Welcome to The Second Degree Podcast with Emily Merrell! 

In this episode, Emily sits down with the extraordinary Susan Lieu, a multi-hyphenate powerhouse: author, playwright, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and so much more. 

Susan shares her journey of turning intergenerational trauma into art and healing, her reflections on resilience as a first-generation Vietnamese-American, and the lessons she's learned from chasing success while staying true to herself. This conversation is packed with humor, heartbreak, and inspiration—don’t miss it!

Highlights:

Susan’s Storytelling Journey

• Susan began as a stand-up comedian and transitioned into storytelling through her one-woman show, 140 Pounds: How Beauty Killed My Mother.
• The inspiration behind her work stems from her mother's tragic death during a botched cosmetic surgery and the unresolved trauma within her family.

Navigating Identity and Success

• Growing up as a Vietnamese-American, Susan grappled with cultural expectations, the weight of perfectionism, and her dual identity.
• She shares how these pressures shaped her drive for success and her ongoing battle to redefine what success truly means.

Creating Art Through Healing

• Susan tracked down her mother’s surgeon, studied legal depositions, and explored her family’s history to process her grief and build her narrative.
• Her storytelling blends heartbreak with humor, showing how vulnerability can lead to liberation and deeper connections.

Reflections on Body Image and Society

• Susan discusses how intergenerational trauma influences body image and self-worth, tying her mother’s experiences in the beauty industry to broader cultural expectations.
• Her TEDx talk, “How to Make Peace with Your Belly Fat,” reframes body insecurities through empathy and empowerment.

Entrepreneurship and the Immigrant Dream

• Susan reflects on her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit, building a thriving nail salon business from nothing to create a better life for her family.
• She emphasizes the sacrifices and resilience of immigrant families and the lessons they teach about perseverance and resourcefulness.

Impact Through Creativity

• Susan’s memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter, is now taught in colleges and used as a tool for healing in therapy settings.
• Her podcast, Model Minority Moms, explores the challenges of being everything for everyone while learning to prioritize oneself.

To learn more about Susan Lieu check out her book The Manicurist’s Daughter and her podcast Model Minority Moms and on instagram at instagram.coms/susanlieu. 

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