A Conversation with with Brenda Do, The Author of the Picture Book It's Okay Not To Know
Release Date: 10/20/2025
Season 5 Review
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 52! This is it, the final episode of Season 5! As we close out 2025, we take a moment to reflect on the guests we’ve had on the show as well as the different topics we’ve talked about. We’d link them all here, but it would take a LOT of space to honor everyone. So let’s just say that we’ve had a great year, highlighted by some very special guests. Our guests this season included well-known academics like Gordon H. Chang, Ann Ishimaru, and Beth Lew-Williams; entertainers from the stage and screen like Olivia Cheng, Troy Iwata, and Nancy Wang;...
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A Conversation with Andrea Wang, Award-Winning Author of the Picture Book Worthy The Brave and Capable Life of Joseph Pierce
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 51! Our guest today is the award-winning children’s book author, . She’s written several books and been recognized with many awards including The Newbery Honor and Caldecott Medal. Andrea’s latest picture book is , a notable Chinese American who fought during the Civil War and, beyond all odds, earned naturalized citizenship. We love how she’s unafraid of tackling some heavy topics that include racism, discrimination, and belonging. The beautiful picture book is illustrated by Youa Vang, If you’re looking for some of Andrea’s...
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A Conversation with Professor Ann M Ishimaru, Co-Editor and Author of Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 50! Our guest today is doing important work in researching educational change. is an award-winning scholar, writer, educator and the Killinger Endowed Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy at the University of Washington College of Education. Her latest book is , it was published this September by Teachers College Press. This collection of research and writing that she contributed to as both an author and co-editor is created with Dr. Decoteau Irby, and it takes a deep examination of DEI initiatives and the process of change...
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The History of API in Formula 1 Racing
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 49! Vroooommmm!!! We’re exploring the story of Asian Pacific Islanders in Formula 1… and this is something we actually know a bit about. This is a sport long dominated by Europeans and a handful of South Americans, but there has been a small group of drivers of Asian Pacific descent who have made an impact in recent years. We’ll share a little about F1 racing in general as well as when API began making their mark in the sport. In addition to recent drivers like (our favorite), , , and now Arvid Lindblad, we’ll also talk about a few engineers,...
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A Conversation with Karin K Jensen, Award-Winning Writer and Author of the Memoir The Strength of Water
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 48! Our guest is Karin K. Jensen. She’s a local news writer for the Alameda Post and the author of the moving memoir The Strength of Water: An Asian American Coming of Age Memoir. It’s an award-winning memoir that was recently re-released on November 7th by Sibylline Press. The memoir follows her mother, King Ying, and her Asian American journey… from her childhood in 1920s Detroit to moving back to the village Tai Ting Pong in Guangdong, China, and then back to the US again. Along the way, she faced heaps of hardship while strengthening her resolve to...
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A Conversation with Dom Magwili, Actor, Director, Playwright, Educator, and Author of Scientific Dragons The Adventure of Ensun Castle
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 47! We’re huge fans of , and our guest this episode, , has worked with them since 1974. If that’s all he did, it would be an amazing career. However, Dom has also been an actor, director, educator, and author. His latest work is . It’s an entertaining and thrilling adventure that mixes historical figures, key fictional characters, Filipino culture, and a healthy dose of imagination in a steampunk environment. Among the work he’s created for stage and screen include Much Adobo About Nothing, A Jive Bomber’s Christmas (which had a 10-year run at the...
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A Conversation with Satsuki Ina, Trauma Therapist, Activist, Filmmaker, and the Author of The Poet and the Silk Girl
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 46! Many of our guests are multi-hyphenates when it comes to their impact in the world, and today’s guest can definitely be described that way. is a Trauma Therapist, Activist, Filmmaker, Educator, and the Author of the Memoir which was released on September 9, 2025. Satsuki is a survivor of the Japanese incarceration during World War II. She was born in the camps and spent her first few years there, both experiencing the trauma in her early years as well as through her parents. In her memoir, The Poet and the Silk Girl, Satsuki tells the story...
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The History of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 45! Today’s episodes takes us back in history to the first “great war.” We’re focused on the forgotten participants in World War I… This is the story of the Chinese Labour Corps. During World War I, over 140,000 Chinese men crossed oceans to support the Allies. Their story is often forgotten and kind of ended in betrayal. China hoped to earn respect and reclaim lost territory, especially Shandong Province. But in the end, the Allies broke their promises, reinforcing racial stereotypes and leaving China humiliated. In our opening segment we celebrate...
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A Conversation with Thien Ho, Sacramento District Attorney and Author of The People vs The Golden State Killer
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 44! Our guest today is , the Sacramento District attorney and long time prosecutor. He’s also the author of the upcoming book, which will be published by and releases on November 11th. This true crime memoir follows Thien's experience as the lead prosecutor on the case against Joseph DeAngelo, one of the most notorious serial killers of the 20th century. It covers never-before published details about the investigation, capture, and trial that put DeAngelo behind bars. At the same time, the book is a memoir that follows Thien's personal story escaping...
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A Conversation with Sheilah Jane, Wellness Advocate and the Author of Shadows and Sunrises A True Story of Shame, Strength, and Rebirth Across Continents
Asian American History 101
Welcome to Season 5, Episode 43! This episode’s guest is . She’s a writer, entrepreneur and wellness advocate. Her latest work is a heartfelt memoir called In it she brings lived experience and lyrical prose to tell the story of her life and family. Her book is a powerful memoir that was released on October 7, 2025. From a childhood under Martial Law in the Philippines to rebuilding a life in America, Shadows and Sunrises traces Sheilah Jane’s journey through teen motherhood, cultural dislocation, and the quiet rituals that held her together. Outside of writing, Sheila is a...
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Welcome to Season 5, Episode 42! Our guest today is Brenda Do. She’s a copywriter who has spent nearly two decades helping businesses communicate in a more humanistic way which helps them connect more meaningfully with the people they serve. She’s also the author of a fun and meaningful picture book called It’s Okay Not To Know.
It’s Okay Not To Know is a picture book that helps readers understand how to overcome self-doubt and stress that they sometimes feel when they are faced with challenges. Through curiosity and compassion, kids are able to flip these challenges and obstacles into opportunities for growth. Illustrations by C.S. Fritz, the book is a great reminder that empathy starts with yourself and then you can help others.
In our conversation, Brenda shares why she was inspired to write It’s Okay Not To Know, what it was like working with C.S. Fritz, some of the design choices she made, what the response to her story has been, and so much more. You can learn more about Brenda through her site, Instagram account @officialbrendado, and linktr.ee.
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