In this 2025 reflection, Cultureful host, Jess Lin, shares a personal update on hosting while healing, navigating a career pivot, and building a global neighborhood. From leaving a decade in Global Health to the realities of independent podcasting, this episode is a sincere thank you to the Founding Friends and neighbors who made this year possible.

Support the Neighborhood: We are currently raising funds to help record and preserve more of these vital stories in 2026. If these memoirs have moved you, please consider contributing to our mission: 👉 https://ko-fi.com/cultureful

Stay Connected: Join our mailing list to be the first to know about new episodes, neighborhood news, and host reflections: https://forms.gle/EPxvvkskFt2md1Qf6

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KaeI97kGAQY

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Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

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Kwanzaa is more than a holiday — it’s a living tradition shaped by family, history, and intention.

In this Season 2 finale of Cultureful, Jess Lin sits down with Martina to explore Kwanzaa as a living tradition shaped by family, history, and community. Martina reflects on growing up in San Francisco, her family’s roots in the U.S. South, and how her grandmother’s stories influenced her early student activism and relationship with Black identity.

Together, they talk about the origins and meaning of Kwanzaa, how Martina celebrates it today as an adult and parent, and why cultural traditions matter in a world that’s constantly changing. This conversation is about heritage, memory, and the ways we create and pass down meaning—across generations and across communities.

🎥 Watch the full video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O74Z-I7CpMk

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Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

After our full interview, Joanne and I sat down for a more relaxed conversation — a space to debrief, unwind, and share a few favorite things. In this bonus “Wind Down” episode, Joanne talks about the surprising through-line she discovered while telling her story, from childhood to her work in belonging and organizational coaching today.

We also get into lighter moments: perfectionism, Brene Brown, nostalgic foods, the band Elbow, and the places that hold meaning for her — including an unforgettable trip to the Galapagos Islands that brought her to tears.

If you enjoy hearing the human side of each guest, their reflections, and a peek behind the interview, you’ll love these Wind Down episodes.

Topics in this episode:
 • Finding unexpected clarity after the main interview
 • How belonging became central to Joanne’s life and work
 • Recovering from perfectionism
 • Favorite books, nostalgic foods, and personal recommendations
 • Her emotional reaction to seeing the Galapagos Islands
 • A casual, warm debrief between host and guest

Listen to Joanne’s full 2 Part interview if you missed it.

Connect with Joanne: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/

Listen to Joanne’s full 2-Part interview if you missed it.

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

In Part 2 of our conversation, Joanne shares how her STEM journey unfolded in ways she never expected—through academic pressure, nonlinear pivots, surprising mentors, and the slow, intentional work of choosing where she belongs.

We talk about what it means to grow up under high expectations, nearly failing out of college, rediscovering purpose through neuroscience and teaching, and the moment she finally said: “I get to choose to belong.”

This episode is about identity, resilience, and rewriting your story when the old one no longer fits.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Sdxi9CwAUJw

In this episode:
 • Nonlinear STEM career paths
 • Academic pressure + nearly failing out
 • A professor who offered a second chance
 • Chinese American identity and belonging
 • Purpose, risk, and choosing your own path

Connect with Joanne: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/

Keywords: Asian American stories, Chinese American identity, STEM careers, belonging, immigrant family expectations, nonlinear careers, resilience, Cultureful Podcast

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Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Joanne shares what it was like growing up as one of the only Chinese American kids in a small upstate New York town—and the year her family moved to Taiwan, placing her in a public school during the height of martial law and anti-communist propaganda. In Part 1, she talks about her parents’ refugee journey from mainland China to Taiwan, learning Mandarin and Bopomofo, and navigating identity, belonging, and culture shock across two countries. This episode explores family history, diaspora, growing up between cultures, and the moments that shaped Joanne’s understanding of who she was.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1Fcw4aEHxsk

Connect with Joanne:

• Strelo Group: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/
• Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-chu-strelo/
• Email: [email protected] 

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Join Jess for The Wind Down, a new bonus series from Cultureful — a cross-cultural podcast about how stories shape who we are. In this first ever “after-show,” Jess and Hakim unwind after recording their main episodes to reflect on vulnerability, healing, and the power of storytelling. Hakim shares memories of his grandmother, what “home” means to him, and some of his favorite things — from books and music to nostalgic foods.

Support the show

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More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Join us on Cultureful as Hakim Asadi, a Black queer therapist from Upstate New York, shares his journey of growing up queer in a religious community. He opens up about the challenges of navigating faith, family expectations, and shame, and how therapy, self-reflection, and community helped him embrace his authentic self.

This episode explores:

• Growing up queer in church and Black communities
• Overcoming internalized shame and stigma
• Finding authenticity, resilience, and self-love
• How childhood experiences shaped his career as a therapist and public speaker

If you’re interested in queer experiences, faith, identity, and mental health, this conversation is a must-listen.

Connect with Hakim:

• Website: HakimAsadi.com 
• Email: [email protected].
• Instagram: @hakimasadi_

Keywords: queer identity, LGBTQ+ mental health, Black queer therapist, faith and sexuality, overcoming shame, therapy journey, self-love, intersectional identity, queer stories

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More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Hakim Asadi, a 35-year-old Black American therapist, reflects on his childhood, family, and community, exploring what it was like growing up between the inner city and suburbs. Host Jess Lin dives into his experiences in the church his grandparents founded, formative family moments, and the influences that shaped his curiosity, values, and identity.

This first half of a two-part conversation lays the foundation for Hakim’s journey: love, upbringing, and the people who helped him grow and “beat the statistics.” Part 2 continues with his exploration of his faith, queerness, and authenticity.

Connect with Hakim at HakimAsadi.com or [email protected].

Watch on YouTube 

Topics: Black identity, family and community, inner city upbringing, faith and church life, Nation of Islam, recovery and service, Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, curiosity, therapy, belonging, authenticity, Cultureful podcast, Jess Lin, Hakim Asadi

Support the show

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More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Host Jess Lin continues her conversation with Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Northern California. This episode explores cultural identity, heritage language, and how learning traditions like Día de los Muertos can help families reconnect to their roots.

Taryn reflects on her parents’ love story, family visits to Mexico, and how her family’s connection to Mexican culture has evolved across generations. Listeners will hear personal stories, insights on volunteering and giving back, plus special musical performances from her father, Ray, and her sister, Lia Rae.

With humor, heart, and heritage, this episode highlights the importance of storytelling, cultural transmission, and honoring where we come from.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Connect with Taryn's family:

• Lia Rae on YouTube: @LiaRaeOfficial
• Ray Cadena’s band on Facebook: Grooveline

Support the show

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More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

In this episode, Jess Lin interviews Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Woodland, California and a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer. Taryn shares powerful stories about her grandparents’ migration from Mexico, their resilience as farmworkers, and the traditions that shaped her family’s life in California’s Central Valley.

She reflects on her grandpa Eloy’s journey crossing the border, his time in the Marines, and his role in the Woodland community. On her father’s side, she recalls her grandpa Ramon’s determination as an orphan who built a thriving almond farm and helped start the Davis Farmers Market. Alongside these stories, Taryn remembers her grandmothers’ influence, her parents’ experiences growing up in agricultural towns, and the cultural traditions that continue today.

This is Part 1 of 2. Stay tuned for the continuation of Taryn’s story and reflections on identity, culture, and belonging.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/L0I4HrQ9rP4

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful