Not Your Token Minority

Not Your Token Minority

By TaoSociety & Culture
Download on the App Store

Not Your Token Minority episodes

  • Bun: surviving the pandemic as a small business owner & continuing the legacy of Satay Noodle House
    Bun started helping his parents at their noodle shop, Satay Noodle House, more than 20 years ago when he was barely taller than the counter he stood behind. After working every Saturday since then, including 30+ hours a week while he studied at university, he took over the shop 10 years ago after his dad retired.

    We chat about why his parents started Satay Noodle House, the legacy it has in the local community and why he doesn't necessarily see it growing massively in the future. We also talk a bit about his Cambodian heritage, the perception of South Auckland vs the reality and how the past year has been as a small business owner in light of the global pandemic.

    Have a story you want to share? Email me at [email protected]or fill in the form here.

    If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  • Sam: intergenerational identity in Malaysia's Chinese diaspora
    In today's episode, I chat with my friend Sam about how her experiences living overseas - first as an international student and then working abroad - have helped shape her relationship with her own identity. Sam was born and raised in Malaysia, studied in Australia as an international student and now lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.

    We talk about what it's like living in Japan as Asian foreigners, the realities of being an international student and the journey of finding her identity as a Malaysian person with Chinese heritage.

    Have a story you want to share? Email me at [email protected] or fill in the form here. I look forward to catching up!

    If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  • Shilo Part II: the journey of reclaiming her own identity & language

    This is Part 2 of my interview with journalist and author Shilo Kino. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I would recommend you go back and listen to that episode to get the full context of this conversation.

    In this episode, we talk about what motivated Shilo to stay in journalism, writing and releasing her first book and how she is feeling ahead of her year-long full-immersion Te Reo Māori course.

    Language notes:
    1. "Kaumātua" are tribal elders and help to preserve traditions and pass knowledge down to younger generations. They are highly revered.
    2. "Mana" is kind of a tricky term to understand fully through words only. In Māori, it refers to an intangible force found in people and objects. It underpins everything and to have mana means to have spiritual power, authority, identity and respect.
    3.  "Waka" means "canoe", but in the context of this episode, the word is used metaphorically to mean "journey".

    Other notes:
    "Ihumātao" is a village in Auckland, but in this episode it refers to protests by local Māori against proposals to use the land, which was initially confiscated by the New Zealand government as punishment, for housing. For more information, you can visit: https://www.protectihumatao.com/

    "The Stuff Apology" refers to an apology made by one of the country's largest media outlets for its racist coverage of Māori stories. You can read it here.

    Shilo's book is called The Pōrangi Boy and you learn more about it here.

    You can support and follow Shilo's work through her Instagram account and Twitter, as well as her column at Newsroom. She is documenting her Te Reo Māori journey through her own podcast, Back to Kura.

    If you liked this episode, please make sure to share and leave a review. I would appreciate all your help in getting these stories out to more people so that we too can challenge the narrative and be the representation we want to see. 


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    24 min
  • Shilo Part I: the struggle & power of being a Māori journalist
    Challenging the status quo and being the representation you want to see can be a lonely uphill battle. Shilo is an author and journalist who is of Ngāpuhi and Tainui iwi and she on that path to breaking down existing narratives and heavily entrenched racism against Māori in New Zealand through her storytelling.

    In this first part of the interview, we talk about our early days as graduate journalists at The Manukau Courier, Shilo's time in Hong Kong as a missionary and battling racism while working in Tauranga.

    Make sure to tune in to next week's episode to hear the rest of her interview, where we delve more into how she embarked on the journey she's on now to reclaiming her own identity, language and culture in the context of working in the media.

    Language notes:
    1. "iwi" means "people" or "tribe".
    2. "Aotearoa" is the Māori name for New Zealand.
    3. "Pākehā" means a non-Māori New Zealander, generally of European descent
    4. A marae is a meeting ground and focal point of Māori communities, incorporating a carved meeting house, Te Wharenui. It's where the community gathers for celebrations, funerals, and other important events.

    You can support and follow Shilo's work through her Instagram account and Twitter, as well as her column at Newsroom. She is documenting her Te Reo Māori journey through her own podcast, Back to Kura.

    If you liked this episode, please make sure to share, subscribe and leave a rating. I would appreciate all your help in getting these stories out to more people so that we too can challenge the narrative and be the representation we want to see. 


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min
  • Tao: from law school to journalism and my dreams for this podcast
    For those of you who have been listening so far and have no idea who your host is, this is the episode for you. I share a bit about my background, my journey in trying to figure out my purpose, my time living in Japan and my hopes and dreams for this podcast.

    I love connecting with my listeners, so please don't hesitate to reach out on FB/IG or email me at [email protected]. I am always looking for people's stories to share, so get in touch if you, or someone you know, would like to be a guest on NYTM.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min
  • Shahad: on rewriting her own story, lessons from the finance world & being a solo mum
    So far on this podcast we've heard stories where a common experience is wanting to fit in. But for Shahad, that is one of the last things she would ever want to do. From her approach to living life, to how she practises her religion, to raising her daughter, Shahad does things her way, even if it's a bit different or risky. Rules? Don't know her.

    With the sounds of summer as our backdrop, we talk about why she decided the married-and-settled-down life wasn't for her, what she did to change her situation, what manifesting your future actually means, and how so much of life can be related back to finance and the financial markets. We also talk about her journey so far in raising a child as a solo mum and what her hopes are for her daughter. 

    Be prepared for an impassioned, fiery and candid conversation. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't done so already and get in touch via social media or email [email protected].

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  • Happy International Women's Day!

    A short and casual chat to acknowledge and celebrate International Women's Day. There is A LOT that we didn't cover and I know it's an incredibly gender-normative conversation. How to approach something like IWD in a world where gender is not just male & female is a whole other conversation to be had. However, we just wanted to touch on some of the issues we're passionate about and recognise how important and amazing the women around us are.

    IWD began in the early 1900s out of movements by activists in the US and Europe who were demanding better labour rights and the right to vote for women. You can learn more about IWD through the official website.

    And make sure to follow and support NYTM by subscribing and following on Facebook and Instagram.

    13 min
  • Bel: why Fiji will always be home and the road to embracing her heritage
    When Bel and I first met, she was the first person I had ever come across who was of Chinese heritage, but was born and raised in Fiji.

    Despite knowing each other for more than 15 years, this is the first time we have spoken at length about her upbringing, the struggles her family went through and what her identity journey has been like.

    We also talk about the impact of Chinese migrants to Fiji, which has been increasing in recent years due to China's growing investment in the South Pacific region. And we touch on a random occurrence that shows just how small the world really is.

    Have a story you want to share? Email me at [email protected] or fill in the form here.

    If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  • Nadia: growing up biracial, finding belonging as a Third Culture Kid & how life is changing in Hong Kong
    Despite being located in New Zealand, I always wanted Not Your Token Minority to have a global reach. Today's conversation is with my first international guest and when I say international, I really mean international.

    Nadia is half-German, half-Chinese, was born in Egypt, grew up in Germany and is currently living and working in Hong Kong. We chat all about her childhood in Germany, work and life in Hong Kong and the benefits of being a third culture kid.

    Themes and topics in this episode include:
    - growing up biracial in Germany with a strong  Chinese identity
    - the discrimination faced by hua qiao (people of Chinese ethnicity who live outside of China)
    - life in Hong Kong, including work culture and the increasing influence of mainland China
    - the concept of "home"

    Also, if anyone knows the Chinese Mandarin name for that basket-like ladle you use for hot pot, please enlighten me!

    Don't forget to subscribe and follow on Facebook and Instagram. And get in touch if you want to share your story!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  • Sheila: being the "token" Asian, becoming a business owner & coping with the grief of losing a loved one

    In the very first episode of Not Your Token Minority, I speak with my good friend Sheila about growing up in small-town New Zealand, building her career as one of the only Asian female leaders in her industry and coming to terms with her mum's death. 

    Themes and topics explored in this episode include:
    - growing up as an Asian kid in small-town New Zealand, including experiences of racism
    - work ethic 
    - the death of a parent 

    Have a story you want to share? Email me at [email protected] or fill in the form here. I look forward to catching up!

    If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

About Not Your Token Minority

From the publisher's feed

Not Your Token Minority explores the stories and experiences of people of the global majority. The aim is to create a space where our stories can shine, where we can challenge the existing narratives…