Asian American History 101

Asian American History 101 is a fun, family-friendly, and informative podcast co-hosted by Gen and Ted Lai, the daughter and father team. The podcast will entertain and educate people as Gen and Ted dive into the vast history of Asian Pacific Americans from the struggles they faced to their contributions and triumphs. And sometimes we cover topics of the Asian Pacific Diaspora globally.

A Conversation with Satsuki Ina, Trauma Therapist, Activist, Filmmaker, and the Author of The Poet and the Silk Girl 11/17/2025

A Conversation with Satsuki Ina, Trauma Therapist, Activist, Filmmaker, and the Author of The Poet and the Silk Girl 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 of how her parents, brother, and she survived and resisted their incarceration in U.S. concentration camps. One of the things that makes this memoir even more personal is that she was able to draw from diary entries, emotional haiku, censored letters, government documents, and clandestine messages that her parents Shizuko and Itaru Ina shared with each other. Satsuki further adds to the relevance and personalization by connecting her family’s experience to the race and immigration stories unfolding today as well—from rising anti-Asian hate crimes to the militarization of immigration enforcement. At 81, Satsuki continues to be at the forefront of Asian American activism. She's a co-founder of , a nonviolent, direct-action project of Japanese American social justice advocates. To learn more about Satsuki Ina, you can visit her , follow her , support , watch her recent addresses at the and the , and you can of course get your own copy of If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/39048305

The History of the Chinese Labour Corps in WWI 11/10/2025

A Conversation with Thien Ho, Sacramento District Attorney and Author of The People vs The Golden State Killer 11/03/2025

A Conversation with Sheilah Jane, Wellness Advocate and the Author of Shadows and Sunrises A True Story of Shame, Strength, and Rebirth Across Continents 10/27/2025

A Conversation with with Brenda Do, The Author of the Picture Book It's Okay Not To Know 10/20/2025

A Conversation with Beth Lew-Williams, Award-Winning Professor and Director of Asian American Studies at Princeton University, and Author of John Doe Chinaman 10/13/2025

The History and Evolution of Teriyaki- From Glaze to Global Icon 10/06/2025

The History and Evolution of Teriyaki- From Glaze to Global Icon Welcome to Season 5, Episode 40! In this episode, we explore the flavorful transformation of teriyaki—from its roots in Edo-period Japan as a fish-glazing technique to a global flavor phenomenon. We trace how teriyaki made its way across the Pacific, evolved in Hawaiʻi through Japanese immigrant innovation, and exploded in popularity thanks to the Seattle-style chicken teriyaki plate introduced by Toshihiro “Toshi” Kasahara. Along the way, we compare the Hawaiian plate lunch to the traditional Japanese bento, examine bottled sauce pioneers like Kikkoman, Soy Vay, and Mr. Yoshida’s, and share stats on North American teriyaki consumption (It’s a lot!). The episode also features quotes from food writers and chefs like Sonoko Sakai, Roy Choi, Soleil Ho, David Chang, and Sheldon Simeon (whom we had a conversation with way back on ), as we discuss how reframing teriyaki from a method into a flavor has fueled its growth. Whether in burgers, tacos, wings, or jerky, teriyaki has truly become a taste that transcends borders. In our recurring segment, we have another installment of Obscure API Comic Book Characters. Today we bring you the DC hero Shiny Happy Aquazon, a water-based hero of Japanese origin created by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones. We open the episode with some current events that include celebrations of Shohei Ohtani, Jessica Sanchez, and Arthur Sze. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . Segments 00:25 Intro and Celebrations: Shohei Ohtani, Jessica Sanchez, and Arthur Sze 04:55 The History and Evolution of Teriyaki: From Glaze to Global Icon 16:09 Obscure API Comic Book Characters: Shiny Happy Aquazon AKA Kim Kimura Photo Credits: Top Teriyaki Tofu from /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/38468145

A Conversation with Ashley Du, the Founder of Meaningful Beginnings Childcare 09/29/2025

Another Conversation with Jamie Jo Hoang, Author of the New Novel My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser 09/22/2025

The History of the Secret War in Laos, Part 2 09/15/2025

A Conversation with New York Times Bestselling Writer, Producer, Speaker, and Author of The Vale, Abigail Hing Wen 09/08/2025

A Conversation with New York Times Bestselling Writer, Producer, Speaker, and Author of The Vale, Abigail Hing Wen Welcome to Season 5, Episode 36! Our guest this episode is the New York Times bestselling author . She’s probably best known for the book Loveboat, Taipei and its two companion novels Loveboat Reunion and Loveboat Forever, as well as Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies. Her latest work is which will be released on September 16th. is Illustrated by and , and it’s published by our favorite publisher . It’s a coming-of-age story that is both science fiction and fantasy in a way. Bran, the main protagonist is the son of two inventors and has helped them develop an immersive VR world called the Vale. There’s a little action, romance, magic, technology, and mystery; and the themes include family, belonging, persistence, love, and friendship… in other words, there’s something for every reader young and old. There’s also a short film prequel being created called THE VALE–ORIGINS starring the award-winning actress, singer, and stage performer . We highly recommend getting the Vale, and if you pre-order it and submit the receipt, you can even get some free stickers. We learned a lot about Abigail in our conversation beyond her education and journey to writing. Other than novels, she’s a producer, director, and woman-in-tech leader specializing in artificial intelligence… and she’s a mother of two. She writes and speaks about tech, AI ethics, women’s leadership and transforming culture. In our conversation, we also discuss: How The Vale got published Ways she included technology that’s truly believable What it was like to create an illustrated novel The power of teacher guides and thoughtful questions What to expect from her debut directorial short film The Vale Origins And much more. To learn more about Abigail Hing Wen, you can visit her website , follow her instagram , go to her for even more links, and of course, purchase ! And don’t forget, if you pre-order through Barnes & Noble or an independent bookseller, you can get some free stickers. And if you’re in New York, stop by before September 21 for a free trial size of any flavor, but we recommend The Vale inspired Elfberry Blue. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/38111315

The History of API Garment Workers and the Labor Movement... Stitching Resistance 09/01/2025

A Conversation with Litigator, Speaker, Friendship Expert, and Author of Table for 51, Shari Leid 08/25/2025

A Conversation with Writer, Podcast Host, and Author of Breaking Into New Hollywood, Ada Tseng 08/18/2025

A Conversation with Writer, Podcast Host, and Author of Breaking Into New Hollywood, Ada Tseng Welcome to Season 5, Episode 33! Our guest today is . She’s a journalist, editor, podcaster, runner, wellness advocate and karaoke enthusiast. She is the co-author of the new book . It just came out on August 12 2025, and it’s co-written with Jon Healey and published by the Los Angeles Times and Simon & Schuster. Breaking Into New Hollywood is a practical collection that offers insights on navigating the Hollywood industry today and how it’s changed with CGI, AI, video streaming, social media, and more. Whether you’re an aspiring set designer, agent, director, writer, actor, manager, or anything to do with making films in front or behind the scenes, this is an invaluable resource. Ada has written for a variety of outlets including the LA Times, National Geographic, Center of Asian American Media, Women’s Wear Daily, HowStuffWorks, The Washington Post, Public Radio International, NBC, LA Weekly, Asia Pacific Arts, and Audrey Magazine (just to name a few). We should also mention that Ada is the co-host of the Saturday School Podcast with Brian Hu which is one of our favorites, especially for Asian American pop culture. In our conversation, we talk about how she got involved with pop culture and this book, how she organized the book, the importance of adding in diversity to the different featured insiders in the book, what she thinks is the most important element of making it in Hollywood, what her fantasy career in Hollywood could be, and a lot more. As a veteran podcaster, she even turns the tables and asks us a few questions. For more of Ada’s work, you can check out , follow her on , subscribe to the , and get . If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/37850115

A Conversation with the Author of Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken Kimberly Tso 08/11/2025

A Conversation with the Author of Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken Kimberly Tso Welcome to Season 5, Episode 32! We love having conversations with a lot of amazing authors of a lot of fabulous books. It’s even more fun when we’re able to invite an amazing author who’s also a long-time friend or family member. So this episode is exciting for us because our guest is , the author of the new picture book which is published by (one of our favorite publishers)! And yes, we’ve known Kim for the better part of three decades. Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken is a picture book inspired by the true story of Lillie, a real chicken trained to play tic-tac-toe in New York's Chinatown Fair arcade, and her relocation to a farm for rescued animals. Featuring vibrant paintings of Chinatown by , Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken showcases a local cultural touchstone and shows how children can stand up for what they believe in and solve tough problems with clever thinking. You don’t have to wait till Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken’s release date on August 19, 2025, because it’s available for pre-order through , , , , and more! You can even get a from Once Upon a Time Bookstore. Kim is an active member of the (SCBWI) SoCal and SCBWI LA. She loves the challenge of writing complex ideas in an accessible way. She also likes to draw, paint, and collage. In addition to writing children’s books, Kim is the owner of Velocity Ink, LLC, a consulting firm that provides grant writing and strategic planning services to progressive nonprofit organizations. A very successful grant writer, she’s also the author of the workbook "Fix It and Get Funded: 10 Do-It-Yourself Repairs for Grant Proposals.” To see more of Kim’s work, you can visit her website , or follow her on , , , or subscribe to her newsletter. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/37746475

A Conversation with Writer, Producer, Director, and Author of Transplants Daniel Tam-Claiborne 08/04/2025

A Conversation with Writer, Producer, Director, and Author of Transplants Daniel Tam-Claiborne Welcome to Season 5, Episode 31! Our guest today is , a writer, multimedia producer, and nonprofit director. His latest work is the novel released by Simon & Schuster. It’s a coming of age story following two young women—Lin, who is Chinese and Liz, who is Chinese American. They’re both navigating the journey to find their truest selves in a world that doesn’t know where either of them belong. The novel is an exploration of race, love, power, and freedom that reveals how—in spite of our divided times—even our fiercest differences may bring us closer than we can imagine. Tam-Claiborne is also the author of the short story collection , and his writing has appeared in a variety of publications and outlets including Michigan Quarterly Review, Catapult, Literary Hub, Off Assignment, The Rumpus, HuffPost, and elsewhere. Outside of writing, Daniel serves on the Board of Directors of Seattle City of Literature and on the Advisory Board of Off Assignment. He’s a frequent speaker, moderator, and host. In our conversation, we discuss the process of writing a novel, inspiration for Transplants, feelings of belonging, the importance of COVID and lockdown as an element of Transplants, the diversity in the Asian American community, and so much more. is a well-written, moving book that we think shares several common themes that resonate with so many audiences. Tam-Claiborne doesn’t shy away from deep issues that Asian Americans, Asians, and expats face as he explores belonging, identity, and more. You can see more of Daniel’s work on his website or his Instagram account . If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/37649290

A Conversation with the Author and Illustrator of We're Different and It's Totally Cool, Camey Yeh 07/28/2025

A Conversation with Award-winning Educator, Researcher, and Author Gordon H Chang 07/21/2025

A Conversation with Award-winning Educator, Researcher, and Author Gordon H Chang Welcome to Season 5, Episode 29! Today we’re joined by a true icon in the world of academia—. A celebrated historian, Professor Chang is both the Olive H. Palmer Professor in Humanities and a Professor of History at Stanford University. He’s also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. We’re honored to speak with him about his latest book , published by Stanford University Press in May 2025. This anthology compiles some of his most powerful essays written over decades of impactful scholarship. The topics range from foreign relations and U.S. imperialism to race, Asian American identity, and the cultural contributions of Asian Americans. Our conversation covers everything from the role of propaganda in shaping views of Asians, the long history of harmful stereotypes, and the cultural erasure seen during Japanese internment—including how artists like Dr. Seuss and creators of Superman contributed to racist narratives. Professor Chang also reflects on the political engagement of Asian Americans and why “nurture vs. nature” plays a crucial role in debunking the myth of political apathy in the community. We also touch on a more personal subject: his interest in art history, including how his father’s legacy inspired him to explore and uplift overlooked Asian American artists like Dong Kingman, whose brilliance was too often overshadowed by the racist caricatures found in mainstream media. This episode offers not only a look into Professor Chang’s new book, but a deeper understanding of how history, race, and culture intersect in America—and why writing history is always personal. Links and Resources: Learn more about Read more from Gordon H. Chang, including , Fateful Ties, and Asian American Art: A History, 1850-1970 If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/37344710

A Conversation with Award-winning Investigative Journalist, Editor, and the Author of Strangers in the Land Michael Luo 07/14/2025

A Conversation with Award-winning Investigative Journalist, Editor, and the Author of Strangers in the Land Michael Luo Welcome to Season 5, Episode 28! In this episode, we sit down with , the award-winning journalist, editor, and author of . Currently an executive editor at The New Yorker, Michael writes extensively on politics, religion, and Asian American issues. Before joining The New Yorker, he spent over a decade at The New York Times as a national correspondent and investigative reporter, earning accolades like the George Polk Award and the Livingston Award for Young Journalists. His latest book, Strangers in the Land, published by Doubleday in April 2024, is a sweeping and deeply researched narrative history of the Chinese American experience—from the Gold Rush era to the 1960s. Drawing from archival sources, court cases, and personal stories, Luo sheds light on how Chinese immigrants helped build America while simultaneously being pushed to its margins. He highlights the people and policies that shaped their journey—from the railroad workers and early activists to the architects of exclusion laws and the courts that upheld them. Through vivid storytelling and compelling analysis, Luo explores the roots of anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S., the foundations of our modern immigration surveillance state, and the broader struggle for belonging in a multiracial democracy. This is a must-read not only for lovers of history but for anyone seeking to understand how the past shapes our present-day debates on race, immigration, and identity. In our conversation, Michael shares insights on how he approached this project, why it was important to center underrepresented figures like Hung Wah, Wong Chin Foo, Chin Gee Hee, and Sun Chong, and how understanding this history can guide us through today’s political and cultural tensions. If you want to hear more from Michael you can read his work in the New Yorker or see his posts on Instagram . If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram . For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at or our links at . If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at . /episode/index/show/asianamericanhistory101/id/37344500