The Immigrant Stories That Shape You (Even If No One Told Them) featuring Jaime Jo Hoang, Author

Ep 19: The Immigrant Stories That Shape You (Even If No One Told Them)Featured Guest:Jamie Jo Hoang, Authorwww.heyjamie.comInstagram: @heyjamiereadsLike this conversation? Join my exclusive email community for adults with immigrant parents: https://heyallisonly.com/emailWhat if you could get some closure, some healing from your parent’s past? Even if they don’t tell you? That’s what reading Jaime Jo Hoang’s books (My Mother the Mermaid Chaser and My Father the Panda Killer) did for me.Author Jamie Jo Hoang joins me for a thoughtful conversation about identity, family, generational trauma, boundaries, and what it can look like to approach our parents and ourselves with more compassion. This conversation touches on the unspoken parts of growing up in an immigrant family, why some stories feel hard to face, and how we can start to create a different type of understanding and relationship. We talk about:- Growing up with family histories that were never fully explained- Why stories can become powerful conversation starters across generations- The complexity of boundaries in immigrant families- What it means to hold compassion without dismissing your own experience- Identity, healing, sibling relationships, and generational patterns- Jamie’s books My Father, the Panda Killer and My Mother, the Mermaid ChaserAbout Jaime:Jamie Jo Hoang is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. She grew up in Orange County, CA—not the rich part. She is the author of MY MOTHER, THE MERMAID CHASER, MY FATHER, THE PANDA KILLER and BLUE SUN, YELLOW SKY. Her work has also appeared in TIME, SALON and TinyBuddha.More From Allison Ly -  Free Resources:Stop Spiraling in Guilt Cheatsheet For Setting Boundaries: https://heyallisonly.myflodesk.com/cheatsheet 3 Easy Ways to Tackle Your Negative Self Talk: https://heyallisonly.myflodesk.com/start Get my Free Quickstart Guide to Help You Help Your Loved Ones: https://heyallisonly.myflodesk.com/resource Get my weekly emails for actionable tips, tools, relatable stories for Adults with Immigrant Parents: https://heyallisonly.com/emailEpisode Timeline:0:28 – Meet Jaime Jo Hoang, Author1:00 - Writing About Immigrant Family Trauma4:30 - What Her Parents Did When They Found Out She Wrote a Book14:50 - How to Set Boundaries With Immigrant Parents Without Guilt18:50 - Breaking Generational Trauma: Every Generation Has Its Task25:36 - A Question About Immigrant Guilt40:33 - Unspoken Topics Around War44:26 - Why Self-Compassion Is Harder48:15 - Which Book to Read First: Mermaid Chaser vs Panda KillerPodcast Episode Mentioned:InfatuAsian Podcast Ep 194 Author Jamie Jo Hoang on Writing the Stories Our Vietnamese Parents Never Tell https://open.spotify.com/episode/6FiSUH5IdtxTIagcm44HCE?si=b6b3df3479b246a6Show notes and more at: https://heyallisonly.com/podcast/19Follow and subscribe for more: ▶️ YouTube: @heyallisonly📸 Instagram: @heyallisonly🎵 TikTok: @heyallisonly