MIXUNDERSTOOD

MIXUNDERSTOOD

By Hanna-Lee SakakibaraSociety & CultureEducationSelf-ImprovementPersonal Journals
Download on the App Store

MIXUNDERSTOOD episodes

  • Ep 4: Mixed in Hollywood - Casting complexities and artistic empowerment with Crystal Yan-Kay Lowe

    We’re kicking off our “mixed actors in the entertainment industry” series.

    Lowe shares insightful and personal stories about navigating her career in the ever changing landscape of Hollywood being of both Chinese and Scottish heritage. 

    We dive into diversity issues and casting complexities in the industry with mixed actors, as well as colorism and the importance of fair representation in media.

    What do you do when your reps are asking you to “play up/down” one side of your identity because it’s “in”?

    What roles are available for mixed actors and can a mixed actor play a monoracial role and vice versa? 

    How far have we really come with portraying diversity on screen and how can we as actors take things into our own hands? 

     

    Episode breakdown:

    • Introduction to Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe
  • Overview of her multicultural upbringing in Vancouver, Hong Kong and the USA
  • Childhood anecdotes of growing up Scottish and Chinese
  • How the industry perceives Crystal versus who she is and how she feels internally
  • Diversity or lack thereof, in the industry, past and present
  • Fitting into casting dynamics as a white passing mixed-race actor 
  • Can mixed people play monoracial roles and vice versa? 
  • Discussions about Colorism and fair representation in media 
  • Ways that we can try to achieve diversity on screen
  • Articles about recent instances of white washing in Hollywood films
  • Emotional considerations around acting in accents from our different cultural backgrounds.
  • Crystal reclaiming her name and knowing her worth as an artist.

    •  

    Special Guest: 

    Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe

    Actor/Director

    Crystal AKA Yan-Kay Lowe is a Chinese-Scottish-Canadian actor, director and writer.

    She started her acting career at 15 years old and was quickly cast in numerous tv series including stargate SGI, The Twilight Zone and many more. As her film career blossomed she became one of Hollywood's most in demand 'scream queens' starring in numerous films including the beloved franchise, Final Destination, Children of the Corn: Revelation and Black Christmas . 

    She has starred in the Canadian produced series Primeval as Toby Nance, as well as the hit Hallmark series  Signed, Sealed, Delivered, where she was nominated for multiple awards for best actress for her portrayal of the quirky and lovable Rita Haywith. . 

    She has written, directed and produced numerous award-winning short films and was nominated for best international director for her short film, The Curtain. 

    Most recently she's been selected as the first recipient of the new Hallmark women's director program.

    Instagram: @officialcrystallowe

     

    Links to resources:

    2019 NBC News article on ‘Colorism’

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/colorism-reveals-many-shades-prejudice-hollywood-n959756

    USD Student Media article

    https://uofsdmedia.com/robbed-of-representation/

    Interview with Alex Chester (Editor - in - Chief of the HAPA Mag)

    https://www.mixedlife.net/eveything/2020/7/15/the-mixed-race-casting-debate-who-can-be-cast-in-what-roles

    Art’s and entertainment section of THE GENERAL CONSENSUS- Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School’s student-run newspaper - Ella https://hwrhsgeneralconsensus.com/10771/arts-entertainment/from-yellowface-to-whitewashing-in-hollywood/

     

    Additional info on the Podcast: 

    Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

    Music: Mathias Kunzli - www.mathiasjunzli.com 

     

    If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts. 

     

    Follow us:

    Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

    Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

    Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

    Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

     

    Contact:

    48 min
  • EP 2: Race as a social construct: With guest Dr. Stephanie Meredith

    In this episode, biological anthropologist, Dr Stephanie Meredith chats with us about race as a social construct and how even though it’s not a biological reality, the impacts of racial categorizations are still very, very real. We also delve into funny, strange and gobsmacking personal stories around racial perceptions.

    Episode breakdown:

    • The history of racial classifications and their arbitrary nature, based on physical traits
  • The Human Genome Project's findings on genetic similarity
  • How other species have a lot more genetic diversity than we do
  • The history of the census, when it comes to racial categories and how they have changed
  • The impacts and consequences of racial classification, i.e how people are treated and how their bodies move in the world - health, opportunity, experience.
  • Why the government still needs race data
  • Stories of Dr Stephanie Meredith’s dual heritage
  • How other people perceive us when it comes to race
  • Mixed race children paying less preferential attention to any one skin tone 

    • Special Guest: 

    Dr. Stephanie Meredith , Ph.D.                                                      

    Assistant professor, Anthropology                                                      
    College of the Canyons Chair, member and credentials Committee
    American association of Biological Anthropologists 
    Website: www.stephanie-meredith.com                                   
    Instagram: @dr.brachydactyl

     

    Links to resources:

    Fatal invention by Dorothy Roberts

    https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Invention-Dorothy-Roberts-2012-10-11/dp/B01K0SWV80/ref=sr_1_2?crid=9M4HXH7ZAQI0&keywords=fatal+invention+dorothy+roberts&qid=1696218513&sprefix=fatal+invention+%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-2

    PBS Documentary Series: Race the Power of an Illusion 

    https://vimeo.com/133506632?gclid=CjwKCAjwseSoBhBXEiwA9iZtxn4ex5XLBSvC1SjSQlwnZfLaepjbp8pyXw4zBGllLs0KLPQ0sT9xAhoCR9cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Current census

    https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html

    Census.gov - a comment on the current racial categories

    https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/note/US/RHI625222#:~:text=The%20racial%20categories%20included%20in,biologically%2C%20anthropologically%2C%20or%20genetically.

    Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom

    https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/nelson-mandela-quotes#:~:text=On%20love,human%20heart%20than%20its%20opposite.%E2%80%9D


    Additional info on the Podcast 

    Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

    If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts. 

    Follow us:

    Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

    Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

    Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

    Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

     

    Contact

     

                             

     

    57 min
  • EP 1: Do names define us? The complexities of changing or reclaiming them in the context of mixed heritage

    It’s our first episode ever! We are so excited that you are here! Get a glimpse into who we are and join us as we delve into why we are doing this podcast, share research around the multiracial population and reveal the personal stories of our name changes. 

    Here is a breakdown of the discussion

    • Introduction to us
  • The term 'third culture kid'
  • Reasons why we felt compelled to do this podcast
  • Data and research into the growing multiracial population
  • Our own artistic projects to do with being multiracial and multicultural
  • The stories of our own name changes and our journeys toward embracing our names and identities
  • Our experiences about our desires to conform to Western ideals of beauty and naming and a reflection on past wishes to be blonde and have more "acceptable" names.
  • How we both have tendencies to adapt to others' expectations, allowing mispronunciations and misunderstandings to avoid confrontations.

    • Links to resources:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/10/08/mixed-race-americans-increase-census/

    https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/09/2020-census-dhc-a-race-overview.html

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/121920.Third_Culture_Kids

    https://students.ubc.ca/sites/students.ubc.ca/files/Importance_of_Names_Guide_v2.pdf

    https://hbr.org/2022/01/why-getting-someones-name-right-matters

     

    Watch Hanna-Lee's One Woman Show - Improbable

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE-mWbwd1_Q - 

     

    Additional info on the Podcast: 

     

    Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

     

    If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts.

     

    Follow us: 

    Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

    Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

    Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

    Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

     

    Contact:

    48 min
  • EP 3: Navigating those awkward teenage years as a multicultural and multiracial adolescent

    Aghhh aren’t those teenage years hard enough without the added complexity of being mixed? We chat about our adolescent insecurities, heartbreaks and embarrassing stories, as well as the challenges and beauties of blending traditions and identities during hose critical identity forming years.  We also share research and data about child and teen development for people of mixed heritage. If you’re a parent of a mixed child/teen or know one, this episode is for you too! 

    We discuss:

    • Developmental theories for multiracial children and teens
  • Mental health studies of mixed adolescents 
  • Emotional needs of multiracial children
  • The role of the parents of mixed kids
  • The landscape of our teenage years and what we both did to fit in 
  • Our Mothers’ techniques to keep an eye on us
  • Teenage fashion choices
  • Heartbreaks and crushes
  • Stories of facing racism at a young age
  • Insecurities: Unwanted body hair, eyebrows, boobs!
  • Writing diaries and having good friends that saw us without labels

    • Links to resources: 

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biracial_and_multiracial_identity_development

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/multiracial-identities-and-resilience-to-racism-the-role-of-families#Support-and-self-esteem

    https://adaa.org/find-help/by-demographics/multiracial-comm

    https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Multiracial-Children-071.aspx

    https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/131481-whenever-two-people-meet-there-are-really-six-people-present

    https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/700564-if-you-are-always-trying-to-be-normal-you-will

    https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/876-to-be-yourself-in-a-world-that-is-constantly-trying

    https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8945949-the-universe-took-its-time-on-you-crafted-you-to

     

    Additional info on the Podcast 

    Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

     

    If you liked this episode please share it and subscribe to Mixunderstood where ever you listen to your Podcasts.

     

    Follow us: 

    Instagram: @mixunderstoodpod

    Facebook: @mixunderstoodpod

    Twitter/X: @Mix_understood

    Tik Tok: @mixunderstood.pod

     

    Contact

     

    1 hr 7 min
  • Trailer

    Hello! We are so excited to bring you the trailer to our new podcast, Mixunderstood - a show that aims to better understand what it is to be multiracial and multicultural. Are you mixed? Not mixed? Know someone who is mixed? Have a child who is mixed? Or simply just want to learn about mixed people? All are welcome here! 

    3 min

About MIXUNDERSTOOD

From the publisher's feed

Stories of Mixed identity! A conversation about the multiracial and multicultural experience with Hanna-Lee Sakakibara and guests!