Voices on the Side

My guest today, Dr. Jasmine, is a mother, clinical pharmacist, maternal mental health advocate, and writer. Her essays on postpartum depression and healing have been featured on sites like Motherly and Psyched Mommy. As a Taiwanese American, she has a particular interest in writing about the AAPI experience of motherhood and mental health.

I want to offer the TRIGGER WARNING that we talk about mental illness and suicidal thoughts, and we ourselves get pretty emotional as we speak about this season of motherhood that we both found cripplingly difficult. A key message for anyone suffering is to hang in there, because things can and will get better. 

Our conversation is very honest as well as informative when it comes to postpartum depression and navigating mental health as an Asian American. With her medical background, Jasmine shares her expertise and personal experience when it comes to medication and how it was an integral part of her recovery. We also touch on how we are approaching parenting differently to how we were parented and we ultimately bring it all back to hope, courage, and strength.

Please enjoy this deeply heartwarming conversation with Dr. Jasmine.

Follow Dr. Jasmine on Instagram @pearlsofjasmine and you can follow Leah @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today’s conversation with Nicole Wong is really cool because Nicole is Asian American and her parents are Chinese, but their family’s roots actually go back for generations not in China but rather in New Zealand. So while Nicole grew up looking similar to someone like me and while we both had immigrant parents, we experienced marked differences when it came to identity, confidence, and belonging.

We talk about what it means to be white-washed, making assumptions based on what someone looks like, and that question we people of color are often asked: no, where are you REALLY from… ugh. We also dissect how we each approach therapy, and Nicole mentions a resource of therapists of color which you can find in the show notes along with how you can find out about her work of passion The Mahjong Project. Please enjoy this very grounding conversation with Nicole Wong.

Nicole mentions a directory on the show where you can find therapists of color in the Bay Area, visit this link to find out more therapistsofcolor.org/directory⁠

Follow The Mahjong Project on Instagram @themahjongproject and at themahjongproject.com, and you can follow Leah @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today I’m talking to Mandana Biscotti. Mandana is an Iranian American filmmaker, mother, and a fellow Californian. She is a storyteller through and through, passionate about sharing her culture's truth, history, and beauty.

We talk about the patience that is required in the creative process, the women in her family who instilled in her a deep connection to her identity, and raising mixed race children. Mandana's directorial debut — The Voice of Dust and Ash — was on the Oscars Shortlist and was nominated for Best Music Documentary at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Please enjoy this eye-opening and enlightening conversation with Mandana Biscotti.  

Follow Mandana’s film on Instagram @thevoiceofdustandash and at thevoiceofdustandash.com, and you can follow Leah @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, I sit down in New York City with Sweta Doshi. Sweta is the founder of Bubbsi, a coconut oil-based skincare line for babies. In this conversation, Sweta takes us through her childhood in Alabama, visits back to our respective motherlands, and birthing both children and a brand.

We talk about food being the carrier of culture, the duality of life inside and outside the home, and what it’s really like to create and run your own business. Please enjoy this refreshingly honest conversation with Sweta Doshi.

Follow Sweta on Instagram @lovebubbsi, and you can follow Leah @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Today we have an incredibly inspiring and joyful conversation with Betina Gozo. Betina is a mother, Nike Global Trainer, podcast host, and author. A proud Filipina, Betina grew up witnessing what her strong, immigrant mother went through so that Betina could have the privilege of wanting more in life.

We talk about her journey of finding her person, the duality of motherhood, and the responsibility she feels to the AAPI community, particularly to her fellow Filipinos. You’ll get an inside peek at what a trainer’s life looks like with two of the biggest brands in the world and I swear, Betina’s energy and optimism are so contagious that you will probably feel revved up to go out and do all the things. 

Please enjoy this uplifting conversation with Betina Gozo.

Follow Betina on Instagram @betinagozo, and you can follow Leah @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In our second episode, I am delighted to bring you Grace Kim James. Grace is the Head of Marketing at Atlantic Records, representing artists such as Missy Elliott, Lizzo, and FKA Twigs. Grace is a fellow Korean American and we get into so many topics pertaining to what it means to be Asian in America. We go there with the uncomfortable but urgent matter of racism against Asians.

Ultimately, this episode is an homage to our immigrant parents, whose sacrifices and strength we admittedly took for granted when we were growing up, and to our Korean heritage, which is finally finding a place in pop culture by way of kpop, kimchi, and conversations like this. I think you’re going love listening to the lyrical cadence of her voice…it’s no wonder such huge musicians want to work with her. Please enjoy this inspiring, no-holds-barred conversation with Grace Kim James.

Follow Grace on Instagram @gracekimjames and you can find Leah on Instagram @leahsoojinkim

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to our very first episode of Voices on the Side. I am incredibly excited to share with you my conversation with my first guest, who just happens to be my sister in law.

Ayshea McCormack is the founder of The Small Home, a collection of beautifully-crafted interior, lifestyle, and clothing pieces, handmade by artisans from all around the world. She has two daughters—my gorgeous, extremely beloved nieces, and what you see on her impeccably curated Instagram actually depicts her real life, fashion, and home. I’m telling you, it’s the truth. We stayed at their house in London over Christmas and if I left something out on the kitchen counter and walked away for a few minutes and returned, it would almost always have been cleared away!

I have been inspired by Ayshea since I first met her. She has a palpable strength and confidence, borne of having left home at only 16 years old and solidified by motherhood. We talk about mental health, menopause, religion, and, one of Ayshea’s biggest messages—resilience. Oh, and she has the loveliest English accent which is just so nice to listen to. Please enjoy this absolutely empowering conversation with Ayshea McCormack.

Ayshea’s company The Small Home

Leah's IG

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We all have our stories. When we don’t see our challenges and identities reflected, it can make us feel like we are alone. But you are not alone. On the Voices on the Side podcast, I invite influential and notable Asian/Pacific Islander women to share their stories about identity, childhood, family, and parenting. We’ll talk about lessons learned, what we do to support our mental health, and how we all endeavor to show up for ourselves, our children, and all the people we love. Listen in on our conversations. At this table, we all have a seat.

Music from ⁠purple-planet.com⁠, produced by Just Breathe ⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠