Best Henry Lim Podcasts (2025)

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EP 570: Author/Activist Dr. Winnie M. Li On New Novel "What We Left Unsaid" 44:53

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11d ago44:53

44:53

Award-winning author and activist Dr. Winnie M. Li has recently published her third novel! What We Left Unsaid has us join three estranged Chinese American adult siblings on a Route 66 road trip that includes a mysterious detour to the Grand Canyon. It's a delicious exploration of sibling dynamics that are definitely rooted in the past, but are now…

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EP 569: Kyle Ang On Creating "Tiger Tea Zine": A Space for Truths Often Carried Alone 46:30

18d ago46:30

46:30

What Kyle Ang began as a USC senior project has become a much-needed outlet for AANHPI's to express themselves artistically and in writing. Kyle's Tiger Tea Zine is a curated collection of contributions from those wanting to be seen and heard, especially as it pertains to their identities and well-being. @tigerteazine…

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EP 568: Kam Redlawsk On Learning to Make Peace with Her "Monster" 45:22

25d ago45:22

45:22

In writing and illustrating her 2025 debut picture book, Kam Redlawsk enables readers of any age to relate to her journey to come to grips with a form of muscular dystrophy that is progressively robbing her of the use of her muscles. Yumi and Monster not only showcases Redlawk's prodigious gifts as a storyteller and artist, but also as a disability…

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EP 567: The Two Kens On "Rental Family" & "Wicked for Good" and Che Ahn Entering the Race for CA Governor 1:01:00

1M ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp managed to squeeze out one more of their collaborative series before celebrating Thanksgiving this year overwhelms their schedules. But before diving head first into their discussion about prominent MAGA pastor and NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) global leader Rev. Che Ahn's entering the 2026 race to be California's…

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EP 566: Neil Nayyar On Being a Global Musician AND Hikari On Co-writing & Directing "Rental Family" 54:25

1M ago54:25

54:25

This week I'm bringing you two exceptional guests. With the much-anticipated nationwide release of feature film Rental Family on November 21, my first interview is with the Japanese co-writer and director Hikari! Her latest creation has already garnered a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and I feel that it's one of the best films that I've s…

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EP 565: John Wang On Breaking Barriers & Harnessing Your "Big Asian Energy" 51:27

2M ago51:27

51:27

John Wang is a motivational speaker, leadership coach, podcaster, and the founder of Big Asian Energy. Having just published a much-needed book of the same title, John's unswerving mission is to help Asian professionals break through hidden barriers and unlock their innate potential. With over 250,000 followers and 25 million views on social media,…

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EP 564: Henry King Fong On His Historical Quest To Get to Know His Father 50:00

2M ago50:00

50:00

When Henry King Fong was born in Sacramento, his immigrant father was already 58 and his straight-from-the-village mother was 48. Henry was the youngest of five and was only two years old when his father died. Their family was quite poor, but his mother made every penny count. Henry eventually graduated from UC Berkeley with an engineering degree, …

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EP 563: Vicki Tan On How to Make Smarter Decisions 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

Vicki Tan has written a "one-of-a-kind guide to smarter decision-making based in the science of cognitive bias and the wisdom of storytelling Her new book Ask This Book a Question is "an interactive game that empowers you to understand yourself in a new way, inviting you on a playful journey of self-discovery." @vickiheart #cognitivebias #storytell…

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EP 562: Cindy Lim On Creating Gen Z Asian Social/Dating App Yuzu 44:50

2M ago44:50

44:50

Cindy Lim is the founder and Head of Brand for a new app called Yuzu. Launched in early 2024 by Match Group (the same company behind Tinder, Hinge, etc), Yuzu brands itself as a social + dating platform aimed at the Gen Z Asian community (but open to all). Many mainstream dating apps are generalized; Yuzu is part of a trend of "niche" dating/social…

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EP 561: Harvard's Dr. Eram Alam On How Immigrant (Especially South Asian) Physicians Changed U.S. Healthcare 51:28

2M ago51:28

51:28

Harvard Associate Professor of the History of Science Dr. Eram Alam has just published "The Care of Foreigners: How Immigrant Physicians Changed U.S. Healthcare." Her extensive research revealed that, over decades, foreign medical graduates (FMGs) have become a sizeable and stable part of the U.S. physician workforce--at least a quarter since 1965.…

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EP 560: The Two Kens On What Charlie Kirk Actually Believed 55:10

2M ago55:10

55:10

In this latest edition of the recurring The Two Kens collaborative series, Fong and Kemp explain both the irony of how he died and the Right's insistence on nationwide posthumous empathy and acclaim for him. Using his own words to substantiate their opinions, they make the case that Kirk's inflammatory rhetoric should not now be santized, nor shoul…

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EP 559: Playwright Prince Gomolvilas On the World Premiere of "Paranormal Inside" 46:52

2M ago46:52

46:52

Thai American playwright Prince Gomolvilas first appeared on this show in 2019 to promote The Brothers Paranormal which would soon become his penultimate play in his long career. This week I invited him back because he's written the much-awaited 'spiritual sequel' Paranormal Inside, which will begin its rolling world premiere at East West Players' …

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EP 558: Drs. Allie & Joyce Taur On Remaking Their Marriage & Family After Husband Comes Out as Trans 2:12:56

3M ago2:12:56

2:12:56

As the last of my short Honeymoon Reprise series I'm sharing what originally aired in June 2018 with medical doctors Allie and Joyce Taur. It's truly one of the most remarkable stories that I've ever shared on my platform in the entire eleven-plus years that I've been recording weekly stories. You'll soon learn that while Allie was identified as a …

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EP 557: Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Bandy X. Lee On the Dangerous Case of Donald Trump 1:03:27

3M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Today, in 2025, there are numerous mental health professionals on television and streaming podcasts who talk openly about the state of President Trump's mental health. They don't pull any punches, given the ample evidence from his public appearances and his frequent online diatribes. They say he has a personality disorder, that he's an antisocial m…

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EP 556: Dr. Joseph Lee On Raising Healthy, Happy Kids 1:31:50

3M ago1:31:50

1:31:50

First aired in 2018, this episode still ranks in the Top 5 of most popular ones. I'm sharing it here as part of my short Honeymoon Reprise series. Dr. Joseph Lee shares about effective parenting skills for raising children to be secure, mature, and fulfilled people. Joseph also discusses why authoritarian parenting leads to bad outcomes, how surpri…

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EP 555: Kaila Yu On Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty in Her Book "Fetishized" 53:17

3M ago53:17

53:17

Fetishized is a memoir-in-essays by Kaila Yu--a former pin-up model and lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. The book delves into her personal journey as she confronts--and unpacks--the complexities of being both the object and agent of fetishization in a media landscape shaped by stereotypes and colonial mindsets. Her…

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EP 554: Dr. Jeff Chang On Bruce Lee & the Making of Asian America 53:45

4M ago53:45

53:45

Water Mirror Echo is Dr. Jeff Chang's ambitous and deeply empathetic cultural biography of Bruce Lee that goes beyond myth, revealing the man behind the legend while tracing how Lee's life helped shape the emergence of Asian America. Chang's storytelling deftly intertwines Lee's personal narrative with broader social currents--highlighting Asian Am…

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EP 552: Jackie Dallas On Netflix Hit "The Hunting Wives" & Her Decision to Leave Medicine to Pursue Acting 52:10

4M ago52:10

52:10

Jackie Dallas was only a year from finishing her residency in pathology when she decided to leave medicine, move to California, and pursue acting. Through hardworking and perverance, she has appeared on many hit shows, including playing "Jen Woo" (science teacher Mr. Clarke's girlfriend) in Season 1 of "Stranger Things." You can see her now in The …

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EP 553: The Two Kens On Concerns About the Focus of the Late Dr. James Dobson 51:23

4M ago51:23

51:23

For nearly 50 years conservative Christian psychologist Dr. James Dobson influenced countless couples, families, and churches through his globally ubiquitous Focus on the Family broadcasts, books, videos, and lectures. In the immediate aftermath of his death last week at the age of 89, podcasters Fong and Kemp talk openly about the way his influenc…

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EP 551: Sabrina Wang On Attaining Eagle Scout Rank as an Asian American Female 47:48

4M ago47:48

47:48

Teenaged Sabrina Wang has the distinction of being one of the first girls--Asian American or otherwise--to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout in what is now known as Scouting America. Formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, the organization recently fully embraced a significant rebranding, opening its programs now to girls and LGBTQ+ youth w…

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EP 550: Sean Dulake On New Amazon Prime "Butterfly" Spy Series & Third Culture Content 59:16

4M ago59:16

59:16

Actor Sean Dulake is part of the stellar cast of Amazon Prime's new Butterfly series, an espionage thriller set in Seoul, ROK, starring and executive produced by Daniel Dae Kim. What's unique about this spy show is that it revolves around the dynamics between a father and daughter, and a mother and son. Which of course, makes an already immensely c…

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EP 549: The Two Kens On America's State of Disaggregation 55:08

4M ago55:08

55:08

In this latest installment of the collaboration between podcasters Fong and Kemp, they describe America's state of "disaggregation" and implications for this country's future, given that it's only going to keep increasing. They also explain the mounting threat to the separation of church and state posed by the growing prominence and power of the Ch…

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EP 548: Jesse Q. Sutanto On Re-imagining Mulan as a Contemporary Rom-Com Novel 47:42

5M ago47:42

47:42

Best-selling novelist Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest offering is a present-day re-imagining of the ancient Chinese folktale about a daughter who masquerades as a man in order to battle China's enemies. It's the most recent book in the Disney Hyperion's "Meant to Be" series, which is a contemporary romance collection featuring reimaginings of classic Dis…

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EP 547: Kenny & Chizuko Endo On Celebrating His 50 Years As a Taiko Drumming Artist & Innovator 50:36

5M ago50:36

50:36

Kenny and Chizuko Endo met in 1976 a year after he'd embarked on what would become his lifelong passion for Japanese taiko drumming, ultimately using it to honor its role in the past, but also using it as a springboard to innovate compositions and collaborations that have established these ancient Japanese drums as clearly belonging to the future o…

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EP 546: Podcaster Mari Fong On the Dire Need to Help Pro Musicians with Their Mental Health 53:59

5M ago53:59

53:59

Mari Fong is a music journalist who not long ago launched the "Check Your Head" podcast because of being deeply troubled by the number of professional musicians who struggle with their mental health and addictions, with some even choosing to take their lives. Her show provides these artists a safe and empathetic space to share their stories honestl…

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EP 545: Michael Luo On "Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging & the Epic Story of Chinese in America" 52:20

5M ago52:20

52:20

Michael Luo is an executive editor at The New Yorker and writes regularly on politics, religion, and Asian American issues. His first book, "Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America," is a well-researched history of Chinese Americans from the Gold Rush until the 1960s. Using his skills as a former in…

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EP 543: Shin Yu Pai On Rebooting Her "Ten Thousand Things" Podcast 49:41

6M ago49:41

49:41

Shin Yu Pai was already a published poet and museologist when she entered a contest by the Pacific Northwest's National Public Radio to pitch an idea for a new podcast that focused on Asian Americans. Around seventy people submitted concepts, but NPR picked Shin Yu's. That propelled her into the very formulaic world of NPR podcasts. She learned qui…

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EP 544: The Two Kens On Why Trump & MAGA Revel In Being Cruel 47:26

6M ago47:26

47:26

In this latest installment of the recurring collaboraton between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they attempt to ascertain why Trump and MAGA folks enjoy being cruel to others. Especially those that they believe robbed them of previous stature and status in America. Fong and Kemp also bring in David Brook's recent piece in The Atlantic as he attempts to unp…

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EP 542: Bryan Yamami On TAIKOPROJECT & July 19 Show Celebrating Their 25th Anniversary 47:47

6M ago47:47

47:47

Guest Bryan Yamami is the co-founder and executive director of the acclaimed and award-winning drumming group TAIKOPROJECT (www.taikoproject.org). You'll learn why he was a less than enthusiastic young taiko student, but why he returned to this ancient form of Japanese drumming with fervor while a college student. Notably, Bryan shares why and how …

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EP 541: Kanaka Mālia Luna Jennings & Diane Ujiiye On Redeeming Lives Through API-RISE 52:03

6M ago52:03

52:03

Long-time friend and Christian colleague Diane Ujiiye, the co-director of nonprofit www.api-rise.org, introduced me to her Program Director Kanaka Mālia Luna Jennings, a proud Native Hawaiian and Filipina who, while a juvenile, had been incarcerated for 23 years. Her father died while she was inside, which served as a desperately needed wake up cal…

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EP 540: Philip Kan Gotanda On "Yankee Dawg You Die" & How He Became One of Asian America's Preeminent Storytellers 52:40

6M ago52:40

52:40

Third generation Japanese American Philip Kan Gotanda has gained renown as one of the most prolific Asian American playwrights, filmmakers, and musicians, but he came this close to becoming a lawyer. East West Players (www.eastwestplayers.org) is remounting his seminal play Yankee Dawg You Die in July 2025 after first staging it in 2001. Here's you…

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EP 538: Author & Illustrator Regina Linke On Her First Children's Book "Big Enough" 51:34

6M ago51:34

51:34

Regina Linke was born and raised in Texas, and she always enjoyed the creative arts, but she didn't learn traditional Chinese painting until after moving with her young family to Taiwan in her mid-thirties. Holding management degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and Cornell University, she worked in marketing technology and information s…

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EP 539: The Two Kens On Feuds Inside DNC, Between Newsom & Trump, and Between Trump & Musk 47:17

7M ago47:17

47:17

After a much-too long break, podcasters Fong and Kemp are finally back, this time tackling the uprising within the DNC by young leaders like vice chair David Hogg, the messy public break up of Trump and Musk, and Trump's sending the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles as part of a false narrative to fuel his fascist desires. To find a "No Kin…

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EP 537: Leslie Ishii On Her Recently Winning Two Prestigious Theater Awards 51:45

7M ago51:45

51:45

Alaska's Perseverance Theatre's Artistic Director Leslie Ishii has the distinction of recently being awarded to prestigious awards: The 2024 Stage Directors & Choreographers Foundation Zelda Fichandler Award and the 2025 Paul Robeson Award. To win either of these honors is remarkable; but to win them both, back-to-back, is nothing short of extraord…

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EP 536: Maxwell Lee, Part 1 On Recapturing His Dream To Be A Professional Musician 55:32

7M ago55:32

55:32

Maxwell Lee's Malaysian immigrant parents first put a violin in his hands when he was just three years old, but he soon demonstrated that he had precocious and exceptioinal musical abilities that he would later display as a classical pianist. As he focused on his music in college and graduate school, he seemed destined to make music his career path…

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EP 535: Taha Mandviwala On His Career-Defining Role in Stage Production Of "Life of Pi" 54:06

7M ago54:06

54:06

Pakistani American actor Taha Mandviwala is now starring as "Pi" in the highly acclaimed theatrical adaptation of the bestselling novel and award-winning film of the same name. As part of the cast that is currently touring stages across America and elsewhere, Mandviwala reveals the depths of his character and what he has to do to come across as a b…

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EP 534: Dr. Anne Soon Choi On Writing The First True Crime Biography Of Dr. Thomas Noguchi 42:56

7M ago42:56

42:56

Scholar Dr. Anne Soon Choi has just written L.A. Coroner:Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, the first-ever biography of Dr. Tsunetomi "Thomas" Noguchi, the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner of the County of Los Angeles from 1967 to 1982. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Noguchi conducted autopsies on some of the most high profile and controv…

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EP 533: NJ Senator Andy Kim On Still Being A Life-long Public Servant 55:00

8M ago55:00

55:00

Even though New Jersey freshman Senator Andy Kim has already served three terms in the House of Representatives, he still primarily sees himself as a life-long public servant rather than a politician. Prior to becoming a member of Congress, Kim served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Af…

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EP 532: Drs. Vitune & Roy Vongtama On The Crucial Role That USAID Played In Their Family All Becoming Doctors 48:32

8M ago48:32

48:32

With federal agency USAID now struggling to survive after being unfairly demeaned and discounted by Elon Musk and his DOGE crew, it's crucial that you hear the story of how USAID helped a poor Thai student to become a board certified radiation oncologist. Dr. Vitune Vongtama inspired both Roy and his brother Danny to follow in his footsteps. All to…

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EP 531: Tracey Gee On The Magic Of Knowing What You Want 1:00:59

8M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

Certified leadership coach and consultant Tracey Gee has recently published her first book. Entitled The Magic of Knowing What You Want: A Practical Guide to Unearthing the Wisdom of Your Desires, it's a much-needed resource for knowing who you really are and then identifying and pursuing what you really want. If you'd like to know more about her, …

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EP 530: Documentary Filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi On Why Contagious Courage Is Still Needed Today 55:01

8M ago55:01

55:01

In this episode Bay Area filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi goes into great detail about the myriad little-known incarceration camps that the federal government created to keep Japanese American "troublemakers" away from those confined in the larger and better known incarceration camps following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI. Her first two documentarie…

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EP 529: Sarah Ahn On Her Cookbook "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes" 49:23

9M ago49:23

49:23

Sarah Ahn is America's Test Kitchen's social media manager and the creator of the Ahnest Kitchen website (www.ahnestkitchen.com). She records her experiences on Instagram and Tik Tok of living with her Korean immgrant parents, chronicling her mother's cooking, grocery shopping trips, and more. Many of Sarah's posts have gone viral with 10+ million …

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EP 528: Gloria Lai Huang On Writing Her Novel "Kaya Of The Ocean" 52:35

9M ago52:35

52:35

Kaya of the Ocean is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Gloria Lai Huang that explores themes of mental health, the immigrant experience, and self-acceptance. The story follows Kaya, a thirteen-year-old girl who struggles with anxiety and a fear of water, as she discovers her lineage as a descendant of the Chinese water goddess Mazu. This heartfelt ad…

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EP 527: Activist Artist & Author Nancy Wang On The History Of Chinese In The Monterey Bay Fishing Villages 59:30

9M ago59:30

59:30

Bay Area artist and activist Nancy Wang has recently written a captivating fictional historical account of the Chinese who built and worked out of the fishing villages in the Monterey Bay area during the 1850s in California. Entitled Red Altar, her book brings to life the experiences of these early pioneers from China, including her fiesty multilin…

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EP 526: Rev. Lydia Sohn On The Spirituality Of Staying In A Culture Of Leaving 1:03:02

9M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

Whether or not you identify as spiritual or some kind of Christian, I'm pretty sure most of us are quite familiar with the tendency--if not the temptation--to live as if the grass is always greener on the other side of the septic tank. Armed with this mindset, many of us move on, move away, or just keep on moving rather than stay put in hopes of fi…

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EP 525: The Two Kens On The One Word That Best Describes Trump & How To Thwart Him 46:09

9M ago46:09

46:09

In this latest installment of the Two Kens collaborative series between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they introduce a term that respected German sociologist Max Weber first introduced 100 years ago that they believe best describes what Donald Trump is working hard to accomplish in his second term, and how knowing this term also tells us how best to thwar…

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EP 524: Dr. Grishma Shah On Her Debut South Asian American Novel "Anagram Destiny" 56:57

10M ago56:57

56:57

Dr. Grishma Shah's debut novel Anagram Destiny is a soul warming love story nestled in an inspiring tale of the American dream, manifesting an Indian immigrant success story shattered by the evils of globalization– paying homage to a generation of immigrants who held their heads low so one day, their children could lift theirs high. To learn more a…

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EP 523: Dr. Karen Fang On Outstanding Artist Tyrus Wong 58:18

10M ago58:18

58:18

If you're one of the fortunate people who know who Tyrus Wong was and what a pivotal role he played in getting the classic Disney film "Bambi" made, I think you'll still be blown away by what Dr. Karen Fang has revealed in her recent book, "Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong." I'll give you two hints: Christmas cards and custom kite…

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EP 522: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah On Why The Dismantling Of USAID Should Be A Wake Up Call for American Evangelicals 54:30

10M ago54:30

54:30

In this episode seminary professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reiterates that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID should serve as a serious wake up call to American Evangelical Christians because now Christian relief agencies will no longer receive gifts in kind from the federal government. However, if they continue to celebrate USAID's demise,…

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EP 521: Dr. Roger Newman On His Black Uncle's Experiences in the Jim Crow South & U.S. Army 59:18

10M ago59:18

59:18

As a nod to this being Black History Month and also as a form of pushback against the current dismantling of meritocracy in the U.S. Military by the Trump administration, I invited Dr. Roger Newman to talk about his latest novel Boys, a work of historical fiction based on what he learned about his Black Uncle Alex growing up in the Jim Crow South a…