ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST
Ken Fong
Ken Fong gets to the heart of Asian American culture, history, and spirituality. Through interviews with culture-makers and -shapers in the Asian American community -- some you know, others you've never heard of before -- prepare to laugh, cry, and be amazed.
EP 522: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah On Why The Dismantling Of USAID Should Be A Wake Up Call for American Evangelicals
In this episode seminary professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reiterates that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID should serve as a serious wake up call to American Evangelical Christians because now Christian relief agencies will no longer receive gifts in kind of grain from the federal government. However, if they continue to celebrate USAID's demise, they are telling us that they really aren't "evangelicals," who take the Bible and Jesus quite seriously.
EP 521: Dr. Roger Newman On His Black Uncle's Experiences in the Jim Crow South & U.S. Army
As a nod to this being Black History Month and also as a form of pushback against the current dismantling of meritocracy in the U.S. Military by the Trump administration, I invited Dr. Roger Newman to talk about his latest novel Boys, a work of historical fiction based on what he learned about his Black Uncle Alex growing up in the Jim Crow South and facing systemic racism while serving in Army during World War II and beyond.
EP 520: The Two Kens On Trump's Blitzkrieg Of America
In this latest episode in the Two Kens collaborative series on American politics and Christian nationalism, Fong and Kemp point out the jarring historical parallels with how Germany's Hitler and Hungary's Orban were able to dismantle their countries democracies so quickly. This episode is a call to action and resistance for every American who is now seeing the clear signs of decay in our democracy. Transition and outro music credit to The Isley Brothers and their "Fight the Power" anthem from 19
EP 519: Director Chay Yew On The Los Angeles Premiere Of "Cambodian Rock Band"
Celebrated playwright, director and producer Chay Yew is once again directing Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, this time in its Los Angeles debut at East West Players David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo from February 13-March 9, 2025. A poignant new classic of the Asian American theater canon, Cambodian Rock Band explores the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor as he returns to his homeland after thirty long years. While his daughter prepares to prosecute one of the country's most notorious
EP 518: Chris McKinney On New Book "Honolulu Noir"
Hawaii-based writer Chris McKinney has edited Honolulu Noir, the latest in the Akashic Noir series of location-based dark short stories. Comprised of stories about the people of the city, written by those who know this place best. The volume opens with a story featuring Chang Apana, the Native Hawaiian/Chinese real-life cop who was the inspiration for the controversial Charlie Chan. It ends with a supernatural journey from the Philippines to Hawaii. In between, readers will find multicultural ta
EP 517: Doreen & Ken About Their Wedding Day and Being Newlyweds
Doreen and Ken were high school sweethearts more than half a century ago. (You can hear more about their love story in EP 496.) But they parted ways in 1973, met and married their spouses, and had children. Doreen's marriage ended in divorce 27 years ago, and Ken's marriage ended in July 2023 when cancer took his wife Snoopy from him. Her dying wish was that he remarry and find happiness again. Since they were living in different halves of California, Ken phoned Doreen and asked if she'd be open
EP 516: The Two Kens On The Catastrophic SoCal Fires & The Legacy Of Pres. Jimmy Carter
My longtime friend and fellow podcaster Ken Kemp (The Beached White Male) lives on the far end of Orange County, so his house is far from the fires in SoCal. But many of his out-of-state friends don't know this, so they've been reaching out to he and his wife for reassurances of their safety. They've suffered several days-long power outages due to the high winds, though, so it's not like he's been spared. Knowing that our house is in one of the areas threatened by the Eaton Fire, he called first
EP 515: Dr. Noël S. Harmon On How APIA Scholars Aims to Breakdown Financial Hardships For AANHPI Students
Dr. Noël S. Harmon is the President and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars), which is America's largest nonprofit dedicated to supporting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students. Their newly revamped scholarship application process is aimed at reducing financial barriers to higher education for students most in need, while also ensuring greater flexibility and accessibility for a diverse range of scholars. Now with this m
EP 514: Author Ellie Yang Camp On Helping Asian Americans Confront & Jettison White Supremacy
Author Ellie Yang Camp and I first crossed paths 24 years ago at a triennial Christian conference for college students. I was the main speaker that week and she was a student leader of her InterVarsity chapter @ Cal. We never met that week, but when her debut book Louder Than the Lies crossed my desk and I read her bio and then saw what she had to say about the insidious and pervasive problems of white supremacy and whiteness, and how they continue to oppress and brainwash many of us Asian Ameri
EP 513: June Kuramoto On Being Recognized With The 2024 NEA National Fellowship Heritage Award
Globally acclaimed jazz koto player June Kuramoto received one of the ten National Fellowship Heritage Awards by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2024 in Washington, DC. You can watch Rep. Judy Chew glowing introduction of her and then June's acceptance speech here: https://www.youtube.com/live/tqSlIfYprPU?si=vnwIH5wpcpzVHWk_
EP 512: David Bradley Lim On Finally Finding His Path As A Successful Actor
David Bradley Lim grew up in a comfortable Nor Cal suburb. He excelled at most sports, but he knew that he'd never be able to be competitive beyond high school. So he majored in electrical engineering. But after earning his degree, he dove headfirst into the mortgage lending business. Even though he didn't know an escrow from an equity line, he put in the reps and became a top performer. But one day the savings and loan world collapsed all around him. Still not sure what he wanted to do to earn
EP 511: The Two Kens On Unpacking The Unexpected Ending of "Conclave" Film
Already being mentioned for the Academy's "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" awards, this screen adaptation of Robert Harris' international bestselling novel Conclave is now available to rent on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, VuDu, and more! Having watched it together the week of Thanksgiving, Ken Kemp and I were chomping at the bit the next day to debrief the major messages, especially in the final scene. If you've already seen it, you may have completely overlooked the symbolism
EP 510: Dr. Samuel Jamier On The New York Asian Film Festival & Being a Korean Adoptee
Dr. Samuel Jamier was adopted as a 4-year-old from Korea by a strick Catholic family in the Brittany region of France. Growing up, he was an altar boy and into heavy metal music, but later developed an enormous passion for films. Today he's a skilled fundraiser, speaker, arts programmer, and serving as the president of the New York Asian Film Festival, which has become North America's leading festival of popular Asian cinema, and one of the top, most anticipated and critically acclaimed events i
EP 509: Joanne Howard On Writing "Sleeping In The Sun" Debut Novel
California-based Asian American writer Joanne Howard discovered her grandfather's journals which he'd written while the family was serving as Baptist missionaries to India in the 1930s. Fascinated by his firsthand accounts of being an American family as India began to push back against being a colony of Great Britain, Howard was inspired to create a story of a family much like his, told from the perspectives of the youngest of four American boys and the family's Indian man-servant. You can find
EP 508: Author & Cartoonist Teresa Wong On Latest Graphic Memoir "All Our Ordinary Stories"
Acclaimed Chinese Canadian author and cartoonist Teresa Wong recently published All Our Ordinary Stories: A Multigenerational Family Odyssey, which is her graphic memoir about the legacies of upheaval, a longing for family, and the barriers one daughter faces in trying to connect with her immigrant parents. www.byteresawong.com and @by_teresawong
EP 507: Author & Painter Hyeseung Song On "Docile: Memoirs Of A Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl
Acclaimed painter and now-author Hyeseung Song has written a searing coming-of-age memoir for fans of Crying in H Mart, Minor Feelings, and the film Minari. Entitled Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl, it follows the daughter of ambitious Asian American immigrant parents and Hyeseung's own search for self-worth.
The Two Kens On How We're Feeling & What We're Thinking Following Trump's Victory Over Harris
After Trump was declared the winner over Harris, long-time friends and podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp felt a need to see how the other was doing. If, like them, you're in shock that more than 70 million fellow Americans chose to give Trump another turn as the most powerful person in the free world, you'll probably find a degree of comfort in knowing that you're not alone.
EP 506: Tim Dang On Directing "Pacific Overtures" @EastWestPlayers
East West Players' venerable producing artistic director emeritus Tim Dang came back for a third appearance here to let us all know what's in store for audience members who come to his updated version of Stephen Sondheim's and John Weidman's Pacific Overtures. Previews start Nov. 7th and the musical will run through Dec. 1st. Go to www.eastwestplayers.org to purchase tickets. Set in nineteenth-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting in 1853, when American ships
EP 505: Brian Ho On How He Went From Being A Piano Prodigy To A Hammond Organ Jazz Artist
Brian Ho started taking piano lessons at a very early age, and even though he clearly was a prodigy, he struggled to connect to classical music. But he eventually learned that he could play all of his favorite songs by ear, which increased his passion for playing music. While still a teenager, he landed a gig at a San Jose Black Baptist church. That introduced him not only to the world of improvising, but even more significantlhy, to the venerable Hammond organ and its Leslie speaker. Today, Bri
EP 504: R&B/Rap Producer Band!t On What It Took For Him To Fulfill His Dreams In The Recording Industry
Award-winning R&B/Rap producer Band!t fell in love with the genres as the young son of Korean American academics. Unsatisfied with the standard STEM direction, he began teaching himself the rudiments of producing original beats interwoven with samples of songs from the 70s while in college. But it would require plenty of blood, sweat, tears, and unshakeable faith in God before he was given chances to prove what he could do.
EP 503: The Two Kens On Decision 2024 & Ongoing Uncertainty
VP Harris was inserted into the race just a few months ago, and now we're only 3 weeks away from the day when all the votes will be cast and counted. After that, the whole world will finally know who will be the 47th POTUS. Harris has proven to be a much more formidable adversary to Trump, and yet most polls are still saying that this race is too close to call. Podcasters Fong and Kemp address why it's so uncomfortable living with uncertainty, and how important it is for us all to learn to embra
EP 502: Arcadia City Council Incumbent Paul Cheng & Candidate David Fu On Why Serving Our Communities As Elected Officials Matters So Much
My guests this week are Paul Cheng and David Fu. Paul is finishing his first term on Arcadia's City Council and seeking a second term, while David is running to join his friend Paul on their city's council. I started getting to know a few of the Asian Americans running for local offices when they asked me to take photographs for their campaigns of them with their families. I've really come to appreciate how fortunate we are that people of the caliber and character of David and Paul are willing t
EP 501: Mika Shino On Launching, Mass-producing & Marketing Issei Mochi Gummies
Because Mika Shino was born in Japan, she possessed an innate connection to Japan's traditions, culture, aesthetics, and cuisines. But having grown up in other countries, especially America, she also was imbued with a creative curiosity that was free to explore beyond the boundaries of her native roots. When she became a mom, she soon learned that most of American snacks originatetd in Europe, and they weren't healthy. So she began to experiment in her kitchen, eventually concocting a healthy sn
EP 500: Susan Lieu On Her Debut Memoir "The Manicurist's Daughter"
Vietnamese American playright and performer Susan Lieu recently published her memoir The Manicurist's Daughter. After her 30-something manicurist mother died from a botched tummy-tuck surgery, Susan was met with a wall of silence from all her relatives. Tragically, she internalized the body-shaming-consciousness that led to her mother's unnecessary death. This led to years and years of battles with her weight and self-esteem. But she eventually learns to push back hard against the body-shaming v
EP 499: Louis Wu On How He Started A Ukulele Company 18 Years Ago & Why These 4-Stringed Instruments Have Become So Popular
Louis Wu was an engineer, not an entrepreneur. But when he and his wife agreed that he needed a job that would allow him to spend more time with their young children, he began casting around, trying to find his new career path. In this episode, you'll hear how he ended up starting Ohana Music 18 years ago, which has become a widely respected source of quality affordable and now customized ukuleles around the world. www.ohana-music.com #ukulele #ukulelelife
EP 498: Carolyn Taketa On Learning To Embrace & Navigate Life's Big Changes
According to experts, the average person goes through at least 30 major changes in his or her life. Some changes are things that we choose, e.g., marriage, divorce, different career, while some changes are things that happen or happen to us that we must navigate, e.g, war, assault, poor health, accident, etc. Carolyn Taketa is a certified life transformation coach after being a litigator in court, a mom, the small groups pastor of a megachurch, and then an empty nester. She loves helping others
EP 497: The Two Kens On Debate #2 - Hook, Line & Stinker
On Tuesday night, September 3rd, Trump and Harris locked horns in what now looks to be the first and final debate between the two leading candidates for America's next POTUS. Even if you didn't watch it, by now, days later, you've no doubt heard that Harris prevailed mightily and convincingly over Trump. Regardless of the outcome, Fong and Kemp were ready to weigh in the very next day. If you listened to their episode following the Biden v. Trump debate (June 29, EP 382), you'll quickly notice a
EP 496: Doreen Wong & Ken Fong On The Unexpected Miracle Of Falling In Love Again After Half A Century
My very special guest this bonus episode is Doreen Wong. You're going to get to hear from her because she said 'yes' to me twice last week. She accepted my surprise proposal of marriage on September 3rd, and then the next day she finally accepted my invitation to join me on my podcast to tell the miraculous story of how we've come back together fifty-plus years after we broke up before the end of her senior year in high school. Miracles do happen!
EP 495: Lei Wang On Being The First Asian Woman To Achieve The Explorers' Grand Slam
Lei Wang was perfectly happy with her burgeoning career in marketing and finance. But one fateful frigid Boston evening, she went to watch a documentary on mountain climbing, and something unusual began to stir in her. Even though she was a short, out-of-shape, unathletic 30-year-old person, she became seized by the vision of climbing to the top of Mount Everest! You'll be utterly amazed at what she went through to achieve this compelling vision. And you'll be inspired by the life-lessons she's
EP 494: Henry Lam On Coaching People With ADHD
Growing up, Henry Lam struggled in school, but it wasn't until he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2018 and received treatment that he was finally able to focus and succeed. Given what he went through, he has become a professional ADHD Coach, combining an understanding of neuroscience, psychology, and business strategy to support tech professionals--especially Asian American ones--who are grappling with ADHD themselves.
EP 493: NPR's Emily Kwong On Her Amazing New "Inheriting" Podcast
NPR's Emily Kwong launched the Inheriting podcast this past May, where she facilitated an in-depth conversation among members from different generations of AANHPI families. Could they identify a few critical decisions or changes in history that continue to impact and shape their families? We also discuss whether it's possible for any reporter to be 100% objective and unbiased, in the wake of the accusations by an NPR editor back in April that the station has a decidedly liberal bias. You can sti
EP 492: The Two Kens On Our Better Angels & 2024 DNC
The 2024 DNC ended Thursday night, so the next morning podcasters Fong and Kemp were excited to compare notes about what they heard, saw and felt during throughout this 4-night gathering of Democratic delegates to make VP Harris and Gov. Walz their 1-2 punch to keep the White House and also to prevent Trump, MAGA, and Project 2025 from gaining power. As Kemp put it, the GOP's RNC portrayed American as a bleak and doomed dystopia if Harris and Walz were to win. But the Dem's DNC painted a compell
EP 491: Eve J. Chung On Her Debut Novel "Daughters Of Shandong"
Asian American author Eve J. Chung spent the first years of her life in Taiwan with her grandmother. In their shared space, Eve remembers a woman who loved her fiercely; hoarded food and fed her family fat-rich chicken skins; and used a heat lamp on her knees every night while watching Chinese period dramas. As Eve got older, she recognized these habits as remnants of her grandmother's harrowing escape from China during the country's Communist Revolution in the 1940s, and of the starvation and p
EP 490: Director/Writer Tom Huang & Actor Dana Lee On "Dealing With Dad" Film & AAPI Mental Health
In Director/Writer Tom Huang's 2022 film Dealing with Dad, Margaret Chang reluctantly returns to her hometown along with her hapless brothers to deal with the sudden depression of their complete-jerk father, whom everyone happens to hate. In fact, he's actually more pleasant being depressed, so the siblings wonder if it's worth struggling to get him better. In the meantime, their forced time together allows them to reconnect as a family, reminisce about the bad times with Dad and maybe even help
EP 489: Lisa M. Gomez, Assistant Secretary of EBSA On How American Men Needlessly Struggle With Mental Health Issues
Lisa M. Gomez is the Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) in the U.S. Department of Labor (www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa). She brought with her a particular concern about the mental health of American men, especially minority men. Although I wasn't taken aback to hear that AANHPI men are the least likely to seek professional help, I nevertheless shared her desire to move the needle in the other direction. She outlines how EBSA's staff are eager to help all mann
EP 488: The Two Kens On The Right's Denigration Of VP Kamala Harris
Even before the majority of delegates to the upcoming DNC had lined up behind Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Trump and the MAGA crowd began to use ad hominem attacks against her. Long-time friends and fellow podcasters Fong and Kemp kick things off by talking about their renewed optimism that Trump will be defeated again, then downshift into discussing how the GOP and also White Christian Nationalists are blatantly using racist and misogynist slurs to discredit Harris.
EP 487: Dr. Mako Yoshikawa On Her Journey To Understand Her Brilliant Father's Mental Illness
In this compelling collection of fifteen personal essays, Dr. Mako Yoshikawa takes us along on her journey to gain a clearer understanding of who her late father was. Secrets of the Sun "...is particularly brilliant at capturing the grief, guilt and fear that adults who experienced childhood abuse face when deciding how or whether to maintain a relationship with their abusive parent.” (Catherine Hollis, BookPage)
EP 486: Dr. Kelly N. Fong On Confronting Racism & Sexism In Higher Education
In her no-holds-barred essay “Conditional, But Essential, Contingency,” Dr. Kelly N. Fong confronts the racism she’s faced as an Asian American woman with a PhD in historical archaeology and examines the ways she’s rejected what she terms “muted invisibility” in favor of demanding change from the predominantly white academy. https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477328866/#:~:text=Description,academics%20in%20the%20United%20States.
EP 485: Dr. Sophia Yen On A Lifetime Of Hormonal Healthcare For Women
Ever since starting puberty, females must deal with hormonal challenges that males never face, e.g. menstruation (and everything that goes with that montly occurrence), then menopause, and finally life after menopause. In 2016 Dr. Sophia Yen launched PandiaHealth.com, the only women-founded and women-led online hormone health clinic and doctor-led birth control delivery company. www.pandiahealth.com #periodoptional #stopsuckingitup
EP 484: Derek Ting On His Latest Action Film "Agent Recon"
A covert military task force tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico that is suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength and speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity’s demise. This is the original story Agent Recon that Derek Ting wrote, produced, directed and acted in, co-starring legendary acti
EP 483: Philip W. Chung On World Premiere of "Unbroken Blossoms"
Playwright Philip W. Chung's Unbroken Blossoms is a historical reimagining of the making of a boundary-breaking 1919 Hollywood classic that shines a light on the collateral damage in the search for "authentic" representation, and asks what price we pay for our art. Making its world premiere in East West Players David Henry Hwang Theater, Chung's imaginative play runs from June 27-July 21. Head over to www.eastwestplayers.org to find a performance that fits your schedule and purchase tickets.
EP 482: The Two Kens On Debate Postmortem - Is Biden Too Old?
In this episode podcasters Fong and Kemp gamely try to stay out of panic mode in light of President Biden's abysmal performance at the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Did Biden just show 50 million viewers that he was past his prime? Or does a person's performance on a debate stage really tell us how he or she will lead or deal with challenges? Hypothetically, if Biden chooses to drop out, who might the Dems nominate that would not just energize and unite the Dem
EP 481: CEO Libby Liu On Whistleblower Aid, NDAs & Radio Free Asia
Whistleblower Aid CEO Libby Liu has long been a tireless champion for giving as many people as possible access to what's really going on, pushing back against Goliaths like totalitarian governments or powerful corporations. We talk about how the non-profit she leads equips whistleblowers to step forward with courage and to survive the harrowing legal and personal gauntlets that lie ahead of them. She also explains why many NDAs are not nearly as enforceable as we think.
EP 480: The Two Kens On A Convicted Felon Running To Be POTUS
With the conviction of former POTUS Trump on all 34 counts last week, you might think that that would catalyze many of even his most ardent supporters to call for him to drop out of the current race for the White House. Think again. Fong and Kemp try to discern why the majority of GOP "the party of law and order" politicians are crying foul, validating Trump's own bogus claim that he's a political martyr. But these two veteran podcasters also weigh in on how the Biden camp needs to capitalize on
EP 479: Dr. Kenneth Wang On Learning How To Be Perfectly Imperfect
Clinical psychologist Dr. Kenneth Wang has spent the last 20 years researching the area of perfectionism, especially how it manifests itself in Asian Americans. This should come as no surprise, but most corporate executives are perfectionists. This trait is often one of the main reasons that they've risen to the top of their organizations, but it can also create a problematic work environment for those around them, and even lead to problems at home. Wang and I also spend time talking about how m
EP 478: Virginia Duan On K-pop And Overcoming Relational Trauma
In her debut novel Illusive, writer, blogger, and author Virginia Duan takes readers behind the scenes in the world of K-pop to explore the paralyzing aftereffects of relational trauma and what can be done to overcome them.
EP 477: The Two Kens On United But Hopelessly Divided?
In this latest episode of the collaborative series between longtime friends, former pastors, and fellow podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they talk about whether the recent decision by the United Methodist denomination to remove all barriers that had prevented LGBTQ+ persons from experiencing full inclusion is a lens through which to view and understand what's happening in America.
EP 476: Jamie Jo Hoang On "My Father, The Panda Killer"
In writing My Father, The Panda Killer Vietnamese American Jamie Jo Hoang humanizes the costs and consequences of the Vietnam War through the experiences of three generations of a traumatized fictional family from South Vietnam.
EP 475: Thomas Lee On How Bruce Lee Mastered Business, Confidence, and Success
Author and business journalist Thomas Lee has given us a refreshingly new and relevant way to appreciate the life and legacy of the late pop icon Bruce Lee. In writing The Bruce Lee Code: How the Dragon Mastered Business, Confidence, and Success, and in serving as the lead curator and editorial director of the We Are Bruce Lee exhibit in the Chinese Historical Society's museum in San Francisco, Lee has been able to humanize Bruce Lee by looking at him through four new lenses that prove that he i
EP 474: Alexandra Chan On Loss, Myth & Magic
Alexandra Chan had excelled in life as a left-brain, logical and educated person. But the recent loss of her amazing father Robert Earl Chan showed her the inherent limitations of just using reason to deal with life's greatest challenges. In her new book, In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth, and Magic she takes us all on this journey inward, while telling us about this actual 'most interesting man in the world.'
EP 473: Newton Cheng On Helping Breakdown The Stigma Surrounding Mental Health Struggles
Newton Cheng is the Director of Health + Performance at Google. He's a husband, a dad, and a champion powerlifter. From all appearances, he was doing great. Even better than great! But he was privately struggling with depression and burnout. It took his decision one day to take off his mask and openly talk about his struggles to set him on a course of getting better, but also pave the way for many other Googlers to step out of the shadows in search of solace and help.
EP 472: The Two Kens With Betsey Newenhuyse On What America Might Lose If Religious Communities Die
In this latest episode of The Two Ken's podcast series, Ken Kemp's regular guest Betsey Newenhuyse from Chicago joins us to talk about the ongoing need for regular groups of reliable, religious people, despite the burgeoning exodus from all forms of religion in America. Although unprecedented numbers of us no longer belong to a religious group or have zero-interest in every joining one, most of us haven't found viable alternatives to them. Without anywhere to go regularly, and without a caring c
EP 471: Wing Ho On Coaching Relationship-Driven Leaders
Wing Ho is the founder of Xcela Coaching, where he offers Leadership Coaching and Team Culture Coaching. His relational-driven approach is something that leaders today in all kinds of settings need to understand and incorporate.
EP 470: Lisa Sanaye Dring On Her New Play "Kairos" @ East West Players Theater
Writer and director Lisa Sanaye Dring's new play Kairos opens East West Players new season on April 4th. Because her play explores what can happen to a couple when there's a possibility of them living forever, we delve headlong into a captivating discussion of the significance of time, special moments, mortality, immortality, and even success and failure! To see the schedule and buy tickets to performances, go to www.eastwestplayers.org.
EP 469: Joseph Tseng On His New EP "Pearls Of Home"
Back when Joseph Tseng graduated from college, he focused on making a living as a singer/songwriter/storyteller. But he soon discovered that that dream wasn't ready to become a reality. He put his music behind him and worked conventionally for years. But questions began to float to the surface of his awareness. About his identity as an Asian American. About the importance of being part of a close-knit community. About whether there was still a way for him to see himself as a Christian. Nineteen
EP 468: Danna Okuyama On Creating A Safe Online International Penpal Platform For Children
Danna Okuyama left her career in high finance to become the founder and CEO of Urban Sandbox, a new modern-day pen pal app and safe space for students to connect, share, and grow with other like-minded peers from around the world, while learning from qualified educators. Students have a place to engage like other platforms, without the concerns of unregulated content, as parents have access to easily supervise activity and ensure safety. www.urban-sandbox.com
EP 467: The Two Kens On Those Today Who Are Trying to Colonize America
In this latest installment of The Two Kens series, podcasters Fong and Kemp see the decision by Alabama's Supreme Court to outlaw invitro fertizilation (IVF) as the latest and most blatant example of Christian Nationalists and members of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) to colonize America. They adhere to the historical falsehood that God created this country to be a Christian theocracy, where conservative white Christians use their biased interpretations of the Bible to dictate how everyone
EP 466: Eric Gee On His Fascinating System Of Personality Typing
This is probably stating the obvious, but there is more than one type of personality. Eric Gee has spent countless hours and many years perfecting a system of personality typing that is less rigid than the Meyers-Briggs system (MBTI) and also much easier to remember and grasp. Defining sixteen different 'animal' types and arranging them into four logical 'packs,' Eric consistently captures people's imaginations as he takes them deeper into this world. You can take his test by going to www.youtop
EP 465: Brynn Evans On JOYN - A Healthy Way To Deal With 'Asian Flush'
Ever since she learned to drink alcohol in college, Brynn Evans had been embarassed by how red her face would turn, "a consequence of being half Chinese," she'd lament. Taking an antacid when she drank seemed to do the trick, but that eventually made her really sick. Thus began her decade-long journey to come up with a safe and healthy dietary supplement that would reduce or eliminate this alcohol-induced flush, and even mitigate serious hangovers. She recently launched JOYN (www.joynthefun.com)
EP 464: The Two Kens On Borders & Boundaries, Heaven & Hell
In this latest installment of The Two Kens series, friends and podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp roll up their sleeves to have difficult conversations about three issues that involve borders or boundaries, i.e., immigration at the U.S. southern border, the war in the Gaza Strip that to a growing number of people--especially Millennials--is looking like the genocide of the Palestinian people, and whether heaven and hell are real, and if so, who decides who's going to which place?
EP 463: Ali Khawar On How EBSA Is Working to Help More Americans Save For Retirement
With more than 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, 45% of Americans reporting no savings at all, and of the 55% who have retirement saving, over half report that they have less than $250,000. Given the a person making $40K/year will need to have saved $1M to have a dignified and comfortable retirement, it's clear that America is heading for a retirement crisis. Ali Khawar is the U.S. Department of Labor's Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (E
EP 462: Janice Polizzoto On Transforming Lives By Transforming Music Education
Music Will runs the largest nonprofit music program in the U.S. public school system. For more than 20 years they have provided teacher training, curriculum, resources, musical instruments, and equipment to restore and expand music education to more than 1.6 million students (K-12) and in over 6,000 public schools. Janice Polizzotto is Music Will's Chief Relationship Officer, bringing more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors with an emphasis on social impac
EP 461: Eric Vue & Shinshin Yuder Tsai On Sketch Comedy Troupe No MSG Added
Headwriter Eric Vue and Director Shinshin Yuder Tsai co-founded the Orange County (CA)-based Asian American sketch comedy troupe No MSG Added. In this hilarious episode, Ken prods them to explain the differences between improv and sketch comedy, and the challenges of recruiting a representative group of AANHPI comedians and writers to entertain and educate rooms full of diverse people about life as Asian Americans. www.nomsgadded.com
EP 460: Cassindy Chao On The Joy Of Romance & Finding That Perfect Match
Growing up in a family of matchmakers, you could say that Cassindy Chao was destined to become one, too! She eventually left the sterile confines of finance to pursue her passion: helping Asian Americans find that perfect match and true love! You'll be enthralled with the energetic back-and-forth between Cassindy and Ken as they compare notes gleaned from their many years spent guiding individuals through the maze of issues that arise when trying to find a compatible soulmate.
EP 459: Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall On The Mind Boba App & AANHPI Mental Health
Psychologist Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall retired from academia a few years ago, but he's continuing to work to increase the percentage of AANHPIs who will seek help from mental health professionals. To this end, he is part of a team that has developed the Mind Boba problem-solving intervention app that is culturally adapted and created for Asian Americans! (Check out trifoia.com/mindboba on the Web, mind.boba on Instagram, and the Mind Boba FB page). Here's your chance to learn about this easily ac
EP 458: The Two Kens On What Actually Is "The Baby"?
In this year's last installment of the collaborative The Two Kens podcast series, Fong first updates Kemp on how his relationship is going with Doreen, his high school girlfriend from half a century ago, then coaxes Kemp to read his latest Substack essay entitled The Baby and the Bathwater: What Is the Baby?. The focus of Kemp's mental exercise is what's left after growing numbers of conservative Christians "deconstruct" their beliefs. Are there still solid reasons to believe in and worship God?
EP 457: Kenneth Chang On Using Horror Films To Convey The Christian Message
In 2022 Korean American Christian actor, writer, producer, and director Kenneth Chang teamed up with David Chan Lee to create the short horror film Refuse, in which a down and out Korean American Christian young man is fighting the demon of meth addiction, while his mother's KA church views him as a demon. You'll learn about how great horror films are able to depict not just the battle between good and evil, but spiritual battles between God and the devil.
EP 456: Jim Fong On Unconventional Leadership In The Face Of Insurmountable Challenges
My guest this episode is a proven leader who's a great example of the power of unconventional thinking. Jim Fong was an executive vice president and chief commercial officer for CTI Biopharma. This summer a Swedish pharmaceutical giant plunked down nearly $2 billion US dollars to acquire this startup, but as you're about to learn, almost no one in the industry predicted that this would happen. Jim and his team were given the near-impossible task of recruiting a salesforce of 100 to sell their bl
EP 455: Dr. Yunte Huang On Daughter Of The Dragon Anna May Wong
UC Santa Barbara English Professor Dr. Yunte Huang recently published the final book in his "Rendezvous With American History" trilogy. Following the ones about the real and fictional detective Charlie Chan and the unbelievable one about the Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, Huang has now researched and written a thoroughgoing book about Hollywood's first Asian American movie star Anna May Wong. How did the daughter of a laundryman in LA's Chinatown get bit by the acting bug? Have the rumors a
EP 454: Jing Gao On Launching & Growing "Fly By Jing"
In 2018 entrepreneurial chef Jing Gao harnessed everything she'd learned from master chefs in China, and also the deep insights she'd arrived at in her journey to understand her identity to create a unique line of seasonings that's already in 5,000 stores in America. Carrying her label "Fly By Jing," each carefully crafted jar uses quality ingredients from her hometown of Chengdu, China. Hers is a fascinating journey that took her from the tech world to culinary school in China and being a resta
EP 453: Richard Soriano On My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving & Caring for Adults With Special Needs
In generating the script for the 2022 indy film My Apocalyptic Thanksgiving, Filipino American writer Richard Soriano took his experiences as the director of a group home for adults with special needs and provided a compelling vehicle that helps audiences begin to see these folks as fellow human beings. While our conversation revolved around why and how he made this film, we spend a good deal of time talking about the world of adults with developmental disabilities, their families, and those oft
EP 452: Dr. Melissa Dyo On Being An Adoptee & Searching For and Finding Her Biological Family
Melissa Dyo always knew that she and her sister were adopted and loved her adoptive family. But a few years back, she realized that if she ever wanted to find her birth mom, that window was starting to close. President Clinton declared that November was National Adoption Month, and you're going to be absolutely enthralled when you hear her share how her search has turned out!
EP 451: Tamlyn Tomita On Starring In the Musical Spring Awakening
Veteran American actor Tamlyn Tomita is my guest this week to make sure that as many people as possible know about East West Players' last production of their 57th season Spring Awakening. This revolutionary musical won the "Best Musical" Tony Award on Broadway, and I can promise you that Director Tim Dang's version at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, is Broadway-quality! Tamlyn and husband Daniel Blinkoff play all of the adult roles quite convincingly, and the ensembl
Ep 450: Jessica Yu On New Comedy Quiz Lady
Award-winning director Jessica Yu spoke with me recently about her latest film Quiz Lady that will debut on November 3, 2023, on Hulu in the U.S. and on DisneyPlus everywhere else. Starring Sandra Oh and Awkwafina, it's about two estranged sisters who are thrown together when their gambling-addicted mother leaves the country because she owes her loan shark $80,000. The quarreling sisters decide that their best chance at raising that kind of cash is for Awkwafina's character Anne to become the wi
EP 449: Danny Taing On Creating and Growing the Bokksu Brand
Cambodian Chinese American entrepreneur Danny Taing has always loved a challenge. Like many young immigrants from Asia, Danny struggled with being a minority in predominantly white settings. He became fascinated with how the Japanese had been able to carve out a comfortable and admirable cultural niche, so he began to study their culture and learn their language, eventually moving to live and work in Japan. That's how he came to love the myriad kinds of special Japanese snacks. After moving back
EP 448: Steve Tsuruda On Precision Medical Imaging Data Science
Steve Tsuruda is the founder of GeminiDT ™ (www.geminidt.com) whose technological breakthroughs enable the medical industry to harness the power of data science and volumertic data. From historical scan data to raw data sets from CT, MRI, PET and Sonography doctors, radiologists and researchers can now develop preventitive therapies, see cause and effect on the digital twin, do comparative studies with certainty and accuracy. The Human Anatomy project (www.the-hap.org) will conduct studies leve
EP 447: The Two Kens Series On Megachurch Problems
In this latest episode of the collaborative Two Kens series, Fong and Kemp tackle the phenomenon of megachurches. When did they first begin to proliferate and why? What are some of their inherent problems? Do most of them defy what it really means to be genuine Body of Christ?
Ep 446: Joy Ngiaw On Being a Film and TV Composer
Joy Ngiaw is a young Malaysian-born Chinese American who has already made a name for herself in Hollywood as an award-winning composer for films and television. One of the best examples of her empathic expertise is Apple TV+ and Skydance's animated short film Blush. Because the film has no dialogue, Joy's musical score has to convey the shifting emotions in all the scenes. She is definitely one to watch!
Ep 445: Joy Regullano On Her Comedy Musical Supportive White Parents
Multi-talented Joy Regullano is a hard-working writer, actor, and comedian. She recently released the concept album for her comedy musical Supportive White Parents, a more than semi-autobiographical story of a young adult Filipina American budding artist with demanding parents. One night, out of desperation, "Joy" wishes that she could have supportive white parents instead. And of course, her wish comes true. But like most wishes, "Joy" eventually discovers that the grass ain't necessarily green
Ep 444: Kate Young Eun Park On South Korean Musical Cookin'
Globe-trotting South Korean Production Supervisor Kate Young Eun Park is my guest this week. She came on to promote Cookin', a madcap percussive musical featuring four frenzied chefs striving to meet a crazy wedding banquet deadline. In its 26th year, Cookin' has been already been viewed by 1.48 million people in 60 countries, and is currently at the Minneapolis Children's Theater Company (CTC) until Oct 22, 2023, and then it moves to Charlotte, NC, for a week. If you aren't able to make either
Ep 443: Kristen Meinzer On Importance of Finding & Using Your Unique Voice
Korean American adoptee Kristen Meinzer has harnassed the power of her unique voice and interests to become a familiar commentator on aspects of pop culture, British royalty, and even weird fringe Christian cults. Considered to be one of the "22 most influential women in podcasting today," Meinzer shares what every budding podcaster needs to know, along with some hilarious stories from her current collection of podcasts that she co-hosts. You'll also learn how she has become one of the go-to com
Ep 442: Amy Yip On Unfinished Business
It took Amy Yip 38 years to come to grips with what it meant to take ownership of her own life, which involved learning how to relate to her immigrant Asian parents in more curious and objective ways. She's now a successful life-coach and her book Unfinished Business: Breaking Down the Great Wall Between Adult Child & Immigrant Parents will be in stores on 9/28/23. https://amyyipcoaching.com/
Ep 441: Curtis Chin On Everything I Learned I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant
My guest this episode is writer, producer, director and activist Curtis Chin, whose memoir "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant" will appear in bookstores on Oct 17th. The book is about growing up Asian American in the Black and white city of Detroit, Michigan, and coming out of the closet in his working-class immigrant community.
Ep 440: The Two Kens Series On Grief & Therapeutic Creativity
Ken Fong recently returned from scattering his beloved wife Snoopy's cremains in the turquoise-blue clear water between the Mokulua Islands on the windward side of Oahu. For years, every time they would visit Lanikai Beach, Snoopy would remind him that that would be the final resting place of her earthly remains. After cancer claimed her this past July, Ken, daugther Janessa, Snoopy's brothers Darren and Greg, and her best friend Tanya put their heads together to figure out how to fulfill this r
Ep 439: Mike Yam On New Children's Book Fried Rice & Marinara And Demise of Pac 12
Mike Yam is a Chinese Italian American who currently serves as a studio host for the NFL Network after anchoring the Pac 12 network from 2012 to 2020. Obviously, I had to ask him what he thought of the disintegration of the Pac 12 before our very eyes, but the main reason I had him on was to talk about his first children's book Fried Rice and Marinara, which portrays a bit of what it's like to grow up as a 'combo plate' American.
Ep 438: Dr. Jane Hong On How Post-1965 Asian Immigration Has Changed US Evangelical Institutions & Politics
Occidental College's Dr. Jane Hong is working on a new book that uses the history of Asian American evangelicals as a lens to explore the intersections of race, religion, and politics since the 1970s. The fact that I came of age on the West Coast during this period as an Asian American evangelical pastor, leader, and seminary adjunct made me keenly interested to pick Dr. Hong's brain.
Ep 437: Manjusha Kulkarni & Dr. Sy Stokes On Unseen Mental Health Crises Among AAPI In The Workplace
In this episode AAPI Equity Alliance's ED Manjusha Kulkarni and COQUAL's research VP Dr. Sy Stokes unpack some of the key findings of the "Strangers at Home: The Asian and Asian American Professional Experience" report published in January '23 by COQUAL.
Ep 436: Qin Sun Stubis On Once Our Lives
Writer Qin Sun Stubis was one of four daughters born to a poor couple in China during some of the most culturally and politcally trying times. Her newly published book "Once Our Lives" is a historical memoir that tells the stories of four generations of women in her family, including herself.
Ep: 435 - The Two Kens Series on A Grief Observed
After taking a few weeks to allow the loss of my wife Snoopy (8/15/56) to sink in fully, I'm back on the air with this latest in The Two Kens series because I trusted my good friend and fellow podcasters Ken Kemp to prompt me to talk about how I'm grieving and how we're planning to give her a moving sendoff in early August. Her memorial service will be livestreamed on EBCLA's YouTube channel on Aug 12th @ 10AM. If you've been on this journey with us, I think you'll experience a great amount of c
Ep 434: Angel Wu On Losing Her Wonderful Mother To Conspiracy Theories
Angel Wu is understandably outraged that her well-educated, Christian Taiwanese American mother fell headlong into the Q-Anon/Anti-Vax rabbit hole. Convinced that John F. Kennedy, Jr., was alive and well and living on a remote island, she refused to be vaccinated. So when she caught COVID-19, it killed her. This is a part of the conspiracy story that rarely gets told. But Angel was mad enough and brave enough to shed some needed light on it.
Ep 433: Chen Tang On Season 3 of "Warrior"
Actor Chen Tang is back as the irrepressible Chinese hitman "Hong" in the MAX series Warrior. Originally created by Cinemax and based on Bruce Lee's original writings, the first two seasons garnered rave reviews and spawned a rabid fanbase. But when Cinemax decided that it would no longer fund original programming, Warrior seemed to have hit a dead end. However, MAX (formerly known as HBO Max) quickly saw that this series first two seasons were hugely popular on their platform, so they reunited
Ep 432: Sharon Kwon On Netflix's Beef and Korean American Christianity
Therapist, writer and world traveller Sharon Kwon returns to my podcast in light of her April Slate article "The Most Emotional Scene in Beef Gets at a Deeper Truth" (https://slate.com/culture/2023/04/beef-netflix-steven-yeun-korean-church.html). Growing up as a child of a pastor of a Korean American church, Sharon experienced conflicting emotions watching the numerous scenes that were in this setting. I also saw this as an opportunity to ask her watch she thinks about the now-controversial cast
Ep 431: Ian Shen on Coming to Grips with Being a Gay AANHPI Christian
I recorded this conversation for last year's Pride Month, but as a favor to my guest and former graduate student Ian Shen, I held off posting it until he was ready for his heartfelt journey to be shared around the world on my platform. He chose this year's Pride Month for me to release his episode. It was totally worth the wait.
Ep 430: The Two Kens On the White Innocence Problem
In this latest edition of a collaborative episode between podcasters Fong and Kemp, we tackle the White Innocence problem, taking turns reading a recent Op Ed in the LA Times by UNC law professor Osamudia James, and then Kemp opens up about how he came to reject his own embrace of White Innocence.
Ep 429: Francis Jue On Starring in Good Enemy
Veteran actor Francis Jue stars in the Audible Original production of Good Enemy by the remarkable young playwright Yilong Liu. Jue plays Howard, the immigrant Chinese American father of a young adult daughter who has grown tired of trying to get him to share about his past. Why has he always been so secretive? What will it take for him to take his daughter into his confidence?
Ep 428: Al Nakatani On Preparing to Die With Gratitude and Thoughtfulness
Unlike most of us, Al Nakatani knows for a fact that he only has months left to live. But rather than feeling sorry for himself as he now is in managed hospice care, Al is using his remaining time to identify and thank the various people that have helped him grow as a person. And to my surprise, that included me.
Ep 427: Gene Luen Yang On Making His Graphic Novel Into A Disney+ Series
Back in 2006 Gene Luen Yang created the graphic novel "American Born Chinese," a 3-part story of a Chinese American teenager who's trying to gain acceptance at school while dealing with the mystical occurrences surrounding his life. His book has won many awards and has long been required reading in many schools. In this special episode, Gene and I reunite to hear how his now-seventeen-year-old book is about to launch May 24th on Disney+ starring two Academy Award-winning actors!
Ep 426: Jon Ido Warden On Chronic Disease and the Quest for Meaning
Jon Ido Warden didn't get married until he was 38. His wife knew she was marrying an athlete and someone who actively served others in the name of Christ. But after a year, he began to experience health problems which ultimately led to a grim diagnosis of a chronic disease tied to his auto immune system. The doctors forecast that he wouldn't live more than five years, but it's now been 27 years! Much like rust on metal, his disease has continued to slowly eat away at his remaining vigor, keeping
Ep 425: Paulo K. Tirol & Noam Shapiro On Creating Filipino American Musical
In coming together to create On This Side of the World, Tirol and Shapiro connected deeply to the experiences of countless Filipino Americans who flew over 7,000 miles to start new lives in America. Produced by East West Players in partnership with FilAm ARTS, this wonderful new musical makes its world premiere at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, from May 11 - June 4. For show times and tickets please visit www.eastwestplayers.org.
EP 424: Tyler Ransom On Chronic Illness, Martial Arts, Music & Being a Creative
Tyler Ransom is a young Black-Filipino American singer/songwriter and guitarist who's managed to compete in mixed martial arts and carve out a trajectory as a professional musician, despite being saddled with kidney disease. Check out the documentary about his journey at www.intheshedfilm.com and listen to his music on either www.tylerransom.com or any music streaming platform.
EP 423: Tim Hwang On Building A Successful Startup
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.
EP 422: Heinz Insu Fenkl On Skull Water An Autobiographical Novel
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.
EP 421: The Two Kens - FINALLY! Indicted & Arraigned
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.
EP 420: Dr. Brad Onishi On Extremist History Of White Christian Nationalism And What Comes Next
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 t
EP 419: Nat Vikitsreth On Helping Young Children Navigate Their/Your Feelings, Part II
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
EP 418: Nat Vikitsreth On Helping Young Children Navigate Their/Your Feelings
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: Talking to Kids About Race in Ways that They Get & You Don't Sweat Self-Guided Workshop Sign up for free. Listen to the Come Back to Care Podcast
EP 417: Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi On Being An Effective AAPI Leader
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
EP 416: Shirley Ann Higuchi On Setsuko's Secret and Intergenerational Trauma Stemming from EO9066
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 1
Ep 415: The Rev. Dr. James Kyung-Jin Lee On The Pedagogies of Woundedness
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.
EP 414: Nell Yukiye Murphy On Raising More People's Awareness Of The Injustices Suffered By Japanese Americans
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 s
EP: 413 Dr. James Zarsadiaz On The Significance of Monterey Park, The SGV And Other Ethnoburbs
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
Ep 412: Kristina Wong On Her Becoming a Sweatshop Overlord During The Pandemic
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
Ep 411: The Two Kens On Monterey Park and Memphis
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.
Ep 410: Eric Chen On Caring Now For The Victims Of The Monterey Park Shooting
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
Ep 409: Dr. Jennifer Ho On Assimilating America's Culture of Gun Violence, Toxic Masculinity, and White Supremacy
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?
Ep 408: J. Elijah Cho in "Mr. Yunoishi" And The Problem of Yellow Face
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
Ep 407: Son of Paper On His Experience Of Anti-Asian Violence And Why His Music Is Now Centered In S.F.'s Chinatown
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
Ep 406: CA Assemblymember Evan Low On The Need For More Capable AAPI Politicians And Whether Enough Americans Will Ever Elect An Openly LGBTQ+ POTUS
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.
Ep 405: Lisa Phu on "Before Me" - Talking With Her Mom About What She Left Behind in Cambodia To Come To America
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.
Ep 404: The Two Ken's Podcast on the Evangelical Fanatics Who Fueled the J-6 Insurrection
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 cont
Ep 403: Anita Yokota on the Benefits of Doing "Home Therapy"
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 husb
Ep 402: Ranger Yenyen Chan on the Chinese Contributions to Creating Yosemite National Park
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.
Ep 401: Bernice Chao on How AAPIs Can Become More Visible
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
Ep 400: Ronald W. Wong on "The Race Epidemic" Documentary
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 Founda
Ep 399: Anu Bhatt on Reclaiming Agency
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 mispronouncin
Ep 398: The Two Kens - Reflections & Prognostications Following the 2022 Midterms
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.
Ep 396: Christopher Huang on White Male Hegemony in Hollywood
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=
Ep 397: Arthur Dong on Anna May Wong
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 Muse
Ep 395: Scott MacMillan on Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
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 act
Ep 394: Winnie M. Li on #MeToo in Hollywood and "Complicit"
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 re
Ep 393: Sandra Tsing Loh on the Quirkiness of Being Asian Americans
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'
Ep 392: Yuri Sudhakar & Rick Abe @ Nudj Health
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.
Ep 391: The Two Kens Podcast_Healing Comes From the Margins
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.
Ep 390: Ryun Yu on "The Great Jheri Curl Debate"
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 Theat
Ep 389: David Ono on "Defining Courage," His Tribute to JA Soldiers Who Fought and Died in WWII
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 se
Ep 388: Dr. Thea Pham on Intergenerational Trauma
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.
Ep 387: Garrett Wong on Pursuing the Hero's Journey In Real Life
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
Ep 386: AADAP's Dean Nakanishi & John Saito, Jr.
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.
Ep 385: Dave Young Kim on Becoming an Asian American Muralist
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.
Ep 384: Dr. Russell Low on the Story of His Father's and Uncle's WWII Exploits
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
Ep 383: Amman Jordan AKA "Capnificent"
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 dif
Ep 382: Mayly Tao AKA The Donut Princess
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.
Ep 381: Thai Co-Producer and Cast of "Thirteen Lives" Movie
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.
Ep 380: Jo Koy, Lydia Gaston & Hannah-Kalea Enriquez
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.
Ep 379: Christina Soontornvat & the "Thirteen Lives" Movie
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 Chri
Ep 378: Justin Chung on Living Out Restorative Justice
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, d
Ep 377: Marie Myung-Ok Lee on "The Evening Hero" and the Unbelievable Development in Her Autistic Son's Ability to Communicate
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.
Ep 376: Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil on "Becoming Brave" and Why She No Longer Minces Words About Reconciliation When In Front of White People
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.
Ep 375: The Two Kens_The End of Roe v Wade
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.
Ep 374: Dr. Kat Lieu on "Modern Asian Baking at Home" and Her Journey to Create the Subtle Asian Baking Global Community
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.
Ep 373: Aiden Aizumi on Becoming and Being a Trans-male
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.
Ep 372: Simone Heng on Making Better Connections
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.
Ep 371: Phil Yu & Jeff Yang on the "Rise" of Asian American Culture from the Nineties Till Today
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!
Ep 370: Dale Minami on Overturning the Conviction of Fred Korematsu
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.
Ep 369: The Two Kens - Let's Replace Tucker!
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.
Ep 368: Dennis Dun on His Long Career As an Asian American Actor
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.
Ep 367: June Millington on Being One of Two Filipina American Sisters Who Formed First Critically Acclaimed All-female Rock Band "Fanny"
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!
Ep 366: Patrick Hare on Being a Criminal Defense Attorney and Running to Be a Superior Court Judge
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.
Ep 365: Christopher Chen
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.
Ep 364: Soon Wiley
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.
Ep 363: Kate Tsang
Filmmaker Kate Tsang's inaugural creation "Marvelous and the Black Hole" has already garnered rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and from a bevy of stellar critics. It's about a rebellious 13-year-old (Miya Cech) who's struggling with the loss of her mother, only to embark on an adventure with a children's party magician (Rhea Perlman).
Ep 362: Regina Larko
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.
Ep 361: Sheena Yap Chan
Podcaster and author Sheena Yap Chan has amassed well over a million downloads in her mission to spotlight courageous Asian women, and to encourage Asian women everywhere to cultivate greater self-confidence.
Ep 360: Lisa Sharon Harper
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 c
Ep 359: Russell Leong
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."
Ep 358: The Two Kens - To Russia With Love?
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.
Ep 357: Michelle Li
News anchor Michelle Li casually mentioned on-air that she'd eaten Korean dumpling soup on New Year's Day. Her comment elicited a hurtful racist critique from a White viewer. Ironically, the accusation that Michelle was being "very Asian" has given rise to the #veryasian movement where Asians everywhere are touting their favorite New Year's traditional favorites and standing together in solidarity.
Ep 356: Sean Lew
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.
Dr. Pamela Rotner Sakamoto
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.
Ep 354: Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe headlines a stellar ensemble cast in East West Players production of the Tony award-winning musical "Assassins." I've wanted to interview for years, and once you listen to our conversation, I think you'll understand why.
Ep 353: The Two Kens: Whiteness Interrupted
With February being Black History Month, Ken Fong asks Ken Kemp to unpack his remarkable transformation from being an Evangelical, Republican White Male to being a politically and theologically progressive "beached white male" today.
Ep 352: Dr. Timothy Fong
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.
Linda Yoon & Soo Jin Lee @ The Yellow Chair Collective
Psychotherapists Linda Yoon and Soo Jin Lee weren't afraid to launch YCC during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, they saw an even greater need for mental health education and resources. Since then, their agency's staff has mushroomed to keep up with their client-load. Given how they'd grown up in conservative Korean immigrant churches, we also take time to talk about our respective journeys to embrace a more inclusive progressive faith.
Ep 350: Danny Pudi
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.
Ep 349: Winnie Yee Lahkani
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.
Ep 348: The Two Kens Collaborative Podcast
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.
Ep 347: Vu Le
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.
Ep 346: Martha Millan
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.
Ep 345: Matthew Yonemura
“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.
Ep 344: Miranda Kwok
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.
Ep 343: Elodie Yung
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.
Ep 342: The Two Kens Collaborative Episode
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.
Ep 341: Tom Ikeda
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.
Ep 340: Lucca Wang
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
Ep 339: R. Scott Okamoto
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.
Ep 338: Raymond Douglas Chong
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.
Ep 337: Dr. Warren Yamashita
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.
Ep 336: The Two Ken's Collaborative Podcast
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.
Ep 335: Kenneth Lui
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: One of TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2021
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.
Jeffrey Gee Chin Talks About Pioneering Human Rights Activists Sei Fuj & Dr. Mabel Lee
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.
The Two Ken's: Our Final Review of Netflix's "Midnight Mass"
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 and "Snakehead"
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.
The Two Kens: Midnight Mass & Deconstructing While On An Island
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.