First of All

Happy Holidays, FOA fam!! In last weeks episode, we got into what it's like to follow your heart, take risks to figure out what's right for your current self, and leave the old self behind. In a continuation of this theme of closing chapters, this week's solo episode goes into Minji's personal journey of exiting her role as Kollaboration Executive Director, and passing the torch to its new incoming leader, Jane Kim, right at the organization's 20th anniversary at the end of a very rough 2020. For 11 years, Minji grew in her roles within this legacy movement that deeply shaped her identity and revealed her life purpose: elevating Asian American artists to create authentic representation of a historically invisible population.  Through the years, she gathered life lessons in leadership, relationships, industry politics, and taking ownership of your life's possibilities. She also learned how deeply she tied herself to certain accolades, titles, and achievements to define her self-worth, and how to let go of that. (Or at least start to. :P) Tune in as she shares stories, advice, and visions of the future as the search for her successor is finally complete and she moves forward into the unknown with gratitude and faith. 

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Our theme song is "Uzutrap" by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

Whether we go into phases of our lives on purpose or going with the flow, there often comes the time when any particular life chapter comes to an end. A breakup, a move, a new/lost job...a pandemic. 2020 has been a hurricane of beginnings, endings, transitions, and limbo. During this rollercoaster year, folks have had to come to terms about their values, their priorities, their choices, and their next steps in life. Something we do whether there's a virus ravaging the world or not, but a lot more intensely and frequently to say the least. In this episode, Minji closes a chapter in her life with her dear friend and departing roommate, Kelly Nickels. Kelly last joined FOA in 2019 while processing her divorce and entering a new beginning. Well, to spill some of the tea, a LOT has happened since then, like her getting stuck in the UK for a majority of quarantine and making some significant life changes including leaving the US - and her work, family, friends - behind for good. Together they process what we can go through while closing chapters in our lives, intentionally or unintentionally. How to listen to our gut, how to pull ourselves up after screwing up, how to take risks, how to prepare, and how to accept that horrible, awful, terrifying thing: change.

This week's guest:

• Kelly Nickels (IG: @kelly_nickels)

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Our theme song is "Uzutrap" by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

As much hardship as we've all endured, 2020 has also served as a powerful catalyst for gratitude for what really matters and learning to let go of what doesn't. In this episode, Minji returns to FOA after the sudden passing of her grandmother, which was immediately followed by a wonderfully brutal wait-i-this-COVID-nvm-it's-a-nasty-flu. In processing her grief while regaining her health after being out of commission for weeks, she reflects on the ways hardship can highlight some of those important things that get taken for granted. She commemorates her grandma and also shares what happened a bit miraculously as friends and family came together to support her passing.  Taking regular stock of our small, daily miracles can hopefully help boost our positive energy to survive these hard days. Sending love to all the tired, stressed, anxious, and hopeful out there! 

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode include "State Change" from by Priska

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

It has been a long, weary road to Election Day in the US. We are tired and mentally fragile. Our souls, brains, and bank accounts are hurting. COVID still rages on. Everything screams, IS THIS OVER YET??! Yeah. Same. If we're in a metaphorical boxing ring, we're insanely sweaty, one eye is puffed closed, and our center of gravity is compromised. So take a seat in the corner of the ring to regroup with Minji to process all the insanity, practice a little gratitude, and then get back in the ring. 

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode include "State Change" from by Priska

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

Self-validation, where have you been our entire lives? How wonderful it is to actually LIKE yourself without having it followed up by guilt, shame, anxiety, or doubt.  Seriously, those "feeling myself" moments are EVERYTHING.  They can come in waves, they can come momentarily, but hopefully we're all on a path of increasing, genuine, lasting appreciation of who we are just as we are. BUT HOW DOES ONE GET THERE??? Far be it from us to tell you what your best way is.  But we will share many personal thoughts, experiences, hijinks, self-critical judgments, epiphanies, truth bombs, and miracles that got us to where we are. In this episode, Minji sits down with her dear friend slash amazing photographer, blogger, and visual storyteller Melly Lee. Together they sift through their past rubble of feeling lost, disillusioned, disconnected, and hopeless, and how they came to have moments of feeling content and proud of who they are. They discuss everything from cognitive behavioral therapy to breath work (oh hai, Wim Hof) and Meyers Briggs assessments, accepting help from lifeline friends to helping ourselves through building daily habits and affirmations. Practical, spiritual, heart, soul, & mind unite! 

This week's guest:

• Melly Lee (@MellyLee_)

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode include "State Change" from by Priska

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

We are going THROUGH IT, y'all. 2020 elections. Politicians. Family drama. Financial instability. Racism. Romance..or lack, thereof. Self-criticism. Loneliness. Friendships. FOMO. Climate change. Earthquakes! Hurricanes! Masks. Anti-maskers. Debates. Vaccines. Unemployment. Bad skin. The endless glittering evil of social media. Zoom meetings. Fried nerves. Fragile immune systems. Happy moments. Plant babies. Guilt. Shame. Gratitude. Meditation. Working out. Therapy. Breathwork. Making future plans for a future that has no definitive indication of ever really happening. How's your 2020 going? Come sit down in this episode with Minji and the amazing, eloquent, hilarious Priska from Two Horny Goats Podcast. Together they discuss coping mechanisms, clear (and subtle) signs of burn out, re-strategizing what self-care means, and some deeper underlying issues that may be screaming for our attention. Bring some tea (or whiskey, whatever) & get comfortable. This year is NOT NORMAL, and will work through our struggles together. 

This week's guest:

• Priska (@PriskaMusik)

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode include "State Change" from by Priska

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

Many a hopeless romantic has walked around with the notion that things are or aren't "meant to be". That life, and certainly love, is a series of divinely coordinated ups and downs with a predetermined destination. Or is it like Forrest Gump says- who knows if we have a destiny or if we're all just floating around accidental like on a breeze? Maybe it's both. In this episode, MInji sits down with her friend, actor and stuntman Yoshi Sudarso to talk about love and fate. Yoshi shares his beautiful lifelong journey to love, marriage, and now baby(!!) with his wife Sarah. From meeting Sarah as a young boy and being smitten with her from afar to getting the actual real thing, there were many many twists and turns in between. Yoshi and Minji go in depth about his path of growing from infatuated kid to an adult who practices wisdom, courage, and free will to choose love with eyes wide open.  

This week's guest:

• Yoshi Sudarso (@yoshi_sudarso)

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode includes "Uzutrap" from by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

How do you define a "friend"? Have you ever broken up with one? Or just drifted apart? Does ghosting apply here? Realized someone that used to be a best friend no longer is? Had an unrequited friend love? Friends means a lot to us at every phase in life from the time we're wee little ones. They support us in hard times, inspire us to be better, hold us accountable, cover for us in crisis mode, share secrets and strange interests, and see us through our best and our worst. And also.. friendships change. As we become adults, our priorities shift, we relocate, we gain new interests, meet new people. Making and maintaining meaningful friendships remains just as important to our well-being, but our connections evolve. To discuss one complex topic, Minji sits down with her friend, creative producer and alternative rapper Dan Matthews. Their friendship started and deepened over the years through collaborative projects in their community and then with intentional heart to hearts. In this open conversation, Dan breaks down his views on how people can fall under different categories of friend intimacy, and even how to deal with drifting apart over time and straight incompatibility. Celebration, rejection, bonding, jealousy, confusion, love, loyalty...FRIENDSHIP. 

This week's guest:

• Dan Matthews (@DanAKADan)

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This episode is brought to you by HBO

The finalists for the 2020 HBO APA Visionaries Short Film Competition have been announced! HBO Visionaries will be celebrating its 4th class of emerging Asian and Pacific Islander American filmmakers on Friday, September 25 during the virtual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Tune in at 5pm PT/8pm ET, Friday, September 25 via www.hbovisionaries.com to meet this year’s Visionaries, watch the films, and see some familiar faces!  All three Visionary 2020 shorts will also be available to stream on HBO Max on Tuesday, September 29.

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Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode includes "Uzutrap" from by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

If there's anything that 2020 has taught us thus far, it's that health is wealth, tomorrow is not guaranteed, community and connection keep us afloat, and there are crucial issues that require our humanity's conscious attention and action. Even for those who have been aware and passionate about activism, representation, and civic participation prior to 2020, this year is undeniably significant. Time feels both endless and fleeting, our energy is zapped, our nerves fragile, and stakes for both society and the planet are high. In this episode, Minji sits down with Commissioner & contributing #HateIsAVirus host Sam Hyun to talk about why and how this generational & global rally for action matters so much. They dive into their backgrounds, the importance of the 2020 Census + voting, and how Sam found his passion for politics through the inspiring bad@$$ leaders before him, including his strong Korean American mother. Sam sheds light on how embracing our identities can help us understand how our voices matter in big and small ways. We can take space, exercise our power, hold leaders accountable, demand better, take responsibility for our communities, become leaders and reimagine a better future.  This one goes out to the millennial and zoomer generations who are now in full inheritance of guarding our future. We got this so let's handle it. 

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This episode is brought to you by HBO

The finalists for the 2020 HBO APA Visionaries Short Film Competition have been announced! HBO Visionaries will be celebrating its 4th class of emerging Asian and Pacific Islander American filmmakers on Friday, September 25 during the virtual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Tune in at 5pm PT/8pm ET, Friday, September 25 via www.hbovisionaries.comto meet this year’s Visionaries, watch the films, and see some familiar faces!  All three Visionary 2020 shorts will also be available to stream on HBO Max on Tuesday, September 29.

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Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)
• Follow guest Sam Hyun (@samueljhyun)

Music in this episode includes "Uzutrap" from by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast

For anyone going through a tough time, this one's for you. In this episode, Minji shares her thoughts on riding waves of pain and uncertainty during a genuine moment of inspired action. She sends you all her love and encouragement to get through your hard moments if and whenever you need. You've got this and we've got you. 

Follow Minji on:

• Twitter (@minjeeeezy)
• Instagram (@minjeezy)

Music in this episode includes "Uzutrap" from by Uzuhan

Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter and support our Patreon

This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

Produced by @marvinyueh

Mentioned in this episode:

Don't miss an all AAPI production of HENRY VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts at The Public in NYC

The National Asian American Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of HENRY VI: A TRILOGY IN TWO PARTS brings an all-AANHPI cast to The Public Theater for a decades-spanning saga of Joan of Arc, warring dukes, and the bloody birth of the War of the Roses. Adapted by Stephen Brown-Fried, this is Shakespeare like you've never experienced it.

Henry VI at The Public with an all AAPI cast