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.
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Another Conversation with Award-Winning Writer and Editor Karen Yin, Author of Nice to Eat You
07/20/2026
Another Conversation with Award-Winning Writer and Editor Karen Yin, Author of Nice to Eat You
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 29! We have an incredible returning guest who’s back with us for the third time! is the author of several books including (published by Little, Brown Spark). She has also written several stories for children, including (published by Barefoot Books), (published by Page Street Kids), (published by Scholastic), and her latest book (published by Scholastic, and released on July 7, 2026) Illustrated by Carolina Coroa, Nice to Eat You is a fun picture book that’s full of dark humor and clever word play… a hallmark of much of Karen’s work. We think kids and adults will love this Hansel & Gretel-inspired Halloween story about a friendly but sneaky witch who lures a group of children to her house. The story keeps you guessing as to whether the kids are in for a pleasant visit . . . or in danger of becoming the meal. In our conversation, Karen shares her journey to publishing Nice to Eat You, how she helps support the illustration process, why wordplay appeals to her, and a lot more! To follow more of Karen’s work you can visit her website , follow her on instagram , and purchase your own copy of or any of Karen’s other work. 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 .
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The Magical History of Ching Ling Foo vs Chung Ling Soo
07/13/2026
The Magical History of Ching Ling Foo vs Chung Ling Soo
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 28! Sometimes our topical episodes are focused on the obscure history of Asian Pacific Islanders. Sometimes our topical episodes are focused on the weird history of Asian Pacific Islanders. For this episode, it’s Asian Pacific history that is both obscure and weird. When it comes to the magicians Ching Ling Foo and Chung Ling Soo, this is a history that might be the first instance of yellow face in popular entertainment. Born Zhu Liankui in China during the Qing Dynasty around 1854, the entertainer Ching Ling Foo was relatively successful stage magician who toured America, Europe, and much of the world. Chung Ling Soo pretended to be the same. In the nineteenth century, it wasn’t unusual for European nations to not really have much experience with people of Asian Pacific descent. This is a story full of magic, identity theft, and challenges. To learn the rest of the history, you’ll have to listen to the episode. 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: Memories of Magic 02:40 The Magical History of Ching Ling Foo vs Chung Ling Soo
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A Conversation with Cartoonist, Writer, Illustrator Miles Toriko Burks, the Creator of the Graphic Novel Encore!
07/06/2026
A Conversation with Cartoonist, Writer, Illustrator Miles Toriko Burks, the Creator of the Graphic Novel Encore!
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 27! Our guest this episode is . He’s a California-based cartoonist, writer, and illustrator whose work focuses on heartfelt stories about identity, friendship, queer joy, and emotional vulnerability. His debut print graphic novel was released June 2, 2026 through HarperAlley. It’s the print adaptation of his very popular Webtoon series of the same name. Encore! is a queer YA rom-com about two former best friends reconnecting during a shared high school theater class, and after they’re partnered up, they need to confront the unresolved feelings and emotional distance between them. The story has already drawn comparisons to works like Heartstopper for its warmth, sincerity, and focus on emotional connection. A lifelong artist, Burks first gained a loyal viewership online through fan comics and digital illustration before transitioning into original storytelling on Webtoon. This is where his story Encore! developed a devoted following. His work blends expressive artwork with deeply relatable coming-of-age themes, often centering characters from underrepresented backgrounds and exploring how relationships evolve over time. We love how Miles is focused on creating stories featuring characters who reflect identities and experiences that he rarely saw growing up. He creates diverse stories without focusing on all the representation he includes. In our conversation we talk about the inspiration for Encore!, how he developed his artistic style, the conversations he hopes he inspires with his work, the impact of social media and Webtoon on feedback, the importance of queer joy, and so much more. To learn more about Miles Toriko Burks, you can visit his website at , follow him on instagram , purchase your own copy of , or see his work on . We’ll link to these in our show notes. 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 .
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A Conversation with Jolene Gutiérrez and Chris Sasaki the Award-Winning Author and Award-Winning Illustrator of Unbreakable
06/29/2026
A Conversation with Jolene Gutiérrez and Chris Sasaki the Award-Winning Author and Award-Winning Illustrator of Unbreakable
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 26! Our guests today are and … two of the creators of the picture book , Published by Abrams. It’s an incredibly moving story cowritten by Minoru (Min) Tonai, an advocate for Japanese American rights. Unbreakable is a great balance of historical information, lived experiences for Tonai and his family, and the emotional challenges they faced during their incarceration in the Amache “camp” during World War II, as they campaigned to release Tonai's father from the FBI. The book does a great job of balancing a very serious topic and making it accessible to younger audiences. Jolene Gutiérrez is an award-winning neurodivergent teacher librarian who has been working with neurodivergent learners at Denver Academy since 1995. Jolene writes for young readers and hopes her books will help some readers feel seen and will inspire others to learn and grow in compassion. She is the winner of the 2025 Crystal Kite Award for the Southwest Region. In addition to Unbreakable, Jolene’s work includes Mamiachi and Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band (co-authored with her son Dakota); The Ofrenda That We Built (co-authored with her daughter Shaian); Too Much! An Overwhelming Day; the Stars of Latin Pop series; Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks; and Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader. Chris Sasaki is an EMMY and ANNIE award-winning animation artist. With a rich career spanning over several high-profile studios, they have directed and developed content for Pixar, Tonko House, and Apple. Their impressive portfolio includes collaborations with LAIKA Entertainment, Blue Sky Studios, Disney Television Animation, DreamWorks, and the Jim Henson Company. In addition to their animation work, Chris is a celebrated figure in the literary world, known for their captivating picture books. Their titles include GHOST; Home is a Window; Animal Architects; Sakamoto’s Swim Club; and of course, the incredible Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist. Their illustrations have earned them the prestigious Dilys Evans Founders Award from the Society of Illustrators. To learn more about Jolene, you can find her online at or on Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram, or Threads . To learn more about Chris, you can find them online at or on Instagram . We highly recommend getting your own copy of Unbreakable (preferably from the ). And if you’re an educator or know an educator, then please share the that can be found on Jolene’s site as well as some on Chris’s site. And if you’re interested in going to one of their live events, the book’s website has a list of including events in Colorado and Southern California. 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 .
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A Conversation with NY Times Bestselling Author Livia Blackburne and Illustrator and Author Julia Kuo the Creators of Bings Cherries
06/22/2026
A Conversation with NY Times Bestselling Author Livia Blackburne and Illustrator and Author Julia Kuo the Creators of Bings Cherries
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 25! Our guests today are and , the author and illustrator of … A modern American tall tale woven by a girl and her father about Ah Bing, the Chinese immigrant behind the Pacific Northwest’s most delicious cherries. The book was released on March 10, 2026. Julia Kuo is the author and illustrator of several books including Home Is a Wish, Let’s Do Everything and Nothing, and Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night. She is also the illustrator of several notable picture books including When Love Is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung, I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough and Grace Lin, and one of our favorites, I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne. Additionally, Julia has created editorial illustrations for publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner. Her YA books include Rosemarked (A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee), Disney’s Feather and Flame, and Clementine and Danny Save the World (And Each Other) [A Junior Library Guild selection], as well as the picture books Dreams to Ashes (An Orbis Pictus Honor Book) and I Dream of Popo, which received three starred reviews and was on numerous Best of Year lists. We love how they intentionally mixed in some elements of Chinese mythology with actual history and the American tall tales genre. In our conversation, we talk about the inspiration for the story, what it’s like working with familiar collaborators, their individual journeys, and so much more. To learn more about Julia, you can visit or follower her on instagram . To learn more about Livia, you can visit or follow her on instagram at . 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 .
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A Conversation with Lian Cheun, The Executive Director of Khmer Girls in Action
06/15/2026
A Conversation with Lian Cheun, The Executive Director of Khmer Girls in Action
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 24! Our guest today is Lian Cheun, the Executive Director of the impactful group . A 1.5 generation refugee from Cambodia, Lian grew up in the Bay Area and has spent more than two decades organizing Cambodian and Southeast Asian youth in Long Beach. Lian along with Khmer Girls in Action turn grassroots activism into real policy change, where youth leaders became part of Long Beach’s participatory budgeting process, even helping decide how public funds are spent. Lian has worked with a variety of groups like the Migrant Forum in Asia, the Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program (MAAP) at the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO), and President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Khmer Girls in Action has been and continues to be a political home as well as a safe and brave space to build youth and community power in order to win racial, gender and economic justice… and, they’re led by Southeast Asian women and youth! From refugee camp to prestigious award winner Lian has had a remarkable journey. To learn more about their work, volunteer, or support them, you can visit their website , donate by clicking on the , or follow them 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 .
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A Conversation with Eve J Chung, Lawyer and Best-Selling Author of The Young Will Remember
06/08/2026
A Conversation with Eve J Chung, Lawyer and Best-Selling Author of The Young Will Remember
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 23! Our guest today is , a Taiwanese American lawyer and women’s human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation, and she’s also a best-selling author! Eve’s latest novel is , a work of historical fiction set during the Korean War. In this gripping story, Eve sheds light on a “Forgotten War,” The resilience of love within our darkest histories, and the indefatigable determination of mothers to protect their children. The story centers on Ellie Chang, a twenty-eight year old Chinese American journalist trying to cover a battle in the mountains of North Korea. After her plane is shot down, she survives through undying determination, the help of a few North Korean women, and sheer luck. Ellie is rescued by Emma, a North Korean mother searching for her lost daughter who thinks Ellie is who she’s looking for. The story builds from there with other people who help take Ellie in… sometimes reluctantly. As Ellie works her way back towards the frontlines of where the Americans are fighting in the ever intensifying war, she faces hard decisions of loyalty, friendship, and her journalistic instincts. In our conversation, we talk about her journey to being an author, the research she did, some of the inspiration for Ellie, the challenges that Asian Americans face that Eve tried to convey, the challenges of today, and so much more. Eve’s previous novel was the Daughters of Shandong, and all her writing is inspired by social justice movements, and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. To learn more about Eve, you can visit her website or follow her 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 .
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A Conversation with Award-Winning Professor of Law Ming Chen, the Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair at UC Law SF
06/01/2026
A Conversation with Award-Winning Professor of Law Ming Chen, the Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair at UC Law SF
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 22! Professor is the Harry & Lillian Hastings Research Chair and Faculty-Director of the , University of California Law, San Francisco. Chen teaches courses in constitutional law, citizenship, immigration, and race. She brings a socio-legal perspective to the study of race, immigration, and the administrative state. With the upcoming decision on Trump vs. Barbara, the constitutionality of Executive Order 14160 is in question. This case which has the potential to redefine birthright citizenship may have a huge impact on 14th Amendment and the rights of tens of thousands of people born in the country to immigrant parents. She is also the author of (Stanford University Press, 2020) and speaks widely on birthright citizenship… including giving a TEDx Talk in 2020 based on her book. In our conversation we talk about the 14th Amendment, Wong Kim Ark, Executive Order 14160 and Trump vs Barbara, how questions of the unknown drives fear, Constitutional Originalists, and so much more. 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 .
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A Conversation with Newbery Award Winning Writer Erin Entrada Kelly, the Author of The Second Life of Snap
05/25/2026
A Conversation with Newbery Award Winning Writer Erin Entrada Kelly, the Author of The Second Life of Snap
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 21! is a multiple award-winning Filipino American author best known for her emotionally honest and deeply relatable novels for middle grade and young adult readers. Born in Louisiana to a Filipino mother, Kelly often draws from her own experiences growing up between cultures. She uses humor, vulnerability, and empathy to explore what it means to search for identity and belonging. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a journalist and magazine editor, experiences that helped shape her sharp dialogue and realistic characters. is a middle grade science fiction novel that was released on May 12, 2026, from Greenwillow Books. The story follows twelve-year-old Zuzu Santos, who lives with her friends in a struggling, drought-ridden community controlled by a powerful corporation in a near-future world shaped by climate change. After Zuzu’s father loses his job, the family receives an outdated guardian robot named Snap instead of proper severance support. Although Zuzu is initially suspicious of robots, she slowly forms a deep bond with Snap as his battery life begins to run out. The novel blends themes of friendship, survival, inequality, climate anxiety, and humanity’s relationship with technology, while still maintaining the warmth and emotional depth Kelly is known for. Erin is a New York Times bestselling author and has been honored by industry experts, her peers, and the readers multiple times, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for , 2018 Newbery Medal for , a 2021 Newbery Honor for , the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for , and the 2017 APALA Award for , among many other honors. In our conversation, Erin shares a little about her journey to becoming an award-winning author, how winning multiple awards impacts her mindset, her background in Louisiana and how it shapes her work, what she hopes readers discuss and consider when it comes to technology, the considerations when writing about serious topics, and so much more. To learn more about Erin, you can visit her website , follow her on instagram , and of course purchase or any of her other work. 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 .
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A Conversation with Christina Baal-Owens, the Executive Director of NAPAWF
05/18/2026
A Conversation with Christina Baal-Owens, the Executive Director of NAPAWF
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 20! With Christina Baal Owens is a nationally recognized advocate and nonprofit leader dedicated to advancing racial and gender justice in the United States. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the , where she leads efforts to uplift the voices and rights of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women and gender-expansive people. Before joining NAPAWF, Christina built a career at the intersection of civil rights, labor, and strategic communications. She’s held leadership roles in various organizations that have promoted equity and representation, including key positions at the Service Employees International Union, where she helped to elevate the voices of workers—particularly women and immigrants—in national policy conversations. At NAPAWF, she continues this work by championing issues such as reproductive justice, economic equity, immigration rights, and community safety. Christina is committed to ensuring that AAPI women are not only included in national conversations, but centered in shaping the policies that impact their lives. Enjoy the conversation! In our conversation, Christina shares how it feels moving from Interim Executive Director to the full-time Executive Director, what NAPAWF is prioritizing, some future issues they want to tackle, and so much more. You can learn more about NAPAWF by going to their website , following their Instagram , or reading some of their . AND you can of course to support them. 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 .
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A Conversation with Sruthi Chandrasekaran the Director of Data and Research at TAAF
05/11/2026
A Conversation with Sruthi Chandrasekaran the Director of Data and Research at TAAF
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 19! Our guest today is Sruthi Chandrasekaran. She serves as The Asian American Foundation’s Director of Data and Research. She leads strategy development and implementation for the Data and Research team and targeted studies that identify and address the needs of the AAPI community. The Asian American Foundation, or , is the leading organization advancing safety, belonging, and prosperity for the AAPI community. Through groundbreaking programs, essential research, and cross-sector partnerships, TAAF addresses our community's most persistent challenges. We love their vision which states, “An America where opportunities to participate in all aspects of society are equally accessible, and individuals and communities are not rendered invisible, nor singled out for false stereotypes, discrimination, or hate on the basis of race.” On May 1st, TAAF released the sixth edition of the Social Tracking of Asian Americans in the U.S. Index, AKA the . This year’s STAATUS Index was created with the collaboration of NORC at the University of Chicago. In this essential study, they examine how Americans view AAPI communities and how AAPIs understand their own place in the country. To learn more about TAAF, you can visit their website , download the , visit their for great educational resources, follow them on Instagram , or to support their work. Enjoy the conversation. 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 .
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A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer Minh Le, Author of Miles Ahead
05/04/2026
A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer Minh Le, Author of Miles Ahead
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 18! Our guest today is the award-winning author and essayist . Whether writing picture books, middle grade graphic novels, or essays, his work often blends an engaging story with deeper lessons. His latest picture book is , the story of an adorable dog who helps his family welcome a new baby cousin. A lighthearted search ensues after their gift goes missing. It’s a heart-warming and amusing picture book that showcases a family rethinking what a meaningful gift could be, and they just happen to be of asian descent. With detailed illustrations by Lynnor Bontigao, it’s a story with lively dialogue, family memories, and a clever ending. Minh Lê is also the author of many picture books, middle grade graphic novels, and essays. His work incudes Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), Real to Me, The Blur, Lift (an Eisner Award nominee), The Perfect Seat, and Let Me Finish!, Green Lantern: Legacy, Green Lantern: Alliance, and Enlighten Me. His essays have been published in The New York Times, The Horn Book, HuffPost, NPR, Book Riot, and Reading Rainbow. He currently serves on the Board of We Need Diverse Books and is on the faculty of the Hamline MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. In our conversation, we talk about how he develops ideas, his philosophy on guiding illustrators, the benefits of frequent collaboration, Thích Nhất Hạnh, and a lot more. To learn more about Minh, you can visit his , follow him on instagram , buy , or any of his other . 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 .
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A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer and Educator Patricia Park, the Author of Ambrosia Lee Drops the Mic
04/27/2026
A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer and Educator Patricia Park, the Author of Ambrosia Lee Drops the Mic
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 17! We love stand-up comedy as well as books with diverse representation. So we’re really excited that our guest today is , a professor of creative writing and an award-winning writer. Her latest book is , a YA novel about a Korean American former child actress who decides to branch out and stand out in order to pursue her newfound love — stand-up comedy. It’s a funny story that also has some very real moments as Ambrosia, whose acting career peaked at the age of eleven, confronts family dynamics, the challenges when you don’t fit the stereotypical looks in Hollywood, and how hard it is to do stand-up comedy. Patricia Park is a tenured Associate Professor in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at American University, Fulbright scholar in Creative Arts, Edith Wharton Writer-in-Residence, Jerome Hill Artist Fellow. Her other moves have included the adult novel Re Jane as well as the YA books Imposter Syndrome & Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim and What’s Eating Jackie Oh. Additionally, Park has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, Guardian, Salon, and others notable publications. In our conversation, Patricia shares a little about her journey, what it was like to perform over 50 times in stand-up, how she designs emotional moments, the importance of having non-stereotypical characters of Asian descent, and more. To learn more about Patricia, you can visit her website , follow her on IG , read her , and of course buy any of her novels including her latest . Enjoy the Conversation. 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 .
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A Conversation with A Conversation with Scott Kurashige, Educator, President of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation, and Award-Winning Author of American Peril
04/20/2026
A Conversation with A Conversation with Scott Kurashige, Educator, President of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation, and Award-Winning Author of American Peril
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 16! Our guest this episode is , an award-winning Author, Educator, Activist, and Public Speaker, who has studied the problem of Anti-Asian Violence for 35+ years. He’s a nonprofit organizational leader and changemaker who addresses racial equity and social justice issues from an intersectional framework. He currently serves as President of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Foundation. His latest book is which released on April 7, 2026 and is published by . Although the topic of Anti-Asian racism gained a lot of attention during the COVID-19 pandemic with the increase in violence and racist rhetoric, it’s not a new problem. In the book, Scott takes a deep dive into the long history and ongoing problem of anti-Asian violence. In our conversation we discuss the long history of anti-Asian racism and violence, his connection with Grace Lee Boggs, his research process, possible repercussions from the current administrations focus on hypermasculinity, and more. To learn more about Scott, you can visit his website , follow him on instagram , and purchase or any of his other books (we especially loved which he co-wrote with Grace Lee Boggs). 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 .
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A Conversation with Professor Theodore Chao and Jenessa Joffe, Two Co-Authors of Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism
04/13/2026
A Conversation with Professor Theodore Chao and Jenessa Joffe, Two Co-Authors of Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 15! Today our guests are two of the co-authors of the very cool new book … and . Jenessa Joffe is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, producer, and mother who is passionate about creating social change through comedic, kid-focused content. Theodore Chao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education at California State University, Fullerton. His research centers on Digital Mathematics Storytelling to amplify counter-narratives that challenge harmful stereotypes in mathematics education. Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism is an entertaining and informative book designed for kids from approximately aged 10-14. It’s witty and inspiring, and discusses the Asian American community, past and present; explores allyship with other communities of color; finds a place in national and global movements; and turns inward so young readers can practice love and self-care. In our conversation, Jenessa and Theodore share a little about how the book came to be, some of the challenges and benefits to putting Auntie Kristina in print, the intentionality in designing activities, and more. The book will release on April 14, but if some outlets are already shipping it! To learn more about , Theodore, Jenessa, or the other two authors Kristina Wong and Anna Michelle Wang, we’ve listed their details below: link to Auntie Kristina’s Guide to Asian American Activism Instagram for the book: Website: Instagram: Website: Instagram: Website: Instagram: Website: Instagram: Watch 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 .
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A Conversation with Dennis V Tran, Strategist, Storyteller, and Inclusion Consultant
04/06/2026
A Conversation with Dennis V Tran, Strategist, Storyteller, and Inclusion Consultant
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 14! With Dennis V. Tran. Dennis is a Vietnamese American storyteller, disability advocate, and inclusion strategist whose work focuses on neurodiversity, mental health, and accessibility—particularly within Asian American communities. Dennis identifies as queer, partially blind, and neurodivergent, and he uses his lived experiences to advocate for more inclusive systems in media, workplaces, and public health. Something we think everyone should be supportive of. Among the interesting facts about Dennis is that he was a late-identified autistic ADHDer. Dennis has developed autism resource toolkits used by more than 70 affiliates of the Autism Society of America, consulted on inclusive media representation—including helping develop an autistic character for the children’s show Blue’s Clues & You! Dennis writes and speaks widely about disability justice, neurodiversity, and the intersections of identity, culture, and mental health in the Vietnamese American and broader Asian American communities. To learn more about Dennis Tran and his work, you can visit , connect with him on LinkedIn , or follow him on IG . Enjoy the Conversation! 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 .
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A Conversation with Professor Charlotte Brooks, Award-Winning Educator and Author of the Moys of New York and Shanghai
03/30/2026
A Conversation with Professor Charlotte Brooks, Award-Winning Educator and Author of the Moys of New York and Shanghai
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 13! Our guest today is a Professor of History at Baruch College and the CUNY Graduate Center. She’s a scholar of race, immigration, and urban history, and has published widely on Asian American history, especially Chinese American and Chinese diaspora history. Her latest book is an epic biography called (published by University of California Press, 2026). It’s a sprawling book that follows the six Moy siblings and their spouses and children through a tumultuous half-century of world war, revolution, and social transformation in the United States and China. They face discrimination, hardship, triumph, and destitution throughout their lives. We love how well researched it is and how it highlights some amazing moments in the Chinese American experience we don’t often hear about. In our conversation, Charlotte shares how she got into Asian American and Chinese American History, her research process and good fortune with The Moys of New York and Shanghai, the reasons she believes people should read her latest book, what it means to get the support and encouragement from her peers, and so much more. Charlotte is also the author of three other books. , , . Additionally, Prof. Brooks’ articles have also appeared in numerous journals. 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 .
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A Conversation with Mirai, Actor, Director, Writer, and Acclaimed Audiobook Narrator
03/23/2026
A Conversation with Mirai, Actor, Director, Writer, and Acclaimed Audiobook Narrator
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 12! We’re really excited that our guest this episode is , the acclaimed audiobook narrator who’s also an actress, director and writer. She’s a proud 3-time Audie Award Finalist for her audiobook narrating. Not sure what that is? It’s like the Academy Award of narration. Other than audiobook narration and Voice acting, she’s been an actor on stage and screen with over 20 years experience, and she’s done some directing. Her latest creative endeavor is the short film which Mirai was awarded a grant to produce. As the writer and star of this mockumentary, we know that it will feature Mirai’s wit and sense of humor while containing a deeper message about the industry struggles for Asian Americans. Interested in hearing her audiobook narration? She has a LOT of titles to her name, but some of our favorites include The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, A Perfect Day to Be Alone, and A Study in Secrets. To learn more about Mirai, you can visit her website , find her on instagram , and support the GoFundMe for her short film . 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 .
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A Conversation with Shang Saavedra, the Founder and CEO of Save My Cents Founder and the Author of Wealth is a Mindset
03/16/2026
A Conversation with Shang Saavedra, the Founder and CEO of Save My Cents Founder and the Author of Wealth is a Mindset
Welcome to Season 6, Episode XX! Our guest today is , the founder and CEO of Save My Cents, the popular site, blog, and coaching resources on personal finance. Saavedra teaches readers the key habits and behaviors needed to become less fearful of money and live life with joy. Saavedra was named one of the “Twenty-five Most Influential New Voices of Money” by TIME/NextAdvisor in 2022 and is an Expert Reviewer and Contributor at CNET Money. Her mission is to change your financial life, one cent at a time, with a focus on mental health. She also does that through her book … released about a year ago in January 2025 by our favorite publisher, . Wealth is a Mindset provides practical, concrete applications of Saavedra’s mindset-changing research based methodology called “Trigger, Action, Reward.” In our conversation, Saavedra shares how she began , some of the key things she’s discovered throughout her consulting work, ways for students to learn about personal finance, the Three Root Causes of Money Problems, and so much more. To learn more about Shang Saavedra and how to better tackle your personal finance, you can visit her website , watch her YouTube Channel , follow her on Instagram , and of course buy published by . 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 .
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The History of Wong Tsu, The First Asian American Aeronautical Engineer
03/09/2026
The History of Wong Tsu, The First Asian American Aeronautical Engineer
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 10! You’d be hard pressed to find people who have absolutely never heard of the aerospace company Boeing. But have you heard of their first impactful aeronautical engineer? That person was Wong Tsu, a Chinese born prodigy who was educated in both the UK and US. He helped develop many of the practices still used today. In today’s episode, we talk about his life, his career, the discrimination he faced, and his lasting impact in the world of aeronautics. Now, Boeing and the Smithsonian have acknowledged his impact, but he still isn’t a household name. We begin the episode by catching up on the final part of the Olympics and sharing some thoughts on the start of the F1 season. We end the episode with another segment of “What Are We Listening To?” Today we talk about audiobook as well as the music of and 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: Talking Sports and Flying 11:27 The History of Wong Tsu, The First Asian American Aeronautical Engineer 25:24 What Are We Listening To? The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, Sarah Kinsley, and Tiffany Day
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A Conversation with Award-winning Author Julie Leung and Award-winning Illustrator Angie Kang, Creators of Navigating Night
03/02/2026
A Conversation with Award-winning Author Julie Leung and Award-winning Illustrator Angie Kang, Creators of Navigating Night
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 09! On a few rare occasions, we’ve invited more than one guest at a time, and we’re doing it for this episode! Today’s guests are and . Both are award-winning creators. Julie is an author with multiple titles to her name while Angie is both an author and illustrator. Their latest work, , is written by Julie and illustrated by Angie, and it will release on March 10. Navigating Night is the heart-warming story of a girl who helps guide her dad on his route delivering Chinese take-out food from their restaurant. She does this every night because her English is better than his. This wonderful picture book focuses on an element of the immigrant experience that some Asian Americans face, needing to help support their parents in business and family matters. We love how it celebrates the unique bond between immigrant parents and their children. Julie Leung has a long history of writing picture book biographies that include The Truth About Dragons (a 2024 Caldecott Honor book and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist (winner of the 2021 American Library Associations Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book), A Banquet for Cecilia, Mr. Pei’s Perfect Shapes: The Story of Architect I. M. Pei, and The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee. Angie Kang is the author-illustrator of Our Lake which received a Caldecott Honor, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, and the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award. She’s a 2026 Sendak Fellow and the 2025 Ezra Jack Keats Fellow at MacDowell, her writing and artwork has appeared in The New Yorker, The Believer, Narrative, Ecotone, Best Small Fictions, and elsewhere. On her website, she shares several great samples of her paintings, short form comics, poetry, fiction, and essays. In our conversation we discuss their journeys, what they hope readers get from Navigating Night, how Angie decided on the artwork, what Julie likes about Picture Book biographies, what it’s like when a book releases, and so much more. To see more of Julie’s work, you can visit or follow her on instagram . To see more of Angie’s work you can visit or follow her on instagram at . We highly recommend getting for you or as a gift for others! 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 .
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The History of Jawaiian Music
02/23/2026
The History of Jawaiian Music
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 8! What do you get when you mix Jamaican Reggae with Hawaiian music. This isn’t the set-up for a joke, it’s an episode on Jawaiian music, sometimes called Island Reggae. Today we talk about the origin of Jawaiian music, who some of the key musicians were, why it resonated with so many Hawaiians, and some of the small controversies around it. We go more in-depth on three key musicians who have made a HUGE impact in Jawaiian music: Brother Noland, Fiji, and J-Boog. To get an idea of the spirit of Jawaiian, then look up their work! In our recurring segment, we do some celebrations of the API in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Although we recorded before they were over, we wanted to celebrate what’s happened so far for Asian Pacific athletes. We also take time to rant a bit about the really two-faced coverage of Eileen Gu, Chloe Kim, and Alysa Liu. 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 01:56 The History of Jawaiian Music 15:50 Celebrations and a Little Rant About API in the Olympics Top Picture is Brother Noland Bottom Picture is J Boog
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A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer Lydia Kang, Professor, Medical Doctor, and the Author of K-Jane
02/16/2026
A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer Lydia Kang, Professor, Medical Doctor, and the Author of K-Jane
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 7! Our guest today is , a professor, medical doctor, and acclaimed author, Her latest book is , and it’s the story of Jane Choi, a typical Nebraskan teen who loves Husker football and is a total banana. That all changes when her parents find out they’re expecting a baby, and Jane goes on a mission to become an expert… or at least more knowledgeable about her Korean heritage and pop-culture. From K-pop to K-dramas, through Korean Food and Language, and pretty much K-everything, Jane immerses herself in it. Released on October 21, 2025, K-Jame was received a Starred Kirk’s Review and was selected as a Kirkus Best Young Adult Book of 2025. Lydia writes young adult fiction, adult fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. The practicing physician and associate professor of Internal Medicine has also gained a reputation for helping fellow writers with their medical accuracy in their writing. Her previous work includes Opium and Absinthe, Star Wars: Cataclysm, The November Girl, and Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything (one of your favorite nonfiction books). In our conversation, Lydia shares her journey to authorship, how she writes authentic awkward teen moments, what it means to be Asian American, and so much more. To learn more about Lydia, you can visit her website , follow her instagram , read her , and of course buy any of her books. 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 .
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The History of The Patel Motel Phenomenon Part 2
02/09/2026
The History of The Patel Motel Phenomenon Part 2
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 6! We’re back with Part 2 on The History of the Patel Motel Phenomenon. If you haven’t listed to Part 1 which was , then we’d love it if you go back and list to that one for more context. In this episode, we continue the history, talking about what the predominantly Gujarati motel and hotel owners did when they were faced with racism from banks, insurance companies, customers, and the professional organizations that were supposed to be fighting for ALL the owners in the lodging industry. We take time to share about the Asian American Hotel Owners Association () which the Indian American hotel owners created to help lobby on their behalf and create a more level playing. One of most impactful projects was the creation of the , a document that recently was updated. In our recurring segment we bring you another segment of Racist or Not, where we share a phrase or saying and discuss whether it’s racist… or not. Today we’re talking about the phrase “It’s All Chinese to Me.” If you support 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: Our Thoughts on Minnesota and ICE 05:25 The History of the Patel Motel Phenomenon, Part 2 17:40 Racist or Not: It’s All Chinese to Me
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A Conversation with XiXi Tian, Lawyer and Acclaimed Author of All the Way Around the Sun
02/02/2026
A Conversation with XiXi Tian, Lawyer and Acclaimed Author of All the Way Around the Sun
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 5! Our guest today is who is both a lawyer and acclaimed author. Her latest work is the novel , a YA Romance that focuses on themes of belonging, identity, and overcoming trauma. In it, the main character Stella, a Chinese-American protagonist who’s forced into a college roadtrip with her childhood friend turned rival. Their complicated history is made even more difficult as Stella navigates how to overcome the grief of a recent family tragedy. We love how it’s a complex story with some familiar themes, and really showcases the difficulties of expectations, both internal and external, that can create familial habits and routines. And these habits can actually be a hindrance to facing and overcoming grief. XiXi Tian was born in China and immigrated to the United States when she was a year old. After college, which included Harvard Law School, she decided to pursue her love of writing and published her first novel, , a story about two Chinese-American sisters who respond to a racist attack against their home. To learn more about XiXi, you can visit her at , follow her on Instagram , and of course buy or . Enjoy the conversation! 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 .
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The History of The Patel Motel Phenomenon Part 1
01/26/2026
The History of The Patel Motel Phenomenon Part 1
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 04! When it comes to immigrant groups in the U.S., especially Asian Pacific immigrant groups, it’s not unusual to see certain industries become almost synonymous with specific communities of people. We saw it with Chinese laundromats, Thai restaurants, Vietnamese nail salons, Cambodian donut shops, and more. For Indian Americans, one of those industries was the motel business. So in this episode, we’re here to share the origin and history of the Patel Motels as well as how families got into the business in the first place. We also share some of the challenges the business owners faced in the U.S. on the road to becoming dominant in the field. We start the episode by sharing what’s on our social media feeds. We close it with a new recurring segment called “Racist or Not” where we take a phrase and talk about whether it’s racist… or not. 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 Social Media and Road Trip Memories 14:32 The History of the Patel Motels, Part 1 27:50 Racist or Not: White on Rice
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A Conversation with V.T. Bidania, Author of A Year Without Home
01/19/2026
A Conversation with V.T. Bidania, Author of A Year Without Home
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 3! Our guest today is the amazing author . She is of Hmong descent and was born in Laos and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. A prolific author with over 20 titles published already, her latest work is the very personal fictionalized memoir which details her family’s escape from Laos after the end of the Secret War in Laos and the Vietnam War. A Year Without Home was released on January 13, 2026 and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. It’s her debut middle grade novel and written in a unique style with lyrical verse. Told through the eyes of eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, Bidania does an amazing job of immersing the reader into the joys of what it was like to live in Laos as well as the challenges and horrors of fleeing as refugees. Her previous works are the series and the new spin-off series. Both uplift Hmong culture in a joyous informative way. In our conversation, V.T. shares her journey to writing, the challenges of researching for A Year Without Home, how she decided to lay things out in the book, why the book is even more important now than ever, and a lot more. To learn more about V.T. Bidania and the Hmong culture, you can visit her website , follow her on Instagram , and of course purchase or any book int he or series. 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 .
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The History of Ube
01/12/2026
The History of Ube
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 2 ! Have you been caught up in the ube craze? For many people, especially in Southeast Asia, it’s not a trend, it’s a beloved food staple. This is most true in the Philippines where Ube is ubiquitous with many of their sweets. So in this episode, we talk ube… What is it? How is it used? What contributed to its rise in popularity, and more. We also take time to explain the differences between ube, Okinawan sweet potato, and taro, and we wax poetic about our ube memories. Finally, we take time to talk about some specific restaurants (like in Chicago, Illinois and in Long Beach, California) and dishes to look for if you want to try ube (we highly recommend ube macapuno ice cream, ube crinkle cookies, ube matcha lattes, and sapin-sapin. We begin the episode with some talk about New Years resolutions, 2025 Women’s world champion figure skater , and ube memories. At the end of the show, we also share another segment of What Are We Watching where we talk a little about as well as YouTube matcha content creators , , and . 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 Introduction… Talking New Years Resolutions, Celebrating Alysa Liu, and Sharing Ube Memories 12:34 The History of Ube 25:57 What Are We Watching? Heated Rivalry and YouTube Videos Ube Cheez Pandesal by San & Wolves Bakeshop
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A Conversation with Peter Jae, Actor, Writer, and the Star of The Workout
01/05/2026
A Conversation with Peter Jae, Actor, Writer, and the Star of The Workout
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 01! Happy New Year! Our guest today is Peter Jae, a multi-hyphenate performer in Hollywood. Peter Jae is an actor, stunt performer, producer, and multidisciplinary creative with over two decades of experience working across film, television, and independent projects. Born in Brooklyn and raised primarily in the Bronx—with time spent in Queens as well—Peter grew up navigating identity as a Korean American in predominantly Black and Latinx neighborhoods. Those early experiences deeply shaped his worldview and continue to inform the stories he chooses to tell and the characters he brings to life. Before entering Hollywood, Peter pursued a wide range of creative paths. He attended a performing arts high school, studied menswear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and even launched his own urban greeting-card business. That early blend of art, entrepreneurship, and storytelling set the tone for a career defined by versatility rather than a single lane. Although his first opportunities in Hollywood were focused on stunt work and action, he has expanded into more substantial acting roles, appearing in projects such as Blackhat, Olympus Has Fallen, and numerous television productions. He is especially recognized for his work in , an Asian American–led project that allowed him to portray a multidimensional Korean American character—something he has long advocated for in an industry that often limits Asian men to narrow stereotypes. Most recently, Peter stars in The Workout, an independent action-driven film that blends physical intensity with psychological tension. The story centers on discipline, survival, and the personal battles that unfold when routine, control, and identity collide—both inside and outside the gym. The film highlights Peter’s ability to merge his background in stunts with grounded dramatic performance, reinforcing his reputation as an actor who brings authenticity and depth to physically demanding roles. You can follow Peter Jae and his latest work on Instagram at . 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 .
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Season 5 Review
12/29/2025
Season 5 Review
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; Journalists like Vicky Nguyen, Michael Luo, and Karin K. Jensen; and authors galore like Kimberly Tso, Abigail Hing Wen, Sarah Myer, Camey Yeh, Andrea Wang, and Jamie Jo Hoang. There were so many others who deserve mention, but it’s just way easier if you go back, see the episodes, you missed, and listen to them! We also love that we continue to have episodes on topics like Egg Foo Yung, Aloha Shirts, Dumplings, the Chinese Labour Corps, API Garment Workers, the Supreme Court Ruling Lau v Nichols, and API in Formula 1 Driving… and that’s just a small sample. Thanks for listening! We appreciate the support, and we’re excited to bring you more topics and guests in 2026. 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 .
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