This week, I caught up with longtime Chicago Uptown community leaders and co-owners of the new Haibayô Cafe, Hac Tran and Jennifer “Nuky” Pham.

Join us as Hac and Nuky take us into an intimate look at the history of the Asia on Argyle neighborhood—a historic cultural center for Chicago’s Chinese and Southeast Asian communities for the past 50 years.

• The Mission of Haibayô: Their work in co-founding the nonprofit dedicated to cultural preservation and community-building in the Argyle area.

• A Personal Legacy: Jennifer “Nuky” Pham shares the legacy history of her father, one of Argyle’s first Vietnamese business owners, and her deep roots in the community.

• Community Advocacy: How they curate festivals and events to support immigrant entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians, their fight against displacement, and provide

• Future Connections: Their determination to build deeper community connections and maintain the neighborhood’s cultural and historical identity.

Bio:

Hac Tran, Co-Founder, Cultural Planning Manager:

Hac Tran is an urban planner and community development professional dedicated to preserving the Asia on Argyle community in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Born and raised in Chicago, Hac has deep ties to the Argyle area. In 2019, Hac co-founded HAIBAYÔ, a nonprofit focused on cultural preservation. Hac’s experience ranges from non-governmental work in Vietnam with Save the Children and Global Village Foundation to community-based casework with various Uptown-based nonprofits to cultural specialist business technical assistance on Argyle through the Uptown Chamber of Commerce. Hac is a Field Foundation 2025 Leaders for a New Chicago Recipient.

Jennifer “Nuky” Pham, Co-Founder, Cultural Events Manager:

Jennifer Pham is a Vietnamese American entrepreneur, cultural organizer, and community advocate born and raised in Argyle, Uptown Chicago. As the daughter of Argyle’s first Vietnamese business owners, she is dedicated to preserving the neighborhood’s identity and resisting displacement. As co-founder of Haibayô, she curates festivals and events that support immigrant entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians. She also serves as a board member of the Uptown Chamber of Commerce and co-owner of Mini Tx Pharmacy, strengthening her advocacy for local businesses and community sustainability.

Contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Instagram: hai_bayo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haibayochicago

Website: https://haibayo.com/

This week, I’m joined by my friend and fellow podcaster, Kenneth Nguyen, the host and creator of the acclaimed The Vietnamese Podcast. He was my guest host on my then-farewell episode in 2023 when I was sunsetting the podcast, and he’s back on my show, to remind me that he was right that I would come back to the podcasting sphere, and here I am now! With hundreds of episodes recorded, Kenneth has built a platform highlighting Vietnamese creatives, educators, historians, entrepreneurs, and many others across the global diaspora and homeland.

In this fun and insightful conversation, we dive into:

• The Current Podcasting Landscape: Our thoughts on the industry since I returned to podcasting, and what podcasting means now these days.

• Kenneth’s Journey into Podcasting: The story of how The Vietnamese Podcast began and the lessons he’s learned about the Vietnamese community both in the US and in Vietnam.

• Navigating Political Nuances: Discussing the delicate and complex political divisions within the community, and how both Vietnamese Americans and Vietnam view the history of the war fifty years later.

• Shaping Future Narratives: How we can actively work to influence and shape the evolving story of the Vietnamese American community moving forward.

Kenneth brings a wealth of experience from over two decades in the Vietnamese media space, including his work as a film producer and co-founder of EAST Films. His podcast aims to show the Vietnamese experience “from a transpacific lens, in all its facets and complexities.”

Bio:

Kenneth Nguyen is a Los Angeles-based podcaster and film producer with over two decades in the Vietnamese media space. Kenneth hosts and produces The Vietnamese podcast with over 400 episodes recorded. Kenneth is a founding partner at EAST Films with several film projects in development and production.

Check out The Vietnamese Podcast on Instagram: TheVietnamesePodcast

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheVietnamesewithKennethNguyen

This week, I brought the multi-talented French-Canadian comedian and personality Tranna Wintour to the podcast. We dived into the current political noise in her own backyard (Canada), but also what she has observed in the States. A major focus of the conversation was Madonna’s legacy. We dissected how difficult the last 20 years of her career and persona have been for some to stand by, and how this is another example of figuring out how to deal with our problematic favs. Finally, we ask a big question: Have we reached the end of celebrity stan culture in the wake of the current political and social climate we’re in?

Bio:

Tranna Wintour is a highly-acclaimed bilingual comedian, singer, writer, hostess, and producer.

Legendary comedienne Sandra Bernhard described her as “a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter’s night.” A Just For Laughs New Face Canada (2019), Tranna was named one of the queens of Canadian comedy by Fashion magazine.

Performing in both English and French, she appeared in a Juste Pour Rire gala in 2021 before starring in Québec’s hit series, Big Brother Célébrités. Her run to the top 4 was hailed as the show’s breakthrough moment and “the best moment on Québec TV in years” by the Journal Métro.

Tranna co-hosted the successful CBC Podcast Chosen Family for three seasons, which was named one of Apple’s Best Podcasts for two consecutive years. Her debut album, Safe From Your Affection, is available on all streaming platforms, and she is currently developing an original comedy series with a major Canadian broadcaster.

Instagram: TrannaWintour

Website: https://www.trannawintour.com

Tranna Wintour

In continuation of the current Chicago ICE Raids, and recent SNAP benefits crisis affecting Chicago's Chinatown community, I invited two dedicated community leaders in the Chinatown community: Grace Chan McKibben and Andrew Frangos, to discuss the rapid response efforts in Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods.

In a time when federal actions are creating widespread fear and instability, we dived into how local leaders, residents, and businesses are working in solidarity to protect one another.

• Immediate ICE Response: Grace and Andrew detail the community's swift reaction to the recent, highly visible ICE raids in the Chicagoland area, including reports of violent and false detentions. We discuss what practices communities are using to monitor activity, provide alerts, and empower residents to Know Their Rights.

• Protecting Neighbors and Businesses: We look at the practical ways the community—from small businesses to residents—are creating a protective net to ensure the safety and legal rights of immigrant families, seniors, and workers.

• The SNAP Benefit Crisis: We explore the devastating and immediate impact of the recent SNAP benefit reductions and policy changes that are disproportionately affecting low-income seniors and vulnerable families in the area.

• Mobilizing Resources: Both outline the community work that is being done to fill the resource gap, including emergency food distribution, legal aid services, and language support to help residents navigate the ongoing, shifting landscape.

• A Call to Action: How listeners—both in and outside of Chicago—can support the community's defense funds, rapid response teams, and local organizations working on the front lines of this crisis.

Resources:

Contact ICIRR for ICE sightings in Illinois

From Andrew:Pilsen PUÑO, an organization that coordinates a Migra Watch team and provides regular trainings: 

https://www.instagram.com/pilsenpuno/.  https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ4bsY4jUcP/.

Sanctuary For All UIC (https://www.instagram.com/sanctuaryforalluic/) maintains this linktree with a link to a massive list of trainings offered beyond the Chicago area, as well as other resources: https://linktr.ee/sanctuaryforalluic.

In a profoundly moving conversation, host Randy Kim welcomes Dorothy Chow, the Chinese-Cambodian American host of the father-daughter podcast, "Death In Cambodia."

Dorothy shares the deeply personal and powerful genesis of her show: creating a space for her father to share his survivor experience from the Cambodian genocide. This podcast wasn't just a historical documentation; it became a transformative healing journey for Dorothy.

• The Genesis of "Death In Cambodia": Dorothy opens up about the courage it took for her and her father to start the podcast, not just as a historical record, but as a pivotal moment for intergenerational healing.

• A Personal Discovery: We discuss how the process of interviewing her own father and connecting with other survivors and diaspora folks shaped Dorothy’s understanding of her own Cambodian identity—an identity she had long sought to define.

• The Second Genocide: Dorothy sheds light on a lesser-known, yet critical, chapter of the Khmer Rouge regime: the Dangrek Genocide. This 2nd genocide, often overshadowed, reveals the complex and continuous trauma faced by the Cambodian people.

• Returning to the Motherland: Looking ahead, Dorothy shares her hopes and intentions for her next trip to Cambodia, reflecting on what she now seeks to experience and connect with as part of both her podcasting and personal journey.

  
  

• Listen to the Podcast: Find "Death In Cambodia" on all major podcast platforms.

• Follow Dorothy: @ deathincambodia

Thank you for tuning into The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast!

I decided to record a solo episode to gather my thoughts since returning to the podcast a few months ago, and how wild it's been recording emergency episodes amid the chaos Chicago has been experiencing with ICE and CBP raids. I also talk about my reaction to content creator Nathan Ramos-Park's reel about how Asian Americans and the Asian diaspora are deciding to live in Asia, and how that impacts them. I have a lot to say on that as a former expat. I have also been thinking about the wave of grief that I will experience with the upcoming holidays and reminders about my brother's passing for this winter season.

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles, host Randy Kim sits down with the incredible Nisha Mody (she/her)—a certified Liberatory Life Coach, Facilitator, and Writer—for a profound conversation about self-compassion, unlearning harmful beliefs, and showing up authentically in relationships.

Nisha, who is currently writing a memoir about her divorce, shares the raw, deeply personal story of her toxic marriage to an Indian man that ended a decade ago. She transparently discusses the immense work required to unlearn the practices and beliefs she internalized that ultimately caused her harm.

• The complex journey of grief and healing, particularly navigating the immense loss of her father around the time of her divorce.

• How Nisha had to redefine her self-worth after leaving a toxic dynamic, and her philosophy of self-improvement without shame.

• The essential conversation about navigating and understanding whiteness in her current partnership and how her white partner actively honors her values and centers her growth.

• Nisha’s core belief that centering growth, relationship, and liberation is the path toward meaningful personal and societal transformation.

Nisha’s background spans consulting, recruiting, and librarianship, and she brings all of that accumulated wisdom to her coaching and writing, encouraging us all to stop shrinking ourselves and step into our full power.

Listen in for a conversation that is as vulnerable as it is liberating.

Bio:

Nisha Mody (she/her) is a certified Liberatory Life Coach, Facilitator, and Writer who supports people in cultivating as much compassion for themselves as they do for others so they can stop shrinking themselves to be liked and start showing up for relational liberation. With a background spanning consulting, recruiting, speech-language pathology, and librarianship, Nisha thrives on evolving and self-improvement without shame and inspiring others to do the same. In all her work, she centers growth, relationship, and liberation as pathways for personal and societal transformation. Nisha is writing a memoir about her divorce. She coaches clients one-on-one and in groups and also offers workshops and coaching to organizations. You can find Nisha on Instagram @healinghypegirl, on her website at www.nishaland.com, and you can get the latest updates from her by signing up for her newsletter at https://bit.ly/notesfromnishaland.

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles, host Randy Kim brings you an urgent, on-the-ground report with Lilly Le (she/her), Community Organizing Director at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI). Lilly works to build community power among Vietnamese people in Illinois through engagement and leadership development.

In this critical discussion, we address the twin crises currently impacting Vietnamese and other immigrant communities in Chicago, particularly in the Argyle Street area of Uptown:

• The Climate of Fear: Lilly shares how the recent, highly-publicized ICE raids are instilling widespread fear and anxiety in the Vietnamese community across the Chicagoland area.

• The SNAP Crisis: We discuss the severe impact of the current interruption and changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, threatening food security for elders and low-income families.

• VAI’s Action Plan: Lilly outlines the immediate, vital work VAI and its community partners are doing to inform the public of their rights, provide legal and material resources, and offer essential mutual aid and support to those affected.

• Community Impact: Lilly speaks to the lasting effects of these political and humanitarian crises and how Vietnamese individuals are processing and mobilizing against the escalating threats to their safety and stability.

This conversation is essential listening for understanding the immediate need for mutual aid and community power-building in a time of crisis.

Support VAI’s Work:

• Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI):

  https://hnvi.org/

• VAI IG: https://www.instagram.com/vai_chicago/

  • Note to listeners: VAI provides a range of services including Legal Assistance and Immigrant and Refugee Resources.

    
    

Linh “Lilly” Le (she/her) is a Community Services Manager at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois. Her work focuses on building community and power among Vietnamese people in Illinois through intergenerational community engagement and leadership development. Before joining VAI, she was a student organizer with UChicago United at the University of Chicago, fighting for material resources and building power among students of color and the surrounding community. She received her BA in Sociology and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies from the University of Chicago. Lilly is committed to grassroots power-building work to equip our communities with tools for healing and self-determination.

This week, we’re getting real and diving into the deep end with the incredible Joi Louviere from the Werk Stories Podcast. Our conversation pulls no punches as we talk about the brutal realities of toxic workplaces, especially through the lens of a Black women.

Joi and I discuss how the prevailing political environment—specifically the Trump administration—has created an even more difficult and exhausting landscape. We tackle the specific challenges of both the nonprofit and corporate world, where passion often masks a lack of resources, and how Black women and other women of color are forced to constantly innovate in order to survive their work environment. If you’ve ever felt depleted, undervalued, or just plain tired of the professional struggle, this episode offers a supportive voice and a path toward survival and lasting resilience.

About Werk Stories Podcast

Birthed out of back-to-back discriminatory work experiences, the Werk Stories creator decided to turn her trauma into community by developing a safe space for other Black women and women of color to speak about the things that have happened to them in their workplaces.

By opening up, women of color can empower each other to persevere and know that they are not alone. Werk stories works with therapists, HR professionals, and employment lawyers to provide advice on how this community can best create change in their industries.

Take this journey with us and listen to the stories of these amazing women, and most importantly, believe them!

About the Creator: Joi Louviere

Joi honed her passion for storytelling in college while studying journalism at her beloved HBCU, Hampton University. As a radio host and staff writer, then editor, in the student newspaper, she learned the many ways to tell a thoughtful story. After some newspaper work, Joi’s career pivoted to more broad communications, production assisting, public relations and magazine work. After getting her Master’s in journalism from Georgetown University, Joi sold all her things and traveled the world for 3.5 years. Her nomadic lifestyle was freeing, but more than that it highlighted the many stories that needed to be told and she began nonprofit work. She started by using her comms skills to nurture programming for children at a small, but impactful organization, and then matriculated to college access work, both roles requiring a savvy for social media and marketing leadership. While nonprofit work is rewarding, Joi could not escape the workplace bias and discrimination and overall racism present in every corner of of the nonprofit world. Werk Stories was born from a breaking point, and Joi hopes it inspires many more moments of realizations for Black women and women of color who are tired of the unnecessary obstacles just to do their jobs. With the vulnerability of brave Black and brown women and work of focused allies, Joi is sure Werk Stories will be one of many contributors to the overhaul of United States work culture. Joi currently lives, writes and (werk) stories in Dallas, Texas.

Follow Joi:

Instagram: Werkstories

LinkedIn: Joi Louviere's LinkedIn

Recorded on 10/21/25, 6:30 pm CST

TW/CW: contains discussion surrounding ICE raids

I welcome a fierce and fabulous friend, Saint Mary Clarence, who joins us in full drag to demonstrate the political power of this queer art form. But the conversation shifts into the urgent discussion of the current ICE raid crisis in and around Chicago.

Saint Mary Clarence—a dedicated community member—breaks down the crisis in their local community of Oak Park (located next to Chicago), including:

• The Local Government Response: How Oak Park officials and residents are responding to the recent ICE and law enforcement activities in their area.

• The “No Kings Protest”: We discuss the genesis and meaning of the growing anti-authoritarian movement and what it means to be actively engaged in the resistance against the current administration.

• Drag as Political Art: We explore how the very act of dressing in drag is a radical, political statement and a form of highly visible resistance against antiquated, oppresive systems.

• The Role of White Privilege: A frank and necessary discussion on how white allies can and must recognize and leverage their privilege to meaningfully support community members who are most at risk of danger and deportation.

This is an urgent and inspiring conversation about community, courage, and choosing to show up for justice.