Welcome to Season 4, Episode 51! Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony was the first Japanese settlement in America, but it’s so much more than that. Their story is a slice of American history that highlights the struggles immigrants often faced when trying to establish themselves in a new culture without much support.

In this episode we talk about the socio-political environment in Japan that led a small group of Japanese (and one German) to move to American and begin the first Japanese settlement. We share some of their struggles and lasting impact. A lot of their history would have remained hidden without the efforts of the American River Conservancy who now manage the Wakamatsu Farm and work tirelessly to preserve the farm and the surrounding area. That’s not all ARC does, of course, so we urge you to learn more about their programs and Donate to ARC in general or Donate to Wakamatsu Farm specifically.

In our opening, we celebrate the opening of the T&T Supermarket in Bellevue, Washington.

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Current Events: T&T Supermarket Comes to the U.S.
• 03:45 The History of Wakamatsu Farm
• 20:47 Organizations to Support: The American River Conservancy

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 50! Today’s guest is Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan… she is an author, university faculty member, and former K-8 teacher. She directs the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Center at San Diego State University (SDSU), which raises awareness of issues facing Asian Americans, celebrates APIDA culture, and amplifies APIDA contributions. At SDSU, she also led the Liberal Studies program and co-founded the APIDA Employee Resource Group.

Beyond SDSU, Dr. Loh-Hagan is an author. To say she’s a  “prolific author” wouldn’t do her justice, because she’s authored over 400 books on diverse topics that include Asian American heritage, women’s issues, and quirky subjects like urban legends and monsters. Some of her notable works include A is for Asian American, The Jade Dragon, and Paper Son: Lee’s Journey to America. Her writing also spans multiple series, such as My Itty-Bitty Bio Series, Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient World, and Urban Legends (Don’t Read Alone!).

In advocacy, she co-leads The Asian American Education Project, which develops curriculum and professional training for K-12 schools to provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of APIDA history. Their work bridges education, literature, and activism, exploring themes from exclusion to acceptance. On their site, they state that “By showcasing the struggles and triumphs of Asian Americans over the course of two centuries, our lesson plans amplify the importance and voices of this growing, integral segment of the U.S. population in building the country into what it is today and can become tomorrow, together as Americans. It is important for all Americans, young and old, to join in on this learning experience.”

They helped create the amazing graphic novel Fighting to Belong! written by Amy Chu and Alexander Chang, and illustrated by Louie Chin. Published by Third State Books, the graphic novel was a collaboration between The Asian American Education Project and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Volume 1 is out now, Volume 2 will be coming soon, and Volume 3 is planned.

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 49! In this episode, we continue sharing about the Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada. We discuss the different politicians who promoted exclusion as well as the people and groups that helped lead to the end of the exclusion laws. 

Yes, there were several groups and individuals who fought against exclusion laws even before they passed. And their work helped lead to the ending of the Chinese Exclusion Laws in 1947. Immigration for Chinese improved after that, but things didn’t really change for Chinese immigrants until Canada enacted immigration reform in the 1960s. We’ll talk all about that.

We begin the episode with some celebrations and we close it out with a new recurring segment called “What I Find Annoying” where we talk about Uncle Roger.

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Current Events
• 03:51 The History of Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada, Part 2
• 20:20 What I Find Annoying: Uncle Roger

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 48! Chinese Exclusion Laws were a dark moment in U.S. history… but they were also a dark moment in Canadian history. Chinese immigrants in Canada helped support the economy in a variety of ways including providing labor for growing food, being part of the fishing industry, and building the railroad. However, they also faced racism and xenophobia that culminated in a series of Chinese Exclusion Laws.

These laws may have been passed by lawmakers, but white dominated labor unions, community groups, Canadian media, women’s groups, and key individuals were all supporters of exclusion, and they pressured the government to do something about keeping Canada pure and white. This is part 1 of a series on the history of these Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada. We’ll share some of the history of Chinese immigration to Canada as well as the various groups that supported exclusion. We also talk about the impact that U.S. politics had on the Canadian decisions.

This episode begins with current events, and we close out by talking about The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia, a group that helps people understand the history of the Chinese in British Columbia through research, documentation, preservation, and education. They also take donations to support the community… like rebuilding the Lytton Chinese History Museum after it was burned down. 

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Celebrations of Shohei Ohtani, Y. Michelle Kang, Sirish Subash, and Sophia Park
• 04:18 The History of Chinese Exclusion Laws in Canada, Part 1
• 18:15 Organizations to Know: The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 47! Today’s guest is another popular Top Chef Alum, Chef Nini Nguyen. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Chef Nini has made a name for herself in the culinary world through her food as well as her appearances on TV and on social media. She is known for blending authentic Vietnamese flavors with a generous nod to the foods she grew up eating in New Orleans. 

The desire to learn and push herself is strong in Chef Nini. She appeared on Top Chef Season 16 in Kentucky as well as Top Chef All-Stars, Season 17 in Los Angeles. She has also participated in other competitions like the Tournament of Champions Season 5, along with some of the best chefs in the world), as well as Last Bite Hotel. In addition to TV and social media appearances, she is known for her recipe development and work as an instructor.

Her latest milestone is the release of her first cookbook, Đặc Biệt: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook, which was released on August 27, 2024. Filled with her spin on Vietnamese food with a twist to make it even more Đặc Biệt (special), Chef Nini interweaves the cookbook with personal stories, bits of history, and tips and tricks for becoming a better cook. Chef Nini is a talented chef and wonderful person. To find out more about Chef Nini, you can find her at chefnininguyen.com or on instagram @chefnininguyen... and check out her cookbook Đặc Biệt… It’s truly special!

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Above photo credit to Kimberly Ha

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 46! Punk Rock was most popular in the mid- to late-1970s through the middle of the 1980s. Although it hit its peak for only about a decade, it captured the public’s imagination in that time with it’s anti-establishment, in-your-face, DIY style. The bands didn’t achieve success on their own though. Asian American clubs on the West Coast were a huge reason for the growth of the Punk Rock scene. 

In this episode, we talk about three of the most influential clubs in California to give punk rock bands a chance: Madame Wong’s and Cathay de Grande in Los Angeles as well as Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco. These clubs and their owners… Esther Wong, Ruby Chou, and Ness Aquino… all transformed their restaurants into clubs that served up culture-rich food and hardcore punk.

We open the episode by talking about the LA Dodgers win and our memories of punk rock music. In our recurring segment we bring back the API Guide to the NHL where we talk about the National Hockey League players of Asian Pacific descent so listeners who to root for.

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Dodgers Win the World Series and Talking Punk Rock
• 05:51 The History of Asian American Clubs and the Punk Rock and New Wave Scenes
• 25:54 The API Guide to the NHL 24-25 Edition

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 45! We have a returning guest! We were so excited for the chance to bring back award-winning author and editor Karen Yin to our show. Last time we really focused on her editing career and her newest book The Conscious Style Guide: A Flexible Approach to Language That Includes, Respects, and Empowers. In today’s conversation, we get a chance to dive into her work in picture books.

Her children’s books include Whole Whale, So Not Ghoul, and Doug the Pug and the Kindness Crew. Her next release will be Nice to Eat You which will be released by Scholastic in Summer 2025. We got a chance to talk to her about each of these books while also hearing about some behind the scenes perspectives on connecting with illustrators, getting the green light on projects, adding morals and diversity to children’s literature, puns, and more.

If you want to purchase Karen Yin’s picture books or want to learn more about how you can develop your practice with conscious language, then find Karen’s work here, visit her personal website, bookmark the Conscious Style Guide website, join the Conscious Language and Design Facebook group, and follow her on Instagram (@karensoffice and @consciousstyleguide). 

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 44! We love eating a good Bánh Mì. The combo of fresh veggies, spice, savory protein, crunchy elements, fresh herbs, and acidic pickles makes for a satisfying meal. There’s a reason it’s so popular across the globe as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner item. In this episode, we discuss the history of French colonialism in Việt Nam and how the foods they brought in were adapted to become this iconic sandwich. And bonus! You get to hear our attempts at pronouncing Vietnamese names and words.

We open the episode with a shout-out to the Dodgers World Series run as well as Natalie Nakase’s WNBA accomplishment. Then we weigh in on the Bobba controversy. We end this episode with one of our favorite recurring segments… Obscure API Comic Book Characters where we talk about I-Ching from the DC Comics Universe. Hear how this hero helped Wonder Woman, Superman, and more. 

Photo courtesy of The Viet Vegan. 

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Intro: Dodgers in World Series, Natalie Nakase, and Bobba
• 09:59 The History of the Bánh Mì Vietnamese Sandwich
• 30:52 Obscure API Comic Book Characters, I-Ching

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 43! Today’s guest is Jaylee Hamidi who is best known for their acting, but is also both a writer and painter. Jaylee was born in Shanghai, China, but moved to Canada and now lives in Vancouver. They are a queer, gender-fluid, Chinese-Kurdish-Iranian creative professional. 

They currently can be seen in their breakout recurring role as Allie in the Hulu, ABC Onyx show “How to Die Alone”, created and lead by actress Natasha. We love how Jaylee plays the character of Allie with candor and wisdom. In scenes with the main character Mel, they bond over the fact that they’re on similar life paths of falling in love with their whole selves and not settling for anything or anyone less. 

In this episode’s conversation, we talk about representation, Jaylee’s writing, their paintings, building chemistry in acting, their hopes for future storylines on Allie, and so much more. Enjoy the conversation!

Quick note: Due to some technical difficulties during the recording of the conversation, the audio cut out on a few of Jaylee’s responses. We apologize for any confusion that may result from this.

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Photo Credit of Jaylee Hamidi: Fortiv

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 42! It’s another installment of Most Forgotten Massacres. Today we’re going to talk about the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State. Although the discrimination and violence occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, the tension had been building for a few decades because the dislike of Asian laborers can be traced back to the Chinese during the Gold Rush and railroad days, the Japanese in the agricultural fields, and the South Asians in agriculture and lumber mills. For Filipinos in Washington State, many of them came in as U.S. Nationals, but they became labeled as Aliens after a few years.

In this episode, we share some of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that led to the violence against Filipino laborers in Washington. Predominantly occurring in Yakima Valley, Seattle, and Bremerton, the events highlighted a widespread problem that was exacerbated by politicians, labor leaders, nativist groups, and the media.

In our opening we talk about Shohei Ohtani and the LA Dodgers as well as Adele Lim and the Princess Diaries 3. In our recurring segment, we talk about the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. They do a lot of advocacy and empowerment work. You can learn more or donate on their website. 

If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or social media links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at [email protected].

Segments

• 00:25 Intro: Talking Shohei Ohtani and Adele Lim on Princess Diaries 3
• 05:50 The History of the Anti-Filipino Riots in Washington State
• 28:14 Organizations to Know: National Federation of Filipino American Associations