Modern Minorities

“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. LEARN ABOUT SEIF / SOOF: Soof.studio // soofworld.bandcamp.com/musicThis is a replay of a past episode from April 2022

“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 "Yallah" by ABIR - a big, pure voice that we don’t hear as often anymore. This track is a catchy pop that blends worlds that you can’t help but listen to and dance (challenge accepted). The headline of the song is about a love, devotion, and hospitality unique to the Arab world - for Arabs and beyond. It’s a proud song that announces that they are here in a big way, and we should be listening.LEARN ABOUT SEIF / SOOF: Soof.studio // soofworld.bandcamp.com/musicThis is a replay of a past episode from April 2022

“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 one of great MC’s in the game - OMAR OFFENDUM. It's not enough to just call him a musician or an emcee.  He's a true poet — incredible with the pen, truly bridging cultures with his deep lyrics (be sure to listen for the “LA” in the rhyme scheme of the last verse)LEARN ABOUT SEIF / SOOF: Soof.studio // soofworld.bandcamp.com/musicThis is a replay of a past episode from April 2022

“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 the one and only beautiful, soulful voice of DANIA — an unexpected, classy, old school vibe from a modern R&B artist. LEARN ABOUT SEIF / SOOF: Soof.studio // soofworld.bandcamp.com/musicThis is a replay of a past episode from April 2022

"It's about sacrifice. It's about spirituality. It's about getting closer to God.” “Ramadan is a time to better yourself — a new beginning for many things.”This is a replay of a past episode from April 2022Ramadan Mubarak (رمضان مبارك)! Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by 1.8 BILLION Muslims worldwide. It is ~30 days of fasting, prayer, reflection and community — lasting from one crescent moon to the next. And as beautiful a culture and religion as Islam is, we know far too little about it, nor what Ramadan really means for its people. For this holy month of Ramadan we wanted to go deeper on one of the biggest holidays in the world. So we decided to fire up the Rabat-signal to get a little help from our FrieMMds — past guests Seif Hamid, our favorite Egyptian American musician by way of Cleveland (Soof!), and Lena Shareef, our favorite Pakistani American comics podcaster (Grounded Geeks). We asked them everything from how they celebrated as Ramadan as kids in the midwest and back in their respective motherlands of Egypt and Pakistan, what fasting means for them, Ramadan’s role in the culture, and even learned what all of us can do to celebrate Ramadan. LEARN ABOUT SEIF / SOOFMUSIC: Soof.studioinstagram.com/seifaldinLEARN ABOUT LENA:PODCAST: anchor.fm/grounded-geeksinstagram.com/lenashareef/RESOURCES / MENTIONS: Ramadan 101: wikipedia.org/wiki/RamadanDesigning for Ramadan - https://www.gouldstudio.com/insights/designing-for-ramadan Accommodating Muslim colleagues during Ramadan: instagram.com/p/CbXkP9BrCBxTV: We are Lady Parts - imdb.com/title/tt10846104TV: Rami - imdb.com/title/tt7649694BOOK: It's Ramadan, Curious George - goodreads.com/en/book/show/25897838

“The first step of climbing out is admitting we're in it....”For 2026, we continue sharing minority voices for all of our majority ears — and one of those is longtime FrieMMd of the Pod, Bob Gilbreath - and some great perspective to take into what looks to be another daunting year - depending on how we choose to look at it.Bob’s weekly newsletter and podcast, “the Workaround” are some of our favorite things to read each week - and this post is no exception. While it starts dark, it's actually really an uplifting call to action we all need to hear right now. One thing I love about Bob is his willingness to go down rabbit holes and thought experiments, but also just a kind and curious person open to a conversation. In fact, if you like what you hear, definitely subscribe to the Workaround’s substack or podcast, and reach out to Bob directly to book time for a chat during his “office hours” where he’s always down for a chat.LEARN FROM BOB: SUBSTACK / NEWSLETTER: theworkaround.substack.com/PODCAST: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-workaround-by-bob-gilbreath-podcast/id1738687465OFFICE HOURS: calendly.com/bob-gilbreath/bob-gilbreath-office-hours

“Minority voices for all our majority ears...”As another eventful year comes to a close, we recap some favorite voices shared by our many FrieMMds of the Pod in 2025 — so grab a tasty beverage, share with a friend, and enjoy! Featuring the voices of Zohran Mamdani, Vidyut Latay, Varuna Srinivasan, Michael Wong, David Yin, Susie Quesada, Vaibhav, Lisa Angulo Reid, Nicole Ponseca, Suresh Raj, Keith Pedro, Jonathan Hill, Ainsley Waller, Josh Ridenour, Lydia Querian, Brian Velasquez Reid, Bob Gilbreath, Kay Sohini, Ayan Sanyal, Maurice Cherry, Karl Preissner, Stefan K. James, Paresh Jha, Maggie Silver, Loren Appin, Fahad Kawaja, Everette Taylor, Jieun Kim, and Sharon Lee Thony!Special thanks to guest-host Lisa Angulo Reid and producer Alexandre Hirlinger without whom keeping the pod alive in 2025 could not have been possible!

“We need some sort of framework to say what is okay and what is not okay — and we need to revisit this when the technology changes..”The more we read, the clearer it gets — it’s just another AI-pocalypse in the making. First its replacing the means of production, then its hallucinations no one can explain. People keep saying we’ll get it under control… but we all know how that story ends. Inevitably the giant machines show up, humanity freaks out, and Judgment Day arrives — right on schedule.But what about what comes after? The silence, the guilt, the unfinished reparations. That’s the world of DESCENDER, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s haunting watercolor sci-fi graphic novel epic about creation, empathy, and fear — and its sequel ASCENDER, where the age of machines gives way to something older, stranger, and far more magical. Longtime FrieMMds of the Pod Paresh and Jieun — two bastions of humanity (and comics nerdery) — rejoin to unpack this meditation on the robot apocalypse and magical redemption of love, loss, and what it really means to be human. Also we solve the current AI problem. You’re welcome.LEARN MORE DESCENDER ⁠goodreads.com/series/150905-descender⁠ ASCENDER: ⁠goodreads.com/series/258771-ascender⁠ ⁠variety.com/2020/tv/news/descender-ascender-jeff-lemire-dustin-nguyen-nbcuniversal-1234635716/⁠ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

" Whatever bad situation you're in, it is really your will to want to change. Your predicament, your situation and life will try to break you — it was really just that determination that I didn't want to have myself or my family ever in a bad situation like that ever again.” Everette Taylor is the CEO of Kickstarter, a leader whose journey from adversity to influence is all about creativity, resilience, purpose, and impact. Since Kickstarter's launch, they’ve funded more than $8.5 Billion in creative projects worldwide. This is the debut episode of IN COMMUNITY - a new show by Fahad Khawaja — longtime FrieMMd of the Pod and Founder of Hue, the community-powered platform bringing marginalized voices to the center. Fahad explores the stories, values, and lived experiences that connect us — IN COMMUNITY is thoughtful, energizing, and the exact kind of conversation we need more of right now. This conversation is for anyone ready to build anything - spanning ambition and adversity, to shape culture and power progress. And most importantly? what it really takes to build community at scale. LEARN MORE youtube.com/@fahad.future wearehue.org Everette Taylor, Kickstarter CEO - instagram.com/everette Fahad on MM (Sept 2023): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fahad-khawajas-hue-is-amplifying-voices/id1507595726?i=1000627418554 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zohran Mamdani - NYC's mayoral candidate - delivers a tearful speech on his Muslim faith — "the dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated the same as every New Yorker." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Translation — it's listening and understanding. It's trying to understand each other, trying to find some common ground, but understanding that there is a gap and that's okay, because we're all different.”  There’s this really good book about a kid in England who gets into an elite school to learn the magic that can literally change the world. There’s friendship, betrayal, enchanted objects, and the fate of the world hanging in the balance. But we’re not talking about Hogwarts - this is Oxford.  Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence by R.F. Kuang — might just be the most important story you’ll read this year.  It’s what happens when a coming-of-age fantasy grows up — when instead of asking who gets to wield magic, it asks who built it, who profits from it, and who gets burned by it. By page 100, you'll start to hear the opening lines of Rage Against the Machine. It’s Harry Potter meets Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and so much more.  Joining is longtime FrieMMd of the pod, and comic-book partner-in-crime Paresh Jha.  LEARN MORE: BABEL (RF Kuang): goodreads.com/book/show/57945316-babel ARTICLE (New Yorker): The Otherworldly Ambitions of R. F. Kuang - newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/25/the-otherworldly-ambitions-of-r-f-kuang MENTIONS SHOW: Andor (2022-25) - imdb.com/title/tt9253284/ POD: Empire S1 British East India Co) - podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/empire/id1639561921 POD: Revolutions S12 (Martian Revolution) podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolutions/id703889772 INTERVIEW: Jon Stewart, Tony Gilroy (Andor), Mike Duncan (Revolutions Pod)  - youtube.com/watch?v=SUUw-UfK64Q CHAR: Jason Todd (Robin 2) - wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Todd CHAR: Dick Grayson (Robin 1) - wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Grayson AUTHOR: Ta-Nehisi Coates - ta-nehisicoates.com/ INTERVIEW: Ezra Klein + Ta Nahesi Coats - youtube.com/watch?v=UaeoDlLNnok COMIC: Saga (2012 - ongoing) - wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_(comics) FILM: The Devil’s Advocate (1997) - imdb.com/title/tt0118971/ FILM: Fight Club (1999) - imdb.com/title/tt0137523/ FILM: Star Trek V (1989): “I need my pain!” - youtube.com/watch?v=9ABLYnvpAso FILM: Equilibrium (2002):.imdb.com/title/tt0238380/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The Philippines isn't the president, it isn't the government. The Philippines is the people. Our role as Filipino Americans living in the diaspora is to stand with them. Tama na. Enough.” Politics is divided, institutions are fragile, and truth feels up for sale. Sounds familiar? Here’s the twist — we’re not talking about America, we’re talking about the Philippines. With over 110 million people, it’s one of the largest democracies on Earth — a nation with deep ties to the U.S. that most of us are not taught in school. If recent decades have taught us anything - it mirrors the challenges we face at home in the U.S. today: corruption, disinformation, and the erosion of trust in power. One might say it’s a canary in the coal mine, which many Filipinos, and Filipino-Americans have been calling attention to those who will listen.  And since October is Filipino American History Month, FrieMMd of the Pod Lisa Angulo Reid, co-founder of Dear Flor stopped by for a chat. Lisa recently penned a Substack post “Fighting for a Home That Isn’t Mine” - we continued a longer conversation we’ve been having - ranging from her essay, corruption, diaspora identity, her calling, the economic potential on both sides of the ocean. and what it means to fight for a home you no longer live in but still carry inside... ABOUT LISA: dearflor.com // dearflor.substack.com MENTIONS Maria Ressa (Nobel Prize winning journalist): wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Ressa Maria Ressa on the Daily Show (9/18/2025) :  youtube.com/watch?v=Tsb1I7hqaJ4 HISTORY  First landing of Filipinos in the USA (1587): wikipedia.org/wiki/First_landing_of_Filipinos_in_the_United_States Philippine-American War - wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War Independence Seaport Museum (Philadelphia) / USS Olympia exhibit newyorkpcg.org/pcgny/2024/10/11/philippine-american-war-1899-1902-complex-symbols-conflicting-relationships-exhibit-unveiled-aboard-olympia/ India: British business / colonial rule (~1600 - 1757 - 1947): wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_India British East India Company - wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company Duterte drug killings (WARNING - graphic) - nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/07/world/asia/rodrigo-duterte-philippines-drugs-killings.html BOOK:  Patron Saints of Nothing (Randy Ribay): goodreads.com/book/show/41941681-patron-saints-of-nothing BOOK (Poems): Antiemetic for Homesickness (Romalyn Ante): goodreads.com/book/show/53095607-antiemetic-for-homesickness FOOD: Ginataang Tilapia  panlasangpinoy.com/ginataang-tilapia/ PLACES Visayas: Southern island region, rich in beaches and culture. Ilocos: Northern coastal region known for heritage towns. Baguio: Mountain city with cool climate and tribal roots. Batangas: Cultural heart of the Tagalog people. Taal: Volcano within a lake within a crater. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, we started a podcast... 300 episodes later, instead of a self-congratulatory retrospective, we asked our MANY longtime FrieMMds of the Pod to “ask us anything” — from how ideas of being a minority have changed, surprises and lessons hidden from 300 conversations, fond unexpected memories, what our kids continue to teach us, and all the conversations we somehow still haven’t had. Big thanks to FrieMMds of the Pod - Nina Pearl, Jay Veraldi, Rajiv Satyal, Jieun Kirtley, Steven Wakabayashi, Melissa Haughton, Joe Medved, Bob Gilbreath, Lisa Angulo Reid, Maurice Cherry, Sudha Ranganathan, Sarah Poritt, and one very special secret (and very curious) surprise guest. Messy, meaningful, and maybe even memorable — just how we like it... Ask us anything, featuring... 04:11 - Nina Pearl (Austin) 08:08 - Jay Veraldi (Portland) 16:15 -  Rajiv Satyal #1 (LAm rajivsatyal.com) 13:09 - Rajiv Satyal #2 21:45 - Jieun Kirtley (Cincinnati) 25:26 - Steven Wakabayashi (NYC, Yellow Glitter podcast) 29:04 - Melissa Haughton (Toronto, Canadian Correspondant =) 33:08 - Joe Medved (NYC - Lerer Hippeau Ventures) 38:36 - Bob Gilbreath (Cincinnati, behearty.substack.com) 43:34 - Lisa Angulo Reid (NYC, dearflor.com) 48:26 - Maurice Cherry (Atlanta, mauricecherry.com) 52:38 - Jay Veraldi #2 (Portland) 58:51 - Sudha Ranganathan (SF) 64:03 - Sarah Poritt (NJ via NY) 69:10 - Surprise Guest (NY) 65:19 - Mom Dishes (!) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ Build your own identity and understand what drives you — I just wanna be as authentically me as possible and let others know that this world is better when you can embrace what is unique to you, and not try to dim it.” Priti Ohri is an award-winning adtech executive and entrepreneur. She’s Co-founder & CEO of Advertible, and one of the founders of DesiUs - a group for South Asians in adtech. Priti’s been recognized as one of the top women in media and technology by all the places that matter. But more importantly, Priti’s an authentic leader, comfortable in her own skin and a believer in setting her own path for others to see that they don’t always have to do things the way they’ve always been done. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation on how Priti navigates change - in business, life, and the world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ None of us know how to be bored anymore. Some of the best things in my life have come from those moments where I'm not connected” — “...can you poop without your phone? We're going to solve our social media's problem — but first, you have to accept we ALL have a problem. Nearly every challenge we face as a society becomes infinitely harder if we stay on our current path. Division, misinformation, a slow erosion of critical thinking — we’re all feeling the effects. And we haven't even thrown AI into the mix. Yet at the same time, social media has undeniable upsides: connection, creativity, even community. So what do we keep? What do we change? What role should incentives, business models, regulation, and culture play in reshaping these platforms? Recently longtime FrieMMd of the Pod Jay Veraldi put together a small workgroup — including entrepreneurs Loren Appin (Fishbowl co-founder) + Maggie Silver (Mother of Invention) — to meet, share perspectives, and figure out — how do we fix our social media problem?That’s the conversation our particular workgroup had. and it was with two fantastic, interesting, and intelligent people I'd never met - Loren and Maggie. Loren’s a product leader and community builder who’s spent the last 15 years building social platforms, including founding Fishbowl and leading product at Glassdoor. These days, he’s just as focused on inner growth — through meditation, music, and even the occasional quantum physics rabbit hole. Maggie’s an actor-turned-startup veteran with two kids, a handful of exits, and a new consumer products company called Mother of Invention in the works. She’s lived the arc of being all-in on social, then going dark, and now re-emerging with a mindful, founder’s presence. It was a fascinating conversation about how we navigate the mess of social media today — where things broke, how we might fix it, and why it matters right now — and for the futureSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 ​“What's funny is, people are talking about these movies being woke, but it's literally just what superheroes are supposed to be about — kindness, empathy, and protecting people that can't be protected. ” “These are times where we are told that you can't afford to look out for more than yourself — And to stand amidst that — to care about somebody even if it doesn't have some immediate benefit to me? Yeah, that's punk rock.” In a world spinning faster than a speeding bullet — where doomscrolls rain like cosmic rays, truth is stretched, accountability is turning invisible, everything is on fire, and our foundation is becoming rocky — maybe what we need isn’t just another (super)hero — but a reminder of what everyday, real heroism looks like. This week we're talking about SUPERMAN + THE FANTASTIC FOUR - not one, but two summer movies appropriate for the time we're living in. At first glance, it might feel like another studio cash grab — but these movies arrived right on time, reminding us of the power of hope, kindness, and the audacity to care in a world that tells us not to. “It’s clobberin’ time!” is more than just a tagline; it’s a call to stand together and fight the good fight, together.  So we gathered a couple of our favorite superhero sons of Cincinnati — Stefan K. James and Karl Preissner — longtime friends, early podcast guests (#11 + #12). Karl Preissner a longtime friend, allyship expert, and person who dances like no one is watching. And Stefan James is arguably my favorite Jamaican- Chinese- midwestern- Floridian father and business dude to nerd out on all things fiction and non-fiction. Both are gents who i don’t spend enough time talking to. They both joined to talk through their thoughts, feelings, and anxieties of the moment we’re in, and reflect on how these films can show us a better way forward. After all punk rock, and rebellions, are built on hope.  MENTIONS EGOT:.wikipedia.org/wiki/EGOT COMIC: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Ryan North, Erica Henderson) goodreads.com/book/show/23732096-the-unbeatable-squirrel-girl-vol-1 FILM: Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow):.imdb.com/title/tt1790885 FILM: A Hidden Life (Terence Malik) -.imdb.com/title/tt5827916 SHOW: Andor (Tony Gilroy, Disney+):.imdb.com/title/tt9253284 COMIC: Invincible (Robert Kirkman) -.goodreads.com/series/66423-invincible BOOK: The Ministry for the Future (Kim Stanley Robinson) -.goodreads.com/book/show/50998056-the-ministry-for-the-future KIDS BOOK: Why? (Adam Rex, Claire Keane) - .goodreads.com/book/show/42453554-why PERSON: Zohran Mamdani - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zohran_Mamdani SHOW: Young Justice (HBO Max):.imdb.com/title/tt1641384 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 ​“A lot of creativity stems from lack of access — born outta having less. You have less, so you have to think about how to do more — that's what's Black design is about.” Maurice Cherry is a designer, strategist, and an important voice in the history of Black design — best known as the creator and host of Revision Path, an award-winning podcast that’s spotlighted over 550 Black designers, developers, artists, and digital thinkers — and became the first podcast inducted into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Born in Selma, Alabama, Maurice took anything but the traditional path expected of him. Raised on writing and tech - in magazines, the library and the radio - he studied math at Morehouse, and hustled his way into the creative industry - from Limewire to HTML. Maurice views design as a lens into cultural storytelling, and in the importance of Black design to understand a big part of the American design experience. Maurice is thoughtful, funny, and curious - his work helping shape the future of design. But you’ll also enjoy how we traded hometown memories and podcast war stories. LEARN MORE mauricecherry.com revisionpath.com instagram.com/mauricecherry // twitter.com/mauricecherry MENTIONS BOOK: HERE: Where the Black Designers Are (Cheryl D. Holmes-Miller): goodreads.com/book/show/207567620-here BOOK: Meditations for Men Who Do Too Much (Jonathon Lazear): goodreads.com/book/show/1621178.Meditations_for_Men_Who_Do_Too_Much See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Chai is amazing — it should be right alongside a good cup of coffee, espresso, or cappuccino. This business helped me reconcile my American upbringing and my Indian heritage — that push and pull, that beautiful combination of everything.” Ayan Sanyal is Co-founder of Kolkata Chai Company, which if you’re in NY, you should stop by sometime soon (or order some online) — it’s something special. I’ve been going for a couple of years, and more than a few others do to, including frieMMd of the pod Rajiv, and his bud Hasan Minhaj, who’s become a big investor and advocate. Chai is something special — and good, REAL chai is something transcendent (just don’t call it chai tea). Good chai takes time. It takes people. And it creates friendship. Ayan and his brother founded Kolkata Chai Co. in 2018 to bring authentic masala chai to New York City. Growing up to Bengali parents in Amherst, MA, the brothers navigated tea times, rock bands, and trips back to India (street food FTW) - finding different inspirations along the way. The two built a career and background in digital advertising and media, but quickly challenged themselves to take a side passion - brewing chai at home - to farmers markets and beyond — redefining how chai and culture can be experienced in the city, and further into America. Hearing Ayan’s journey, from Amherst, MA to Kolkata and back again — and all the comic books and rock music in between - you’ll be inspired to do more, and have a great cup along the way. LEARN MORE: kolkatachai.co instagram.com/kolkatachaico See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“It was not nostalgia — I kept waiting for that to hit. I was worried about — what if New York doesn't live up to it? Because then where do I go from here? Kay Sohini is an Indian comics-maker living in New York City. She’s the author of the graphic novel THIS BEAUTIFUL, RIDICULOUS CITY . But Kay’s a lot more than a comics creator - she’s a writer, researcher, and artist. Kay grew up in Kolkata, where she fell in love with American culture - through TV and literature - as a contrast to her life in India. Kay eventually left India, got her PhD in English from Stony Brook University, and drew her doctoral dissertation — "Drawing Unbelonging" — as a comic. Since then her work has been published in The Washington Post, The Nib, and more. Her work focuses on utilizing comics in the scholarly examination of healthcare justice, environmental humanities, resisting disinformation, and creating an equitable future for all.  “This Beautiful Ridiculous City” is getting glowing reviews from NPR, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, The Financial Times and more. Kay shares some of her journey from India to America, from Kolkata to New York, but we actually talked a lot about the business - and art of comics - in the US, France, and India. Kay’s a very thoughtful, observant and direct artist and thinker. Kay’s work isn’t just deeply personal — it also challenges bigger ideas through personal narratives — with themes of marginalization, intersectionality, and the power dynamics embedded in our language and culture. Kay’s work will move you in a way few comics can.  LEARN ABOUT KAY kaysohini.com instagram.com/kaysohini goodreads.com/book/show/212294437-this-beautiful-ridiculous-city MENTIONS Alison Bechdel: goodreads.com/author/show/54223321.Alison_Bechdel Deb JJ Lee: goodreads.com/book/show/60316964-in-limbo BOOK: Ginseng Roots (Craig Thompson): goodreads.com/book/show/216971212-ginseng-roots BOOK: Unflattening (Nick Sousanis): goodreads.com/book/show/23503006-unflattening BOOK: Kari (Amruta Patil): goodreads.com/book/show/3174768-kari BOOK: Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir (Malik Sajad): goodreads.com/book/show/25394441-munnu BOOK: Skin (Mieke Versyp, Sabien Clement): goodreads.com/book/show/214387878-skin COMEDIAN: Zarna Garg wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarna_Garg BOOK: Summit of the Gods (Jirō Taniguchi): goodreads.com/series/55939-the-summit-of-the-gods SHOW: When Life Gives You Tangerines: imdb.com/title/tt26471411/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ We might need only 10% of the population to have a tipping point into a brighter future — to change lives for the better at scale by recognizing your potential to calm others. We're in this thing together.”  Life right now seems chaotic, but there's a method to the madness — welcome to the challenge of our generations. It sucks, it’s not fair, it’s been going on too long, and it feels like we’re sacrificing our children to some golem of change—with no relief in sight. We need something to believe in and something to do about it, so longtime friend of the pod - and personal mentor Bob Gilbreath shares what works for him in a recent essay from his Substack, the Workaround.This hit me in a moment when I needed it most. It might help you handle the stress, and maybe even convince you to be the tiny pair of butterfly wings that delivers positive change. LEARN MORE: behearty.substack.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ It was always in me — my grandparents were almost like these mystical figures, and they did really great things. So I was always like, ‘Why can't I discover more of that side of me?’ ” Brian Velasquez Reid is co-founder + CFO of Dear Flor, the first Filipina-owned cannabis brand — bringing Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time. And he happens to be co-founder with recent FrieMMd of the pod Lisa Angulo Reid. Basically, Lisa said we had to have a chat with Brian, and we’re really glad we did. Brian and Lisa met at a Philippine Society of Boston College picnic way back when in the 90s, or the olden days as the kids call it. Brian’s originally from New Jersey, but now a proud New Yorker - him and Lisa have raised their family in Greenwich Village for years now. He actually got his start on some of Wall Street’s top firms and became one of the first Filipino Americans to be a founding partner at a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund, as well as lots of other big deal roles in the financial world. Brian also serves as Treasurer of the FilAm Democrats of NY and is on the executive board of the Filipino American Historical Society of Metro New York. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation with two guys raising families and coming to terms with our heritage, and what it means for the next generation of American.s And we didn’t even talk about punk rock, heavy metal, dungeons and dragons or comic books too much... LEARN MORE: DearFlor.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ It's a message of resilience in the face of adversity — a sandbox, where every person has a story, an important point of view — folks doing something different who can be interesting, wonderful, and celebrated.”  A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, we saw Star Wars for the first time — and everything changed, for so many of us. Let’s be honest, it has been a long and winding relationship with all the space wizards and laser swords over the years — from Ahsoka to BB-8, from Yoda to Zahn, and everything in between. So for this May the Fourth, we got together many FrieMMds of the Pod, old and new, who all have Star Wars stories because like the Force that binds all living things in the universe. And like any good story, Star Wars holds a mirror to the moment we're in, especially now. ANDOR anyone? Joining our wretched hive of scum and villainy who are creative and geeky in all the right ways... Josh Ridenour: co-host of the Rabbit Fighters podcast, Quarantined Comics frequent flyer,, and the former number one Weezer fan from Alabama. ⁠creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/rabbit-fighters⁠ Lisa Angulo Reid: our latest MM co-host, and co-founder of DearFlor - the first Filipino owned cannabis brand, bringing Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time - DearFlor.com Ainsley Waller: award-winning creative director - back from our 2021 chat on Robins coming out - who blends their passion for sci-fi, fantasy, & fashion history - ainsleyrivers.com MENTIONS ANDOR FTW: theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/nov/22/andor-how-a-star-wars-deep-cut-became-one-of-the-best-tv-shows-of-the-year SW = Vietnam? ⁠reddit.com/r/movies/comments/d5glo0/george_lucas_explaining_how_the_heroes_of_star/⁠ SUPERIOR SEQUELS: Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy - https://www.goodreads.com/series/42348-star-wars-the-thrawn-trilogy HOTH WEAR (Overpriced): ⁠columbia.com/starwars⁠ MUPPETS: Fozziebacca & Friends: muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Muppets_action_figures TEE (Aces High): norselegionstore.com/collections/shirts/products/tie-pilot-t-shirt-and-patch VID (What if Ep.1 was good good)? ⁠youtube.com/watch?v=VgICnbC2-_Y POD (Josh & Raman): Weezer OK Spreadsheet : creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/rabbit-fighters/episodes/20---Weezer-OK-Spreadsheet-e2oqla0 POD (Ainsley & Raman): Holy Bi-Robin! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holy-bi-robin-tim-drake-comes-out/id1507595726?i=1000538532578 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“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.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“When everything changed recently, we promised ourselves we would not get wrapped into the daily news. Yes, we're paying attention, but  it's going to happen - and the coping mechanisms have never changed.”Suresh is a Malaysian-born, London-raised, gay media exec in NY, who over the years, has become an important voice about authenticity, discipline, and hard work. Suresh is direct, honest and reflective — in an industry full of a lot of talk. With everything going on in the world today, you’ll hopefully find as much relief in this conversation with a new friend. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ I certainly learned about how media works — our faces and our stories weren't included. That was my bat signal to make that change.”Nicole Ponseca is a pioneering voice in the culinary world and one of the most respected thought leaders in the Hospitality and Filipino community. Nicole has proven herself on the NYC scene with critically acclaimed restaurants, Maharlika and Jeepney. She revolutionized perceptions of Filipino food in the United States, turning bold and authentic flavors into a movement that resonated with diners, critics, and food enthusiasts alike. Her debut cookbook, I Am a Filipino, is a James Beard Award finalist and hailed as a definitive work on Filipino cuisine, celebrated as a cookbook of the year and top lists from The New Yorker, NY Times, LA Times, Saveur, Food and Wine, Chicago Tribune and more. Nicole’s unconventional career journey began in advertising, but but found her true calling in food and culture. By night, she spent a decade in every restaurant role imaginable—hostess, server, bartender, manager—learning the ins and outs of the industry to fulfill her mission. Namely, the creation of Maharlika and Jeepney, two groundbreaking establishments that introduced Filipino dishes like Kamayan feasts to the mainstream and became cultural hubs for the Filipino community and a signal that Filipino food was claiming its seat at the culinary table. You’ll enjoy this conversation blending storytelling, food, and cultureThis 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.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Food is our love language. It's those types of food memories that are straight from the motherland — these are the things we carry with us.”Did you know April was Filipino Food Month? While we’ve all got a Filipino friend (or three), can you name more than one Filipino food besides those amazing tiny spring rolls (Lumpia FTW)? Either way, we’ve got something special for you. Co-host Lisa Angulo Reid (DearFlor.com) put up the Halo-halo Signal and got some amazing Filipino favorite food and restaurant recos from around the country, and unpacks the really really for the rest of us. FILIPINO FOOD MENTIONS Filipino Food & Terms to Know: Lumpia – Thin, crispy spring rolls filled with meat and veggies. Pancit – Stir-fried noodles with julienned carrots, celery, cabbage, and your choice of pork, shrimp, or chicken. Sinigang – A tangy, comforting tamarind-based soup with tomato, onion, and often pork, shrimp, or fish. Caldereta – Hearty beef stew with tomato sauce, liver paste, black pepper, and olives. Pinakbet – A vegetable stew made with eggplant, bitter melon, tomatoes, green beans, and squash, flavored with shrimp paste. Often topped with crispy pork belly (bagnet). Lechon Liempo – Roasted pork belly stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, and onions, slow-cooked until the skin is perfectly crispy. Halo-Halo – A colorful shaved ice dessert with sweet beans, jackfruit, coconut, and palm fruit, topped with ube (purple yam) ice cream and leche flan. Kare-Kare – A rich peanut-based stew featuring oxtail or fried pork belly, served with shrimp paste (bagoong). Dinuguan – Known as "chocolate meat," this savory stew is made of pork and offal simmered in pork blood, vinegar, and garlic. Carinderia (Turo-Turo) – Casual eateries with dishes displayed in steam tables—just point at what you want! FILIPINO FOOD VOICES & THEIR PICKS Lydia Querian (@ellekarayan) – Broke Da Mouth (HI) – Oxtail Adobo (brokedamouthgrindz.co) Brian Velasquez Reid (@breid40ohz) – Naks NYC – Lechon Liempo (naks.nyc) Nicole Ponseca (@nicoleponseca) – Orient Valley (CA) – NYT Best-selling cookbook (amzn.to/4iTosiQ) Geraldine Mae Cueva (@ohhhmygeeg) – Lasita (LA) – Mushroom Sisig: A sizzling dish traditionally made with pork jowl and ears, replaced here with mushrooms. (lasita-la.com) Patricia Dingalasan (@patriciadinglasancomedy) – Kabisera (NYC) – Lumpia Shanghai: Mini crispy spring rolls with seasoned pork. Susie Quesada (@ramarfoods) – Alda’s Kitchen (CA) – Silog Breakfast Plates: A combo of garlic fried rice, egg, and meats like tocino (sweet cured pork) or longganisa (Filipino sausage). (aldaskitchenandbakery.com) Aebbey (@chicagotestkitchen) – Ruby’s Fast Food (Chicago) – Sisig & Pancit Palabok: A noodle dish with a bright orange annatto-based sauce, topped with shrimp, pork, crispy chicharrón, and boiled egg. (rubysfastfoodchicago.com) Ron Dizon (@teofilocoffeecompany) – Teofilo Coffee (Long Beach) – Filipino-imported coffee (teofilocoffeecompany.com) This conversation was co-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.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Living in the US was like a hand in a glove for me — I just came here and loved it. Now, my opinion is slowly changing - seeing everything that's happening. But I still miss it because it  made me the person I am today.”Vaib’s a friend of a friend - we were told we should meet because we’d get along. We covered a lot of ground — the political difference between India and America, the role of activism, the role of fear in activism in our modern era, and some of his own healthcare advocacy interests. Given everything going on right now - which we’ve lately avoided on this pod, it just felt like a very necessary conversation for the moment we’re in — so just felt nice to unpack things on my mind, including what my own role is in the current era that we're in in America. No answers, no expectations, just a ranging conversation with a new friend with a similar but different perspective.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“It's important we bring our whole self — that's how you create trust, you bring that vulnerability. I had to learn to let my guard down, and it's made me a better leader.”Susie Quesada is President of Ramar Foods - one of the oldest leading manufacturers of Filipino foods in America. While Ramar is news to most of us - it’s not to the 4M+ Filipino Americans out there - and we’ve all got a Filipino friend (or more than a few). While Susie Quesada grew up in the family's business - starting work at the age of 8 - she actually pursued a career in public education. She later rejoined Ramar full time in 2005 in various positions before assuming the role of President in 2013. For her - it’s all about the legacy that her grandmother and father started.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.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“There was literally nothing I could do to fit in — and at some point, I decided to not bother trying. It really encouraged an independence that has carried me through the rest of my life and career.”David Yin, is an exec working at the intersection of consumer health and technology - who through happenstance, became a kindred spirit on so many conversations, about work, life, and even comic books. While David’s Texas born, he’s anything but a Texan, having built a career and life on both coasts of NY and SF. While we’ve already had a few chai walk and talks, sharing more than a few things in common from our Southern upbringings to wrestling with the professional lives and intellectual curiosities to just a love for all things nerdy - this was a lot of fun to reflect with a new old friend on not just where we're from and where we're going, but to also reflect on everything we've learned and have been thinking about along the way...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Just because your parents wanted the best for you in one way doesn't mean that you rebelling doesn't mean you still can't give back to them by living a good life.”Michael Wong is basically a cultural anthropologist for Asian America. A Seattle-based commentator, Michael’s best known for Asian Verified on Instagram + TikTok, and also writes a monthly column for The Stranger, a Seattle newspaper. This is the first of many conversation with Filipino entrepreneurs GUEST-hosted by new FrieMMd of the Pod, past guest, and Filipina entrepreneur Lisa Angulo Reid. LEARN MORE instagram.com/asianverified thestranger.com/collections/79782549/asian-verified GUEST HOST (Lisa Reid): https://dearflor.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ A lot of women are living in uncertainty about their health — so most of us are in a really weird situationship with our health. And that to me is quite sad.”Dr. Varuna Srinivasan is the Founder & CEO of Fluid Health — she is a sexual health expert, writer, and speaker based in Brooklyn. For the past decade, Varuna has worked on improving reproductive health access with organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Planned Parenthood, and more. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Paper, Health, and Parents, and has been recognized by the NHS, Bumble, and even Serena Williams. Varuna + Fluid Health’s mission is to leverage education and technology to provide inclusive and personalized sexual health care. Varuna’s actually a “friend of a FrieMMd of the Pod” - first introduced to us by past guest Dr. Nzinga Harrison - Hi Nzinga. You’ll enjoy this conversation that follows many cups of chai - chatting work, life entrepreneurship, India, and family.LEARN MORE myfluidhealth.com/ instagram.com/drvarunasrinivasan See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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/2Le6lpMFeaturing 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 - [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“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 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 “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...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Vice President Kamala Harris' speech from Howard University on Wednesday, November 6, 2024See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the morning after, I’ll leave some fresh comments at the top of the episode. It was crushingly hard to tell my daughter before she went off to school. We're probably all asking ourselves, how did we get here? So easier to just re-air this Quarantined Comics episode from August 2022 about the vibrant and harrowing graphic novel Berlin, by Jason Lutes, which I've actually referenced in many conversations over the past few months. It’s a small distraction in an eerily prescient conversation about a comic book written about Germany in the 1930s. And if that's too heavy right now, head over to YouTube and watch “day drinking” clips with Seth Meyers — the ones with Rihanna and Dua Lipa are works of art. To paraphrase Mehdi Hasan: While a majority of our fellow Americans may have voted for an unhinged demagogue — the rest of us need to stick together. Solidarity is about to become the most important word in our political vocabulary. We need each other. And so, for the next four years, solidarity is the name of the game.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“ Growing up in Hawaii is a really, really special experience — natural beauty, family and community. But you're really trying to fit into a local culture that has such a complex relationship with Caucasian people.”Chris Schmicker is a a Honolulu-born and New York City-based writer and brand marketer who’s currently working on a debut short fiction collection set in contemporary Hawaii. Chris is Hapa — half Japanese & Chinese, half Swiss & Irish — we first met on our previously aired ANA AMAM panel. Growing up on an island - literally, and migrating to the mainland, Chris has many different, but similar experiences, which he brings to life in a very thoughtful way. Navigating our personal, sometimes terrible, sometimes convenient superpowers of code-switching was something we discussed navigating on the personal and professional fronts, growing comfortable into the adults we’d one day become. LEARN MOREhttps://www.chrisschmicker.com/MENTIONS PERSON: Martha Stewart: wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart BOOK: Sharks in the Time of Saviors (Kawai Strong Washburn): goodreads.com/book/show/45892255-sharks-in-the-time-of-saviors See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“We wanted something that was familiar, but also Filipino — the whole culture of the older sister that knows and gives advice without judgment.”Lisa Angulo Reid the co-founder and CEO of Dear Flor, the first Filipina-owned cannabis company that makes gummies that are 100% vegan with 100% Filipino flavors like ube, calamansi, and buko pandan. Founded by Lisa and her husband Brian, Dear Flor’s mission is to bring Filipino culture to the world, one flavor at a time. Sharon + Lisa are OG Chiefs, but Lisa + Raman only met a few months ago at an industry event (AMAM FTW) where they bonded over nerdiness and marketing. Lisa’s journey into entrepreneurship began after a successful 20+ year career in advertising and marketing, where she led transformative campaigns for some of the world’s most loved and trusted brands. She’s also an advocate for Asian women leaders and spearheaded NYC’s inaugural Philippine American History Month celebration which featured Filipina trailblazers Loida Nicolas Lewis and Nicole Ponseca. You’ll enjoy this conversation among new friends about growing up in the south, building a personal business, and relating what we do to both our parents - and our kids. LEARN MORE dearflor.com instagram.com/lovedearflor MENTIONS CHARACTER: Sookie Stackhouse - wikipedia.org/wiki/Sookie_Stackhouse PERSON: Susie-quesada (Ramar foods) - bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/profiles-strategies/2018/09/the-teacher-who-took-over-a-frozen-food-empire.html See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I didn't ask my dad many questions, and now I'll never know. And I could call my mom up right now, but I'm not going to do that because - ‘the culture’ - we don't really ask each other personal questions.”Kathy MacLeod is an illustrator and cartoonist - the author of CONTINENTAL DRIFTER, her debut graphic novel - a memoir about a youth split between growing up in Bangkok, and her first summer camp experience in Maine. CONTINENTAL DRIFTER is a coming of age story about a girl caught between two worlds - her home of Thailand, where her mom is from, and her discovery - and reconciliation with reality of - the  exotic, idyllic America of her father. Kathy’s work was an accidental discovery (and a happy surprise) - a classic childhood story of seeking belonging, but not being sure where we can find it. While it’s a fun graphic novel geared for kids, at times it can be a heavy drama of understanding for all of us. It’s really tender, and it has a lot of heart. Kathy’s work has appeared in The Believer, Catapult, The Hairpin, and Lucky Peach. After spending most of her life in Bangkok, Thailand (with a four-year interlude at Wesleyan University), Kathy is currently living in Berlin, Germany. While our chat didn’t cover much about her work, we covered a lot about the stories we each carry with us about the relationships we have with our families. LEARN MORE instagram.com/kathy_macleod BOOK: Continental Drifter - goodreads.com/book/show/111672623-continental-drifter MENTIONS BOOK: Blankets (Craig Thompson): goodreads.com/book/show/25179.Blankets BOOK: Ducks (Kate Beaton): goodreads.com/en/book/show/59069071-ducks SHOW: Felicity: imdb.com/title/tt0134247/ BOOKS: Ramona Quimby (Beverly Cleary): goodreads.com/series/40341-ramona-quimby PERSON: Chanel Miller - wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanel_Miller See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Distraction is not a technology problem or a moral failing. The vast majority of distraction is simply that you have not learned the skill of dealing with discomfort. Master internal triggers, or they will become your master.”Nir Eyal is a best-selling author and instructor working at the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. In a research-driven conversation about his latest book “INDISTRACTABLE - How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life,” we learn about what really drives distraction — which is less about flashy external stimuli, and more about our own internal discomfort. The good news is, it’s not out of reach, by better understanding our internal triggers - it just might be possible to get back to a focus that feels so far gone. The good news is, It's not out of reach, and Nir shares some great tips to get started. Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books by The Globe and Mail and Amazon, and among the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. Nir is also the author of “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products” — his books have resonated with readers worldwide, selling over 1 million copies in over 30 languages. Nir’s writing and work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Harvard Business Review, The M.I.T. Technology Review, Time Magazine, Psychology Today. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003, and invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives including Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot!, Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside. Nir previously taught in the Business and Design schools at Stanford University, and Nir attended The Stanford Graduate School of Business and Emory University.This is an episode from friend-of-the-pod Sharad Lal's podcast “HOW TO LIVE” - for lots more great conversations with Sharad and thought leaders, subscribe to How To Live wherever you get your favorite podcasts, or visit howtolive.life See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“You need to get people registered, you need to get them informed, you need them voting. This is not the work of just one cycle, but this is the work of a generation.”Wendy Nguyen is Founder and President of AsianAmericansRise.com — a political advocacy nonprofit focused on civic engagement from the Asian American community. Right now, Wendy and her team are most focused on registering voters - and turning out the Asian vote in swing states like Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina — and in key congressional races across the country. We’re all concerned about how close this election is going to be, so we’d strongly encourage you to make a donation - large or small - at AsianAmericansRise.com. Their org is 100% volunteer run, so your dollars will go directly getting out the Asian American vote. And with voter registration deadlines fast-approaching, and so much on the line - gun safety, climate change, healthcare access, voting rights and more - coming down to a handful of votes in just a handful of counties this November, every little bit helps ASAP... LEARN MORE: AsianAmericansRise.com DONATE: gofundme.com/f/registerasianvoters2024 Long before Wendy’s work turning out the vote — she was a long-time advocate for AAPI political representation, having co-founded Stand with Asian Americans back in March 2021 in the early days of the Stop Asian Hate movement. She's super passionate about the cause and has a big picture, long-term vision for how our community can come together to drive change. And it’s really cool seeing such a focused, performance-marketing approach that can have a big impact. On top of all that Wendy has two other really important day-jobs, that of a bay area CMO, and that of a mom. Like us, you’ll be blown away by her heart, candor, practicality, and proactiveness. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 ” I was in survival mode for so long — then I finally dealt with it - shedding all the old stories I told myself that society put on — those stories stick with us and form our identity without us even realizing it.”Ida Abdalkhani is a longtime FrieMMd of the pod, and a co-host on Raman’s other podcast, “Learnings from Leaders.” Ida is many things...an entrepreneur, marketer, board member, speaker, professor, patent-holder, yoga instructor, published author, and many more things to come. We actually met early in our careers, and our paths have crossed again and again. Ida was one of first “Model” Minorities guests way back when in 2020 — when the world was VERY different. And since then, lots has changed not just everywhere, but in Ida’s life. in a short time Ida dealt with more change and crisis than most of us deal with in decades. And that’s given Ida some new perspective, so we wanted to catch up and understand what was different. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation between old friends reflecting on the change that is around all of us.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 ”I’ve come to my parents with challenges and they say, keep working hard, keep pushing through it — they're so used to working 12 hour days, making ends meet — it’s interesting to see them understanding my career.”Raman recently moderated a community conversation on "Building Bridges across Generations" for the inaugural Asians in Marketing and More summit - where we explored the personal and professional expectations of work and family across different generations. We explored how we, as a professional community can support the next generation of leaders. Moderating the panel was a real treat - especially in sharing stories on stage - and getting to know fellow purpose-driven Asian business leaders. FEATURING: Amrita Dutta-Gupta (GNC), Chris Schmicker (Shopify), Vanessa Huynh (LabCorp), Paresh Jha (LinkedIn), David Yin (Capital Y Consulting), Lisa Reid (Dear Flor), Jill Kelly (WPP), Jennifer Chen (Connatix), Ranjana Choudhry (Inmar), Aniko DeLaney (Fordham University), Julie Lee (TDW+Co), Elliot Lum (Association of National Advertisers)MENTIONS FILMS: The Joy Luck Club, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians BOOKS: Dava Shastri's Last Day, Sharks in the Time of Saviors, The Night Diary, The Whole Story of Half a Girl SHOWS: Never Have I Ever, Pachinko, Physical: 100 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I was not gonna follow rules if they didn't make any sense to me. There's a healthy sense of curiosity and a willingness to challenge the status quo.”Sudha Ranganathan is an emotionally intelligent leader. Drew Tarvin is a humor engineer. Both are P&G Alumni, and old friends of Raman’s from different parts of his life. This is a bonus conversation from Raman (+Drew’s) other podcast, Learnings from Leaders. Having worked at companies like Linkedin, Paypal, Affinnova,and Procter & Gamble - in the US and Asia, Sudha’s career has spanned engineering, marketing, and product strategy - but what she really excels at is managing and coaching others. You’ll enjoy this candid conversation diving deep into the significance of emotional intelligence and psychological safety in the workplace — with learnings from her early experiences and struggles as a new leader to her proactive approach to personal development. And comic books may or may not have come up. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“He bears witness - in a very disarming way - what's really going on in this country.” “It’s often expressed without a single word, vivid enough that It hits a bit differently — It's not sugar coated —  this is what they're up against.”BURMA CHRONICLES is the 2007 graphic travelogue by French-Canadian cartoonist Guy Delisle — which presents a personal and distinctively humorous glimpse into a political hotspot on the other side of the world, where the Delisle balances his ex-pat home-husbandry, the spinning politics a quasi-authoritarian state, and finding a way as a foreign cartoonist amidst a South Asian juntaThis is another very special Quarantined CoMMics crossover episode - covering a graphic novel with a very unique Modern Minorities take. Joining is longtime FrieMMd of the Pod (+Ramans other, other podcast co-host) DREW TARVIN, Humor Engineer, who much like the author of this week's comic, happens to be a dude who's a funny-jobbed, home-husbanding ex-pat dad in a foreign land. LEARN MORE BOOK: goodreads.com/book/show/5596923-burma-chronicles BURMA: wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar DREW: AndrewTarvin.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ROAMING is the graphic novel winner of three 2024 EISNER awards for best graphic novel, best writer, and best penciller/inker - by cousins Mariko + Jillian Tamaki. It's a book about three young women touring New York City in the late aughts, and it's both a love letter to New York City and a nostalgic look at the relationship between three friends who are about to follow very different paths in life. You can’t read this book and not see yourself in it at a younger, more awkward phase of your life - whether or not you’ve even spent any time in NYC. This is another episode from Raman’s other podcast, Quarantined Comics. And as you already know from our LAST episode - we're big Tamaki fans. We've actually covered some of Mariko’s other award-winning work like Skim, This One Summer, and more on other episodes of Quarantined Comics. So be sure to check out ALL of Mariko Tamaki's work wherever you get your favorite booksLEARN MORE BOOK: Roaming: goodreads.com/book/show/62207006-roaming NEWS: comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards/ MARIKO: instagram.com/marikotamaki AUTHOR: goodreads.com/author/show/483588.Mariko_Tamaki BOOK: This One Summer: goodreads.com/book/show/18465566-this-one-summer See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The idea that a person can't relate to something because it's not directly about them is a misunderstanding of who's been reading books this whole time."Mariko Tamaki is an award-winning Canadian comics creator and writer — known for works like Skim and This One Summer (with her cousin Jillian Tamaki). Her latest novel is Cold, a haunting YA novel about four students who knew too much and said too little. AND Mariko’s also the Co-founder & Editor of Surely Books - a comics imprint of LGBTQIA+ creators. Mariko’s ALSO known for comics like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, Emiko Superstar, and several prose works of fiction and nonfiction. AND since 2016, Mariko’s been writing for Marvel & DC comics - on powerful books like I Am Not Stafire, and Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass. Mariko’s also only the second woman to write Detective Comics - the 1000+ issue flagship DC series about the Dark Knight. If you can’t tell by now, one of us has been a BIG Mariko Tamaki fan for awhile, and after hearing her approach to writing and sharing personal stories, you soon will be too. This is a replay of an earlier chat from 2022 - we’re airing it in honor of Marikos’ winning of the Eisner Award (among comics most prestigious honors) - for the 2023 graphic novel ROAMING - which she co-created with her cousin Jillian. We’ll be airing the Quarantined Comics episode on Roaming next!  BOOK: Roaming: goodreads.com/book/show/62207006-roaming NEWS: comic-con.org/awards/eisner-awards/ LEARN ABOUT MARIKO TAMAKI & HER WORK: twitter.com/marikotamaki instagram.com/marikotamaki goodreads.com/author/show/483588.Mariko_Tamaki Surely Books: abramsbooks.com/imprints/surely This One Summer: goodreads.com/book/show/18465566-this-one-summer Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me: goodreads.com/book/show/40864841-laura-dean-keeps-breaking-up-with-me Skim: goodreads.com/book/show/2418888.Skim MENTIONS Heather Gold: heathergold.com/about-heather-gold Jillian Tamaki: jilliantamaki.com Lauren Tamaki: laurentamaki.com Gene Luen Yang: geneyang.com BOOK: Stone Fruit (Lee Lai): goodreads.com/en/book/show/55678434 BOOK: Shadow Life (Hiromi Goto, Ann Xu): goodreads.com/en/book/show/51591596 Alice Munro: wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Munro Timothy Findley: wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Findley See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The normalization of things being taken away. You see all the things going on in Tehran in 1979 — you see them here as well, which makes it a sad, scary, and timeless tale.”PERSEPOLIS, by Marjane Satrapi is an award winning, now banned graphic autobiography from the early 2000s about a young girl growing up in Iran, and becoming a woman overseas, returning home, and dealing with everything in between.Originally published in French, Persepolis has sold millions of copies worldwide, and Satrapi also produced an award-winning film of the same name. In Persepolis, we meet young Marjane “Marji” Satrapi growing up in Tehran just before and during the Iranian Revolution of 1979, as well as thru the start of the Iran + Iraq War in the 1980s. Her parents are secular, upper-middle class activists, who worry for their precocious daughter's safety in the increasingly conservative and dangerous Iran, so send her off to Austria to become a teenager. Her teen years are fraught with all the drama you can expect from such an experience, but Marji - now becoming a young woman - always maintains the experience of an outsider looking in - with her feet in both worlds. Marji eventually returns to Iran to find that not only has her mother country changed, but she as well. This book was a surprise and illuminating for us in many ways, making us question - what would WE do in such a situation? This conversation is originally from from Quarantined Comics, where Raman + friends read comics that are so much more than just superheroes. PERSEPOLIS is a very Modern Minorities appropriate work, especially for the times we’re living in, which you’ll get to here us reflect on. Longtime friend of THAT pod Joshua joins from his most excellent podcast RABBIT FIGHTERS, where they pretty much do the same thing, but about movies and music. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.