miseducAsian Podcast

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Nam Kim, we dig into identity, archaeology, and the ancient mysteries that shape how we understand ourselves. We get into:

• Navigating identity as a "double-edged sword", being Korean, Vietnamese, and American, and the perpetual foreigner (0:20)
• Founding the Lambda Phi Epsilon chapter at UPenn, the brotherhood that shaped his Asian American identity (9:00)
• Getting recruited by Smithsonian Journeys to be their archaeology expert on "Around the World by Private Jet" (18:38)
• Theories on how the pyramids were built, ancient civilizations, and dinosaurs (29:44)
• What we know about human evolution, and why 50,000 years ago might have looked like Lord of the Rings (42:42)
• What's next: preserving family histories before they disappear, the onlguam.org project, and documentary filmmaking in Vietnam (53:20)

In Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Nam Kim, we dig into the journey that took him from refugee to archaeologist and the family history that drove him there. We get into:

• Nam's path from studying international relations at Penn to becoming an archaeologist (3:03)
• Excavating Cổ Loa, Vietnam's version of Camelot, as the first American archaeologist allowed to dig there, and navigating the politics of history (13:40)
• The wedding dress left on a Saigon rooftop, and Nam's family escape from Vietnam the day before the city fell (27:41)
• His father's survival through Japanese occupation and the Korean War (33:28)
• Operation New Life, the Guam refugee camps with no memorial, and why 120,000 refugees left almost no trace (33:28)
• Finding his own baby photo in a USS Midway Navy archive 50 years later (63:45)

In this episode, we remember a dear friend, Wyman Khuu, who passed away in July. 

Thank you for being a friend, partner, leader, encourager, great hang, and so much more. You will be missed. 

If you want to give to a good cause in memory of Wyman, here is a link. 

In this episode, the three of us catch up on:

• All things World Cup, the incredible vibes from all around, but especially from Korean and Mexican fans, and some history on Asians in Mexico (0:24)
• Is this the Asian in sports golden age? (9:00)
• A trip to Asia, Jazz Fest, a month in Mexico, and other recent happenings (17:38)
• Why we love sports (31:59)

In Part 2 of our conversation with Hanseul Kang, we pick up where we left off, going deeper into the experiences that shaped her into the leader she is today. We get into:

• Hanseul's story of finding out she was undocumented at 16, and how that shaped her identity, drive, path through high school and college, and why she shared her story publicly (0:26)
• Filial piety, shame, religion, and tradition in Asian upbringing, Korean church culture, and navigating cultural identity (23:09)
• Why she chose education, finding the right fit, and learning along the way (41:32)

In this long awaited episode, we chat with Hanseul Kang, former Assistant Dean and Executive Director of The Broad Center at the Yale School of Management, and former State Superintendent at OSSE. We get into:

• Hanseul's experience as a Broad Resident and early days with Brian and the rest of their cohort (0:36)
• Being a different type of leader, leaning into visible and public leadership, and owning your leadership identity (16:47)
• Sabbatical reflections and figuring out what's next (38:07)

We take a look back at the EPIC World Series run by our beloved LA Dodgers, what the win meant for city, what the team means to us, and why it is special to root for a team with a strong Asian presence on and off the field. 

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Akhtar, a partner at Transcend and strategic leader in school redesign. We discuss:

• Sarah's journey with her name (2:42)
• Embracing other parts of her identity and traditions (24:16)
• Experiences in education, as a student, an educator, leader, and school designer (46:40)

In this episode, we have an in-depth conversation with Michael Matsuda, the Superintendent of Anaheim Union High School District.

02:11 Personal History and Challenges
19:08 Journey into Education and Leadership
28:27 Unexpected Connections and Mentorship
29:44 Navigating Leadership and Identity
41:25 Innovating Education and Embracing AI

We chat with Violet Chin, a filmmaker, storyteller, activist, and currently the Youth Governor of California. We discuss:

• Generational perspectives on social media and curating identity (1:57)
• The role of social media on identity and creating community (11:54)
• Exploring mixed heritage and cultural identity and not fitting into boxes (21:15)
• Being a young filmmaker, aspirations for supporting diverse stories and storytellers (28:25)
• Queer identity and creating Letter to Love (35:29)
• Political engagement, youth leadership, and a future in politics (40:50)
• Make Noise Today, youth advocacy through the arts, and celebrating AAPI joy (46:00)