In this episode X interviews Bonnie Zhou. Bonnie Zhou (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist who examines the intersection of womanhood and diasporic Asian culture through calligraphy, dance, painting, glass, neon, and text. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she is now based in Brooklyn, New York. A dancer as well as a painter, her figure paintings…

In this episode X speaks with Jenny Qian (she/her). Jenny is the founder of astrobabe, a ready-to-wear makeup brand for music festivals and raves. She thinks that life should be lived balls to the wall, and doesn’t like wasting time on long makeup routines. Everything that astrobabe makes takes 5 seconds or less to apply, and doesn’t require you to…

In this episode X speaks with Marilyn Sanchez (she/her). Marilyn Sanchez is a Paraguayan-American artist, natural dyer, and bookbinder residing in New Jersey. Oîma, her brainchild, embodies a fusion of cultural inspiration and creative exploration. Rooted in her heritage, Oîma celebrates the Guaraní indigenous language, prevalent among Paraguayans,…

In this episode X speaks with Brittany Furnari-Kesoglide and Cristian Abbrancati. Brittany Furnari-Kesoglides, 28 (she/her) & Cristian Abbrancati (he/him), 29 have been best friends since the 6th grade. They grew up together in Long Island and spent much of middle school and high school getting separated in class for chatting way too much and causi…

In this episode X speaks with Gabby Abrazaldo. Gabby (they/them) is a Filipino American, Queer Trans Nonbinary creative, community worker, and academic. Gabby was raised by their parents and grandparents, who immigrated to Chicago from Quezon City and taught Gabby all that they know. Gabby's work is built on solidarity work and coalition building w…

This is a cross promoted episode where X is a guest on Asians for Sex Positivity: The Podcast. X speaks with Xixi Wang (she/they), Founder of Asians for Sex Positivity, where the two discuss what they've learned about polyamory, honoring our bodies and cultivating community in New York City. Learn more about Asians for Sex Positivity Listen to more…

In this conversation X speaks with Steph Zapata. Steph Zapata (they/she) is a well-seasoned, award-winning, NuyoRican sexuality educator, & space creator. They have become a long-term catalyst for change within sexuality education through their radically intentional approaches that call out systems of oppression, and call-in individuals and communi…

In this episode X speaks with David Yu (he/him) and Kai Lim (he/him). Growing up in Singapore, Kai’s Po Po (or grandma) would force feed him bitter herbs like ginseng, which he absolutely hated. On the other side of the world, David was having a similar experience. He would go with his Grandma to Oakland Chinatown to pick up these herbs to prepare …

In this episode X speaks with Janine Kwoh. Janine Kwoh (she/her) is the owner / designer behind Kwohtations, a Brooklyn, NY- based collection of greeting cards and gifts that reflect and celebrate a diversity of identities and life experiences. She is also the author of Welcome to the Grief Club, an illustrated book on grief for anyone who is griev…

In this episode X speaks with Edward (he/him) Pokropski. Edward is one of the Executive Producers of Asian Comedy Fest - the longest running all-Asian comedy fest in the country - which celebrated its fourth year earlier this month with two sold out nights at Sour Mouse. Edward is also a Writer/Producer at NBCUniversal. He has been nominated for a …

In this episode X speaks with Daniel Fabelo and Diana Guizado. Daniel (he/him) is a Latino filmmaker originally from Austin, Texas. He is the son of Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. He graduated from UT Austin with a degree in Radio-TV-Film and, for a time, was a writer/director for online powerhouse Rooster Teeth. There, he directed numerous web se…

In this episode X speaks with Polet Guzmán. Polet (she/her) hails from the town of Río Grande, Puerto Rico, where her artistic journey began to take shape. During her college years, Polet established her own brand, Muza, initially as a modest collection of screen-printed t-shirts. Over time, Muza flourished into a sustainable clothing brand, earnin…

In this episode X speaks with Hannah Bae. Halmi (a loving nickname for “grandma” in Korean) is a brand of light sparkling beverages inspired by traditional Korean flavors, and made with real fruits and spices. Halmi was founded by Hannah Bae (she/her), a NY native and daughter of Korean immigrants. She began brewing traditional Korean drinks that h…

In this episode X speaks with Joey Montoya. Joey Montoya (Lipan Apache) (he/him) is a multimedia artist, fashion designer, and entrepreneur whose work is aimed at increasing the visibility of Indigenous peoples. He is the Founder and CEO of Urban Native Era, a fashion brand aimed at creating Indigenous visibility through fashion and design. He is f…

In this episode X speaks with Andrea Camacho McCracken. Andrea Camacho McCracken (she/her) is a first generation, Mexican-American writer and director, based in LA and Arizona. Her work uses genre to reimagine underrepresented stories, exploring themes of identity, resilience, and the complexities of the American Dream. With a strong passion for br…

In this episode X speaks with Giuseppe Lanzone. As a two-time Olympic rower for Team USA, Giuseppe Lanzone (he/him) is the driving force on the business side to match his brother, Mario’s prowess in the kitchen. The brothers were born and raised off the coast of Lima, Perú, in a close-knit community of “La Punta” where family and the ocean reigned.…

In this episode X speaks with Jenny Xie. Jenny Xie (she/her) is the author of Holding Pattern (Riverhead Books), a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree. Her short fiction has appeared in AGNI, Ninth Letter, Joyland, Adroit Journal, Narrative, The Offing, and the Best of the Net Anthology, among other publications. Her writing on design, trav…

In this episode X speaks with Erica Stanley-Dottin. Born and raised in Brooklyn NYC, Erica (she/her) is a mom of two boys, a producer and 10-time marathoner! Erica is also co-captain of running crew Black Roses NYC, founded and coached by Knox Robinson. Over the past 4 years of her marathon journey, she's learned mostly from group training that mar…

In this episode X speaks with Kirsten Liu-Wong. Born and raised in San Francisco, Kristen Liu-Wong (she/her) attended Pratt Institute where she graduated with a BFA in Illustration. She has shown extensively in numerous galleries both domestically and abroad and in addition to her gallery practice, she has worked with an extensive range of clients …

In this episode X speaks with Ari Luna. Ari Luna (she/her) is an Afro-Latinx trans woman born and raised in Central Texas. She has almost ten years of non-profit administration experience, focusing on radical approaches to People focused work. Since settling in Austin, she has been engaged with various movement spaces and autonomous projects focuse…

In this episode X speaks with Xixi Wang. Xixi Wang (shey/they) is an artist based in New York City. She is a graphic designer at TED-Ed and also the Founder & Creative Director of Asians For Sex Positivity, a digital organization dedicated to amplifying API voices and dismantling sexual shame. Connect with Xixi & Asians for Sex Positivity IG: @imxi…

In this episode X speaks with Parini Shroff. Parini Shroff (she/her) received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied under Elizabeth McCracken, Alexander Chee, and Cristina García. She is a practicing attorney and currently lives in the Bay Area. The Bandit Queens is her debut novel. Connect with Parini IG: @PariniShroff …

In this episode X speaks with Vivien Bang. Lei Musubi is a small, woman-owned business founded by Vivien (she/her), a Maryland native of Korean descent. She was raised in Georgia so everything she does has a touch of southern love! Vivien now serves up her favorite childhood snack to the D.M.V. area (aka DC, MD, & VA) where it's proven to be a big …

In this episode X speaks with Jayda Shuavarnnnasri. Jayda Shuavarnnnasri (she/they) is a queer Southeast Asian sexuality & relationship educator & artist. Also known as Sex Positive Asian Auntie, she helps liberate folks from sexual shame by creating space for authentic conversations about sexuality, relationships, identity and healing. The topics …

In this episode X speaks with Claire Stanford. Claire Stanford (she/her) is the author of the novel Happy for You, which was named a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. Her work has appeared in The Rumpus, Electric Lit, Lit Hub, Black Warrior Review, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. She currently lives in Reno,…

In this episode X speaks with Dylan Adler. Dylan Adler (he/him) is a comedian, actor, writer, and musician based in NYC and LA. He's currently a writer on the Late Late Show with James Corden where he also performed Stand Up and was a Sports Correspondent. He was recently named a Comic You Should and Will Know by Vulture Magazine. He's also perform…

In this episode X speaks with euni. euni (she/they) is a multi-disciplinary artist, facilitator, and educator and founder of Self Study. She guides embodied healing + intentional intimacy practices as a ritual. She incorporates cultural reverence, ecopsychology, herbal medicine, spiritual ideologies, and socioeconomic intersectionality to inform an…

In this episode, X speaks with Elliot Lum. Elliot Lum (he/him) is currently EVP, Community and Growth at the Association of National Advertisers where he is leading their efforts to shape the future of marketing talent. Prior to this role, Elliot was Vice President, Strategic Marketing at Columbia Records where for six years, he put together market…

In this episode X speaks with Winston Clements. Winston Ben Clements (he/him) was predicted to live a life of isolation and pain due to a rare bone disorder known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). This condition caused his bones to be extremely fragile, suffering over 200 fractures in his lifetime. Despite this, he has taken a stand for a quality of…

In this episode X speaks with Pratima Mani. Pratima Mani (she/her) is a Peabody-receiving, two-time Emmy nominated comedic writer and performer based in New York City, currently writing for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. With roots in NYC’s live comedy scene, she has written for the likes of Upright Citizens Brigade Theater’s Maude Night. Redu…

In this episode X speaks with Art Cai. Art Cai (he/him) is an Asian-American comedian who hails from Nebraska and is now based in Brooklyn. He is the host of the JERRY SEINFELD PRESENTS... show and the award-winning TEACH ME GOOD podcast. He’s performed for Buzzfeed, Vox, all around NYC (including: New York Comedy Festival @ Caroline's, Asian Comed…

In this episode X speaks with Theresa Watts. Throughout her career, Theresa (she/her) has worked as a Human Resources professional enhancing organizational capabilities for large Fortune 500 and private organizations. She has years of experience designing, developing, and delivering organizational curriculum. In her current role, as the leader of t…

In this episode X speaks with Traunza Adams. Traunza (she/her) is a board member and advisor to startups and early-stage companies. She has over 30 years experience building and leading global People teams, spanning five continents and various industries including enterprise software, ed tech, fin tech, health tech, and social services. She was mos…

In this episode X speaks with Jasmine Francis. Jasmine Francis (she/her) is a dynamic People Leader with 15 years of experience working in both corporate and start-up environments. Best known for her human-first philosophy and unique hands-on approach, she is passionate about building and implementing inclusive strategies that focus on creating a v…

In this episode X speaks with Sara Bokhari. Sara Bokhari (she/her) is a passionate advocate for creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. Her career has taken her into roles ranging from teacher to consultant to executive across a variety of sectors and work environments. Across her winding career she has worked on shaping healthy organizationa…

In this episode X speaks with Ricky Sim. Ricky (he/him) is an NYC Queens-based comedian originally from Malaysia. As a stand-up, he has performed at various venues in NYC (e.g., Carolines on Broadway, Broadway Comedy Club, Caveat, Comedy Cellar), LA, Toronto, and Kuala Lumpur. He opened for Marcia Belsky (Comedy Central) as part of the 2022 NY Come…

In this episode, X speaks with Matt Denney. Matt Denney (he/him) is a mixed race Filipino-American Intimacy Director, Educator, Facilitator and Solo-Artist. Matt is currently located in Tucson, AZ and has worked with many theaters and colleges in the Arizona area as an Intimacy Director. He has collaborated with East West Players: The Premiere Asia…

In this episode X talks with Tida Beattie. Tida Beattie (she/her) MBA, is a peer grief support guide, an end-of-life doula, an immigrant advocate, and a creatrix of extraordinary spaces. Tida is a co-founder of MESO, alongside Soyeon Davis. MESO provides culturally attuned support to immigrants, their caregivers, and their grievers addressing care,…

In this episode X speaks with Kelsea Reeves. As an employee of a DEI solutions company, Kelsea Reeves (she/her) works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, believing that everyone deserves a fair shot at success. In addition to her day job, she also serves as a sensitivity reader for written content, offering honest feedback…

In this episode, X speaks with Dr. Akilah Cadet. Dr. Akilah Cadet (she/her) is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organizational development consulting firm that offers services that support embedding belonging into overall organizational identity and strategy. As a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur her work is behind some of the biggest brands yo…