an adaptation of the original Argentine series "La Chica Que Limpia" and is the creator and executive producer of the U.S. television adaptation "The Cleaning Lady," which will air a ten-episode first season on the Fox Network on 1/3/22.

On January 3, 2022 French Cambodian actress Elodie Yung will be the first Cambodian to star in a prime time drama (FOX) that has been created and executive produced by an Asian American woman, Miranda Kwok. She shares what this milestone means to her as an actress, and how she tapped into the pain and perseverance of her Cambodian father to give great depth to her character.

Trump has revealed that millions of Americans are eager to join a cult of personality, even if the person at the top is clearly deeply flawed and unfit to be followed. The evangelical world also has examples of this disturbing pattern, and one of the most current ones is Pastor Mark Driscoll and the two churches he has established.

Before Tom Ikeda became Densho's Executive Director, he was the general manager in Microsoft's multimedia publishing group. His essential understanding of digitizing media and creating online platforms has enabled Densho both to preserve their trove of priceless videotaped interviews with formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans, and to make them accessible to historians, filmmakers, and the like.

Lucca Wang is biracial, being of Chinese and European descent, and grew up in the predominantly white Midwestern culture. During her 20’s she began to explore being Chinese more and connecting with others who are also multiracial Asian. Learning of the 1982 death of Chinese American man Vincent Chin during the upheaval of 2020 triggered her suppressed memory of violence that impacted her and her family when she was just 16 years old. She has sage advice for parents raising girls and children of color.

R. Scott Okamoto grew up as a fervent Evangelical, oblivious to his ethnicity and culture, ignorant of issues of justice and racial reconciliation. His years serving as a leader in a campus ministry while in college filled in all these gaps, but when he graduated, he no longer fit in his family's church. While being a faculty member of an evangelical college, he began to deconstruct his faith entirely. He quit just before they were about to fire him.

A recent audit of America's national monuments revealed what most AAPIs already know: there aren't any that uplift deserving individuals from our respective communities. If you missed the Op Ed by AsAm News staff writer Raymond Douglas Chong who wrote about this, here's your chance to eavesdrop on Ken's conversation with him. 

Dr. Yamashita is convinced that the Model Minority Myth among Asian Americans is exacerbating the rising rate of addictions in our communities. We reflect on the lessons from the Seventies, and also zero in on what many Asian American Christian churches need to do to stop stigmatizing those with addictions.

Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin recently wrote an Op Ed in WaPo with a similar provocative title, which prompted us to take a deep dive into this fascinating and relevant POV.

Kenneth Lui's first feature-length film--"Artists in Agony" is a mockumentary about assassins. Hearing about his unconventional approach to write and shoot it over a span of eight years gave me a much deeper appreciation for the kind of creativity and commitment that are required by up and coming indie filmmakers like Lui.

Dr. Russell Jeung and his two co-founders of Stop AAPI-Hate were recently recognized as icons of the effort to quell pandemic-fueled insults and attacks aimed at Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. He talks about why it's critical to reshape the narrative surrounding BIPOC Americans, including those who are undocumented. And he concludes by hoping that the ongoing decline in America's Christian churches will catalyze the emergence of a re-focused remnant.

Filmmaker Jeffrey Gee Chin wants to ensure that Japanese American Human Rights activist Sei Fujii (1882-1954) is revered and respected for all that he accomplished on behalf of Japanese immigrants, Japanese Americans, and all people of color. His biography, "A Rebel's Outcry," officially becomes available on 11/2/21. He also wants to create a film or TV series about Dr. Mabel Lee, who left quite a legacy in NYC's Chinatown and beyond.

If you're like me, after you finished "Squid Games," you were wondering what was worth bingeing next. Then you discovered "Midnight Mass," binged it, and now your head is swimming with all kinds of theories and questions. Last week we dropped a special episode where we discussed the first four episodes. After finishing the series, we could hardly wait to dive back into the "MM" deep end of the pool! So here it is.

Evan Jackson Leong is best known for his documentary films. But he had long wanted to make a feature-length narrative film. He labored for years to write and edit the script for "Snakehead," and it finally will be in theaters at the end of October 2021.  

In this episode podcaster Ken Kemp and I dig into a new series on Netflix called "Midnight Mass." We both identified with the main character's struggles to live among people of faith on a tiny island while he no longer believes in any kind of higher power. 

Dr. Chuck recently self-published a book wherein he shares the sum total of all the wisdom he learned while caring for patients and medical colleagues for over three decades. His is especially passionate in his conviction that developing better mental health is the key to our experiencing greater overall health and satisfaction.

Claire and her aging mother Isabel begin their journey together by visiting the once-beautiful mansion in Shanghai where the young Isabel had grown up. Much more than a trip down Memory Lane, "Remembering Shanghai" reveals the triumphs and tragedies going back five generations that mirror China's own challenges. Chao has layered the bones of this country's history with the flesh of her own family.

Early in 2021, Dr. Kwong started a movement to challenge self-professing Christian politicians in D.C. (and their pastors) to admit that they were spewing hateful, racist rhetoric that was damaging their Asian American countrymen and fomenting the belief that China poses the biggest threat to this country. Was this incredibly naive on Kwong's part, or did he have another outcome in mind?

Born deaf in one ear and with a form of autism, Shihori had no friends and was terribly bullied. She was staring at a lonely, fraught future. But she discovered that singing and writing music provided her with the means and the motivation to connect with people. Despite achieving great success in Japan, she was recently inspired to start afresh in America, launching her debut album "Mutation" on October 1, 2021.

Before Ray's language prowess landed in the U.S. State Department, he felt God had called him to be a liturgist and musician in the Catholic Church that he so loved. But when he came out of the closet, he no longer believed that the Church would love him as much as he loved the Church. He reflects on the changes in the State Department, especially as it begins to admit its long history of homophobia and discriminatory practices against POC.

While Dan is the first to say that he's clearly a work in progress, he's managed to craft a mindset and a work ethic that keeps him positive and his creative juices flowing. You'll hear a sample of his latest songs at the end of the episode.