Asian Americana

Featured story from “Mid Pacific” podcast:For Chinatowns, Japantowns, K-Towns, and other Asian-American communities in the United States, the only constant these days is change. But our need for cultural connection remains the same. Take a tour with Mid Pacific host Sarah Mizes-Tan to see what these spaces mean today. Learn more about Mid Pacific on their website. Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we’re bringing you an episode from Books & Boba, one of our fellow podcasts from the Potluck Podcast Collective. Books & Boba is a book club podcast featuring books by Asian and Asian American authors. In addition to discussing books from a wide range of genres, they also bring you interviews with Asian authors and monthly book news updates. You can learn more about Books & Boba and our other Potluck Podcasts by going to podcastpotluck.com. Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

For Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we’re bringing you an episode from Asians in Baseball, one of our fellow podcasts from the Potluck Podcast Collective. Each week, hosts Naomi Ko, Scott Okamoto, and Kim Cooper break down what’s notable with the Asian players in the MLB and then take a deeper dive into the Asians and Asian Americans who have shaped baseball as it is today.You can learn more about Asians in Baseball and all our other Potluck Podcasts by going to podcastpotluck.com. Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Featured story from “A Better Life?” podcast:In Los Angeles Chinatown, local shops and restaurants eagerly welcome back customers as they return to business after the height of the pandemic shutdown. But the neighborhood’s rebound from Covid has been uneven. The pandemic has shone a light on the divide separating the successful and the struggling, as well as concerns about the varied nature of anti-Asian violence.Producer Quincy Surasmith explores the starkly different visions for the future of L.A. Chinatown and the organizations promoting these competing ideas.  Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Read the full story and see other episodes at A Better Life?

Mohammed Ahsanul and his wife Tropa on their trip across the U.S. Photo courtesy of Mohammed Ahsanul.   Featured story from “A Better Life?” podcast:Mohammed Ahsanul is an international student at the University of Wyoming. Once he finishes his Ph.D., he expects to return home to Dhaka, Bangladesh—but not before his family reunites with him for the first time since the pandemic began. Producer Naina Rao joins Mohammed and his family for a trip to see America as she examines the ways a better life in the U.S. doesn’t always mean a permanent stay.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Read the full story and see other episodes at A Better Life?Learn more about Naina’s work on her website.You can find out more about Feet in 2 Worlds and apply to their Editing Fellowship at their website fi2w.org.

Jasmine Jiwani lays roses at her the grave of her husband Asif Parbatani in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Photo by Zulekha Nathoo.   Today we’re featuring a story from the “A Better Life?” podcast:Jasmine Jiwani is part of Atlanta’s large Ismaili Muslim community. Covid restrictions prevented the community from gathering for the funeral of her husband, who died of Covid-19. Producer Zulekha Nathoo reports on how the pandemic has created unique challenges for Jiwani and other Ismaili Muslims.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Read the full story and see other episodes at A Better Life?Learn more about Zulekha’s work on her website.You can find out more about Feet in 2 Worlds and apply to their Editing Fellowship at their website fi2w.org.

Photo courtesy Timothy Singratsomboune   Timothy Singratsomboune had a complicated relationship to country music. How did his own experiences bring him away from and eventually back to the genre? And how does country music connect Tim to both Lao culture and the Lao communities he grew up around? In this episode, we explore the connections between Asian Americans, country music, and rural life.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.You can find more about Timothy on his website, singhasonh.com.Music from this episode included:Idle Hours ft. BJ Cole - The RoadGood Luck Ola - I’m On Your SideNathan Ramos-Park - Gay Asian Country Love SongTai Orathai - วันที่บ่มีอ้าย (Wan Thii Bo Mii Ai)Ko Viseth - Tai Dam Lam PhanBettySoo - Who Knows; Next Big Thing

Host and Producer Quincy Surasmith   Five years ago in Spring of 2016, we launched Asian Americana. For our fifth anniversary, we take a moment to revisit all of the stories we’ve done from our first episode through the end of 2020. What happened after we stopped recording? What are those people doing now? Listen and find out.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic. If you want to go back to listen to these episodes (again or for the first time), you can find them linked below or on our episodes page.Episode 14: Kala Bagai <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56a1814557eb8dec18413bcc/1624499295779-I00TC305Y0QDCMNJ13DW/Kala+Bagai+Way.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1200x600" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="Kala Bagai Way.jpg" data-load="false" data-image-id="60d3e45f044505096cce8dd9" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/

The Covid-19 pandemic has been in the United States for over a year, but the way we each think about it is shaped heavily by how it does or doesn’t directly affect us individually. For some people, they’ve become all too familiar with the impact of the coronavirus. Contributor Denise Chan shares her family’s experience with Covid-19 from her podcast, Until it Happened to Us, which originally ran in December of 2020.

Shin Ramyun with cheese. Photo credit: Quincy Surasmith   This is the second part of our comfort food episode. In the previous episode, we focused on the ways food traditions get passed down through families, communities, and cookbooks, and the way they adapt over time. Today, we look at how simple foods, convenience foods, and even fast food restaurants can become part of our cherished memories and culture.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic. <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56a1814557eb8dec18413bcc/1613368971766-13R0AIV8YNYNTYBNOKSF/Indomie+Zine.jpg" data-image-dimensions="2048x1536" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="indo mie, indo you zine by Amy Wibowo. Art from BubbleSort" data-load="false" data-image-id="602a0e7e870ba86d02a04

A plate of Thai-Chinese style pork and rice. Photo credit: Quincy Surasmith   The past several months of pandemic have been really hard on all of us, and have kept a lot of us at home. For those of us that can afford to, that means a lot of finding solace in taking care of ourselves and others with some comforting meals.This is the first of two episodes about Asian American comfort foods: the traditions we’ve passed down in our families, as well as the adaptations and substitutions different communities have picked up along the way.You can listen to part two here!Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic. I present to you: the Weiner dinner, a Migaki family staple. Invented by my grandmother when she was was raising 3 kids with no money. Cut up hot dogs, potatoes, soy sauce + sugar served over rice.Asian-American fusion at its humblest and finest. A comforting meal always. pic.twitter.com/w6YVAcMmzL— Lauren Migaki (@lmigaki) March 17, 2020 Check out Lauren Migaki’s original tweet and picture of the Migaki family “Weiner

Image of Kala Bagai used with permission, courtesy Rani Bagai   What was it like for a South Asian woman immigrating to the US in the early 20th century, and how did she build a community over her lifetime? And why name a street in Berkeley after Kala Bagai — especially since she may not have spent much time living there, if she did at all?Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic. <figcaption

The language and phrases passed down in our families can reflect our specific cultures, heritage, and journey. But sometimes, they’re a way to cope with something darker and can belie hidden histories. Contributor Julianne Parker explores the depth and meaning of her grandmother’s signature saying in That’s Just the Way the Ball Bounces.

How do we act as allies to the Black community when we see injustice? How do we start those actions and intentions from our homes and communities? We explore the story of how hundreds of people came together from all around the world to work on a letter — a letter that would be translated into 40 plus languages and help everyone start talking to their families and communities about supporting Black lives. Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Photo credit: Bryan Sih / CCED   We explore the stories of Asian Americans working to defend our communities from attacks, the volunteers organizing direct aid to vulnerable populations, the people translating information into terms and languages so more can understand, and the local businesses helping each other and their communities survive during Covid-19.We can’t stress enough, though: Asian Americans are doing all these things because we care about our communities — not because we need to prove to anyone our right to belong. This is a continuation of the work that’s long been happening in our communities.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.We mentioned a lot of projects, campaigns, and organizations in today’s show. You can find information about all of them below.And we know there are SO many more happening across the country. If you’d like to share about some efforts, organizations, and communities you know about, I’d love to hear them. Just send me a voice recording at quincy [at] asianamericana.com with your name, where you’re at, and the efforts you’d like to share; maybe I’ll use it on the show! <a class="

Christina Ong with her mom. Photo courtesy Christina Ong   Marie Kondo’s book, show, and KonMari decluttering method got popular in the past couple years, but her methods may not apply the same way to immigrant families. Contributor Christina Ong explores family and belonging in her piece, What We Inherit: Marie Kondo and the Security of Stuff.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.You can find more of Christina Ong’s work on her website. At the time of this episode, she’s studying how political activism and artistic production around anti-imperialism, anti-racism, and anti-sexism influenced the development of Asian America in the 1970s-1980s through an in-depth case study of New York City’s Basement Workshop.The article she references in her piece is Marie Kondo and the Privilege of Clutter, by Arielle Bernstein.The episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo we referenced is Season 1, Episode 2: Empty Nesters.

Producers Ada Tseng and Caroline Chang don't have a lot of personal experience with facial hair, but they hear Asian American men — in media and in their lives — talk about it all the time. So they decided to investigate: who can or cannot grow it, what are the stereotypes, and the ways it can signify Asian American identity, masculinity, marketability, and resistance.

Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon is a groundbreaking scholar, historian, and community organizer who made sure the world would know the stories of Filipino Americans and Stockton’s Little Manila.

Claudia Kishi is an Asian American literary icon that went beyond being a fun, artistic, and stylish character. She became an inspiration and point of connection for a ton of young Asian Americans. We explore her influence on a generation of Asian American readers.

Following Filipino American History Month in October, we explore three Filipino American podcasts: This Filipino American Life, Balikbayan, and Long Distance — each sharing their own slice of Filipino American discussions, experiences, and stories.

We explore the play Cambodian Rock Band, and how this piece of Asian American theatre weaves together a story of Khmer American music, history, and family on stage.

When Asian Americana launched in 2016, I had one driving vision:I want to tell audio stories that center the diverse experiences, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans. Now I need your support to make more. We've launched a Patreon for the show, and we're asking you to contribute monthly at whatever amount you're able to. Even just a single dollar a month makes a difference. Become a Patron! It takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to make rich, inclusive audio reporting and storytelling that centers Asian American voices and experiences. I want to present stories that are ethnically, geographically, and historically diverse. Most importantly, I want to amplify stories from Asian Americans, not just about them.In the past year, I've done stories on the indie zine-turned-art institution Giant Robot, the Roots CSA program that connects Hmong American farmers and Asian American communities in California, the Chinese Americans who developed the Sacramento Delta and built their own town to call home, and the culture surrounding the ever-favorite boba/bubble tea.But I want to make more than four episodes a year. I'm bringing on a new team of producers, and I want to provide them equipment, training, software, and resources needed to grow our work. You can make that happen.If you believe in sharing and amplifying Asian American stories, please consider supporting us. We're offering stickers and shirts as incentives, but we hope you'll think of the podcast itself as the gift you're making possible. Become a Patron! Whatever amount you can contribute will make a difference. With your help, we can keep learning, keep reporting, and ultimately, keep telling more stories of Asian Americana.

We explore the unique pearl of Asian American culture that is boba/bubble tea. We’ll take a look at its origins, hear folks from all over the country sharing their experiences with it, learn about some cool boba businesses and projects, and figure out what people across the country are calling it: from boba to bubble tea and a slew of other names in between.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Below is a graphical representation of the boba/bubble tea name survey. The disproportionate presence of California transplants among respondents may have affected the preference

Seattle poet and law student Troy Osaki (Photo Credit: Quincy Surasmith)   We bring you three stories by me (Quincy Surasmith), Diana Nguyen, and Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong from Next Generation Radio's week at KUOW in Seattle. We talk law and poetry, development in Seattle's Little Saigon, and smoked herring.Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Read the full stories on Next Generation Radio:   <img class="thumb-image" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56a1814557eb8dec18413bcc/1494311601493-HZ8464QSEN6VAA2PYWRR/Troy+Osaki+3.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1600x1067" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" alt="(Photo Credit: Quincy Surasmith/NextGenRadio)" data-load="false" data-image-id="591162abcd0f6871c6f09400" data-type="imag

Chinese Americans shaped the physical landscape of California during its early history in a way that still impacts us today. We explore how Chinese Americans developed the Sacramento delta, their role in California's growth, and visit Locke, a town founded by Chinese Americans. Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.Below are a few pictures from my trip to Locke. The episode references a few of these sites.

Thanks to everyone who filled out the boba/bubble tea survey! We had over 2000 responses from all over the country and beyond, so we'll be digging through this data in preparation for this episode.In the meantime, I'd like to announce the winners of the boba pins:Cynthia from New JerseyGrace from CaliforniaJed from IllinoisSharon from MassachusettsNancy from Hawaii

Roots CSA is a program that connects Hmong farmers in California’s central valley with Asian American communities in Southern California. How does this program empower communities in determining their own path to health and economic sustainability? We’ll find out by visiting both ends of our food’s journey from farmer to consumer. Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.

Giant Robot started as this small punk-rock zine featuring Asian and Asian American alternative and pop culture, but grew to become a celebrated art and cultural institution. How did Giant Robot survive? How have its founders maintained their passion and lifestyle throughout all their life changes and challenges?Listen: Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, or RadioPublic.