Bund to Brooklyn

On Episode 15 we're joined by SF Chronicle's food critic and James Beard award-winning writer Soleil Ho to talk about how their work uses food to explore larger social issues like race, labor, and gender. Specifically, we dive into Soleil’s piece: "I was done talking about cultural appropriation. The rise in anti-Asian violence pulled me back in" and the many issues around cultural appropriation.

On Episode 14 we're joined by Actor and Comedian Derek Mio as he shares how the Japanese-American community helped him break into the industry, how his craft helped him better understand his heritage, and why its so important to keep paying that generosity forward.

On Episode 13 we're joined by Carrie Zhang, founder of the Asian Mental Health Project. Carrie shares her journey to become a champion for mental health in the AAPI community and gives us some of her personal advice on how to converse about mental health across generations. Jenny and Lucia also discuss the growing emphasis on mental health after COVID lockdowns in the States and most recently, in China.

On Episode 12 our Shanghai-based correspondents Kayla He and Jenny Tang join Lucia to share their experiences amidst the city-wide Shanghai COVID lockdown.

On Episode 11 we're joined by journalist Mengyu Dong, who writes about technology, women’s rights, and the Chinese diaspora, to examine the nuances of Chinese social media through the lens of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. While Western social media users emphasize their support of Ukraine's defense of their homeland, the restrictive Chinese digital landscape requires a more detailed examination to uncover the true views of its netizens.

NOTE: This episode was recorded on 4/3. Please note that the situation in Ukraine and Shanghai's COVID response (which we briefly discuss in the introduction) is quickly evolving.

On Episode 10 we're joined by the most connected man in China's underground hip hop scene: Radii's Wes Chen. Wes is a radio/podcast host, producer and creator who has had a hand in the rise and growth of hip hop in China. We talk to Wes about how he's seen the music and culture change, his involvement with AR's beef with Kris Wu, and his recommendations on who and where to listen in Chinese hip hop.

On Episode 9 we're joined by Luke Tsai, Bay Area Food Editor @ KQED, self proclaimed stinky tofu connoisseur and all around expert of immigrant communities and the food they make joins us to talk about the recent past and future of Chinese food in America, including how young Asian American chefs infuse their varied experiences into their cuisine and the tradeoff of upscaling their food.

On Episode 8, director Debbie Lum joins us to talk about her new documentary Try Harder! and what she learned about the pressure of college admissions and how it impacts the mental health of the predominantly Asian American student body of Lowell High School.

TRY HARDER! Is available now to rent or buy on Amazon, AppleTV (iTunes) and more! At Lowell High School, the top public high school in San Francisco, the seniors are stressed out. As they prepare for the emotionally draining college application process, students are keenly aware of the intense competition for the few open spots in their dream colleges. At Lowell—where cool kids are nerds, nearly everyone has an amazing talent, and most of the student body is Asian American—the things that usually make a person stand out can feel commonplace. With humor and heart, director Debbie Lum captures the reality of the American college application process and the intersection of class, race, and educational opportunity as young adults navigate a quintessential rite of passage.

On Episode 7, campaign strategist and policy advisor Varun Nikore joins us to provide the perspective on AAPI participation from a longtime political insider. This episode can be listened to as a companion to Episode 4 where we spoke to Brian Yang's experience as a new entrant into the realm of politics. Varun shares key moments in his decades of political experience, his observations on the recent "political awakening" of many AAPI, and where we should focus our efforts to keep the momentum going.

In Episode 6, writer Caiwei Chen joins us to talk about a topic we’ve all been waiting to discuss: dating in China! Specifically Caiwei helps us understand how the dating scene has evolved along with Chinese masculinity through her recent article on the subject in the sub stack newsletter Chaoyang Trap. Siyuan and Caiwei share their personal experiences on dating in the US vs China, family expectations, and how different types of foreigners are romantically perceived in China.