Asian Americana

We explore the play Cambodian Rock Band, and how this piece of Asian American theatre weaves together a story of Khmer American music, history, and family on stage.

When Asian Americana launched in 2016, I had one driving vision:

I want to tell audio stories that center the diverse experiences, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans.

Now I need your support to make more. We've launched a Patreon for the show, and we're asking you to contribute monthly at whatever amount you're able to. Even just a single dollar a month makes a difference.

It takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to make rich, inclusive audio reporting and storytelling that centers Asian American voices and experiences. I want to present stories that are ethnically, geographically, and historically diverse. Most importantly, I want to amplify stories from Asian Americans, not just about them.

In the past year, I've done stories on the indie zine-turned-art institution Giant Robot, the Roots CSA program that connects Hmong American farmers and Asian American communities in California, the Chinese Americans who developed the Sacramento Delta and built their own town to call home, and the culture surrounding the ever-favorite boba/bubble tea.

But I want to make more than four episodes a year. I'm bringing on a new team of producers, and I want to provide them equipment, training, software, and resources needed to grow our work. You can make that happen.

If you believe in sharing and amplifying Asian American stories, please consider supporting us. We're offering stickers and shirts as incentives, but we hope you'll think of the podcast itself as the gift you're making possible.

Whatever amount you can contribute will make a difference. With your help, we can keep learning, keep reporting, and ultimately, keep telling more stories of Asian Americana.

We explore the unique pearl of Asian American culture that is boba/bubble tea. We’ll take a look at its origins, hear folks from all over the country sharing their experiences with it, learn about some cool boba businesses and projects, and figure out what people across the country are calling it: from boba to bubble tea and a slew of other names in between.

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Below is a graphical representation of the boba/bubble tea name survey.

The disproportionate presence of California transplants among respondents may have affected the preference toward the term "boba" in the states of Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, South Dakota, and Utah.

Seattle poet and law student Troy Osaki (Photo Credit: Quincy Surasmith)

We bring you three stories by me (Quincy Surasmith), Diana Nguyen, and Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong from Next Generation Radio's week at KUOW in Seattle. We talk law and poetry, development in Seattle's Little Saigon, and smoked herring.

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Read the full stories on Next Generation Radio:

(Photo Credit: Quincy Surasmith/NextGenRadio)

“I will not ask the system politely to dismantle itself.” by Quincy Surasmith

(Photo Credit: Diana Nguyen/NextGenRadio)

A restaurant owner braces himself to keep Seattle’s Little Saigon Vietnamese by Diana Nguyen

(Photo Credit: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong/NextGenRadio)

Herring gets no respect. Warner Lew wants to change that. by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong

Chinese Americans shaped the physical landscape of California during its early history in a way that still impacts us today. We explore how Chinese Americans developed the Sacramento delta, their role in California's growth, and visit Locke, a town founded by Chinese Americans.

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Below are a few pictures from my trip to Locke. The episode references a few of these sites.

Roots CSA is a program that connects Hmong farmers in California’s central valley with Asian American communities in Southern California. How does this program empower communities in determining their own path to health and economic sustainability? We’ll find out by visiting both ends of our food’s journey from farmer to consumer.

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Giant Robot started as this small punk-rock zine featuring Asian and Asian American alternative and pop culture, but grew to become a celebrated art and cultural institution. How did Giant Robot survive? How have its founders maintained their passion and lifestyle throughout all their life changes and challenges?

Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.