Category: Creativity
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“’You lift your shirt, I’ll lift my shirt, too.’ That’s what makes a good relationship—getting vulnerable and sharing your sh**.” – Reena
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In this episode, I speak with Reena, a TV producer, podcast host, and mompreneur, about her earliest memories of experiencing both social connection and disconnection in schools, as well as both shock and ultimately the push she needed to find her own voice. We talk about her career in TV and entertainment including working as…
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“I don’t have to go into places that make me uncomfortable. I don’t have to say ‘yes’ to people who make me uncomfortable.” – Phyllis
In this episode, I speak with Phyllis, a personal branding strategist, writer, and coach about her young adulthood, first marriage, as well as her parenting journey of raising and homeschooling a teenage daughter. She shares about some of the challenging experiences she lived through as a young woman struggling with her worth, as well as…
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Identity, cultural acceptance, and the creativity needed for growth and expansion
In this season 2 finale, two of my good friends (who I co-host another podcast with, called Your Asian Besties) interview me about my education journey. Maryn and I attended elementary school together, and Lia was Maryn’s college roommate. They ask me about my earliest memories of being a student, how I navigated between my…
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Intrinsic motivation, social connection, and the courage to redefine “success”
In this episode, I speak with gastronomee—a twenty something storyteller and content creator—about her experience dropping out of Harvard, twice, and her early memories of growing up in an Asian immigrant family. We talk about the different perspectives of education and opportunities for women she received from her community in Canada and in Asia, and…
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Critical thinking, opinion-sharing, and the freedom to disagree
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In this episode, I speak with Rosie—a trauma recovery coach, HR leader, and professional accountant—about her early memories of growing up in an immigrant family, and the Asian values that were instilled in her. We talk about how her education systems encouraged her development of skills and abilities that could lead to job and financial…
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Joy, incremental improvement over perfection, and the will to just start
In this episode, I speak with Rohit—a finance executive and podcaster based in India—about how his family’s definition of success emphasized the importance of influencing the culture and environment in the home. We talk about his journey of becoming a finance executive, and starting a couple of podcasts, one in Hindi, and one in English.…
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Advocacy, leadership, and an ability to find the strengths of every student and their families
In this episode, I speak with Antoinette—the current principal of the elementary school I attended in the late 80s and early 90s. We talk a little about how her early memories of standing up for other people and correcting injustices in school and society might have led her to a career in education, in both…
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Positive reinforcement, creativity, and the audacity to question authority
In this episode, I interview Lauren—a poet, musician, voice coach, and mom—about her earliest memories of being creative. She talks about the influence her family and societal messaging had on the development of her voice, how schools limited her freedom, and what it took to recover her creative confidence. My first question to her was…
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Introspection, social connection, and the freedom to be authentic
In this episode, I speak with Paula—a writer, reader, and polyglot—about her memories of being stubborn and opinionated growing up, and how her introspective abilities fueled her curiosity and drive to pursue self-improvement as an adult. We talk about the obstacles that get in the way of showing up authentically as ourselves, the charm of…
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Integrity, self-belief, and the grit to beat systemic odds
In this episode, I speak with Shawn—a visual effects artist and digital compositor—about the institutional challenges he faced growing up on the south side of Chicago, and the father figure who helped him overcome the limiting beliefs that were instilled in him from a young age. We talk about his early creative interests, the journey…