Explore every episode of the podcast Self Evident: Asian America's Stories
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| Self Evident Presents: "Carol & The Los Angeles Uprising, Pt 1" (by Inheriting) | 07 Jun 2024 | 00:44:04 | |
Carol Kwang Park was 12 years old, working as a cashier at her family’s gas station in Compton, California, when the 1992 LA Uprising forever changed her life. Her mom was at the gas station that day and Carol was unsure if she’d even make it home. At the time, she didn’t understand why tensions came to a head in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of the officers who beat Rodney King. She also never understood why her mother insisted on keeping the business going, especially after the Uprising. As an adult, a personal crisis prompts Carol to finally start processing that event and her place in history. Hear more from Inheriting at laist.com/podcasts/inheriting. Content Warning: This episode contains racial slurs and discusses police brutality. | |||
| Self Evident Presents: “Live! Making Before Me With Lisa Phu” (by The Vietnamese Boat People podcast) | 01 Jun 2023 | 00:48:09 | |
Our friend Tracey Nguyen Mang, host of the Vietnamese Boat People Podcast, goes behind the scenes with Lisa Phu in this conversation — about how to document the lives of our parents, when that process can feel overwhelming. This episode, recorded live online, is the Season 6 Premiere of The Vietnamese Boat People, a podcast and nonprofit project that preserves the story of the Vietnamese diaspora community — and provides spaces where people can share their experiences. This latest season of their podcast follows the theme, “Ba, Mẹ ơi” (which roughly translates to "Dear Dad and Mom"). You can listen to more stories from the season by searching for “Vietnamese Boat People” where you get podcasts, or on their website. | |||
| Before Me, Part 2: Photograph | 06 Dec 2022 | 00:36:27 | |
As the genocidal regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge takes hold of Cambodia, my mom and dad run for their lives — separated from my cousin, Lynn, who is then faced with keeping her siblings alive in a forced labor camp. Full show notes, photos, credits, and transcript on our web site. | |||
| Before Me, Part 1: Firstborn | 29 Nov 2022 | 00:27:03 | |
When I became a parent, my mom flew across the country to help me take care of my firstborn child. And opened up to share a story I’d never fully heard, about her firstborn child — the sister I’ve never met. Full show notes, photos, credits, and transcript on our web site. | |||
| Introducing "Before Me": A new series from Self Evident | 15 Nov 2022 | 00:02:17 | |
Lisa Phu grew up telling a story about how her family left Cambodia as refugees, to start a new life in the United States — but for the longest time, she’d never heard this story firsthand, from her mom, Lan. After Lisa gave birth to her first daughter, her mom flew across the country to meet her first grandchild. And during that visit, she finally shared the real story with Lisa. About growing up in Cambodia, fleeing genocide by the Khmer Rouge, surviving as a gold dealer in Vietnam, building a home in America while navigating the fallout and traumas of war… and carrying the future of four children with her throughout the journey. Before Me follows one woman’s life, from Cambodia to America, over the course of decades. But it also follows a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter, about their family’s history — through death and birth, separation and reunion, endings and beginnings. Because while we may never fully understand the reality of those who came before us, every story is a chance to get closer. And in listening, find meaning in what’s been preserved. During November and December 2022, Self Evident is presenting Before Me through our podcast feed. It's a brand new audio series we're launching in partnership with Lisa, and we hope you'll join us in listening and sharing the story as it unfolds, week by week. Learn how to conduct an oral history interview with your loved ones at selfevidentshow.com/history. To meet other listeners of Self Evident and Before Me, and get started on your own oral history journey, join our Discord community at selfevidentshow.com/participate. | |||
| Self Evident Presents: "Get Up Stand Up" (by Re:Work) | 21 Jun 2022 | 00:29:37 | |
When you get into a taxi, you usually know where you’re coming from, where you’re going, and what you’ll do when you get there. But what about your taxi driver – someone whose work is in constant motion, moving from destination to destination, meeting new people by the hour? What was the road that brought them to this moment, what is the journey they'll take next? On this episode of Re:Work, by the UCLA Labor Center, join host Saba Waheed as she travels with Javaid on the path that brought him from a small agricultural town in Punjab, Pakistan to driving cabs in New York City. Reading and Resources:
Credits: Produced by Stefanie Ritoper, Saba Waheed, Ob1, and Asif Ahmed. Music supervision by Francisco Garcia Nava. | |||
| (BONUS) Hunger Strike! How Immigrant Taxi Drivers Took on City Hall | 18 May 2022 | 00:29:58 | |
When Augustine Tang’s father passed away, Augustine decided to inherit his taxi medallion – the license that had allowed his father to drive a yellow taxi cab in New York City for decades. But the medallion came with a $530,000 debt trap and years of struggling to escape it. Augustine’s friend Kenny, a fellow taxi cab driver, committed suicide. So did several other drivers who were crushed under the weight of these impossible debts. In hopes of preventing another death, Tang joined a push by the local taxi drivers’ union, to campaign for debt relief. And eventually, city resistance to worker demands culminated in a 15-day hunger strike to convince City Hall that immigrant taxi drivers deserved a fair deal. The drivers’ struggles for livable working conditions showed how political power doesn’t just come down to votes. It’s a reminder how strong collective will can be, especially for those often silenced and ignored by our imperfect democracy. Resources and Reading
Augustine Tang, Jaslin Kaur, John Duda, Kader Guerrab, Kuber Sancho-Persad, Maria Santana, Maximillian Alvarez, Michelle Faust Raghavan and Alec Saleens, and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance Media Team Credits:
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| Say Goodbye to Yesterday | 22 Feb 2022 | 01:02:07 | |
Amidst the ongoing crush of anti-Asian violence in America, Producer James turns to a personal source of restoration: ska music (yes, that ska music). When he was a teenager, the do-it-yourself ska scene — and an indie record label called Asian Man — taught him to take racism seriously, embrace the road less traveled, and never wait for anyone else’s approval to be himself. But as James starts connecting with all of the Asian American ska fans he’s met over the past few years, he also starts to question how much his own memories are wrapped in a black-and-white-checkered blanket of nostalgia. Eventually, these connections all lead to Mike Park, Korean American founder and still-only-employee of Asian Man Records — and Jer Hunter, a younger Black and queer musician who’s carrying the torch for ska music as a home for anti-racist activism. And the more these conversations peel away the layers of nostalgia surrounding ska, the more James believes that this oft-misunderstood subculture has something real to offer in a world that can feel like it’s crumbling beneath our feet. Resources
Self Evident is a Studio To Be production. Our show is made with support from PRX and the Google Podcasts creator program — and our listener community. | |||
| Heartbeats | 07 Feb 2022 | 00:42:28 | |
The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of caregiving work — and the ways that this work is overlooked, under-resourced, or placed as a burden on families without a sense of fairness or compassion. In this episode we’re sharing two stories that show people taking on the role of caregiver, and asking: Who gets to be healthy in a world that leaves so many people with family as their only lifeline? “My Heartbeats”: When Indian American filmmaker Tanmaya Shekhar moved his life from Kanpur to New York City, he was running away from family and dreaming of standing on his own two feet. But when the first wave of Covid in India put both of his parents in the hospital, he found himself in a race against time to reunite with them — and then a slow process of rethinking his life’s path, as an immigrant and as a son. “Delma and Delvin”: Guest contributor Angela Edward shares a day in the life of her aunt Delma, a middle-aged Micronesian mom whose full time job is taking care of Delvin — her 30-year old son who has always lived with cerebral palsy. After being hospitalized for Covid, Delma invites Angela over to spend time with Delvin and share how it feels to be senselessly locked out of the American healthcare system. Resources, Reading, Viewing, and Listening
Self Evident is a Studio to Be production. Our show is made with support from PRX and the Google Podcasts creator program — and our listener community. | |||
| Help us out by taking our survey | 01 Feb 2022 | 00:00:33 | |
Hey everybody, I'm asking for just a few minutes of your time to help what us keep doing what we do. Details at https://selfevidentshow.com/participate Thanks! - Cathy and the team | |||
| Specially Processed | 18 Jan 2022 | 00:39:26 | |
For so many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Spam is a beloved classic food, showing up in everything from musubi to fried rice. But behind that nostalgia is a history of war and colonization, and the inheritance of both favorite foods and hidden traumas. While sharing behind-the-scenes previews of the play, Jaime and Cathy talk about the challenges and rewards of interviewing older generations, and how those conversations have helped her process her own identity as an Asian American. Specially Processed American Me is co-produced by Dixon Place, Ping Chong and Company, and Free Rein Projects. You can learn more about Specially Processed American Me and find tickets to the show (debuting Jan 27 - Feb 19 in New York City) at speciallyprocessed.com. Resources and Reading
Specially Processed American Me co-produced by Ping Chong and Company and Free Rein Projects (production photos by Toby Tenenbaum | |||
| Bonus: Diaspora DJ Roundtable 2021 Feat. Les Talusan, Arshia Fatima Haq, and Roger Bong | 04 Jan 2022 | 00:48:02 | |
Community Producer Rochelle Kwan (a.k.a. YiuYiu in her DJ life) gathers the DJs who joined her in curating our first annual mixtape — to chat about how we can use music to reconnect our diaspora communities, across generations and borders. If you haven’t heard the mixtape — which features musical selections by Les Talusan (a.k.a. Les The DJ of OPM Sundays), Arshia Fatima Haq (of Discostan), Roger Bong (of Aloha Got Soul), and YiuYiu (of Manhattan Chinatown) — then you can hear it here, or wherever you get podcasts. Need more music? Did we miss a favorite track of yours that the world absolutely needs to hear? Then check out our public Spotify playlist (a totally separate, community-sourced playlist that we’re pairing with this mixtape) to hear a bigger range of tunes from Asian and Pacific diaspora cultures — and add your own favorites! About the DJsLes Talusan a.k.a. Les The DJ (she/they) Les The DJ aka Les Talusan is a DJ, photographer, curator, teaching artist and organizer whose practice immerses people in the joy of discovery, empowerment, and community. This approach is informed by Les’ own story of resilience, liberation and courage as an immigrant, mother and v/s. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Les fell in love with music at a young age, DJing at local clubs and playing in bands. Les has lived in Washington, DC for over 20 years and continues to expand their talents, performing behind the decks in the U.S. and abroad. Arshia Fatima Haq - @discostan | @arshiaxfatima Arshia Fatima Haq (born in Hyderabad, India) works through film, visual art, performance, and sound, in feminist modes outside of the Western model. She is interested in counterachives and speculative narratives, and is currently exploring themes of embodiment, mysticism, indigenous and localized knowledge within the context of Sufism. She is the founder of Discostan, a collaborative decolonial project and record label working with cultural production from South and West Asia and North Africa. She hosts and produces radio shows on Dublab and NTS, and has produced episodes for KCRW's acclaimed "Lost Notes" podcast series. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally at museums, galleries, nightclubs, and in the streets. Roger Bong (he/him) - @alohagotsoul | @rogerbong Roger Bong launched Aloha Got Soul as a blog in 2010 after graduating college with a journalism degree and — more importantly — after hearing DJ Muro's Hawaiian Breaks mix. Roger's love for story, sound and design has turned the blog into an independent record label that champions all genres and generations of music from Hawai‘i. He and his wife run the label from Honolulu. Rochelle Kwan a.k.a. YiuYiu (she/her) - @rochellehkwan Rochelle Kwan, also known as YiuYiu, is a cultural organizer, oral history educator, and DJ based on Lenape land in NYC’s Manhattan Chinatown. Bringing together her backgrounds in organizing, history, and music, she trains everyday people to build multigenerational oral history projects and engage with their communities as classrooms. As a cultural archivist, DJ, and dancer, she works to amplify arts and culture as essential to community resilience and foster intergenerational relationships and dance floors. Rochelle’s also the Community Producer at Self Evident, where she leads our budding oral history program and helps to grow our listening party program through partnership and collaboration. Credits
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| Self Evident Presents: “How to Wash Your Brain” (by Boen Wang and Feet in 2 Worlds) | 25 Apr 2023 | 00:38:09 | |
Boen’s mom thinks he’s brainwashed by the New York Times. Boen thinks his mom is brainwashed by the Chinese Communist Party. But when Boen starts listening more deeply to his mom’s stories of growing up in China and then immigrating to the U.S., he spots the signs of his own political conditioning — and unravels the threads of Chinese and American history that led to the very fabrication of “brainwashing” as a concept.
This story comes from our friends at Feet in 2 Worlds, originally airing on their podcast, A Better Life? — and was written and produced by Boen Wang. Full transcript, credits, and show notes available on our website. | |||
| Diaspora Dance Mixtape, Vol. 1 | 21 Dec 2021 | 01:03:09 | |
Community Producer Rochelle Kwan (a.k.a. YiuYiu) invites three of her favorite DJs to curate our first annual mixtape — and chat with them about how we can use music to reconnect our diaspora communities, across generations and borders. Our first annual international, transnational mixtape features musical selections from YiuYiu (of NYC Manhattan Chinatown), Les Talusan (a.k.a. Les The DJ of OPM Sundays), Arshia Fatima Haq (of Discostan), and Roger Bong (of Aloha Got Soul). The 22 specially curated tracks on this episode span the South West Asian / North African (SWANA) region, Hawai’i, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and their global diasporas. Just as each song and record comes with its own stories, this mixtape weaves in the personal stories that brought Roger, Les, Arshia, and Rochelle to music and DJing today. Need more music? Did we miss a favorite track of yours that the world absolutely needs to hear? Then check out our public Spotify playlist (a totally separate, community-sourced playlist that we’re pairing with this mixtape) to hear a bigger range of tunes from Asian and Pacific diaspora cultures — and add your own favorites! Resources, Reading, and Music
Les Talusan a.k.a. Les The DJ Les The DJ aka Les Talusan is a DJ, photographer, curator, teaching artist and organizer whose practice immerses people in the joy of discovery, empowerment, and community. This approach is informed by Les’ own story of resilience, liberation and courage as an immigrant, mother and v/s. Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Les fell in love with music at a young age, DJing at local clubs and playing in bands. Les has lived in Washington, DC for over 20 years and continues to expand their talents, performing behind the decks in the U.S. and abroad. Arshia Fatima Haq - @discostan | @arshiaxfatima Arshia Fatima Haq (born in Hyderabad, India) works through film, visual art, performance, and sound, in feminist modes outside of the Western model. She is interested in counterachives and speculative narratives, and is currently exploring themes of embodiment, mysticism, indigenous and localized knowledge within the context of Sufism. She is the founder of Discostan, a collaborative decolonial project and record label working with cultural production from South and West Asia and North Africa. She hosts and produces radio shows on Dublab and NTS, and has produced episodes for KCRW's acclaimed "Lost Notes" podcast series. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally at museums, galleries, nightclubs, and in the streets. Roger Bong - @alohagotsoul | @rogerbong Roger Bong launched Aloha Got Soul as a blog in 2010 after graduating college with a journalism degree and — more importantly — after hearing DJ Muro's Hawaiian Breaks mix. Roger's love for story, sound and design has turned the blog into an independent record label that champions all genres and generations of music from Hawai‘i. He and his wife run the label from Honolulu. Rochelle Kwan (a.k.a. YiuYiu) - @rochellehkwan Rochelle Kwan, also known as YiuYiu, is a cultural organizer, oral history educator, and DJ based on Lenape land in NYC’s Manhattan Chinatown. Bringing together her backgrounds in organizing, history, and music, she trains everyday people to build multigenerational oral history projects and engage with their communities as classrooms. As a cultural archivist, DJ, and dancer, she works to amplify arts and culture as essential to community resilience and foster intergenerational relationships and dance floors. Rochelle’s also the Community Producer at Self Evident, where she leads our budding oral history program and helps to grow our listening party program through partnership and collaboration. Credits
Self Evident is a Studio To Be production. Our show is made with support from PRX and the Google Podcasts creator program — and our listener community. | |||
| Only Fans | 07 Dec 2021 | 00:59:42 | |
Daphne Chen always held a special place in her heart for the Taiwanese girl group S.H.E. Growing up in Ohio, she’d listen to their greatest hits before falling asleep, clinging to their pop songs as one of her only genuine links to the island and the culture her family had left far behind. So years later, when Daphne realized that those greatest hits were actually covers of American pop songs by Destiny’s Child and the Legally Blonde soundtrack, she suddenly had a lot of questions... not just about S.H.E., but about why idolizing a Taiwanese girl group was so important to young Daphne in the first place. In this episode, we're sharing three conversations about the need to see and hear ourselves in popular culture — and the limitations of what pop culture can do to meet those needs. After Cathy chats with Daphne about their Asian teen idols in music, our intern Alex Chun calls up his favorite OnlyFans star, Cody Seiya, to unpack how watching queer porn has played such an outsized role in their own understanding of intimacy. Then, producer Harsha Nahata meets with two Indian diaspora culture writers to compare how — even with their differing upbringings and vastly different relationships to Bollywood movies — they began to question the role and the power of the Bollywood industry. Credits
Self Evident is a Studiotobe production, made with support from our listener community. This episode was made with support from PRX and the Google Podcast Creator Program.
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| Back to School, But Not Back to Normal | 23 Nov 2021 | 00:40:08 | |
This Fall many public primary schools in the U.S. switched back to in-person learning. But that can mean very different things for students, teachers, and parents — depending on their school system, local political environment, family resources, or language needs. We started getting word from listeners about their back-to-school experiences in July, and checked in with them as these first few months of the school year unfolded. Cathy and our team found out how a Chinese American mother of three navigated the anti-mask and anti-CRT activity surrounding school reopenings in Arizona; learned about the hidden harms of this transition from immigrant mental health advocates in New York City; and heard how having an immunocompromised family member affected an Indian American family in Minneapolis. While these conversations are by no means comprehensive, a recurring theme in these conversations was a sense of loss, which many students haven’t had the space to properly heal from. Credits
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| Scary to Imagine (2/2) | 09 Nov 2021 | 00:35:09 | |
This is the second part of a two-part story. If you haven’t heard part one, “Don’t Eat Nazi Shit Melons,” you can listen to it here. After the arrest of Indiana University Professor Cara Caddoo, the Mayor of Bloomington doubled down on anti-protest rules and police presence in the Bloomington City Farmers Market. But this failed to satisfy local activists calling for the removal of “Identitarian” Sarah Dye — and failed to mollify right-wing groups who were now turning Dye into a White nationalist media icon. As it became clear that the city wouldn’t change its position, differences between different groups of anti-racist activists became clear as well. And as Bloomington Police continued to arrest protestors in the market, local Black Lives Matter core council member JadaBee found herself at odds with her friend Abby Ang, who continued to amplify Sarah Dye’s links to the American Identity Movement while navigating the tense boundaries between “free speech,” “unacceptable protest,” and “arrestable offense.” Eventually, multiple new markets took root — including The People’s Market, a cooperatively-run alternative to the Bloomington City Farmers’ Market and co-created largely by BIPOC community members (including Abby and Jada). Some in Bloomington would consider this addition of new markets to be a successful result of the farmers market protests of 2019. But for the local farmers and activists who continue to grow that alternative at great expense, the experience has left lasting scars and raises ongoing questions about what it takes to truly dismantle White supremacy. Credits
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| "Don't Eat Nazi Shit Melons" (1/2) | 26 Oct 2021 | 00:34:12 | |
In the summer of 2019, a public fight unfurled in Bloomington, Indiana — over accusations that Sarah Dye and Douglas Mackey, who sold produce at the city-run farmers’ market, were members of an organization classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Anti-Defamation League as a white nationalist hate group (an association that would soon be confirmed). Abby Ang, a graduate student at Indiana University in Bloomington who had also become a community organizer, picked up on a series of chat leaks and reports from local farmers and activists about Sarah Dye, taking action to further publicize this connection and pressuring the city to remove Sarah and Doug’s farm from their market. But when the city refused to do anything of the sort, Abby found herself in a fast-moving conflict that included the full spectrum of American politics: liberal elites, progressive organizers, antifascist activists, right-wing militias, farmers, customers, police, Black Lives Matter leaders… and of course, White nationalists (or in this particular case, as they preferred to be identified, White Identitarians). The story eventually hit mainstream national news, the farmers’ market became a political battleground, and an Asian American professor was arrested by Bloomington Police — showing what it really looks like to wield White power in America. Credits
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| Season 3 Coming Soon! | 05 Oct 2021 | 00:01:15 | |
Self Evident's third season starts this month. Subscribe where you get podcasts, and help spread the word to your family and friends! | |||
| Self Evident Presents: “[No] Child Left Behind” (by Re:Work) | 09 Sep 2021 | 00:29:04 | |
During the current refugee crisis in Afghanistan, we’ve seen Asian Americans working to resettle Afghan refugees and help them build new lives. Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Hmong Americans in particular have been reminded of their own refugee stories — not just the stories of leaving their homes, but stories of the challenges they’ve faced in rebuilding their lives. So we’re presenting a story from Re:Work, a women-led radio show and podcast from the UCLA Labor Center that spotlights the voices of workers, immigrants and people of color. In this episode, Re:Work looks at how the American criminal justice system continues to marginalize youth from communities of color through the story of Phal Sok, a Cambodian refugee. His story shows how too often, low-income refugee youths are seen not as needing protection, but as the ones Americans need protection against. Check out Re:Work wherever you listen to podcasts! | |||
| Self Evident Presents: “Bharatanatyam: Project Caste”(by Shoes Off) | 26 Aug 2021 | 00:44:58 | |
We’re presenting an episode from Shoes Off, a podcast about Asian Australian culture hosted by Jay Ooi. In conversation with performers and scholars, producer Thinesh Thillai explains how power and status, and in particular, caste, enable art forms from marginalized communities to be co-opted. Shoes Off takes a close look at the history of Bharantanatyam, a style of Indian classical dance commonly studied and performed in modern-day arangetrams. Who holds the power in propagating Bharantanatyam and who is being erased in this process?
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| Self Evident Presents: “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs ”(by Making Contact) | 12 Aug 2021 | 00:29:54 | |
This week, we’re playing an episode from Making Contact. Making Contact produces media that analyses critical issues and showcases grassroots solutions in order to inform and inspire audiences to action. The episode, based on a documentary by filmmaker Grace Lee, is called “American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs,” and it’s about the life and legacy of the famed civil rights activist. Making Contact takes a close look at Boggs’s lifetime of vital thinking and action; from labor to civil rights, to Black Power, feminism, the Asian American and environmental justice movements and beyond. Revolution, Boggs says, is about something deeper within the human experience — the ability to transform oneself to transform the world.
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| Self Evident Presents: “Juicy Fruit: The Ripe Time to Talk About Relationships ”(by the Dragon Fruit Podcast) | 29 Jul 2021 | 01:03:15 | |
We’re playing an episode from an exciting new podcast by our friends at APIENC, an organization that builds transgender, non-binary, and queer power for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area (you might’ve heard their director, Sammie, on one of our previous episodes). The new podcast is called Dragon Fruit, and it’s all about the history of trans and queer Asian and Pacific Islander organizing, some juicy conversations about love and relationships, and reclaiming space for healing. In this episode, community members explored love, intimacy, and relationships. What does love mean for each of us and what does love beyond romance look like? How has our understanding of love changed over time? And how do we navigate being in relationship with each other? Content warning: This episode mentions issues of sex, touch, and conflict. There is a gentle reminder before each section so you can skip certain parts if you like. Check out Dragon Fruit Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts! | |||
| Self Evident Presents: "Exploring Ancestral Grief" (by Grief, Collected) | 18 Jan 2023 | 00:44:22 | |
America! The land of opportunity! And also, for so many, the ambiguous loss of immigration and uprooting a life and a history comes with a complex web of emotions. In this episode of Grief, Collected by The Mash-Up Americans, hosts Amy S. Choi and Rebecca Lehrer speak with trauma therapist and educator Linda Thai — about ancestral grief, and how unmetabolized grief, particularly in "Mash-Up" families, is passed down through generations. We dive into how important understanding historical context is for grief and healing, and ask: What happens to a family structure if we don’t grieve? Full episode transcript available on the Grief, Collected website. Episode Credits
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| Self Evident Presents: "When Your Country Doesn't Trust You" (by WorldAffairs) | 15 Jul 2021 | 01:00:09 | |
We're sharing the story “When Your Country Doesn’t Trust You” from the podcast WorldAffairs. In this episode, we hear from US Congressman Andy Kim about how the power competition between China and the US creates fear and anxiety on the homefront, which often escalates to anti-Asian rhetoric. Then, we hear the stories of two scientists, Wen Ho Lee and Xiaoxing Xi. Both were racially profiled by the FBI—and falsely accused of spying for the Chinese government. Check out WorldAffairs, a podcast that features far away stories that hit close to home, wherever you get podcasts. Search for WorldAffairs, one word, no space. | |||
| Self Evident Presents: “Shikata Ga Nai” (by Julianne Sato-Parker) | 02 Jul 2021 | 00:27:22 | |
Julianne Sato-Parker first heard the phrase, “Shikata ga nai” while watching a video series of interviews with Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals who were incarcerated by the U.S government after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese phrase translates to, “It cannot be helped.” It reminded Julianne of her grandmother, who has always said a similar phrase when navigating life’s unpredictable twists and turns: “That’s just the way the ball bounces.” But the phrases may not be as passive as they seem. As Julianne became fixated on how one became the other, she turned to her grandmother for answers — and to better understand how we find resistance and resilience, even in things as seemingly simple as a phrase. Resources
Credits
Self Evident is a Studio To Be production. Our show is made with support from PRX and the Google Podcasts creator program — and our listener community.
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| Self Evident Presents: "Underground Aams Trade, Pt 1" (by See Something Say Something) | 10 Jun 2021 | 00:35:02 | |
We’re sharing this story from one of our favorite podcasts, See Something Say Something, by Ahmed Ali Akbar. Pakistani-American communities in the U.S. rely on dealers on WhatsApp to gain access to their most coveted treasure: Pakistani mangoes. And they pay a premium for it. In part one of this two-part investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar searches for answers. Why are Pakistani mangoes so hard to find? And why is the Pakistani community resorting to deals on WhatsApp to procure them? For part two, listen and subscribe to See Something Say Something: https://www.seesomethingpodcast.com/ Support Ahmed’s work on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar And to see our team and Ahmed eating some of the tastiest mangoes of the season, check out our Instagram, @selfevidentshow | |||
| Bonus: How Do We Build the Places We Want to Work For? Feat. Gautam Srikishan and Snigdha Sur (AAPIHM 3/3) | 26 May 2021 | 00:38:11 | |
The phrase “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” is buzz-word-ier than ever, but what does it really take to empower workers and reduce racialized harm in the places where we spend so many of our waking hours? And when is it OK to simply stop trying? In this second episode of a three-part series, guest host Alex Sujong Laughlin (Senior Producer at Transmitter Media) invites Gautam Srikishan (Producer at the On Being Project) and Snigdha Sur (Founder and CEO of The Juggernaut) to discuss their own experiences with creating more inclusive and equitable workplaces — whether that involves organizing your fellow workers into a union or breaking away from big media companies entirely to start your own workplace. Along the way, Snigdha, Gautam, and Alex also open up about how difficult it is to take on this responsibility... especially when it’s hard to see the results of your efforts. Credits:
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| Bonus: How Do Stories Change Lives? Feat. Randy Kim and Tracey Nguyen Mang (AAPIHM 2/3) | 19 May 2021 | 00:33:14 | |
The impact of storytelling is often portrayed as a story changing the life of the person consuming it — and changing the world by reaching as many people as possible. But what about the person who offers their story to be consumed? How else can we define the value of our life’s stories, and the importance of how they’re shared? In this second episode of a three-part series, Managing Producer James Boo invites Randy Kim (Host of the Banh Mi Chronicles) and Tracey Nguyen Mang (Host of The Vietnamese Boat People) to dig deep and get personal about how they’ve seen participation in storytelling change the life of one person at a time. Our team decided to host these conversations because in the U.S. it’s once again Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time that can often feel routine and repetitive. And during a year when absolutely nothing has been routine, we hope these episodes will join many other podcasts, panels, and events in diving beneath the surface of representation, diversity, and inclusion. | |||
| Bonus: How Do We Go Beyond Representation? Feat. Eliza Romero, Marvin Yueh, and Thomas Mangloña II (AAPIHM 1/3) | 12 May 2021 | 00:40:45 | |
We often take for granted that “seeing people who look like us” — especially in mass media — means progress towards racial justice. But what forms of representation do we see making an impact? And who is that impact for? In this first episode of a three-part series, Senior Producer Julia Shu invites Eliza Romero (co-host of Unverified Accounts and blogger at Aesthetic Distance), Marvin Yueh (co-host of Books & Boba and co-creator of the Potluck Podcast Collective), and Thomas Mangloña II (journalist and co-founder of the Pacific Islander Task Force at AAJA) — to question conventional wisdom and share what kind of representation we want to have more of. Our team decided to host these conversations because in the U.S. it’s once again Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time that can often feel routine and repetitive. And during a year when absolutely nothing has been routine, we hope these episodes will join many other podcasts, panels, and events in shaking up the usual talking points of representation, diversity, and inclusion for AAPIHM. | |||
| Saving the Seeds | 11 Feb 2021 | 00:39:36 | |
Why do Asian Americans have such deep relationships with fruit? Cathy goes on a quest to find the answers — starting with her friendly neighborhood fruit vendor, Cece, then spending time with friends and listeners in our extended podcast fam. Along the way, she hears stories about family heirloom trees, mango sharing techniques, persimmon obsessions, and an unbridled love for durian. Then, she calls up food writer Priya Krishna and heritage farmer Kristyn Leach to unpack all the personal stories she’s heard. As Cathy learns the ways that Asian Americans across the country have instilled a reverence for fruit and upheld countless rituals with it in their lives, she realizes that our tastes are even more deeply rooted than we might think. Credits
Big thanks to everyone who shared their fruit stories and fruit feels with us for this episode:
We couldn’t fit everyone into the final cut, but you can see and hear bonus stories on our Instagram, using the hashtag #MyImmigrantFruitStory. Reading, Listening, and Resources
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| A Day at the Mall | 18 Jan 2021 | 00:29:40 | |
When producer Erica Mu moved back to her hometown in 2014, she said goodbye to a past life without any idea what exactly her new life should look like. Looking for the most grounded place she could find, she went to the local mall early one morning, turned on her tape recorder, and started talking to everyone she could meet. As Erica made her way through this sprawling landscape of mostly Chinese businesses in one of the most East Asian cities in the country, she peeked in the dreams, annoyances, and love lives of dim sum diners, shop owners, security guards, young children, young parents, weightlifters, all-night partiers, and one very skilled harmonica player. But as she grasped for some universal truth that would tie all the threads of the mall, Erica realized that the unpredictable, unresolved mess of everyday life is exactly what makes it something to treasure. Credits
Big thanks to everyone who spoke with Erica during her time at the mall for this story! Support from the California Council for the Humanities, and advisors:
Support from the Association of Independents in Radio, Mentor Martina Castro Support from Third Coast International Audio Festival and Radio Residency Fiscal sponsorship from Visual Communications, developing and supporting the voices of Asian American & Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists Countless friends and colleagues who have given their time to talk about all our stories | |||
| Finding Joy | 28 Dec 2020 | 00:40:25 | |
What happens when you come to America to marry the person you thought would take care of you, only to find yourself in an abusive family, losing all sense of self? Guest producer Rosalind Tordesillas brings us this story about Joy, a woman whose dream marriage turned into a nightmare — and the advocates for survivors of domestic violence who helped her through the long journey to becoming whole. Immigrant women like Joy often have an especially hard time getting help with domestic abuse because of immigration status, language, and cultural issues. Unfortunately, every one of these challenges has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading Joy and her advocates at the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK) to speak out. In this episode, they share how Joy dealt with her situation and reveal the critical role that social workers, advocates, and lawyers play in supporting survivors who have no other path forward. WARNING: Skip minutes 10:00-17:30 if you do not wish to hear descriptions of domestic abuse, including some graphic descriptions of violence. If this is an especially tough subject for you to hear about, then you may want consider skipping this episode. Resources and Reading If you are experiencing abuse or want to help someone who is, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233).
Credits
This episode was made in partnership with Feet in 2 Worlds, a project that brings the work of immigrant journalists to digital news sites and public radio. Since their founding in 2004, Feet in 2 Worlds has brought the work of immigrant journalists from communities across the U.S. to public radio and online news sites. Shoutouts Thanks to Cristina Ayala (co-executive director) and the staff of ATASK for helping us produce this episode. And big thanks to Blair Matsuura, one of our biggest supporters on Patreon! If you want to join Blair in supporting our mission and making our work sustainable, please become a member at patreon.com/selfevidentshow. | |||
| Conversations About Conversations | 07 Dec 2020 | 00:49:33 | |
During this year’s protests for Black lives, the national conversation was filled with calls to have uncomfortable conversations about anti-Blackness. This push, to talk about racism with our loved ones, has been both championed and criticized — but how do these conversations actually go down, and where do they lead? To find out, we spoke with three cousins who created a conversation toolkit for Filipinx families, and made the nerve-wracking decision to test drive on a video call with their entire extended family. Then we caught up with two friends who grew up in a redlined suburb of Detroit, to learn how their experiences with present-day school segregation have shaped their expectations about what’s needed to move towards justice. To unpack our own thoughts on all of this, we hopped on the phone with our show’s co-founder, Talisa Chang, to hear about her experiences leading an abolition reading and discussion group for the past six months. Along the way, we grappled with how these conversations can feel like way too much to handle, yet perhaps not enough to make a difference — and ultimately, how keeping these conversations going can help give Asian Americans the resolve and capacity to act in defense of Black lives in America. Reading and Listening
Shoutouts Thanks to the Ocampos (Anthony, Ivy, Patricia, and Paul), Maya, Ragen, and Talisa for speaking on this episode! We’re also grateful to Marissiko Wheaton for introducing us to Anthony Ocampo, and to Gilded Audio for helping us record with the Ocampo cousins. And big thanks to Annie Tan, Audrey Agot Fox, Ceci Villaseñor, Christynn Morris, Elisa Rapadas, Jenny Lee, Kaitlyn Borysiewicz, and Parag Rajendra Khandhar for sharing their experiences with us as we were reporting this story. You can see and hear some of those experiences on Instagram and Facebook (follow @selfevidentshow). Special shoutout to Jack Shu, one of our biggest supporters on Patreon. If you want to join Jack in supporting our mission and making our work sustainable, please become a member at patreon.com/selfevidentshow. | |||
| Self Evident Presents: "Arrival" (by VPM's Resettled) | 11 Jan 2023 | 00:32:22 | |
The LahPai family’s arrival to Virginia from Myanmar was highly anticipated: the local resettlement agency prepped their home; the local religious community was ready to provide support; the family’s U.S connection lived just minutes down the street. Even with these support systems, resettlement was (and still is) not a straightforward, clean-cut process. Why is that? In this debut episode from Resettled — a series by Virginia Public Media about the real experiences of refugees after they arrive to the U.S. — you'll meet the people helping the LahPais during their early days of resettlement... and explore some of the unexpected difficulties that arise when moving to a new country, a new culture and a new life. Episode Credits:
Special thanks from VPM:
More photos and stories available at vpm.org/resettled. | |||
| I Voted | 17 Nov 2020 | 00:45:49 | |
During the 48 hours of uncertainty after November 3, 2020, our producer James called over a dozen people — not to talk about Trump vs. Biden, but about the more systemic problems that would stick with us after all the votes were counted. These conversations with family and friends led him to reexamine a pivotal moment in his civic education: When he founded a chapter of the Junior State of America in the midst of the 2000 Presidential race, and learned that the act of democracy was a lot tougher than it seemed. After speaking with Cris Aguila and Karl Kristian Flores (two of our youngest voting-age listeners) about their frustrations with our we vote for President, James dug up the phone number of the high school student who leads the same Junior State chapter that he had started a generation ago… and ended this week of cynicism with a surprising moment of hope. Reading and Listening
Resources for Action
Credits
Shoutouts Thanks to everyone who hopped on the phone during the 48 hours after the election, to share their in-the-moment feelings and their experiences with voting:
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| Self Evident Presents: A Conversation With Yuh-Line Niou (by Rock the Boat) | 30 Oct 2020 | 00:35:13 | |
With so much attention focused on the Presidential race and other federal elections right now, we hope you'll find it refreshing to hear from Yuh-Line Niou, the only Asian American woman in New York's state legislature. In this conversation with Rock the Boat podcast host Lucia Liu, Yuh-Line explains how and why she got involved with local and state government, and how her experiences as an immigrant American woman have enabled her to make a distinct impact in the New York state assembly. The latest season of Rock the Boat, produced in partnership with Model Majority highlights Asian Americans working in government and civic engagement. Reading and Viewing:
Rock the Boat is made by:
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| Self Evident Presents: "The Home Clock" (by A Better Life? podcast) | 21 Oct 2020 | 00:27:59 | |
When New York City became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, Brooklyn-based producer Beenish Ahmed struggled over whether to visit her parents in Ohio or stay put. Her parents — a landlord and hairdresser who immigrated from Pakistan in the ‘70s — begged her to come home. When Beenish finally decided to go in May, she recorded that journey, and the discoveries she made about her family’s relationship to America. This story is an episode we're sharing from A Better Life?, a new podcast by our friends at Feet in 2 Worlds that explores how America’s failed response to COVID-19 has reshaped immigrants’ lives and their relationship to the United States. Here's the team behind the story, and many other stories and conversations that you can hear on A Better Life? wherever you get podcasts:
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| We Hear You (3/3) | 15 Oct 2020 | 00:32:57 | |
How can Asian American communities create safety, when the harms of racism and xenophobia are so deeply rooted in our society? We’ve spent time unpacking the simplistic solution of hate crime enforcement, then learning how local activists rallying against anti-Asian hate often reveal a much deeper history of neglect and under-resourcing of immigrant communities. In this third of three episodes on community responses to anti-Asian racism during the pandemic, we speak with four people — Rachel Kuo of the Asian American Feminist Collective; Sammie Ablaza Wills of API Equality in Northern California; and Suja and Iram Amir from American Muslims Uncovered. From seeking non-policing solutions for conflict management, to helping intergenerational communities understand how to express what they need most, to challenging the racism that festers in schools across the country, each voice in this episode challenges Asian Americans to ask for fundamental change in how we achieve safety for our communities. Credits
Shout Outs
Self Evident is a Studiotobe production, made with the support of our listener community. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP. Resources, Reading, and Listening
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| Here Comes the Neighborhood (2/3) | 29 Sep 2020 | 00:43:33 | |
The rise in xenophobic harassment, discrimination, and violence against Asian Americans during the pandemic has led to a rise in neighborhood watch groups in historic Chinatowns and other Asian immigrant communities across the country. While these groups have made headlines for speaking out against racism, their motivations and actions reveal a deeper story about the pain of underserved communities and the role of policing in those communities. In this second of three episodes on community responses to anti-Asian racism during the pandemic, we report on three neighborhood watch groups in historic Chinatown neighborhoods: the Manhattan Chinatown Blockwatch, the SF Peace Collective, and the United Peace Corps. The diverging approaches that they take reveal how much American communities rely on a “law-and-order” definition of safety. | |||
| Bonus: Mulan 1998 (A Reflection) | 08 Sep 2020 | 00:23:35 | |
Two Asian American olds (Cathy and James) watch the original Mulan for the first time, then join a seasoned fan (Julia) — for an animated discussion about the limitations of Hollywood representation, the saving grace of gender-bending innuendo, and what exactly it is about Mulan that resonates with so many Asian Americans who grew up with it. Resources and Recommended Reading:
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| Hate Goes Viral (1/3) | 25 Aug 2020 | 00:28:53 | |
Two incidents of anti-Asian racism — the beating of an elderly grandfather in a San Francisco park and the harassment of a mourning son in a New York pharmacy — reveal an ugly side of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first of three episodes reporting on Asian American responses to anti-Asian hate incidents. Share your thoughts on the stories with us by emailing community@selfevidentshow.com. To support our ongoing mission and work on stories like these, join our membership program via Patreon. Credits
Shout out to
Resources and Reading
Self Evident is a Studitobe production, made with the support of our listener community. This episode was made with support from the Solutions Journalism Network, and from the National Geographic Society’s Emergency Fund for Journalists. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP. | |||
| Bonus: What Are We Showing Up For? | 23 Jun 2020 | 00:31:01 | |
You’ve said the words, “Black Lives Matter.” You’ve put your money where your mouth is. You’ve shown up for the marches. What next? What exactly is the change we’re showing up for, and how exactly can we commit to making that change in our own communities? In this bonus episode, we’re passing the mic to Jaime Sunwoo (a Korean American interdisciplinary artist and former housing advocate) and Brandon West (a longtime Black organizer for democracy rights and racial justice). Jaime and Brandon’s experiences in community service, city budgeting, and organizing work clarify why and how today’s movement for racial justice is asking us to defund the police. Resources and Links
Credits
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| Bonus: Unpacking Pandemic Racism | 14 Apr 2020 | 00:37:40 | |
The struggle to save lives from COVID-19 is far from over, and neither is America’s struggle against racism. As we report on hate crime and anti-racist action, Cathy and James hop on the phone and check in with a couple of our friends in podcasting: Paola Mardo (who tells stories from the Filipino diaspora on Long Distance) and Ahmed Ali Akbar (who covers the social, cultural, and political experiences of American Muslims on See Something Say Something). We took this time to unpack the ugly, reckon with the bad, and speak to the good that we hope comes out of this pivotal moment in history. We hope you’re all getting the support you need out there, and would love to hear from you — just write to community@selfevidentshow.com, and please take care. Resources and links: “COVID-19 is not the great equalizer” — a short piece from Marketplace showing how hard this pandemic is hitting communities of color and the working poor. If you want to dive into reports focused on anti-Asian racism and Asian American efforts to save lives from COVID-19, Next Shark has been relentlessly covering these beats. Big thanks to them for taking on all of the work required to keep this up. We shared a list of anti-racism resources in a recent newsletter. Since circumstances evolve day by day, we’ll continue using the newsletter to bundle and share resources that might help you get through it all. You can sign up for that here. Paola (@paolamardo) is working on a new episode of Long Distance about health care workers on the front lines. You can hear the full story of her recent encounter with racism here. Ahmed (@radbrowndads) is working on “M Train,” a 6 part miniseries focused on Muslim life in New York, made as a collaboration between See Something Say Something and BRIC. You can listen here. Cathy (@cathyerway) covered new efforts to save Manhattan Chinatown’s local businesses for NYMag’s Grubstreet. You can read that story here. James (@actualjamesboo) wrote these show notes. If you’re wondering why he’s not a Governor Cuomo fan, read this Gothamist news piece and this op-ed by Prasanna Shah. Credits Produced by Julia Shu Edited by Julia Shu and James Boo Sound mix by Timothy Lou Ly Self Evident theme music by Dorian Love | |||
| Self Evident Presents: Sharing Asian America's Stories | 20 Aug 2019 | 00:40:13 | |
When we started Self Evident, we were surprised at how many people wanted a new show but hadn’t heard about all the Asian American podcasts already out there. In this bonus episode, our team shares clips from a few other independent podcasts, showing a wide range of Asian American stories and conversations. Tell us what you think of our first season! As we head into our off-season, we could use your help understanding what we're doing well and what can improve. Please take this survey, even if you've only listened to one episode of Self Evident, to give us your honest feedback. Resources If you want to really dig deep into the world of Asian American & Asian diaspora podcasts, you can check out this extensive list of shows, maintained by the Asian American Podcasters group. Here's what Cathy, Julia, and James share in this bonus episode:
Shout Outs We’ve been on a really long journey, with hopefully a long way to go! So we want to thank the podcasters and producers who took the time to give us advice and encouragement as we were creating Self Evident: Anne Saini, Erica Mu, Marvin Yueh, Vishal Janmohamed, and Stephanie Tam. Credits Produced and edited by James Boo Sound mix by Timothy Lou Ly Long Distance theme music by C. Light and the Prisms Self Evident theme music by Dorian Love Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound | |||
| Self Evident Presents: "Before They Were Your Parents" (by Immigrantly) | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:41:02 | |
Today, we're sharing some work by our friends at Immigrantly, a weekly podcast that features deeply personal conversations about race, identity, and the immigrant experience. This episode features a conversation between host Saadia Khan and reporter Neda Toloui-Semnani, who wrote a book called THEY SAID THEY WANTED REVOLUTION: A Memoir of My Parents. To finish that book, Neda went through a whole journey to learn about the life her parents lived before she was born, understand why they moved from the U.S. to Iran to join the revolution taking place there in 1979, and unpack what kind of legacy they had left for her in the process. You can listen to Immigrantly wherever you get your podcasts, or learn more at immigrantlypod.com. Immigrantly Episode Credits:
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| So Where Are We Really From? | 31 Jul 2019 | 00:50:43 | |
We asked our listener community, “How did you learn where you come from?” What came back was a wide range of personal stories about how tricky it can be to access our heritage. From kids going to culture camp, to adoptees making journeys to their birth countries, to Asian Americans of all ages realizing that they’re inevitably going to lose a piece of themselves — we explore how we fit in with what came before us and figure out what comes next. We need your help! Please take this 1-minute survey, so we can have better conversations with partners and sponsors and keep this show growing. It’s fast, easy, and anonymous. Resources and Recommended Reading
Shout Outs Shout out to Yin Kong and Yin Mei of Think!Chinatown for inviting us to the workshop where we met Henry Tom. Thanks to everyone from our listener community who shared their experiences with us in the making of this episode: Alice Chou, Davey Kim, Gabor Fu, Jenni Wong, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Lily Susman, Lori Wanko, Mark from Plan A, Mark Zastrow, Merk Nguyen, Michelle Chu, Rekha Radhakrishnan, Waverly Colville, and Win-Sie Tow. And very special thanks to our advisors for this season of the show: Alex Laughlin, Anika Gupta, Blair Matsuura, Christina Choi, Davey Kim, and Ted Hsieh. Credits Produced by James Boo Edited by Julia Shu and Cheryl Devall Editorial support from Davey Kim Production support by Jaye McAuliffe Sound engineering by Timothy Lou Ly Theme music by Dorian Love Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound Self Evident is a Studiotobe production. Season 1 is presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), the Ford Foundation, and our listener community. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP.
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| Hello, Freedom Man | 16 Jul 2019 | 00:49:21 | |
Under the Trump administration, the United States has pushed aggressively to deport Southeast Asian Americans with criminal records. Hurt that members of the Vietnamese community would support this action, guest producer Thanh Tan (creator of the podcast “Second Wave”) seeks out the people at risk of deportation — and the organizers fighting to keep them in the only home they’ve known. Along the way, she learns to embrace a new direction for Vietnamese Americans confronting the deeply rooted narrative of “the good refugee.” We need your help! Please take this 1-minute survey, so we can have better conversations with partners and sponsors and keep this show growing. It’s fast, easy, and anonymous. Resources and Recommended Reading Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. "Know Your Rights" resources to prepare for ICE raids written in Arabic, Bangla, Burmese, Chinese, Dar/Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Karen, Khemer, Korean, Nepali, Punjabi, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese, compiled by the Asian American Federation in NY. Primary sources:
Reporting and analysis on the federal government’s role in detention and deportation of immigrants:
Reporting and analysis on the detention and deportation of Vietnamese Americans and Cambodian Americans:
Shout Outs John Woo and Kerry Donahue voiced the English translations of Thanh’s parents. Thanks to Julia Preston and Willoughby Mariano for their advice on reporting this story. Credits Produced by Thanh Tan and James Boo Edited by Julia Shu and Cheryl Devall Production support by Austin Jenkins, Jamala Henderson, Kevin Rinker, and Merk Nguyen Sound engineering by Timothy Lou Ly Theme music by Dorian Love Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound Self Evident is a Studiotobe production. Season 1 is presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), the Ford Foundation, and our listener community. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP.
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| Pull up the Roots | 02 Jul 2019 | 00:41:52 | |
Three intimate conversations reveal how we deal with changes to our most deeply rooted identities, and how we tell the people who matter most. “Unspoken” Documentary filmmaker Patrick G. Lee tells Cathy about the unexpected ways that coming out affected his family. “The Debut” Producer Preeti Varathan and her cousin Srinidhi unpack complicated feelings about their larger-than-life, coming-of-age musical performances. “Buzz Cut” Old college friends L and Sindhu reunite to talk about why they decided to cut off their hair. We need your help! Please take this 1-minute survey, so we can have better conversations with partners and sponsors and keep this show growing. It’s fast, easy, and anonymous. Resources and Recommended Reading
Shout Outs Thanks to Sindhu Gnanasambandan for the conversation with L, and all the members of our community panel who gave us feedback on these stories. Credits Produced by Julia Shu, Preeti Varathan, and Alex Laughlin Edited by Cheryl Devall Production support by James Boo Sound engineering by Timothy Lou Ly Theme music by Dorian Love Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound Sound effects by Soundsnap Self Evident is a Studiotobe production. Season 1 is presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), the Ford Foundation, and our listener community. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP.
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| The Talk We Were Supposed to Have | 18 Jun 2019 | 00:46:04 | |
Gabe's always felt distant from his parents: not Filipino enough for his dad, not affectionate enough for his mom. But when he moves back to his white-bread hometown to donate a kidney to his dad and work alongside him at the “Fiesta in America,” Gabe is forced to rethink the way he's seen his family, his heritage, and his lifelong struggle to belong. Share your story and keep the conversation going! What food or dish reminds you of home? Let us know by writing, or sharing a photo, or even a recipe on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@selfevidentshow, with the hashtag #WeAreSelfEvident). Cathy and Gabe will kick it off, so watch out for their recipes and memories online! Resources and Recommend Reading The 21st annual Fiesta in America will take place on August 10-11, 2019 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, NJ. Here's some food for the soul, straight from our team:
And a few articles examining the unique challenges of talking about mental health and accessing mental health resources from an Asian American perspective:
Shout Outs This story began when Gabe wrote to us to share his deeply personal story and his determination to find meaning in it. Thanks to Gabe, his family, and his friends for allowing us to record these important conversations. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Cheny Milholand and the rest of our 1,004 crowdfund backers. Credits Produced by James Boo and Gabriel Mara Edited by Cheryl Devall and Julia Shu Production support and fact checking by Katherine Jinyi Li Sound engineering by Timothy Lou Ly Theme music by Dorian Love Music by Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound Sound effects by Soundsnap Self Evident is a Studiotobe production. Season 1 is presented by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), the Ford Foundation, and our listener community. Our show was incubated at the Made in New York Media Center by IFP. About CAAM CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. CAAM does this by funding, producing, distributing, and exhibiting works in film, television, and digital media. For more information on CAAM, please visit www.caamedia.org. With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, CAAM provides production funding to independent producers who make engaging Asian American works for public media. | |||