On this episode of Chica With Monica, I have the lovely, beautiful and talented fellow ASEAN sister and performer Lexi. We talk quite a bit about our excitement for Raya & The Last Dragon along with a few of our frustrations as well. From inclusion within the cosplay community to our own shared experiences being former performers of WDW, this episode has a lot of heart and great conversation. I hope you all enjoy this one, because it's filled with topics near and dear to my heart. Please don’t forget to favorite, review, or share this episode if you liked it and check out Lexi’s social media @ LexiTheFirst on TikTok, Twitch, IG,and YouTube.

Mabuhay

In this episode, my friend Sam and I talk about the various similarities and differences within Asians, especially within East and Southeast Asians. We also dive into the anti-Blackness that is still prevalent in our communities, and what we can do collectively to dismantle it. From representation, to positive dialogue, and from not being Asian or American enough, to colorism, this conversation takes lots of twists and turns, but is ultimately filled with lots of information on how to strengthen AAPI. Hope you enjoy this episode, please check out all of Sam's Social Media: @SamuelJHyun on TikTok/IG, as well as his podcasts: @iamnotavirus.info and @hateisavirus_.

Mabuhay!

In this episode, I speak to the wonderful and talented Author, Jaime Atilano to talk about their book "Mala & The Mask Gold". Atilano is a non-binary immigrant from the Philippines and a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. We talk quite a bit about the book and how it explores siblinghood, identity, and Filipinx mythology. Along with that, we share cultural experiences as Filipinos from different regions and what those experiences meant to us as Filipinos in the United States. I hope you enjoy this conversation and please do check out Jaime on all their socials via @JaimeMartinKo. To purchase a copy of their book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Mala-Mask-Jaime-Martin-Atilano/dp/1636765629/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UR5SRTNAUVXE&dchild=1&keywords=mala+%26+the+mask+gold&qid=1611776040&sprefix=mala+%26+th%2Cdigital-text%2C171&sr=8-1 

Mabuhay!

In this episode, I chat with my good friend, the talented and beautiful Katrina Salzer. We dive into the experiences of a mixed race individual, specifically being half Filipino and half white; what that may mean and how she has been able to navigate loving her ethnic identity growing up in the South. We also go into her experiences being the only Asian American woman in both the NBA teams she has danced for and how that has allowed for her to help pave the way for others. I hope you all enjoy this episode, and please do check Katrina out on all her socials @KatrinaSalzer as well as remind her to start her own podcast too haha. Mabuhay!

In this episode, Kuya Airam or @AiramDPhoto and I talk about building platforms as Filipino-American creatives in industries heavily dominated by non-poc and how to maneuver our way into taking up space. I learned a lot from this episode about not second guessing my abilities and to finally stop overthinking my creativity. I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as we did making it! Please do check Kuya Airam out on all of his socials, as he gives wonderful advice on photography and all things social media. Mabuhay!

Today I and my guest Emily Goes talk a lot about the term "passing" as a BIPOC when it comes to booking roles whether through theater or TV & Film, and how it can be problematic. We also discuss the importance of conscious casting and the value of accurately depicting characters and roles of color. Please check out Emily on Twitter/IG @EmilyAGoes and stay tuned for next week's episode on Monday as well!

In this episode of Chica with Monica I have another fellow TikTok content creator known online as AskManongOwen. He and I talk about the term “Racial Preference” in dating and how it has been widely used to justify racism and exclusion of people from various ethnic demographics. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did making it. Please follow Kuya Owen on TikTok @AskManongOwen and IG @OwenJFL & @Baybayin.atbp

This was such a fun episode. The conversations vary and flow from all things ASEAN in Raya and The Last Dragon to the similarities in how we cook rice. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as enjoyed making it. Please also don't forget to check out Sukiyuu and ZanderTheEmpath on social media as well as our joint collab page 60Shadesofhearts. Thank you for listening and keep an eye out for next week's episodes with some special guests!