What Kind of Asian Are You?

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What happens when you spend years trying to become the version of yourself you think other people will accept?

In this episode of What Kind of Asian Are You?, I sit down with poet, writer, performer, activist, and memoirist David Mura for a deeply personal conversation about identity, belonging, assimilation, masculinity, and learning to see yourself differently.

David grew up 3rd generation Japanese American in a predominantly white environment, carrying a family history shaped by the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. For years, he says, he thought of himself in ways that were closer to whiteness than to his own Japanese American identity.

That began to change when reading Black writers gave him a new language for understanding race. From there, David began exploring what it meant to be Japanese American and Asian American and what it meant to stop measuring himself against someone else's definition of belonging.

The conversation moves through Asian American masculinity, interracial dating, representation, the cultural impact of Miss Saigon, activism, therapy, art, community, and the experience of seeing people who look like you reflected back at you.

David Mura is the author of Exit: The End of White Supremacy and the forthcoming memoir Exit Miss Saigon, among other works.

Order the book now!

https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517921217/exit-miss-saigon/

Follow David!

https://www.instagram.com/muradavid/

Website

https://davidmura.com/

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Ryan Cho on Asian masculinity, vulnerability, race, men's community and learning to define yourself

Ryan Cho grew up Chinese Canadian in Victoria, British Columbia, often feeling caught between identities. He didn't feel Chinese enough for the Chinese community, but he didn't feel white enough for the world around him. Later, that same tension followed him into his understanding of masculinity.

In this conversation, Ryan opens up about race, belonging, language, masculinity, dating, vulnerability, men's groups, teaching, social justice and the journey that eventually became his book, Brotherhood Is a Constant Possibility: Asian Masculinity in a World Made for Whiteness.

We talk about why some Asian men learn to associate masculinity with whiteness, why young men are increasingly looking for belonging online, why progressive spaces need to create better communities for men, and what Ryan has learned from years of teaching and men's work.

At the heart of the conversation is a much simpler question:

What if your value didn't have to be earned?

What does it mean to be an Asian man in North America? In this timely and insightful memoir, Ryan Cho unpacks ideas about masculinity and Asian men in a world of stereotypes and social expectations. 

Drawing from his own experiences and interviews with other Asian men and nonbinary people, Cho explores how culture, sexuality and race combine to influence identity. Along the way, he meets people redefining what masculinity means to them and discusses what we can do to steward a version of masculinity that is inclusive, progressive and authentic.

Candid, challenging and personal, Brotherhood is a Constant Possibility invites readers to question the roles Asian men have been “allowed” to play and to imagine broader and more nuanced ways of thinking about masculinity and men.

RYAN'S BIO:

Ryan Cho (he/him) is a second-generation Chinese Canadian teacher and writer born and raised in Victoria, B.C.--the traditional unceded territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.  He has been involved with gender and anti-racism work for over a decade and was recognized for his contribution to social justice education with the B.C. Premier’s Award for Excellence in Education in 2018.  He published his first piece of poetry in the Oratorealis Poetry Journal in 2017 and won a Golden Leaf Award from the Canadian Educational Press Association in 2013. He is signed with Thornapple Press to bring his first book Brotherhood Is A Constant Possibility: Asian Masculinity in A World Made For Whiteness to print. The book is scheduled for released in September 2026.  You can pre-order it here.

Pre-Order Ryan's book!

Pre-Order Link https://thornapplepress.ca/books/brotherhood-is-a-constant-possibility/

Follow Ryan!

Website https://www.ryancho.ca/

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

Linktree https://linktr.ee/ryanchowrites?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=1a322d74-5305-4477-bfc0-05455983f7e1

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Carl Lam is a meteorologist, educator, musician, and lifelong learner—but before any of those titles, he was a restaurant kid growing up in his family's Chinese restaurant in Buffalo, New York.

In this episode of What Kind of Asian Are You?, Carl reflects on the values he inherited from his Hong Kong immigrant parents, the lessons he learned behind the restaurant counter, and how those experiences continue to shape the way he approaches life, work, and learning today.

We explore growing up in a family business, preserving Cantonese language and culture, finding representation in broadcast meteorology, and why Carl believes education is one of the greatest gifts his parents gave him.

This is a conversation about identity, gratitude, and carrying forward the legacy of those who came before us.

Follow Carl!

Instagram @carlhlam

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Help this podcast:
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People Assumed I Was a Rice Queen
The Reality of Being Mixed Asian and Gay | Jasper Jun-Hao Sandiego-Nie 聶君浩

What happens when people decide who you are before you even get a chance to tell your own story?

For Pride Month, I sat down with Jasper Jun-Hao Sandiego-Nie, a Chinese and Puerto Rican creator, musician, mental health advocate, and Director of the NYC Social Club for Mixed Asian Media to talk about identity, belonging, and navigating life as a mixed Asian gay man.

Growing up between Asia and North America, Jasper's experience challenges many assumptions people have about mixed Asian identity. While many expect a story about not feeling "Asian enough," Jasper shares how he always felt fully connected to both sides of his heritage even when other people struggled to understand it.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Growing up Chinese and Puerto Rican across different cultures
• Why Jasper identifies as 100% Chinese and 100% Puerto Rican
• The viral Cantonese video that sparked conversations across the Asian diaspora
• Being labeled a "rice queen" despite being Chinese himself
• Identity, dating, and assumptions within queer Asian spaces
• Feeling more accepted in some places than others
• The rise of mixed Asian representation and "Wasian" culture
• Creating community through Mixed Asian Media

More than a conversation about race or sexuality, this episode is about refusing to let other people define who you are.

Whether you're mixed, queer, Asian, or simply someone who's ever felt misunderstood, Jasper's story is a reminder that identity is more than what people see on the surface.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and leave a rating wherever you listen.

Bio:

Jasper Jun-Hao Sandiego-Nie 聶君浩

(Chinese & Puerto Rican) 

Raised in NYC, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, Jasper works in cybersecurity consulting while transitioning into pre-med and, eventually, psychiatry. He creates content about his experience as a mixed Shanghainese-Hong Konger and U.S. Latino (Hispanounidense) from an English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish-speaking household. He also currently serves as Director of the NYC Social Club at Mixed Asian Media, while being based in both North America and Asia-Pacific.

@jaspersandiegonie

@mixedasianmedia 

Jasper’s next curated event, “In The Mix,” is a collaboration between his home organization, Mixed Asian Media, as well as Likha Labs, Naarak NYC, and Blasian March to celebrate LGBTQ+ mixed AANHPI identities, potentially one of the first events of its kind in recorded U.S. history.

June 13th, 2026 @ Sour Mouse

Follow Jasper 

@jaspersandiegonie Instagram

@mixedasianmedia Instagram

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Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
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Asian men are often taught how to achieve but rarely how to emotionally connect.

In this episode, Leo Xia, founder of Proud Asian Men shares his journey growing up between America and China, navigating loneliness, identity, masculinity, and eventually building a community centered around healing and brotherhood.

We talk about:

• why so many Asian men struggle with loneliness
• emotional connection and masculinity
• growing up between cultures
• Asian American identity
• healing in immigrant communities
• why “love is a skillset”
• the importance of brotherhood and community

If you’ve ever struggled with belonging, connection, or identity — this episode is for you.

About Leo and Proud Asian Men

Leo Xia, also known as Lowhi, is a Los Angeles–based artist, facilitator, and community builder. He leads Proud Asian Men, a men’s group created in collaboration with mental health and community spaces supporting Asian identity and wellbeing.

Alongside his work in community facilitation, Leo is an alt R&B / lo-fi musician whose work has been featured on platforms including Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+ .

Over the past several years, he has facilitated men’s circles, workshops, and retreats across the U.S., focusing on emotional honesty, communication, and healing generational patterns. His work blends creative expression with mental health advocacy, helping Asian men explore identity, vulnerability, and belonging in a modern context.

Proud Asian Men is a men’s group founded by Leo Xia, created as a dedicated space for Asian men to connect, reflect, and grow in community.

Rooted in honest conversation and emotional awareness, the group explores themes like identity, masculinity, mental health, relationships, and cultural pressure. It provides a grounded environment for members to challenge limiting narratives, share lived experiences, and build brotherhood through vulnerability and self-development.

At its core, Proud Asian Men is about redefining what strength and pride look like on your own terms, and together with others walking a similar path.

Follow Leo!

Instagram

Follow Proud Asian Men!

Instagram

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Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
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In this episode of What Kind of Asian Are You?, Kyle sits down with Vanny, host of the podcast Khmer Voices, to explore what it means to grow up Cambodian in the diaspora beyond the narratives of genocide and survival that often define the community.

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in Canada, Vanny shares how silence, survival, and generational trauma shaped her upbringing and how storytelling became a path toward healing, identity, and cultural pride.

We talk about:

•  Growing up in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide 
•  The silence around mental health in Cambodian families 
•  Why diaspora identity is more than history and trauma 
•  Reclaiming Cambodian culture through food, language, and storytelling 
•  Building community media spaces for the next generation 
•  And what it means to turn survival into creation 

Recorded during AAPI Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Mother’s Day weekend, this conversation is a reflection on motherhood, memory, and the power of telling your own story.

Follow Vanny:

Instagram

Follow the Podcast:

Spotify

Apple Podcast

Follow Cambodian Cultural Centre:

Instagram

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Help this podcast:
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ft. Sketchy Kar on identity, Cantonese culture & finding home

“I’m not Hong Kong enough. I’m not white either.”

Sound familiar?

In this episode, Kyle sits down with Sketchy Kar to unpack what it really means to grow up between cultures.

From Brampton to Hong Kong to London, Kar shares her journey navigating identity, internalized racism, and the pressure of never feeling like you fully belong.

We talk about:

•  Being labeled “whitewashed” 
•  Trying to reject your own culture 
•  Finding your way back to Cantonese identity 
•  Using creativity to heal and reconnect 

If you’ve ever felt caught between worlds, this episode is for you.

Kar's Bio:

sketchykarr is the illustrative alter ego of Kar, a London-based HongKonger creative (and doer of too many things). Her visual storytelling blends cross-cultural and lived experiences with lighthearted humour to create cute and cheeky art. Her art is inspired by childhood memories, third-culture kid stories, mental health advocacy, and growing up Asian. Beyond art, she’s also a brand marketer, drinks business founder, dog mom, and just a typical perpetually tired, peak millennial woman trying to navigate the ever-changing world.

Follow Kar!

Instagram: @sketchykarr 

Website: sketchykarr.com 

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Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
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Today's episode, Kyle sits down with Randy Kim, a queer Vietnamese Cambodian American storyteller, podcaster, and community organizer. Conversation about identity, refugee history, belonging, and what it means to be 100% of everything.

From growing up disconnected from language and culture to returning to Cambodia and Vietnam, Randy shares how storytelling, community, and joy became tools for healing in the Asian diaspora.

Bio:

Randy Kim is a queer Viet-Khmer American from the Chicagoland area with a Masters in Nonprofit Management at DePaul University. Randy is the creator and host of his award-winning podcast "The Banh Mi Chronicles.” He was the recipient of the annual Communicator Awards in 2024.  His podcast has been mentioned by Apple Podcast, National Geographic Society, and the Asian American Journalist Association. He is the founder of his current Substack newsletter, “Banh Mi Bites” which explores conversations with BIPOC creatives and more.  Randy has given workshop presentations at University of Illinois, DePaul University, Northern Illinois University, among others. Randy formerly served as a board member with The National Cambodian Heritage Museum in Chicago and is now serving as a board member with the Vietnamese Association of Illinois.

Instagram

Podcast

Substack

Youtube

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Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
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What happens when moving to Asia doesn’t fix your life, but forces you to face yourself?

In this episode of What Kind of Asian Are You, I sit down with Peter (Broke The Habit), a Vietnamese Canadian content creator who spent over a decade quietly creating before his decision to quit his job and move to Vietnam changed everything.

We talk about growing up ashamed of being Vietnamese, chasing stability over creativity, and the harsh realization that you can’t outrun your problems by changing locations. Peter opens up about identity, mental health, internet visibility, and why Vietnam didn’t “save” him, but gave him permission to finally be himself.

This is a raw conversation about Asian diaspora identity, creative risk, and learning how to stop running.

We talk about:

• Being Vietnamese Canadian and growing up disconnected from culture
• Why moving to Asia doesn’t automatically heal you
• Scarcity mindset, immigrant expectations, and self-judgment
• Building an online following and and the fear that comes with being seen
• Why self-acceptance is the hardest habit to break

🔗 Guest Links — Peter (Broke The Habit)

🎥 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@brokethehabit

Peter’s long-form videos documenting identity, mental health, and his journey between Canada and Vietnam.

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/brokethehabit

Short-form reflections, behind-the-scenes, and real-time updates.

🌐 All Links (Linktree)
https://linktr.ee/brokethehabit

Access Peter’s full ecosystem, including content, community projects, and updates.

Support the show

Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
1. Follow us on Instagram @whatkindofasianpod
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What happens when you do everything “right”… and still feel lost?

In this episode of What Kind of Asian Are You?, I sit down in person with Cheryl Lau, host of the Edit History Podcast, for a deeply honest conversation about identity, validation, and starting over again and again.

Cheryl describes herself as a “confused Asian”:
Born in North America, raised across Hong Kong and Canada, now living in Singapore, she grew up as the classic goody-two-shoes Asian. Straight A’s. Scholarships. Law school. Then a PhD track. All the boxes checked.

But behind the prestige was a quieter question:
 Who am I without external recognition and validation?

We talk about:

• Growing up as a high-achieving Asian and learning to equate worth with recognition
• Why quitting law school and later leaving a PhD program felt like an identity rupture
• The shame of “not finishing” and the invisible pressure to repay our parents
• Being Asian in different countries and why Singapore felt more like home than Hong Kong
• How podcasting became a way to find meaning, connection, and agency
• The difference between chasing validation vs choosing work that actually feels meaningful
• What makes a good podcast and why playing it safe is killing great conversations

This episode is for anyone who:

• Grew up as the “good Asian kid” and is now questioning the script
• Has pivoted careers (or wants to) but struggles with guilt and ego
• Feels caught between cultures, languages, and expectations
• Is building something creative and trying to trust their own voice

A conversation about being Asian, being ambitious, being lost and learning to choose meaning anyway.

Bio: 

Cheryl helps business leaders and organizations create a podcast they’re proud of - One that’s substantial, distinct, and built to last.

Think of Cheryl as your strategic podcast partner - someone who’s as invested in your vision as you are. She cares about making sure your content actually stands out, resonates, and opens the right doors.

Cheryl is also the host of the EDIT HISTORY podcast, which won 2x at the 2025 Asia Podcast Awards (by Radioinfo Asia) in the "Best Education Podcast" and “Best Money and Business Podcast” categories.

Find Cheryl and follow her work:

https://cheryllau.com

https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau

https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory

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Thank you for listening!
Help this podcast:
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All the links!
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