Rachel chats with our guest, Albert, as he shares his educational upbringing as a first generation Taiwanese American raised in the Silicon Valley. As the “black sheep” of the family, he offers his story as a counter-narrative to the typical East Asian American experience in the Bay Area. His story includes:

- Growing up overweight, getting terrible grades, and struggling with both ADD (attention deficit disorder) and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)

- How his family came to terms with his academic struggle and learning differences

- Pursuing a career in the humanities rather than STEM

- Navigating an academically toxic schooling environment

- The relationship between meritocracy and privilege

- How his upbringing informs his pedagogy as a teacher today