5 Podcasts Hosted by Asian Americans That You Should Start Listening To

October 31, 2018

Podcasts have been the latest wave of information gathering and sharing in the digital 24/7 newscycle. A simple voice right to your ear while you’re driving or walking can make you laugh out loud or think deeply about societal issues in the world. From suggestions from some of our lovely readers, we’ve compiled a few Asian American podcasts that that you should tune into next time you want to rest your eyes or simply close them and listen. Most of these podcasts can be found on platforms that carry them, including iTunes and Spotify.

1. Vietnamese Boat People

This non-profit organization seeks to tell their story for future generations as well as to provide support for refugees, according to their website. Tracey Nguyen Mang is the creator of this podcast, whose own family survived the mass exodus of Vietnamese refugees starting in 1975. Listening to these voices recall their experiences adds a jarring layer to the Vietnam War, a very controversial event in American history.

2. Confessions of Successful Asian Women

Aliya Janjua created this podcast on International Women’s Day in 2016. The oldest of three daughters to Pakistani immigrant parents, Janjua hosts candid conversations with women and they talk about steps that have lead them to where they are now, especially touching on barriers that these women had to overcome to pursue their dreams. Janjua’s three pillars are “connect, share and inspire” which is what you will get when you listen to this podcast.

3. Asian American: The Ken Fong Podcast

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Ken Fong is a third generation Chinese-American who hosts the show. The main goal of the show is to explore cultural, artistic, historical, and spiritual aspects of the Asian American community. Some that have appeared on the podcast include Doctor Sarah Park, who speaks on transracially adopted Koreans, as well as Paul Yen, who speaks on the importance of telling the story of Vietnamese people.

4. The Dave Chang Show

The Korean-American chef of the well-known Momofuko restaurants, Dave Chang, created this podcast to answer some questions. Taking his passion for food and the creative process, he has conversations about those in the industry who have succeeded in the business but also goes beyond to cover other topics that include music, art and sports, to name a few. Chang recently spoke with radio personality Evan Kleiman in “Telling the Story of Food.”

5. Model Majority

If you find the Asian American voice lacking in politics, fellow Asian-Americans, Tony Nagatani and Kevin Xu felt the same way. These grassroots organizers talk about politics, activism and civic engagement. The most recent podcast features Janelle Wong, professor of American Studies from the University of Maryland, who shares her personal story as well as her views on affirmative action, among other topics discussed.

Tell us if you listen to these podcasts or comment below for other podcasts that we should be listening to!

Featured Image via Twitter and Instagram / @aliya34 (left) and davidchang (right)

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