In this episode, Kara sits down with race car driver, team owner, and BMW Global Ambassador Samantha Tan. Samantha shares what it takes to train for endurance racing, the flow state she finds behind the wheel, recovering from a 100 mph crash, building ST Racing with her dad, and her goal of becoming the first Asian woman to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Samantha Tan is a Chinese-Canadian professional race car driver, team owner, and BMW M Motorsport Global Ambassador. She began racing at 16 and co-founded ST Racing, becoming an international championship-winning driver and team owner. In 2025, she made her Road to Le Mans debut, a step toward her goal of becoming the first Asian woman to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2026, she competes in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with ST Racing by Random Vandals Racing. Off the track, Samantha is a UC Irvine Economics graduate, artist, musician, gamer, and AAPI advocate.

Instagram: @samanthaatan

Big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Jellypop shoes and Jellypop Kids from Evolution Design Lab. Jellypop makes comfort-first footwear made with vegan leather, memory foam insoles, and PETA-approved materials. Available at major retailers including Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, Belk, JCPenney (under POP), Amazon, and more.⁠

www.evolutiondesignlab.com⁠ ⁠| www.jellypop.la⁠

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

In this episode, Kara sits down with R&B singer Joyce Wrice ahead of her sophomore album. Joyce opens up about intentionally stepping away, rebuilding a song after losing its original beat, growing up Black and Japanese in Chula Vista, reconnecting with her long-lost brother in Japan, and the Buddhist teachings that continue to guide her.

Joyce Wrice is an R&B singer-songwriter from Chula Vista, California, now based in Los Angeles. Of Japanese and Black heritage, she released her critically acclaimed debut album Overgrown in 2021, featuring collaborations with KAYTRANADA, Masego, Freddie Gibbs, and Lucky Daye, followed by her 2022 EP Motive. She also performs the theme song for Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder and has collaborated with artists including Mahalia, Jordan Ward, and Isaiah Falls. In 2026, Joyce returned with new singles “Break Me In” and “Crack The Code,” marking the beginning of her long-awaited sophomore album era.

Instagram: @joycewrice | stream Joyce’s music: https://joycewrice.lnk.to/crackthecode

Big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Jellypop shoes and Jellypop Kids from Evolution Design Lab. Jellypop makes comfort-first footwear made with vegan leather, memory foam insoles, and PETA-approved materials. Available at major retailers including Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, Belk, JCPenney (under POP), Amazon, and more.

⁠www.evolutiondesignlab.com⁠ ⁠www.jellypop.la⁠

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

https://open.spotify.com/show/2iiTyiAhiuZD6LCBCeCOkp

Executive produced by Ally Maki, and Kara Wang 

Produced by Tia Samn 

Intro Music: (OMG) by Gloria Kim

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ni3UTucdl8y2j3EG4w5PB

Edited by: Jacob Ho

Special Thanks to Oscar Alva

Follow AAGC!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianamericangirlclub/

Sign up for updates for the latest content, merch, and so much more!

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https://www.asianamericangirlclub.com

In this episode, Kara sits down with Dr. Deepika Chopra, The Optimism Doctor® and bestselling author of The Power of Real Optimism. They unpack why optimism is a skill you can train, how our anticipatory brains shape anxiety, the difference between healthy and passive manifestation, her 7/10 rule for affirmations, and the special moment her son’s Little League teammate chose Punjabi Bhangra as his walk-up song.

In this episode, Kara sits down with Nanxi Liu to talk about building two companies with the same co-founder over 14 years, balancing entrepreneurship with raising two young kids, learning poker in three weeks and placing in the top 5% at the World Series of Poker, the immigrant mindset, and why being selective about whose advice you take can change everything.

Nanxi Liu is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Blaze.tech, a no-code platform that helps organizations build software without writing code, used by everyone from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Previously, she co-founded Enplug, a global digital display software company she and longtime co-founder Tina Wojcik sold in 2021 after 13 years together. While at UC Berkeley, Nanxi also co-founded Nanoly Bioscience, whose vaccine preservation research was published in Science. She serves on the board of CarParts.com, is an Investment Partner at XFactor Ventures, and supports the LA Dodgers Foundation and National Foster Youth Institute. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and an Emmy-winning producer.

Instagram: @nanxiliu | learn more about Blaze Tech: https://www.blaze.tech/

Big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Jellypop shoes and Jellypop Kids from Evolution Design Lab. Jellypop makes comfort-first footwear made with vegan leather, memory foam insoles, and PETA-approved materials. Available at major retailers including Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, Belk, JCPenney (under POP), Amazon, and more.

⁠www.evolutiondesignlab.com⁠ ⁠www.jellypop.la⁠

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

https://open.spotify.com/show/2iiTyiAhiuZD6LCBCeCOkp

Executive produced by Ally Maki, and Kara Wang 

Produced by Tia Samn 

Intro Music: (OMG) by Gloria Kim

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ni3UTucdl8y2j3EG4w5PB

Edited by: Jacob Ho

Special Thanks to Oscar Alva

Follow AAGC!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianamericangirlclub/

Sign up for updates for the latest content, merch, and so much more!

https://app.fanded.com/club/asianamericangirlclub

https://www.asianamericangirlclub.com

In this episode, Kara sits down with fiveALIVE for a conversation about their Sunny Hills chaotic debut in a passing period, going from 600 followers to 100K, training in Sweden while doing online high school, telling their traditional Asian parents they wanted to be pop stars, the vibe-check car ride that made Ellie their fifth member, and what it means to build a girl group from the ground up in Orange County.

fiveALIVE is a five-member Asian American girl group based in Orange County, signed to indie label Legend Recordings. They debuted November 14, 2025 with the single "Queendom," surprise-performed in the gym at Sunny Hills High School. Their Instagram followers went from 300 to 100,000 in a single week. They are: Jia (leader, vocalist, Chinese-Vietnamese, 22), Ellie (vocalist, Korean American, 21), Nini (19), Ciara (19), and Bay (Bailey Park, maknae, Korean American, 17). Their fandom is the 4LIFERS. The group trained together for 2 to 3 years before debut. Their second single, "Frenemies," is on pre-save now.

Instagram: @fivealiveofficial

Stream fiveALIVE’s music: https://linktr.ee/fivealiveofficial

Big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Jellypop shoes and Jellypop Kids from Evolution Design Lab. Jelly Pop makes comfort-first footwear made with vegan leather, memory foam insoles, and PETA-approved materials. Available at major retailers including Famous Footwear, Shoe Carnival, Belk, JCPenney (under POP), Amazon, and more.

www.evolutiondesignlab.com
www.jellypop.la

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

https://open.spotify.com/show/2iiTyiAhiuZD6LCBCeCOkp

Executive produced by Ally Maki, and Kara Wang 

Produced by Tia Samn 

Intro Music: (OMG) by Gloria Kim

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ni3UTucdl8y2j3EG4w5PB

Edited by: Jacob Ho

Special Thanks to Oscar Alva

Follow AAGC!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianamericangirlclub/

Sign up for updates for the latest content, merch, and so much more!

https://app.fanded.com/club/asianamericangirlclub

https://www.asianamericangirlclub.com

In this episode, Kara sits down with Voice Hugs hosts Vivian and Rowena to talk about feeling stuck versus feeling behind, finding your voice as Asian American women, building a "care team," navigating friendship, marriage, and motherhood, and the lessons helping them embrace the present.

Voice Hugs is a podcast where best friends Vivian Van and Rowena Tsai spill their hearts, swap real life stories, and get honest about self-discovery. Each Wednesday, they dive into the beautiful, messy process of becoming—celebrating the wins, working through challenges, and finding your truest self in every season of life. Expect vulnerability, lots of giggles, and the kind of heart-to-hearts that feel like a warm hug.

Rowena Tsai is a creator on Youtube whose content on self-care, personal growth, and productivity has helped millions of people live with intention and be true to themselves. As one of the first creators to talk about mental health on the platform, her videos, now with over 44 million views, have helped shape the way the next generation navigates challenges like finding purpose, work-life balance (now with a newborn), self-compassion, and more.

Vivian Van is a facilitator and creator whose work centers on personality dynamics, relationships, and mental health. She’s spent years shifting between structured office days and creative nights—working a 9-to-5 job helping teams build healthier, more collaborative work cultures, then switching gears after hours to create content that inspires self-awareness, emotional resilience, and personal growth. With a deep belief that the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself, Vivian brings a grounded, relatable voice to conversations about well-being, identity, and inner-growth.

youtube.com/@voicehugsSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5IlF8gTgHi8tf2hVDvd19e?si=af0d5a5e2b774ac2Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/voice-hugs/id1601536900Instagram: @voicehugspodcast , @rowenatsai, @vivianxvan Voice Hugs Shop: https://www.voicehugspodcast.com/

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

Produced by Tia Samn

In this episode, Kara sits down with Vietnamese American fashion designer Thai Nguyen, aka the fairy gown mother, to talk about the Kelly Marie Tran call that changed everything, designing an áo dài in 16 hours, family, love, embracing his Vietnamese heritage, and why he believes quality always beats quantity.

Thai Nguyen is a couture fashion designer. Born in Vietnam, went on to graduate from FIDM, and in 2008 opened Thai Nguyen Atelier in Little Saigon, Orange County. A central inspiration in Thai’s work is the áo dài, Vietnam’s traditional dress. He blends cultural heritage with high fashion, elevating this iconic garment with couture craftsmanship. He has dressed people you may know, such as: J.Lo, Ariana Grande, Cindy Crawford, Kelly Marie Tran just to name a few. He dresses women for insane red carpet moments at the Met Gala, the Oscars, but also dresses women on one of their most important days: their wedding day. Thai is also a familiar face on television, most notably as a co-host and designer on Netflix’s Say I Do, where he creates custom wedding gowns for deserving brides with moving personal stories. He built an empire. And the women he dresses, on the red carpet and in the fitting room, walk out of his atelier feeling, in his words, like fairy tale versions of themselves. Which is why he calls himself, the fairy gownmother.

Instagram: @thainguyenatelier | https://www.thainguyenatelier.com/ | Order Mai’s Áo Dài Book written by Thai :https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Mais-Ao-Dai/Thai-Nguyen/9781665917346

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

Produced by Tia Samn

In this special episode, Ally joins Kara as they sit down with Sherry Cola for a full circle moment. Three friends and collaborators in a room. They talk about the Good Trouble scene that still lives in their group chat, staying humble when Hollywood, and what she learned from her radio street team days.

Sherry Cola is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She broke out in the 5-season series Good Trouble, with break-out roles in Lionsgate’s Joy Ride and Sony Picture Classics’ Shortcomings. She has continued to proudly represent her AAPI and LGBTQ+ communities with roles in Apple TV’s Shrinking and Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. This summer, you can catch her in Netflix’s Little Brother and Disney's Camp Rock 3.

Instagram: @shrrycola

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.
https://open.spotify.com/show/2iiTyiAhiuZD6LCBCeCOkp

Produced by Tia Samn

In this episode, Kara sits down with Amy Liu to talk about building Tower 28, the lessons she's learned as an entrepreneur, the importance of representation, and why women need to have more conversations about money. Plus, Amy shares the beauty products she swears by and even reveals her go-to Din Tai Fung order.

Amy Liu is the Founder and CEO of Tower 28 — the best-selling, sensitive skin-friendly beauty brand she launched in 2019 after a 20-year career building prestige brands like Smashbox and Kate Somerville. As a longtime eczema sufferer herself, she built Tower 28 to be a safe space for sensitive skin — and it's now the only beauty brand to fully adhere to the National Eczema Association's Ingredient Guidelines across every product. She's been honored with the CEW Visionary Award, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and recognized at the Goldman Sachs Builders and Innovators Summit. Please welcome Amy Liu.

IG: @amyliu_t28 , @tower28beauty

Tower 28: www.tower28beauty.com

This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.

Executive produced by Ally Maki and Kara Wang

Produced by Tia Samn

Intro Music: (OMG) by Gloria Kim

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ni3UTucdl8y2j3EG4w5PB

Edited by: Jacob Ho

Special Thanks to Oscar Alva

Follow AAGC!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianamericangirlclub/

Sign up for updates for the latest content, merch, and so much more!

https://app.fanded.com/club/asianamericangirlclub

https://www.asianamericangirlclub.com

In this episode, Kara sits down with Jenna for the conversation we have been wanting to have all year. The long road that got her here: Korean adoption, child performer since sesame street, broadway, glee, two Tonys, this show. Kara asks about what hosting this show taught her about her own undefinable life and what she is stepping into next.
Jenna Ushkowitz is an actress, producer, and podcaster best known for her role as Tina Cohen-Chang on the award-winning Fox series Glee. A SAG Award winner and two-time Tony Award-winning producer, her Broadway credits include The King & I, Spring Awakening, and Waitress. On screen, her film work spans Hello, Again, Yellow Fever, Educated, Babyface, One Night in San Diego, and most recently Rosé All Day. In the world of animation, Jenna lent her voice to the 2022 HBO Max and Cartoonito musical special Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed and currently voices Queen Ryung in Drew Barrymore's Netflix animated series Princess Power. She has hosted podcasts for PodcastOne, iHeartRadio, and AAGC Originals
@jennaushkowitz 
This is an AAGC Originals Podcast, brought to you by Asian American Girl Club.
https://open.spotify.com/show/2iiTyiAhiuZD6LCBCeCOkp
Executive produced by Ally Maki, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tia Samn and Kara Wang 
Intro Music: (OMG) by Gloria Kim
https://open.spotify.com/track/0Ni3UTucdl8y2j3EG4w5PB
Edited by: Jacob Ho
Special Thanks to Oscar Alva
Follow AAGC!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asianamericangirlclub/
Sign up for updates for the latest content, merch, and so much more!
https://app.fanded.com/club/asianamericangirlclub
https://www.asianamericangirlclub.com

Visit www.asianamericangirlclub.com
@Asianamericangirlclub