“Even though this is a book about snake girls and lizard boys — it's about universal experiences: we can't change what's happening, but you never know when being kind will change somebody else. ,” Jonathan Hill’s an award-winning cartoonist, illustrator, and educator in Portland, Oregon — and a returning guest - to celebrate the launch of his latest graphic novel: “Lizard Boy 2: The Most Perfect Summer Ever.” While the sci-fi title might have you scratching your head, this YA sequel is actually a beautiful, compelling story of self-acceptance, community, and family — we can’t recommend it enough for parents and kids alike, as well as it’s prequel “Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy.” Jonathan is HALF Vietnamese American - and while the story is about an immigrant family, community acceptance, and belonging - Jonathan’s work, his characters and their journey are important for all of us to be reading at this particular moment in our nation.  Jonathan’s work has been published by Walker Books, First Second, and Oni Press - and featured at ABC New Voices, YALSA and JLG selections, and won awards like the 2012 Carla Cohen Free Speech Award, the 2021 Believer Book Award for Graphic Literature, and the 2022 Junior Library Guild Selection. Jonathan’s also an accomplished cartoonist with clients like Microsoft, the Portland Trailblazers, the Viet Nam Literature Project, the Inlander, Fantagraphics Books, Dark Horse Comics, Tor.com, The Believer Magazine, Literary Arts, and Powell's City of Books. AND he’s been the staff illustrator to The Asian Reporter since 2007. Jonathan also teaches comics and visual narrative - having taught at the Pacific Northwest College, the Oregon College of Art and Craft. He graduated as valedictorian from the prestigious Savannah College of Art & Design, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Literary Arts and chairs the Youth Programs Advisory Council.  Jonathan’s an important voice, creating important work for not just our kids, but for all of us to be learning from — so be sure to check out his work. LEARN MORE oneofthejohns.com/one-of-the-johns instagram.com/oneofthejohns BOOK 1: Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy - penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714742/tales-of-a-seventh-grade-lizard-boy-a-graphic-novel-by-jonathan-hill-illustrated-by-jonathan-hill/ BOOK 2: Lizard Boy 2: The Most Perfect Summer Ever - penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774237/lizard-boy-2-the-most-perfect-summer-ever-by-jonathan-hill-illustrated-by-jonathan-hill/9781536216479/ MENTIONS OUR FIRST CHAT (May 2023): podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jonathan-hills-tales-of-belonging/id1507595726?i=1000613932953 COMIC: Speechless: A Graphic Novel (Aron Nels Steinke): goodreads.com/book/show/210563340 MUSIC: Neko Case - https://www.allmusic.com/artist/neko-case-mn0000381371 MUSIC:  Kim Deal’s New Album - https://kimdeal.bandcamp.com/album/nobody-loves-you-more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“They want your immigrant voice — they don't want to hear about me just growing up, even though that's the truth, right? And then I realized I could clearly make a living just performing for my people.” Keith Pedro is a renowned Canadian comedian who has garnered worldwide acclaim through his captivating live performances. In 2022, he was honored with a Juno Award nomination for his Comedy Album, "TRILLIPINO," in the category of Comedy Album of the Year. He has made a name for himself as one of the standout performers on "Roast Battle Canada," earning a Canadian Screen Award nomination for his work on the show. Keith has been recognized by Complex as one of the top Canadian comedians in the industry. His stand-up comedy has been showcased on Kevin Hart's LOL Network, and has made numerous appearances on television, including MTV, CBC, FuseTV, and more. Keith is a regular performer at the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Festival and the CBC Halifax and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals. He has also made notable appearances on the hit TV show "Degrassi the Next Generation." Keith's dynamic and versatile comedy style ranges from crowd work to relatable written material, and his live performances are not to be missed. LEARN MORE keithpedro.com/ instagram.com/keithpedro youtube.com/user/keithpedrocomedy tiktok.com/@keith.pedro open.spotify.com/artist/6nDuqILZ3e43OB3Q1sGul9 This conversation was hosted by FrieMMd of the Pod Lisa Angulo Reid —sharing conversations with Filipino and Asian American changemakers. Lisa also happens to be the Co-Founder & CEO of Dear Flor - the first infused gummy with classic Filipino flavors. Learn more @ DearFlor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Day in and day out, you work with these people — doctors, engineers and developers from India — I felt compelled to tell the story of a diaspora in this broken immigration system.” Vidyut Latay — an award-winning documentary filmmaker - and director of ALIEN: AMERICAN DREAM DENIED - a new documentary (on Amazon Prime) that spotlights the emotional journey of high-skilled, documented immigrants as they seek permanence in a country that benefits from their talent, but denies them a home. Immigration continues to be a hot-button topic in today’s political climate —from H1-Bs to greencards as paths to citizenship — for highly-skilled foreign tech workers — which many of us only have a surface-level understanding of, despite it impacting so many of our friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors. Raman will be moderating a panel / screening of ALIEN on March 2, 2025 at Ridgefield Library in Connecticut (registration link below).  Vidyut was also director of her debut groundbreaking documentary "Beyond Silence" — which screened on PBS, at film festivals around the world, won awards, was part of UCLA curriculum, and was also invited to the Incloodu Deaf Arts Festival — England’s  first media and arts festival for the hard of hearing. Vidyut’s also worked on award-winning documentaries like  "Waiting for Superman" and "Kailash" and back in India, she was an executive producer for India's premier television networks - Zee TV and Zoom. You’ll enjoy this far-ranging conversation on not just immigration, but how Vidyat meets her calling to address meaningful social issues through documentary filmmaking. LEARN MORE vidyutlatay.com FILM: primevideo.com/detail/Alien-American-Dream-Denied/0POGXJDM96X5YYZ4XQLTB9CR9S SCREENING (3/2): ridgefieldlibrary.librarymarket.com/event/hold-documentary-alien-111504 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We as women and women of color, are not allowed the same ability and/or grace to mess up, to get angry, to set standards, and that is really where we need to develop. None of us are infallible.” For more than a decade Tanzina Vega’s award-winning journalism has centered on inequality in the United States through the lens of race and gender. From working at the New York Times, WNYC (NPR), and CNN — she’s someone whose work we have followed for years. In the next chapter of her career, Tanzina’s work continues at the intersection of journalism, education ,and outspoken activism. In a candid conversation that goes places we didn’t expect to — we cover not just the journey of Tanzina’s personal and professional life — from growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to working in some of the most influential spaces in media (often with a minority perspective) — but we understand how she approaches and navigates a world that doesn’t always give the grace it should.  LEARN ABOUT TANZINA tanzinavega.com/ twitter.com/tanzinavega muckrack.com/tanzinavega MENTIONS  ​​CNN: Where are you ‘really’ from? Try another question - cnn.com/2017/06/20/opinions/where-are-you-really-from-vega-opinion BOSTON GLOBE: “Musk is taking away people’s power with Twitter” https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/11/14/opinion/musk-is-taking-away-peoples-power-with-twitter/ FORTUNE: Black women and the glass cliff: ‘I was supposed to bring some kind of Black Girl Magic’ - https://fortune.com/2022/11/06/black-women-glass-cliff/ BOOK: We Will Not Cancel Us (Adrienne Maree Brown) https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/55608932-we-will-not-cancel-us PERSON: Oprah or Barack FILM: Bridesmaids (2011): imdb.com/title/tt1478338/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It's this new normal — because of these vaccines, we can see our family, we can see our friends, and go to company holiday parties.” “It's peace of mind. you just gotta do it.” It’s that time of year again, so we decided to sit down and talk about not just our holiday plans, but everything else going on in life. You know “the new normal” - which is only possible because we’ve gotten our latest COVID vaccines. So our friends at the US Department of Health & Human Services asked us to talk about the importance of getting vaccines this holiday season to make those family gatherings safer and extra special. I mean, how else are you going to have time to have (or share) all that home cooking you’ve been craving? Raman and Sharon also reveal a few other holiday confessions as they get ready to wind down the year... MENTIONS Vaccine.gov Weezer & LA Philharmonic: youtube.com/watch?v=Y7hPgYfXBTk&list=PLkxdFdoCCrLlw_MeYgQvETU0pBsXxrnWO Weezer (not) on Broadway: https://pitchfork.com/news/weezer-cancel-broadway-residency/ BOOK: Fables: kotaku.com/fables-the-kotaku-comic-review-1724740964 FILM: Spirited: imdb.com/title/tt10999120/ This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the latest COVID-19 Vaccines. We can do this, together. Find the latest vaccines near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I would encourage people to think about how we think about risk in our daily lives. We have more risk when we cross the street or drive a car than we do with the COVID vaccine.” Dr. Urvashi Bhatnagar is a healthcare executive whose career spans clinical care, research, and advocacy. She’s also the co-author of the new book “The Sustainability Scorecard: How To Implement And Profit From Unexpected Solutions.” Dr. Urvashi focuses on bringing new and innovative solutions to market that advance access to care, clinical outcomes and affect total cost of care. With a Yale MBA and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Boston University, Dr. Urvashi is a Certified Clinical Instructor for DPT students and has served as faculty during the American Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2021, and has served as an invited speaker at the United Nations in 2020. And since much to the dismay of our parents, we are still NOT doctors, and much to the dismay of...everyone, we are still in a global pandemic, the US Department of Health & Human Services asked us enroll a healthcare professional — about the importance of getting your latest COVID vaccine as we go into the holiday season. They’re here just in time to make those family gatherings safer and extra special. SO While we definitely had a good chat with Dr. URVASHI about COVID prevention and how it relates to her work and experience every day, we also get to go beyond her day job, for a bit to talk talk about her work in practical, scalable solutions to impact climate change - and what it means for chocolate and gardening - for the uncle and auntie in each of us.. LEARN ABOUT DR. URVASHI SITE: greenovationproject.com BOOK: The Sustainability Scorecard: How to Implement and Profit from Unexpected Solutions - goodreads.com/book/show/56917183-the-sustainability-scorecard SOCIAL: instagram.com/urvi_bhatnagar // twitter.com/urvi_bhatnagar https://medium.com/authority-magazine/urvashi-bhatnagar-5-things-we-must-do-to-inspire-the-next-generation-about-sustainability-and-the-53a1f7e2a580 MENTIONS The American Congress of Rehab Medicine - https://acrm.org/ FILM: Zootopia (2016) imdb.com/title/tt2948356/ PERSON: Scott Galloway - profgalloway.com This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the latest COVID-19 Vaccines. We can do this, together. Find the latest vaccines near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever since we started this show, we've had the privilege of being invited to share our story on other folks’ podcasts. One of those shows is "Rock the Boat " by FrieMMd of the Pod Lucia Liu - who you may have heard once before on our Modern Minorities podcast. way back when in 2020, Lucia flipped the mic on us, allowing us the to share some of our story with her audience. It's funny, listening back on that conversation it's crazy how much parenthood has shaped both Sharon + my perspectives on the world. We hope you'll enjoy it, and be sure to check out some of the amazing conversations Lucia's had on "Rock the Boat" - gorocktheboat.com - wherever you get your favorite podcasts... This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When I first started, I was the only black person in the company — so I spent the first part of my career conforming." Kevin Turpin is the President of National Journal, a legacy media company for DC Insiders. Under Kevin's leadership, he has transformed the National Journal into an all-encompassing resource for government affairs executives and other policy influencers working in today's landscape. Additionally, Kevin is a member of the Diversity in Government Relations (DGR) Coalition, which actively champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in local, state and federal policymaking. You’ll enjoy this personal chat about growing up from Buffalo to Virginia Beach, and all of the experiences and adventures that have led Kevin to where he is today. For Kevin his open mindset - with a clear lens into diversity really impacts not just the people in his organization and business, but how the National Journal is approaching their partnerships across other companies and government organizations — making an impact on a much bigger level. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When you have a question and you go looking for the answer — it's critical to own that journey.” Nidhi Hebbar is a Product Manager at Google, focused on tackling misinformation and promoting media literacy. In her role, Nidhi builds products that help improve information literacy by empowering people to evaluate information for themselves. Nidhi Hebbar is a Product Manager at Google, focused on tackling misinformation and promoting media literacy. In her role, Nidhi builds products that help improve information literacy by empowering people to evaluate information for themselves. A Florida native with Indian heritage, she was struck at a young age by how access to quality education changes the course of your life. Throughout her career, Nidhi has worked in a number of roles at the intersection of education and technology. Her work has served learners from Stockholm, Singapore, India and Kenya. While she was a student at Columbia University, Nidhi co-founded an education nonprofit that taught public speaking and debating skills to young people at underserved schools in New York City. As a Technology Policy Fellow at the Aspen Institute, she co-founded The EdTech Equity Project to address racial bias in education technologies using AI in schools by bringing schools, students, and industry together. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This country has always had moments like this — and it's been a lot worse. And if John Lewis and Fannie Lou Hamer can stand up and say ‘I'm going to keep on fighting’ - then who am I to say ‘I'm tired, I can't take it’?” Rotimi Adeoye is an opinion columnist for The Daily Beast, and communications advisor for the American Civil Liberties Union, helping oversee communications strategy for the ACLU’s voting work. Before joining the ACLU, Rotimi worked on Capitol Hill as a Press Secretary to Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus. Prior to that, Rotimi worked as an assistant to Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and a battleground state volunteer on the Obama Campaign in 2012. While in college Rotimi ran the student-led voter registration organization, HWS Votes, that during the 2016 Presidential election earned the distinction of the number one campus nationally, based on students who registered to vote (51.9%). Rotimi currently lives in Washington, D.C. and graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a degree in Political Science. With an election right around the corner, you’ll enjoy this candid conversation about empathy, listening, not sitting still, and taking action.  LEARN ABOUT ROTIMI  instagram.com/_rotimia /// twitter.com/_rotimia  aclu.org/bio/rotimi-adeoye thedailybeast.com/author/rotimi-adeoye MENTIONS ACLU: The Fight for Voting Rights: How the Past Informs the Current Discriminatory Landscape  Daily Beast: Election Workers Are Under Attack. We Need to Fight for Them FILM: Remember the Titans (2000): imdb.com/title/tt0210945/ PERSON: Giannis Antetokounmpo - wikipedia.org/wiki/Giannis_Antetokounmpo FILM: Rise (2022): imdb.com/title/tt11242162/ This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Reading a comic book isn't going to solve peace in the Middle East. But I do think part of the solution is understanding both sides.” Often times real life is scarier than anything else we can dream about. PALESTINE is Joe Sacco's seminal work of cartoon journalism - which Raman & Ryan read (on his other podcast Quarantined Comics) to commemorate Al Nakba* First published in 1993, PALESTINE covers Sacco's travels thru occupied Palestine territory - and Israel - to embed himself with the Palestinian people - hearing their stories first-hand to understand how they lived their every day lives. Sacco wanted to get around the sanitized story the Western Media was portraying — to emphasizes the history and plight of the Palestinian people, as a group and as individuals. In PALESTINE Sacco positions himself as the westerner confronting a reality unfamiliar to most Americans at the time - concentrating on his personal experience and perspective, as well as the stories of the people he encounters, with some light history thrown in for good measure. Conversations are documented over tea, roadblocks, police action, taxis and checkpoints - which become all too familiar set pieces in Sacco's narrative journey. The book was published as 9 issues by Fantagraphics from 1993 to 1995, with a graphic novel published later to a much wider audience. Palestine is the recipient of the American Book AWard, and was named as one of the Top 100 English-Language Comics of the last Century. Sacco has since gone on to publish numerous other works of cartoon journalism - covering the Middle East, Bosnia/Serbia, and the Native American plight. for which he's received recognition from TIME Magazine, the Eisners, the Harveys, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize *Al Nakba literally translates to "the Catastrophe" — referring to the destruction of the Palestinian homeland in May of 1948, leading to the mass exodus of at least 750,000 Arabs from Palestine. While for many historians the process began decades earlier, to many in the region it refers to the ongoing persecution, displacement, and occupation of the Palestinians, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip — as well as in Palestinian refugee camps throughout the region. LEARN MORE PALESTINE (2001): goodreads.com/book/show/769712.Palestine Joe Sacco (Comics Journalist): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sacco Quarantined Comics: qtdcomics.com This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"It becomes critical for physicians to meet people where they are. COVID is not going anywhere, but because the population is getting vaccinated, we’re seeing milder courses of illness, which is wonderful.” Dr. Mandi Sehgal - is a board certified Geriatrician and Family Medicine Physician. And she’s more than just a FrieMMd of the Pod, she may just be related to one of our co-hosts. Since much to the dismay of our parents, we are still NOT doctors, and much to the dismay of...everyone, we are still in a global pandemic, the US Department of Health & Human Services asked to us enroll a real professional, so we decided to keep it in the family. Not just to talk about being vaccinated, but also getting your latest booster as we go into the fall and winter months. After all, if you’re planning on getting together with your family, you should protect yourself and them by getting an updated COVID vaccine. But that’s not all Dr. Mandi had to say, she also shared about her side of the story growing up in Alabama with Indian parents (and an annoyingly charming little brother). But also her journey into a field of medicine that is becoming increasingly important, despite what the fancy surgeons on TV tell you. So Sharon asks the questions she’s been wondering about, Mandi sets the record straight, and Raman gets more and more uncomfortable. You won’t want to miss this very special sibling show. MENTIONS NY Times COVID Tracker: nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html The 5 M’s: healthinaging.org/tools-and-tips/tip-sheet-5ms-geriatrics BOOK: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk - goodreads.com/book/show/769016.How_to_Talk_So_Kids_Will_Listen_Listen_So_Kids_Will_Talk BOOK: Siblings: How to handle sibling rivalry to create strong and loving bonds - goodreads.com/book/show/35420250-siblings PERSON: Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy - wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivek_Murthy SHOW: Scrubs: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285403/ This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“For the longest time I couldn't really talk about my Lebanese identity or Arabic music, and then we'd go to Lebanon, and I’d have to justify being American.” Danny Hajjar is a writer and media relations pro in Washington D.C. who we first met thru FrieMMd of the Pod and musician Soof. Danny’s a fellow music-lover - passionate about about hip hop artists in the Middle East and North Africa, tracking the growth of their music beyond the region.  Danny actually curates music and stories in his weekly newsletter, “Sa’alouni El Nas” - which literally translates to “the people ask me” - which we’d definitely recommend you check out and subscribe to. You’ll enjoy hearing us scratch beneath the surface of this tastemaker - from the Moon Knight to the Backstreet Boys.  LEARN ABOUT DANNY twitter.com/danielghajjar NEWSLETTER: saalounielnas.substack.com/ ARTICLES: english.alaraby.co.uk/author/70905/danny-hajjar This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we wrap 2024, here’s the year’s “minority voices for all our majority ears.” While it’s certainly been a long and winding year, we hope our conversations have shared some relief and perspective. So why not give us the gift of a fresh 5-star review? apple.co/2Le6lpM Featuring the voices of Kamala Harris, Isaac Saul, Edel Rodriguez, Kris Stith, Ed Rigaud, Najoh Tita-Reid, John Pepper, Ursula Jones, Linda Clement-Holmes, Bonnie Wan, Bernice Ang, Manreet Sodhi Someshwar, Seif Hamid, Claire Yoon-Elvers, Andrew Tarvin, Veera Hiranandani, Mariko Tamaki, Sudha Ranganathan, Ida Abdalkhani, Wendy Nguyen, Nir Eyal, Kathy Macleoud, Lisa Angulo Reid, Chris Schmicker, Vanessa Huynh, and Pedro Martin. Heard something you liked? Be sure to go back and check out each guest’s full episode. And special thanks to YOU for your continued support of our podcast and amazing guests!  As we march ahead into a very interesting 2025, let us know what YOU think - himom@modmypod.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I realized this is what good therapy is. This is what bad therapy is. There were a lot of things that came up with my culture that required a lot of explaining. I realized I wasn't alone in this.” Saniya Soni’s a South Asian mental health advocate studying clinical psychology. Saniya ALSO co-hosts a podcast called “Loudmouth Ladkhi’s” (ladkhi’s means “girl” in Hindi) with her former debate rival Sapna — which focuses on the intersection of South Asian + Western identities with an emphasis on mental health. Saniya's early career has really been at the intersection of mental health and tech, and she's hoping to improve access to mental health service for all — especially those in her community. She's a student of psychology and criminal justice, she's conducted research on BIPOC mental health, she's implemented suicide prevention strategies. Saniya’s spoken publicly about the importance of not just representation, but cultural understanding in mental healthcare with The JED Foundation, the Epic Foundation, Morgan Stanley, MTV, and CNN. Saniya was introduced to us by FrieMMd of the Pod Jay Veraldi of the podcast Animalia. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation that goes many places - from dating, to parents, to indian dance teams. As an advocate for change in our culture - you’ll hear through her vulnerability and willingness to share her own story how we all have room to grow in our understanding and acceptance of this space. LEARN ABOUT SANIYA instagram.com/saniyasoniii/ Loudmouth Ladkhis (PODCAST): apple.co/3xRBLel // spoti.fi/3C3OE6n instagram.com/loudmouthladkis MENTIONS DESI DANCE TEAMS: youtube.com/c/DesidancenetworkOrg BOOK: Milk & Honey (Rupi Kaur) - goodreads.com/book/show/23513349-milk-and-honey SHOW: Ms Marvel - imdb.com/title/tt10857164/ This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Politics is all about empathy — people believing that you understand their plight, their issue, their life — and that you have a plan to help them.” Aftab Pureval is the Mayor of the city of Cincinnati. As Cincinnati’s 70th Mayor, Aftab has made equitable economic growth a top priority of his administration, as well as a comprehensive reform and improvement of public safety, affordable housing, and environmental action. Formerly serving as the first Democrat to be elected Hamilton County Clerk of Courts in over 100 years, Aftab opened an award-winning Help Center and became the first countywide officeholder in Ohio to offer paid family leave. Mayor Aftab was born and raised in Southwest Ohio - he attended The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati College of Law where he represented victims of domestic violence who could not afford an attorney. Aftab served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and worked as an attorney at Procter & Gamble working on brands like Olay. Mayor Aftab lives in Clifton with his wife and sons.  This is a special episode from one of Raman’s other podcasts - and NOT the one about comic books. On Learnings from Leaders: the P&G Alumni Podcast (pgalums.com/podcast), Raman and a few friends connect with fellow Alums from P&G - a company known for its purpose, values, and principles — for mentorship chats for the next generation of leaders. One of Raman’s podcast co-hosts is Andrew Tarvin, who he’s known almost as long as Sharon. Drew led had the chance to sit down with the mayor of Cincinnati - a town near and dear to our hearts - Mayor Aftab Pureval. And you can guess from Aftab's name, sometimes folks ask where he's really from. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation about redefining what a name means - and showing up for what matters. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the mic gets turned on Sharon & Raman! Ever since we started this show, we've had the privilege of being invited to share our story on other folks' podcasts. One of those shows is "What's at our Story" by longtime FrieMMd of the Pod Matt Story - who you've heard more than a few times on this podcast. Waaaay back when in 2020, Matt asked us to share some of our story on his pod. We hope you'll enjoy it, and be sure to check out Matt's show "What's Your Story" wherever you get your favorite podcasts... This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT MATT mattestory.com twitter.com/mattestory //.instagram.com/mattestory Podcast: https://apple.co/2De6Tve OTHER PODCAST CHATS WITH MATT 9/6/2020: Matt’s on “Modern Minorities” (part 1): modmypod.com/episodes/25-matt-story-knows-you-have-super-powers 2/28/2021: Matt’s 2nd MM appearance - modmypod.com/episodes/ep-63-black-history-to-be-continued 7/4/2021: Seeking Answers Through Allyship - Sharon & Raman’s 2ND appearance on “What’s Your Story”: https://apple.co/3L2DwKS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I knew I looked different, but didn't really notice it until kids started pointing it out. It was time for me to be proud of who I am. If you can't embrace who you are, how can you embrace others?” Sharon’s good friend, Alice Hsu, has been on our podcast twice in the past, but this is the first time we’re focusing the discussion on her. Alice grew up in Canton, Michigan where she was one of the only Taiwanese kids in her area. Her first-generation story is similar to many of our previous guests, but unique in that we’ve only known Alice for who she is today: a bold, passionate Asian-American woman who is proud of her culture and heritage. In our discussion, we dive deeper into stories that led to Alice becoming… well, Alice. We talk about how food was a way for Alice to connect with others and those around her as she learned to embrace her roots, while also being the source of bullying and a defining factor for social acceptance - “home lunch” of boiled tea eggs and steamed buns was alienating, whereas Lunchables were okay, who can relate? From reminiscing about life in our early twenties sharing a 1-bedroom apartment in NYC among four roommates to talking about the types of men that Alice’s dad thinks would make for a great husband, this conversation was super fun and eye-opening for Sharon. We wish that we had time to truly get to know all of our friends in this way. We are so glad that we had a chance to spend quality time with an old friend and know that you’ll enjoy reconnecting with Alice too. Note: You’ve heard Alice on our panel discussion about education and for the very first Lunar New Year episode from season 1. Links below to listen again. LEARN ABOUT ALICE Alice Hsu on MM to talk Chinese New Years: https://bit.ly/3rxYrKH Alice Hsu on MM to talk about Teachers during COVID: https://bit.ly/3drjvRK Apparel Producer : ​​https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicehsu1/ Rodan + Fields Consultant: https://alicehsu.myrandf.com/en-us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kistahsun/ MENTIONS FILM: Amelie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/ TV SHOW: Full House https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092359/ PERSON: Oprah Winfrey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oprah_Winfrey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I don't wanna work at a company for 30 years, and then my entire identity is gone. So I ended up writing four books. And my officemates would say, ‘How do you do all this stuff?’ You gotta find the intersection points.” Kabir Sehgal is a many things: A bestselling author of sixteen books (across nonfiction and fiction). A multi-Grammy-winning jazz musician. A producer and writer of documentaries on immmigration an work. Kabir and his work have been featured in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, PBS, NPR, C-SPAN, National Geographic and many more places. He’s done work with the late Congressman John Lewis, Muhammad Yunus, Andrew Young and many more. Sehgal is a US Navy veteran and reserve officer who served on active duty with special operations in the Middle East, and he received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He served as a speechwriter on presidential campaigns. But despite NOT being related (that we know of), Raman discovered him years ago...when someone gifted his daughter the book “The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk” - a book that has become a family favorite, and that we’ve gifted to friends with new kids around the world. So how does someone go from Wall Street and the Military to jazz music and kids books? One cup of chai and samosa at a time.  LEARN ABOUT KABIR Kabir.cc instagram.com/kabir.cc // twitter.com/kabirsehgal FILM PRODUCER https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8903549/ MUSIC PRODUCER: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kabir-sehgal-mn0002637161/credits AUTHOR: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1285051.Kabir_Sehgal BOOK: The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk: goodreads.com/en/book/show/24885579 HBR: “Why You Should Have (at Least) Two Careers” https://hbr.org/2017/04/why-you-should-have-at-least-two-careers ALBUM: American Dreamers Project (won 3 Grammys:): https://open.spotify.com/album/2mAJfyyvdfRuraIVqjUQJA MENTIONS TV: Succession - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7660850/ BOOK: Bullshit Jobs (David Graeber) - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/34466958 BOOK: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work (Mason Currey) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15799151-daily-rituals BOOK: The Omni-Americans (Albert Murray) - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/174142 PERSON: Trey Young (Atlanta Hawks) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trae_Young PERSON: Lebron James - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It really tugs at your heart in the shared experience of growing up with dual cultures - and then recognizing all that our parents had gone through” // “...and at every moment that loneliness was pervasive.” MMovies returns to talk about important films that explain the minority experience for the rest of our majority ears. THE NAMESAKE is known by many as the 2003 book to decode most of your Indian friends. Adapted in 2006 as a family by Mira Nair - this is a work that many of us have a LOT of feelings about (esp if you’re a South Asian American boy between the ages of 25-45 years old). The film stars stars Kal Penn in the title role as Gogol Ganglani - alongside Zuleikha Robinson, Jacinda Barret as love interests, Sahira Nair as his sister, and Tabu + the late, great Irfan Khan who steal the film and bring us to tears as Gogol’s immigrant parents. The story follows the life of a young Bengali boy as he grows into adulthood across two cultures. But unlike the book, the film is not as much an interior reflection of Gogol, but a broader take on the family origins and experience - where his parents take just as much the center stage. While the book really spoke to many of us in our early 20s, you can’t help but watch the film in adulthood and see it from the perspective of the parents. Joining us today to talk about the Namesake is FrieMMd of the Pod, and our favorite Iranian Canadian by way of Ohio, Ida Abdalkhani. No tears this episode, just lots of the feels with this one. LEARN MORE & MENTIONS FILM: The Namesake (2006, Mira Nair):imdb.com/title/tt0433416/ BOOK: The Namesake (2003, Jhumpa Lahiri): goodreads.com/book/show/33917.The_Namesake ARTICLE (2018): ‘Revisiting the Nameake’ pajiba.com/film_reviews/revisiting-mira-nair-and-kal-penns-the-namesake-after-crazy-rich-asians.php GUEST: Ida Abdalkhani - youtu.be/-HJG63EXCmw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Knowing what I know now and knowing our ethnicity, and where we come from, and what we know of our culture is what makes us unique, and what makes you powerful.” Korey Watari is a sansei, or third-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Los Angeles. She played basketball for a Japanese American league, graduated from the University of California, Riverside, and studied at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.  Korey has worked in the animation and fashion industries for companies such as Disney and the Gap. I Am Able to Shine is her debut picture book and first collaboration with her husband, Pixar Artist and creator of Disney's Ellie series Mike Wu. In this gorgeously illustrated book, she shines a light on the AAPI experience, specifically the Japanese American experience, through the eyes of Keiko. The book was originally created for Korey & Mike’s two daughters and has made an impact for many little girls and boys worldwide. Korey joins us to talk about what inspired her to create this story and is excited to share Keiko's story with readers everywhere. LEARN ABOUT KOREY Website: Koreywatari.com LinkedIn: Korey Watari-Wu IG: @tinyteru, @wudog23 TW: @tinyteru Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Banned books, awkward adolescence, and pronouns. We recently read Maia Kobaba's GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR on Raman’s other not-so-secret podcast Quarantined Comics. Created in 2014 - by Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns - created a cathartic autobiography of Eir's experience with gender identity — from crushes to fan fic, from coming out to making out. What started as a series of Instagram posts to explain to the author's family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer becomes so much more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. And then it became the most banned book in the country. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/01/books/maia-kobabe-gender-queer-book-ban.html What started as a simple, moving, explanation of gender identity - with the potential to create so much greater empathy and understanding for all of us got picked up by a parent on the wrong side of history, and a social media firestorm resulted, snowballing into headlines aroundthe country - with dozense of schools pulling it from library shelves around the country - from the Carolinas to Texas to Virginia - with many officials labeling it “pornographic.” But we're not here to talk about the controversy surrounding the book (we do, inevitably) — we're here to talk about the work itself. in light of all the other not so positive change happening in our society, it felt really important to read Gender Queer, and can't recommend this book enough. Warning, this is one of the rare episodes where Raman & Ryan agree on almost everything =) LEARN ABOUT GENDER QUEER (comic): goodreads.com/book/show/42837514-gender-queer Quarantined Comics (Raman + Ryan's podcast): qtdcomics.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I can put my emotions into my art. I want to create characters so kids can see themselves and know that they are beautiful.” Holly Hatam is an acclaimed picture book maker, designer, and textile engineer. Holly is the New York Times’s bestselling illustrator of “Dear Girl” and “Dear Boy” - as well as books like “Hair Stories'', “Jack (Not Jackie)”, “Maxine the Maker”, and the recently released PRINCESS CHARMING. Holly’s books have been translated into over 10 languages and sold over 1 million copies worldwide. But most importantly, Raman’s little kids LOVE her work. Diversity in children’s books is super important to Holly. Holly is Iranian, her husband is Chinese, and with their son being biracial it’s even more important for Holly to shine the spotlight on anyone that feels invisible or unheard. LEARN ABOUT HOLLY hollyhatam.com instagram.com/hollyhatamillustration twitter.com/hollyhatam BOOKS: goodreads.com/author/show/15051379.Holly_Hatam MENTIONS AUTHOR: Oliver Jeffers - goodreads.com/author/show/173545.Oliver_Jeffers BOOK: “Just As Long As We’re Together” (Judy Blume): goodreads.com/en/book/show/37731.Just_as_Long_as_We_re_Together Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

so...you may have heard things getting ...a little different with our podcast. we've either made it and/or sold out. but we wanted to let you a little bit more about the WHY you're hearing ads on this podcast. and it's probably not the reason you think. this changes nothing about about our podcast - but as always - we want YOU to let us know what you think - - himom@modmypod.com, and we'll talk to you on the next one Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“She asked, ‘do you go by Peter or Pedro? You're writing a memoir - shouldn't, you know?’ I'm writing a story about myself and I don't know myself — so I'm going to take the journey with the character.” ” Pedro Martín is creator of MEXIKID, a graphic memoir about Pedro’s Mexican-American childhood and family in the 1970s - specifically a road trip to Mexico to their legendary abuelito - who may or may not have been part of the Mexican revolution. Mexikid has received tons of critical acclaim —  listed as a top book of the year by NPR, the NY Times, The Guardian, the Boston Globe, Amazon, the NY Public Library and more — and it’s won ALL the awards, from the Newbery, the Eiser, the Harvey, and more. Once you’ve read it, you can see why. Pedro - who sometimes goes by Peter - grew up the son of sharecroppers in California, and now lives in Kansas City, where he was an artist for Hallmark for 27 years - working on lots of really interesting projects, including the company’s foray into animation - including creating the Asteroid Andy cartoon shorts. Peter shares a really deep conversation on not just origins - but that of his storytelling journey. We can’t enough great things about Mexikid - this book may just be one of our top holiday picks - for any adult or kid in your life.  LEARN ABOUT PEDRO pedromartinbooks.com instagram.com/mexikidstories BOOK: Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir - goodreads.com/book/show/63249742-mexikid MENTIONS FILM: Paper Moon (1973) - imdb.com/title/tt0070510 PERSON: wikipedia.org/wiki/Viggo_Mortensen SHOW: Asteroid Andy - lostmediaarchive.fandom.com/wiki/Missing_Asteroid_Andy_Shorts_(2008%3F_-_2011) BOOK: The Road, Cormac McCarthy (graphic novel adaptation) - www.goodreads.com/book/show/207003520-the-road FILM: Captain Fantastic (2016): imdb.com/title/tt3553976 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“My saving grace was the theater department. I was in a place where there was a massive amount of acceptance because we were all sort of fringe people. All of a sudden, you're not the only outsider.” The legendary Louis Diamond Phillips is an actor and film director. Known to audiences globally as the breakout star in La Bamba and Young Guns, and his deceptively effortless work in the brilliant Stand and Deliver, Phillips is a face that we all recognize (ironically), moreso for his work playing non-Asian roles…until now. Lou Diamond Phillips appears in a cameo role as himself in the new film EASTER SUNDAY about a man returning home for an Easter celebration with his riotous, bickering, eating, drinking, laughing, loving family in this love letter to his Filipino- American community. Stand-up comedy sensation JO KOY leads an all-star comedic cast: JIMMY O. YANG (Silicon Valley series), TIA CARRERE (True Lies, Wayne’s World films), BRANDON WARDELL (Curb Your Enthusiasm series), Tony nominee and Grammy Award winner EVA NOBLEZADA (Broadway’s Hadestown), LYDIA GASTON (Broadway’s The King and I), ASIF ALI (WandaVision), RODNEY TO (Parks and Recreation series), EUGENE CORDERO (The Good Place), JAY CHANDRASEKHAR (Super Troopers series) and of course Lou himself. Lou chats with us about experiencing racism for the first time as an actor, juxtaposed with the excitement he has now for playing a Filipino on screen for the first time. We were so excited for the opportunity to speak with Lou and we know you’re going to love hearing about the moments that brought him to where he is today! LEARN MORE ABOUT: Lou Diamond Philips: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Diamond_Phillips Easter Sunday (Trailer): https://youtu.be/YIixb42aJPg Follow on social: @eastersunday @loudphillips MENTIONS FILM: EASTER SUNDAY https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Sunday_(film) FILM: LA BAMBA https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093378/ MUSICAL: KING & I https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_and_I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

may she live long and prosper, and rest in power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Maybe it's the perspective of being the daughter of immigrants who chose to come to this country, but there still fundamentally remains something really special about America and what this country offers, that's worth remembering and worth fighting for.” What’s better than just one Sharon? That’s right, TWO Sharons together on the pod. Our co-host Sharon had the honor of speaking with Sharon Yang, the Communications Director at Building Back Together, a nonprofit advocacy group supporting President Biden’s policy agenda. Sharon Yang grew up just outside of Houston, Texas, and is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She comes from Democratic political campaigns, including the Jon Ossoff Senate campaign and Kamala Harris presidential campaign. She is passionate about winning elections & removing barriers to opportunity, finding joy in the everyday, and cooking and eating good food. She chats with us about hiding her homemade lunches because they were too “foreign” at school and speaks to us about how the ideals that our country was built upon are still very much worth fighting for.  Hearing Sharon’s passion for democracy and equality - especially in today’s climate when sometimes the left and the right seem worlds apart - will infuse you with optimism about the future and will make you believe that we can continue to achieve great things together. LEARN ABOUT SHARON YANG & BUILDING BACK TOGETHER sharonyang.com twitter.com/sharonjqyang Building Back Together: buildingbacktogether.org ​​MENTIONS BOOK: WEIKE WANG: “Joan is okay” PERSON: Juliet Lippman & Amanda Dobbins (Jam Session Podcast Co-hosts) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This film makes me question so many of my own beliefs — what it means to be a Chinese American woman. What might seem stereotypical, but may be very culturally true.” MMovies returns to talk about important films that explain the minority experience for the rest of our majority ears. THE JOY LUCK CLUB - however you may feel about it - is THE original Asian American movie. This 1993 film adapts the 1989 novel of the same name by Amy Tan. An Asian American drama about the relationships between Chinese American women and their Chinese immigrant mothers - the film features 50 women of the 60 credited roles. Directed by Wayne Wang and produced by Oliver Stone - the film stars Tsai Chin, Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ming-Na Wen - and centers on four older women, all Chinese immigrants living in San Francisco, who meet regularly to play mahjong, eat, and tell stories. Hidden pasts are revealed, and the clash of Chinese and American cultures is on full display as each strives to understand their own heritage and identity. The Joy Luck Club is an important cultural touchstone that people have VERY strong perspectives about - positive and negative - so along with longtime FrieMMd of the Pod (and one of our favorite Canadians) Melissa Haughton - we interrogate our feelings on the film, as well as reflect on our own observations and upbringings, and you may be surprised where we net out about this classic... LEARN MORE & MENTIONS FILM: The Joy Luck Club - imdb.com/title/tt0107282/ BOOK: The Joy Luck Club (Amy Tan) ARTICLE (Slate): “It’s Time to Forgive The Joy Luck Club” — https://slate.com/culture/2018/08/the-joy-luck-club-needs-to-be-forgiven-by-asian-americans.html GUEST: Melissa Haughton - Melissahaughton.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You can't tell the story of American racism without also telling the story of American religion.” Dr. Jonathan Tran is a Christian Theologian and author in the heart of Texas (Waco) - currently serving as a professor of philosophical theology at Baylor University. Jonathan's originally from Southern California - by way of Vietnam - who never would have imagined a Christian vocation. Jonathan completed his graduate studies in theology and ethics at Duke University and has published really interesting works like “Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Capitalism” (2021), and “The Vietnam War and Theologies of Memory” (2010). Jonathan’s research focuses on human life in language, and what that life reveals about God and God’s world. Lately, that research has taken Jonathan in the direction of thinking through race and racism - attempting to present racism as a theological problem, a political-economic distortion of the divine economy, and a problem given to the usual redress, the church laying claim to God’s original revolution. Jonathan was actually recommended to us by a listener, and you’ll appreciate hearing this intense conversation - especially as we all go through our own human experiences wondering about the big picture - and how each of our religious and societal experiences informs it. LEARN ABOUT JONATHAN jonathantran.blog twitter.com/catjonathantran baylor.edu/religion/index.php?id=933204 MENTIONS BOOK: Torture and Eucharist: Theology, Politics, and the Body of Christ: goodreads.com/en/book/show/250893 NYT ARTICLE: What About Structural Racism - nytimes.com/2021/11/09/opinion/structural-racism.html SON’S VIDEO: https://youtu.be/4m5_tUhBIzA FILM: Magnolia (1999) -.imdb.com/title/tt0175880 PERSON: Cornel West - wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornel_West PERSON: Jesus - wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s not really the Brown girls from Jersey City who save the world” -Kamala Khan Kamala Khan's superpower is...time management? Kamala ain’t just a household name because of the Vice President - she’s also the star of MS. MARVEL - her own Marvel TV series NOW on Disney+ (starring Iman Vellani - but also past guest Azhar Usman). We’ve long said that this Pakistani American superhero from Jersey City, NJ is arguably one of the most important new characters in pop culture of the new Millenium (alongside Miles Morales, of course) So we figured we’d replay a 2021 episode from Raman’s other podcast Quarantined Comics (bc we were into Ms.Marvel WAY before it was cool). Featuring FrieMMd-of-the-pod Ryan Joe and OUR favorite Pakistani American superhero - Lena Shareef, who you may remember from our inaugural Ramadan series way back when in 2021 (Lena also co-hosts the most awesome podcast “Grounded Geeks” with her brother Aman) - we kinda geek out about how much we LOVE this character and this comic. Kamala Khan - aka MS.MARVEL - was created in 2014 by award-winning novelist and Muslim American G. Willow Wilson. Kamala's just trying to get her homework done, nerd out with fan-fic / MMORPGs, figure out her relationship with her religious brother, come to terms with her best friends, and meet the expectations of her immigrant parents. Enjoy our super-nerdy, super grounded conversation about Kamala Khan, with spoilers for the comic - not the TV show. You can start streaming/binging the show after - and thanking us later. LEARN ABOUT COMIC (to read): Ms.Marvel: https://amzn.to/2W4BmFn TRAILER: youtu.be/m9EX0f6V11Y TV SHOW: imdb.com/title/tt10857164/ Grounded Geeks (Lena's podcast): anchor.fm/grounded-geeks Quarantined Comics (Raman + Ryan's podcast): qtdcomics.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Curato is an award-winning author and illustrator of a more than a few incredible kid's books, as well as the more recent graphic novel FLAMER, which is a MUST-read no matter your age, gender, or sexual orientation. Author Jarrett J. Krosoczka put it best: “This book will save lives.” Mike’s children’s books include the "Little Elliot" series - about an adorable polka-dotted elephant, of whom Raman’s daughter is a BIG fan. Mike’s also created beautiful kid’s stories like "Where is Bina Bear?" He’s illustrated other moving and important stories like "Worm Loves Worm", "What If", and "The Power of One." And in October he’ll be releasing the book “What Are you” alongside Christian Trimmer. Beyond Mike’s work being always elegant and beautifully illustrated, there’s a much deeper sentiment just beneath the surface that will appeal to parents and kids alike. FLAMER - Mike’s 2020 graphic novel debut - is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel set in 1995 at a Boy Scouts summer camp, and tells the story of a young teen Aiden who is bullied for being who he is. But the story goes much deeper, and hits a lot of notes and nerves that are both important and all-too-familiar (the liberal mentions of the X-Men, Lord of the Rings, and Nirvana don’t hurt either). Flamer isn’t just a must-read book for those of us who can relate, but it’s one that we should read for greater empathy for the people around us. LEARN ABOUT MIKE Mikecurato.com FLAMER (comic): goodreads.com/book/show/52751434-flamer LITTLE ELLIOT (kids books): macmillan.com/series/littleelliot instagram.com/mike_curato // twitter.com/MikeCurato MENTIONS QUOTE: “The best revenge is a life well lived.” -Chloe Neill COMIC: Jean Grey (X-Men) - wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Grey SONG: Weezer - “Say it Ain’t So” - youtu.be/ENXvZ9YRjbo TV: The Assassination of Gianni Versace - American Crime Story - imdb.com/title/tt8010592/ BOOK: Part Asian, 100% Hapa - goodreads.com/en/book/show/233959.Part_Asian_100_Hapa PERSON: Fiona Apple - wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Apple Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“As a culture, there’s a lot of pride, a lot of authenticity — It brought awareness to my level of fluidity in love.” Beyond celebrating LGBTQIA+ stories this month for PRIDE, did you know that June is ALSO Caribbean-American Heritage Month? What does it mean to identify as Caribbean-American or LGBTQIA+? What impact do these monthly celebrations have on cultural representation? Since we didn’t have the answers, we asked FrieMMds of the Pod Arianne Hunter and Mercedes Dean to talk about their Carribbean and Queer intersections. In a conversation about heritage, authenticity, and pride - hear how family impacts perspectives, falling in love reveals things you never knew existed, and the fluidity of personal identity. LEARN ABOUT ARIANE: Ariane is a Queer, Black Caribbean American woman living in Brooklyn with her partner. She is a corporate worker turned entrepreneur as a career coach, strategist, and advisor for Black women taking the leap at work and beyond. arianehunter.com instagram.com/arianehunter // twitter.com/ArianeHunter LEARN ABOUT MERCEDES: Mercedes’ passion is to uncover strategic insight, inspire creative angles, innovate across all social platforms, and create content to ignite social conversations. With over 11+ years of experience as a full-stack digital marketer, storyteller, and leader in brand and influencer marketing, she continuously challenges herself to push creative strategies to the next level. instagram.com/mercedeslenay // instagram.com/mattecreative MENTIONS TV: Legendary - imdb.com/title/tt11048090/ TV: Pose -imdb.com/title/tt7562112 PERSON: Kerry Washington - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Washington PERSON: Rihanna - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rihanna Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From time to time we feature creators / causes that we admire and hope you’ll enjoy — opportunities to learn AND give back. FrieMMd of the Pod Olesya Govorun (from our recent Ukraine episode) recently reached out to share an important cause to the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people — artists’ fellowships to the the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery in Opishnya, Ukraine. Ceramics are a core part of the cultural identity of Ukraine - and art doesn’t just reflect the time we are in - but it outlasts us all and make an impact for generations to come. Each year, Olesya, her friends and family fund scholarships for artist-in-residence programs in Opishnya, a town near and dear to Olesya’s heart. it goes without saying that we continue to be saddened, frustrated, and mixed up over the ongoing war in Ukraine. And while it seems like the world is taking some action, It feels like there’s not much more we can do as individuals. Donating to local, on the ground causes that go beyond relief efforts - and funding cultural heritage is something we hope you’ll consider... DONATE https://gofund.me/e5fd8a14 LEARN MORE https://opishne-museum.gov.ua/en/home/ https://authenticukraine.com.ua/en/blog/opisnanskaa-keramika https://www.modmypod.com/episodes/ep-135-we-are-all-ukrainians Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I didn't have a choice. I came out and came to the black queer community because I wanted to hide - but this community saved my life." Ian Haddock, is founder and executive director of Normal Anomaly - a Houston-based nonprofit dedicated to assisting Black, Queer+ people with overcoming barriers and ending stigmas and problematic narratives. Ian is many things — Ian Haddock is a community empath, critical thinker and sex analogist. So much of Ian’s work is born from his own experience - coming to terms with his own identity as a youth in small town Texas - but not always on his own terms. This is a conversation that will take you into an experience that will be unfamiliar territory for many of us, but real and important for greater empathy and understanding. And Ian’s the perfect person to help tell that story. LEARN ABOUT IAN normalanomaly.org instagram.com/ianlhaddock // twitter.com/haddock_ian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 “Growing up, emotional support was non-existent. Rightfully so, because they went through hell and back - their entire journey of having to escape and redoing life in a foreign country. There was no time to look back.” Vanessa Huynh is a rising professional in Chicago - who Raman met in NY on an “intergenerational” panel, where Vanessa was one of the “younger folk” at our event. And while there are some slight differences in how we processed growing up between two worlds, Vanessa’s a fellow old soul in her acceptance - and take on how her parents had to process and present the world to her growing up - so much more than bridging the cultural divide. Hoping this very personal, non-political conversation can provide a respite from all the other noise around us... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Why change Robin? It was a no brainer. It happens to a lot of bisexual people, it seemed like natural character development.” Lately all the news has been about Superman’s son Jonathan Kent coming out recently as bi-sexual in the comics - and the not so-nice reception it’s has gotten in the real world (WTF...Louis Lane?!?). But just weeks before that, ROBIN - one of the most recognizable (Queer?) icons ALSO came out as Bi-sexual. This matters. It represents as big a pop culture moment as when Miles Morales & Kamala Khan were introduced to the world. And while Robin (aka Tim Drake) is not the FIRST comic book hero to come out as Queer, he represents the most important hero to do so. Because Robin has been all of us all along. From kids envisioning themselves as him, to Queer’s taking ownership (#representation), to the “Seduction of the Innocent” (+those other 1950s fear-mongering hearings) — Robin has always had us envisioning, and questioning things. There has been celebration and pushback, and we wanted to talk about what it all means. So we brought together past guests Karl Preissner (Equity / Inclusion Ally & Advocate) and Steven Wakabayashi (Yellow Glitter Podcast host ), along with Ainsley Waller (Bisexual designer AND fellow comics geek) to unpack this moment and challenge our assumptions about the evolution of some of our most beloved characters... This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT Tim Drake’s big news: https://n.pr/3DCFzAh Ainsley Waller: behance.net/AinsleyRiversWaller Steven Wakabayashi: stevenwakabayashi.com Karl Preissner: modmypod.com/episodes/11-karl-preissner-on-pampgs-insider-diversity-1 MENTIONS COMIC: Batman Urban Legends #6: dccomics.com/comics/batman-urban-legends-2021/batman-urban-legends-6 NEWS: Robin Writer Chuck Dixon’s problematic take: https://bit.ly/2YKbIr7 BOOK: Seduction of the Innocent (1954): wikipedia.org/wiki/Seduction_of_the_Innocent PERSON: Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie): wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_Ziggy_Stardust_and_the_Spiders_from_Mars TV: Queer as Folk (1999): imdb.com/title/tt0262985/ FILM: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994): imdb.com/title/tt0109045/ TV: Xena Warrior Princess: imdb.com/title/tt0112230/ BOOK: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous (Ocean Vuong): goodreads.com/book/show/41880609-on-earth-we-re-briefly-gorgeous COMIC: Flamer (Mike Curato): goodreads.com/book/show/52751434-flamer COMIC: Displacement (Kiku Hughes): goodreads.com/book/show/46223303-displacement FILM: Moonlight (2016): imdb.com/title/tt4975722/ CHARACTER: Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice): wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Bennet CHARACTER: Master Splinter (TMNT): wikipedia.org/wiki/Splinter_(Teenage_Mutant_Ninja_Turtles) CHARACTER: Dumbledore (Harry Potter): wikipedia.org/wiki/Albus_Dumbledore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you know here on Modern Minorities we are all about the COVID-19 Vaccine (we've gotten all 3 - so far). When it comes to the global pandemic we still find ourselves in - we have to think about not just ourselves, but also our communities and our families.. BUT much to the dismay of our parents, we are NOT doctors - so this episode’s sponsor - the US Department of Health & Human Services - asked us to enroll a professional. So FrieMMd of the Pod Dr. Jonathan Tolentino - Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Miami (among our favorite doctors in Florida) - joined us for a chat on the importance of vaccines for all of us.  MENTIONS New York Times COVID Vaccination Tracker - nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been a long couple of weeks...months, years?  There has a lot of...stuff going on 'out there', and we're not going to lie - it’s been hard to wrap our heads - and hearts - around everything. So to find a moment to catch a breath, stop being angry, stop crying when we think too much about the terrible things happening in this world (e.g. why our children have to practice active shooter drills)? it's often nearly impossible to find the space to process...and think about these things, which is probably why Sharon + Raman haven't gotten to it (yet) ...and then Raman got an email from longtime FrieMMd of the Pod (and comedian) Rajiv Satyal. This is the conversation that followed... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Filipinos love spam — but wherever you look in American history, I found how little I knew.” Gabrielle Berbey is a documentary audio producer and filmmaker who's done work with the Atlantic and WNYC / NPR. She's actually one of the hosts of the critically acclaimed podcast “The Experiment” by the Atlantic. Gabby recently released a three-part mini series talking about SPAM - beyond her personal Filipino family experience - going beyond the immigrant experience to American labor, the changing middle class, and the next generation of immigrant Americans. You’ll love this candid conversation about how Gabby’s mixed ethnic experience infom her curiosity as a journalist. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT GABBY PODCAST: theatlantic.com/podcasts/experiment/spam/ GABBY: airmedia.org/community/spotlight/gabrielle-berbey SOCIAL: instagram.com/gabriellejberbey // twitter.com/gabrielleberbey MENTIONS BOOK: The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race (Anthony Christian Ocampo) - goodreads.com/book/show/28162897-the-latinos-of-asia TV: PENN15 (Hulu) - imdb.com/title/tt8324422/ PERSON: Hanna Errant - wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Arendt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s not just heroics - the highest compliment one soldier can pay to another soldier is he did his job.” Larry Hama is an American comic book legend — an accomplished artist, writer, actor, and musician who’s been in the business since the 1960s. Larry is also a US Army Veteran - where he became a firearms and explosive ordnance expert. Larry’s actually best known to American comic readers as writer / editor for Marvel Comics, where he worked on G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Wolverine, Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja, and Elektra. He co-created the character Bucky O'Hare - developed into comics, toys, and animation. And in the 1980s, Larry helped create “The ‘Nam” - arguably one of the most authentic retellings of the Vietnam war from the American perspective (for many surpassing the film Platoon). Larry’s storied experience as a Japanese American, Army Veteran, comics legend, and kid from SF + NY - inform everything he’s done, and why his work resonates with so many across industries. And you’ll love hearing about all of his encounters with contemporaries like Gloria Steinem, Neal Adams, and even Marlon Brando. Special shout-outs to guest host Dan Wu (from NPR’s “Where Y’All Really From”) and Keith Chow @ HardNOC Media who connected us with the one and only Larry Hama. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT LARRY HAMA wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Hama facebook.com/larry.hama MENTIONS INVERSE: “I Always Wanted Snake Eyes To Be Asian” - inverse.com/entertainment/snake-eyes-gi-joe-larry-hama-interview COMIC: The ‘Nam - wikipedia.org/wiki/The_%27Nam CBR - “Larry Hama Shares a Dismaying Marvel Story About Pearl Harbor and White Privilege” - cbr.com/gi-joe-larry-hama-marvel-pearl-harbor-white-privilege-story/ PERSON: Neal Adams - wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Adams PERSON: Gloria Steinem - wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Steinem Underground Comix: https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/55614 AUTHOR: wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Marryat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since May is Asian American Heritage Month AND we know you already sent your mom a card for Mother's Day, we thought have a chat with some frieMMds of the Pod to go beyond everyone’s favorite question, “What’s your favorite Mom dish”. Sophie Park is a new frieMMd of the pod, original from Korea and arguably one of the top fans of my other, nerdier podcast, Quarantined Comics (co-hosted by her husband Ryan Joe). Sophie shares her story about her Mom’s Korean beef broth stew — which she ate growing up as a little girl in Korea, as well as the generational differences between her and her mom’s life growing up in Korea. Sophie’s might have learned to make her Mom’s dishes - but she still makes the time for regular multi-hour long-distance phone calls with her Mom... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There's so few of us here in Kentucky. It's a self-reflection - to be able to claim the identity as a Southerner” Dan Wu and Charlene Buckles are the hosts of the public radio / podcast “Where Y’All Really From” (on Louisville Public Media) — but in their day job, they’re upstanding professional citizens - a restauranteur and a social activist who decided to create a show about a year ago - that shares the Asian Kentucky experience - for Asian Americans in Kentucky (it’s bonus content for anyone else in Kentucky). Dan’s professional cooking career was kickstarted on Fox’s MasterChef — and he’s since a mainstay of local street fairs, pop-ups, his own restaurant Atomic Ramen, and on the campus of the University of Kentucky. A fierce advocate for immigrants, refugees, and small business owners, Dan’s also an unapologetic comic book & movie geek and podcast junkie. Charlene’s a proud proud formerly undocumented Filipina-Kentuckian. A former teacher turned fundraiser (ACLU KY FTW), she wildly passionate and active in areas of immigrant justice, women empowerment, racial literacy in Early Education, delicious cookies, local floral arrangements, and her adorable children. Between the hot takes, and reality show / comic book nerding out, you’ll find yourself wondering how you were so luck to get an upgrade from Sharon + Raman - but also getting a feel for what the Asian Kentucky experience must really be like. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT DAN & CHARLENE PODCAST (NPR / WYRF): whereyallreallyfrom.org DAN: instagram.com/atomicramen CHARLENE: instagram.com/charleeeneeeb MENTIONS BOOK: Decolonizing Wealth (Edgar Villanueva): goodreads.com/en/book/show/38245185-decolonizing-wealth TV; Reservation Dogs (FX / Hulu): imdb.com/title/tt13623580 TV: Bling Empire (Netflix): imdb.com/title/tt13660962 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since May is Asian American Heritage Month AND we know you already sent your mom a card for Mother's Day, we thought have a chat with some frieMMds of the Pod to go beyond everyone’s favorite question, “What’s your favorite Mom dish”. You'll remember Paresh Jha from last May's chat about India and the Delta variant, and maybe even a few Quarantined Comics episodes. Paresh shares his story about his Mom’s catfish curry — but also about her life and influence on him, before and after her passing — and how Paresh’s kitchen and home always keep her memory alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I love doing accents - Indian, Iranian, Arab. But now stand-up allows you to go do the movie of the week and then go on stage and make fun of it.” Maz Jobrani is a comedian, actor and entertainer - who happens to be Persian, but most definitely identifies as an immigrant. His Netflix special “Immigrant” at the Kennedy Center had him doing some Arab dancing to Public Enemy, he’s given two TED talks, and has been on shows and movies you’ve seen like Superior Donuts (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Shameless, Stephen Colbert, James Corden, and even NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. Maz has got more than a few comedy specials on Showtime and Netflix. He’s performed at the White House and opened for Michelle Obama. His latest standup special is Pandemic Warrior on NBC’s Peacock TV streaming service, and his weekly podcast “Back to School” has him outsourcing his kids' questions to experts on God, politics, fashion, and more. You’ll enjoy hearing us nerd out with one of the nicest, most curious stand up comics around. This episode is sponsored by the Department of Health & Human Services, who’s encouraging you and your community to make sure you’ve got the COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster. We can do this, together. Find vaccines and boosters near you @ VACCINES.gov LEARN ABOUT MAZ mazjobrani.com twitter.com/MazJobrani // instagram.com/mazjobrani PODCAST: “Back to School” - https://apple.co/3w9Sh7A NETFLIX: netflix.com/title/80179433 MENTIONS 1979 Iranian Revolution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution PERSON: Peter Sellers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Sellers TV: True Story “Yasmin” peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/true-story-with-ed-and-randall/4884081076824702112/seasons/1/episodes/yasmin-episode-2/436b3c09-6c41-3ec3-8a6c-5457d12c823a TV: Superior Donuts - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5462364 FILM: The Interpreter - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373926 FILM: The Godfather - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Just by osmosis you pick it up.” “Culture, heritage, and language were passed down - celebrated traditions as a community” Since it’s AAPI heritage month, Sharon & Raman decided to have a chat about OUR own personal AAPI family heritage — stories about our parents, grandparents, and how the next generation - us and our kids - interact with that history. From Mahjong games with grandma to Grandpa V2s, hear how we’re thinking about the past, present, and future — even when we can’t always be around the heritage that makes us who we are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President Kamala Harris' speech from Howard University on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People tend to be afraid of the unknown. The most dangerous thing is the illusion of knowledge. We need to have an open mind and embrace the world.” Dian Alyan is the Founder & CEO of the GiveLight Foundation (GiveLight.org) — a non-profit inspired by Islamic values to help orphans across the globe regardless of nationality, race or religion. This is actually a conversation from Raman’s other, OTHER podcast, “Learnings from Leaders” - the P&G Alumni Podcast (pgalums.com/podcast) — where each week you can hear candid, mentorship-style conversations with some of the most interesting leaders in business. Given that Dian's not just Muslim, but also Indonesian, featuring our really inspiring conversation felt like an interesting way to bridge both the end to the Holy Month of Ramadan in the Muslim World, but also the start of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Dian founded GiveLight.org after the 2004 South Asian tsunami, where she lost many loved ones in her home country of Indonesia . Dian was inspired to provide for children going through similar devastation around the world — natural disasters and extreme conditions, like poverty and war. GiveLight is a non-profit creating high quality homes and education for global orphans. What began as one home for 50 children has now expanded to support over 1,000 orphans in 11 countries globally — with a goal of housing 10,000 children in response to natural disasters, poverty, and war. GiveLight has responded to crises in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Morocco. Prior to founding GiveLight - Dian spent a decade as the Outreach Director for the Muslim Community Association in the San Francisco bay area. And Dian got her start at P&G in brand management in beauty and healthcare brands across Asia. Dian’s work with GiveLight has garnered awards and engagements from Fortune 500s + prominent universities, and has been featured in Newsweek, the Huffington Post, and many other media outlets. She lives in the San Francisco bay area, a mother of two - but she considers all children GiveLight reaches as a part of her family. Learn more about how you can help at GiveLight.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Music is a force that brings us all together, wherever you’re from.” For this ENTIRE holy month of Ramadan, we wanted to hear some music by MUSLIM artists (beyond Dua Lipa, Cat Stevens, AR Rahman, and Zane Mallick) — so we’re bringing back MMusic with longtime FrieMMd of the Pod + our favorite Egyptian American from Cleveland, Seif Hamid, aka the musical artist Soof. This week we’re listening to HASEEB (featuring REHMA). “Play Love” s a track that covers a theme universal to all music and art — love. The combined R&B / rap sensibilities, merged with cultural - and pop-cultural - references (Superman & Lois Lane, going to mosque) has a great vibe you’ll be bobbing your head to all day. As always, you can check out these MMusic tracks and more @ modmypod.com/music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"No one had seen an actual Muslim's take. But I'm an artist - if I want something done right, I can just do it myself." Sara Alfageeh’s a Jordanian American comics creator and creative director — but mostly just a major history nerd who just really wants to draw girls with swords. Sara's the co-creator of SQUIRE - a recently released graphic novel that blends the familiar hero's journey with a uniquely Middle Eastern inspired take — a fun read we highly recommend you check out. Sara's also the co-founder of One More Multiverse and her work has been featured by Harvard, Lucasfilm, the BBC, NYU, and even a Google Doodle. Her secret origin will inspire you, and her enthusiasm will give you faith in the next generation - and challenge you to not just sit back, but to pick up a pen and start creating...because no one is going to do it for you. Sara's wise beyond her years, and we can't wait to see what she creates over the next 25 years... LEARN ABOUT SARA sara-alfa.com READ SQUIRE: https://linktr.ee/readsquire https://instagram.com/saraalfageeh https://twitter.com/SaraAlfageeh MENTIONS Ms. Marvel / Kamala Khan: wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Khan G Willow Wilson: wikipedia.org/wiki/G._Willow_Wilson Bedouin Playing Cards: sara-alfa.com/bedouin Dust X-Men redesign - sara-alfa.com/character TV: Avatar the Last Airbender - imdb.com/title/tt0417299 TV: Legend of Korra - imdb.com/title/tt1695360 TV: Expanse - imdb.com/title/tt3230854 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices