First published at 21, Max Pasakorn (any pronouns) is one of the top emerging young writers in Singapore, having been featured on The Straits Times and TODAYOnline. Born in Thailand under the loving eye of a Thai hawker mother, Max's writing tiptoe the beauty and pain of being a migrant to Singapore, and themes of diaspora and belonging.

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🔗 CONNECT WITH MAX:

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maxpsk_writes

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-pasakorn

🌐 Website - https://www.maxpasakorn.works/

🎙 ABOUT THE PODCAST

Our Queer Impact interviews inspiring LGBTQIA+ people leading change across various industries in art, tech, crypto, finance, and more.

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We're BACK after a (embarassingly long) hiatus!

This episode was shot over a year ago, but the conversation on climate change, and business's role in it, remains topical today. I speak with Nabig Chaudhry (he/him), Director of Climate Adaptation Strategy at Probable Futures, on his thoughts.

READ Nabig's recent article on his work here: https://probablefutures.org/perspective/what-is-climate-adaptation/

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🎥 YouTube Channel - https://bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-queer-impact

🔗 CONNECT WITH NABIG

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabig/

🎙 ABOUT THE PODCAST

Our Queer Impact is the podcast that interviews inspiring LGBTQIA+ people leading change across various industries in art, tech, crypto, finance, and more.

Chern Ron Ong (he/him) is a Fixed Income Product Specialist at Capital Group. Despite his joyful demeanor and infectious smile, his journey is marked by stigma and rebuffs. A polytechnic student with a dream to pursue a finance degree, he was discouraged by a university counselor due to his sexuality.

Today, Ron shares his journey going against conventional 'finance bro' standards to work in high finance on his own terms.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zSyxy0Mzbbs

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-queer-impact

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH RON

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chern-ron-ong/

⏰ Timecodes

(0:15) - College Counselor Said I Can't Do Finance Because I'm Gay

(3:21) - Stigma on Going to a Polytechnic

(7:55) - Regrets About Pursuing a UK Masters

(9:41) - Deciding I Don't Want to Be a Manager

(11:02) - Accidentally Proving the Counselor Right

(11:37) - I Came Out in a Goldman Sachs Interview

(13:28) - Why Queer People Are The Top Talent

(15:58) - Partying with My Manager Made Me (Nearly) Quit

(19:50) - Giving Yourself Grace to Stay Closeted

(21:30) - Day 1 Advice

(23:40) - Did I Reach My Fullest Potential?

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☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

Takuma Tanaka (he/him) is a prominent figure in a multinational investment bank by day, but at night, you'll find him captivating audiences as part of Singapore's burgeoning drag scene. Taku makes up half of the acclaimed duo "House of Haute Mess," as featured in Vogue and Tatler Asia. Taku discusses his upbringing in Japan, coming out, navigating his career, and balancing it all with his passion for drag performance alongside his partner.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zSyxy0Mzbbs

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH TAKU

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/takumagination/

🔗 CONNECT WITH HOUSE OF HAUTE MESS

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/houseofhautemess/

🔥 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@houseofhautemess

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(0:38) - Growing up in Japan, and Studying Abroad in Singapore

(3:18) - How a Pink Dot Video Inspired Me to Come Out

(5:26) - Coming Out to My Mom, and the World

(9:10) - Stumbling into the Financial Industry

(14:06) - How Not 'Being a Finance Person' Helped Me Succeed

(18:11) - The Value of a Fresh Perspective in Finance

(20:48) - Why the Lack of Diversity in Finance Blocks Marginalized Voices

(22:46) - Why Did You Look for a Bank with a LGBTQ+ Network?

(25:24) - Addressing Skepticism on "LGBTQ+" Corporate Networks

(28:44) - The Plea for Gen Zs to Step Up in Corporate Advocacy

(33:20) - The Beginnings of Iconic Drag Queen

(36:31) - Balancing Drag, My Partner, and My Career

(41:30) - Bursting My Finance Bubble with the Diversity of the Drag Community

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

Becca D'Bus, Singapore's BIGGEST drag queen and the creator and producer of RIOT!, sits down and discusses her journey in doing drag full-time, advice for upcoming queens/kings/drag royalty, and whether drag is actually celebrated in today's culture?

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ERDVWGxRhQM

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-queer-impact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH BECCA

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/beccadbus

🔗 CONNECT WITH RIOT!

🌐 Website - https://www.riotdragshow.com/

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/riotdragshow

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

Daryl Yang (he/him) accidentally went viral in his 20s for his open letter praising the government for its LGBTQ+ representation. Daryl went on to co-found and run several student groups, and was recognized by The Straits Times, Tatler Asia, and the Fullbright Scholarship for his advocacy efforts. Today, Daryl practices law at an international firm with a specialisation in dispute resolution and employment law, and serves on the Board of the Disabled People's Association in Singapore.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/C_OKbeG3eg0

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-queer-impact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH DARYL

📧 Email - [email protected]

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/darylyangmehmeh/

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darylyangwj/

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE DISABLED PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (SINGAPORE)

🌐 Website - https://dpa.org.sg/

ⓕ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DisabledPeoplesAssociation

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dpa.sg

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(1:40): How I Got Into Student Activism in Singapore

(5:38): Coming Out to Parents - Giving Space and Time to Process

(09:17): 377A Has Been Repealed - What's Next?

(11:00): Should LGBTQ+ Groups Advocate for Same-Sex Marriage?

(12:10): Delinking Benefits from Marital Status

(16:19): Article 156: What Is It, and Why Is It Constitutionalizing Queer Subordination?

(24:57): Why was Article 156 Even Necessary?

(28:20): The Importance of Listening in Activism

(30:15): Advice for Aspiring Student Community Leaders / Advocacy Leaders

(34:10): Pursuing a Fulbright Scholarship at Berkeley

(37:15): The Importance of Disability Activism in Singapore

(39:50): Politicizing Disability

(43:46): Breaking Barriers for Disabled People

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If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

In this season 1 recap, I share why I started this podcast, and sit with Cindy Pratiwi (she/her), a guest from Episode 9 of Season 1, to reflect the highlights of the season. We deep dive specifically into: what are unique challenges of being a queer Asian?

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ec5siW1BJAg

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(3:54) - Snippet 1: Moving to New York City to Become Comfortable in Queerness

(5:12) - Importance of Distance from Family While Discovering Yourself

(12:02) - Snippet 2: Coming Out, Disownment, and Reconciliation

(14:10) - Acceptance is Not Binary, and Parents' Grief

(19:46) - Snippet 3 - Queer Parents Need to 'Come Out' Too

(24:42) - The Role of Online Resources for Parents' Acceptance

(30:43) - Snippet 4 - The Loss of LGBTQ+ Forums for Youth

(35:51) - Forums/Resources vs Social Media

(42:00) - Snippet 5 - How No One Confronts the Elephant at Chinese New Year

(43:35) - Asian Families' Avoidance

(49:58) - Snippet 6 - How Should Straight People React to Queer Families?

(52:18) - Your Tone is Everything to Children

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

Jenny Dorsey (she/her) is a professional chef, author, and food politics scholar. In this deep dive, we talk about Jenny's career pivot away from management consulting into the culinary arts, her time competing on Food Network shows, and her research in Singapore's hawker centres now as a Fulbright-National Geographic Research Fellow. Jenny also speaks about the work her non-profit, Studio ATAO does for underserved hospitality workers.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/p5dXEP1Kn8w

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH JENNY

🌐 Website - https://www.jennydorsey.co/

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chefjennydorsey/

@ Threads - https://www.threads.net/@chefjennydorsey

🔥 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@chefjennydorsey

👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefjennydorsey/

ⓕ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chefjennydorsey

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(03:27) - Cultivating a Negative Relationship with Food

(06:38) - How to Make a Career Pivot Away from What's "Right" and "Safe"

(10:20) - Unrelentless Obsession with Benchmarks and Validation in Society

(13:34) - Carving Your Own Career Path

(16:27) - The Difficulty of Being Authentically Yourself in the Face of Envy and Backlash

(19:38) - Toxicity and Finding Your Tribe

(22:52) - Lack of Control over Your TV Persona

(26:10) - The Reality of Reality TV

(29:25) - Why Research Hawker Centers?

(32:56) - Singapore vs New York City's Food Scene

(35:36) - Retirement Challenges for Hawkers in Singapore

(38:08) - The Government's Influence on Food Pricing and Policies

(42:13) - Defining Equitable Standards in the Industry

(45:17) - Creating Coalitions and Networks in the Food Industry

(48:25) - Creating Spaces in the Food Industry

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

Cindy Pratiwi (she/her) is the Vice-President of Double Delta, a regional impact investment fund with over $150 million dollars under management. Cindy details the painful memories of growing up as Chinese in Indonesia in the background of the racial riots, her journey to Singapore, and now her calling to give back to impoverished communities, especially in her homeland. Listen to Cindy's coming of age story, and her reconciliation between her past and her life's work.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/267nSBz84S8

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH CINDY

👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindypratiwi/

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pratiwinner/

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(1:23) - The Hilarious Mishap that Cost Me My Last Name

(5:26) - Growing Up in Indonesia: Discrimination and Struggles

(13:20) - Love/Hate Relationship towards Indonesian Culture

(21:00) - Full Scholarship to Singapore

(24:30) - Life in Singapore without Parents

(29:01) - Additionality - What Makes Impact Investing Different than Regular Investing

(38:03) - Career Mentors

(44:06) - How Can We Get More Asian Investors to Care About Southeast Asian Impact Investing?

(45:55) - Impact Investing vs Impact Washing

(52:10) - My Favourite Investment; Improving Education Access in Rural Indonesia

(1:01:58) - Journey towards Mental Health and Therapy

(01:06:04) - Bloopers!

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

✨EXTRAS

Get $3 OFF your next ride hailing ride - http://tada-rider.app.link/referral?referralCode=R32802

Get $5 CASHBACK - https://app.shopback.com/nO1d7eYL1Hb

PS: Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something, the podcast will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Piyush Khatreja (he/him) is the Director, Data Analytics Lead at Standard Chartered Bank. Piyush shares his decade-long commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, and his transition moving to Singapore from India.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0Zoo-s5_pqo

🔗 CONNECT WITH US

📲 Join the Telegram Community - https://t.me/ourqueerimpact

🎥 YouTube Channel - bit.ly/ourqueerimpact

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ourqueerimpact

🔗 CONNECT WITH PIYUSH

👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/piyush-khatreja/

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pkhats/

⏰ Timecodes

(0:00) Intro

(3:39) - Moving from India to Singapore

(12:51) - Why Everyone Should Apply for Jobs They're 'Underqualified' For

(19:34) - The First CSR Project; His First Mentor in Accenture

(25:49) - Travelling to Rural India to Mentor Graduate Students

(33:19) - Disillusionment around CSR

(40:29) - A Big Brother's Love

(41:50) - Coming Out to His Indian Parents - The Healing and Acceptance as a Family

(58:00) - Encountering Racism towards Indians in Singapore

(1:01:15) - Indian vs Indian Singaporeans

🌈 LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a 5-star review on Apple / Spotify Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

☕ TIP JAR

Want to leave a tip as a thank you? 100% of all donations go into the operating costs of growing the podcast - forever :) https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ourqueerimpact

✨EXTRAS

Get $3 OFF your next ride hailing ride - http://tada-rider.app.link/referral?referralCode=R32802

Get $5 CASHBACK - https://app.shopback.com/nO1d7eYL1Hb

PS: Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something, the podcast will receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.