Not Your Token Minority

Dil Khosa: From burnout to helping women entrepreneurs thrive

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:00:42 GMT

In this episode, I chat with Dil Khosa, co-founder of creative entrepreneurship hub Manzana, based here in Auckland, New Zealand. She speaks with me about:

Her experience moving to New Zealand from Malaysia in her late teens
What it means to “just be yourself” in a world where you’re seen as “different”
The biggest lessons she learned when she experienced burnout from her startup career
Her drive to improve support for traditionally under-supported startup founders
Her goals for Manzana, which she established with two others in 2022 to help support women and underserved entrepreneurs in Aotearoa

You can learn more about Manzana here.

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Celebrating indigenous queer identities with Shaneel Lal

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Shaneel Lal (they/them) is a prominent activist and political commentator who sits at the intersection of Aotearoa New Zealand’s BIPOC and queer communities. They are a fierce advocate for ending conversion therapy and in February 2022, their efforts resulted in legislation being passed that bans the practice in New Zealand.

In our conversation, we cover:

Growing up queer in Fiji and how that informed Shaneel’s advocacy later on
The impact of colonisation on queer communities in Fiji
Colonial queerness vs indigenous queerness, and how colonisation stripped away indigenous queer identities
Their journey to self-acceptance of their queer identity
Their conversion therapy experience
Why successfully getting conversation therapy banned in Aotearoa was not their most joyful moment (and what really brings them joy in their activism)

You can follow Shaneel on Instagram, Twitter, and their column for The New Zealand Herald.

Remember to rate and share this show, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Abhi Chinniah on loving her melanin

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Auckland-based artist and photographer Abhi Chinniah joins me in this episode to talk how colourism has fundamentally shaped her life so far and her most recent exhibition “Melanin Rising”.

She shares:

Her experiences at the receiving end of colourism
How her personal experiences of colourism inspire her work
How she went from Abhi, to Abby, and back to Abhi
The influence her dad has had in her journey grappling with colourism
What she hopes she can teach future generations about themselves and the world around them
Her vision for the future of her Melanin Rising project

Experience and support Abhi’s work below:
Melanin Rising
Ramii Studio

Please rate and share this show, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Closing the digital divide with Vivian Chandra

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Vivian Chandra is a tech consultant with a huge difference. Her passion for education and democratising digital technology means she spends much of her time upskilling teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand so that they can teach kids essential tech skills.

In our conversation, we talk about:

Why diversity and inclusion in tech is important to her
How to use play doh to teach electronics
One of the biggest misunderstandings about children and their use of technology
How to encourage more digital fluency for your kids - and why that’s important
How learning Te Reo Māori helped her explore her own cultural identity

If you would like to follow Vivian’s work, you can do so on her website https://vivianchandra.com or follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/vivsterNZ

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Growing up on your own reality TV show with Iori Forsyth [episode rerun]

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 17:00:00 GMT

This is a rerun of my conversation with Iori Forsyth from 2021.
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Iori Forsyth is half-Australian and half-Japanese and she embodies the terms "bicultural" and "biracial" through and through. She split her childhood between Japan and Australia, which allowed her to experience both cultures fully and be fluent in both languages. She grew up with 7 brothers (she's the oldest of 8 children).

Due to her family's unique status as both a large family and a bicultural one in Hiroshima, Japan, they had their own reality TV show for 10 years - a significant part of Iori and her brothers' childhoods and teenage years.

We talk about what it was like for her growing up split between two very different cultures, where she felt like she fit in the most, her experience growing up in front of TV cameras, and the most important things to giving your own children a truly multicultural upbringing.

You can follow Iori and her family on their YouTube channel, 大家族フォーサイス家 (Large family Forsyth). Note that the channel is in Japanese only.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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The kids are not alright: the mental health plight of Asian youth in Aotearoa NZ

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:00:00 GMT

University of Auckland PhD candidate Lovely Dizon speaks with me in this episode about the under-served mental health needs of 1.5 generation Asian young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our conversation includes:

A discussion of the burden of carrying the weight of family expectations, balanced with trying to figure out what is important to you and who you are
What is lacking from current systems of healthcare and how they fail Asian youth
The role that being a 1.5 generation migrant plays in the mental health of young Asian youth

Plus much, much more - Lovely is a 1.5 generation Filipino Kiwi and a final year PhD candidate based in the School of Population Health at the University of Auckland. Her research interests include Asian youth health, youth mental health and ethnic identity. She is passionate about amplifying and advocating for greater representation of ethnic minority voices and experiences, creating space for destigmatising conversations around mental health, and improving access to health services. Follow her work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplify.nz/

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Telling the untold history of Chinese New Zealanders with Talia Pua

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Auckland-based playwright and director Talia Pua talks to me in this episode about her latest bodies of work - a play titled Pork and Poll Taxes which premiered in 2021 and an exhibition about Chinese migration to New Zealand which ran earlier in 2022 - and why it’s important to her to tell these stories.

She also shares her experiences both behind and on stage in the performing arts in New Zealand, and why diverse Asian representation on stage and screen matters.

Talia is the co-founder and creative director of Hand Pulled Collective, a production company that focuses on bringing the stories of New Zealand’s Chinese community to the stage.

Please share and rate, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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What's diversity got to do with space?

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Vikram Udyawer has loved space ever since he was a kid growing up in four different countries. Like many other kids who grow up in different cultures, Vikram struggled with belonging and identity, but found solace in space and what he believed to be a borderless environment.

He chats with me about his experiences growing up as a “Fifth Culture Kid”, how this inspired him to enter the space industry, and what the reality was once he started working in it. We talk about the geopolitics that come with space, as well as the lack of diversity in the industry and what real-life implications that has for all of us.

Vikram is the founder of Metasolis, a s.t.e.a.m studio with a focus on building web3 tooling for space ecosystems.

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Two cultures, three countries and a whirlwind of a childhood with Emi Chiba

Mon, 16 May 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Emi Chiba spent her most formative years between the UK, Japan and Spain, before eventually settling in Tokyo, Japan where she lives now. And the road between her being born in the UK to a British father and Japanese mother, to her life now is full of twists, hard truths and unexpected lessons.

Yes, growing up biracial between vastly different countries and cultures is a big part of Emi’s story so far. But there has been so much more to her journey that helped shaped her into the person she is today.

In this episode, Emi talks to me openly about:

The complexities of being “ha-fu” in Japan
Being accepted, or not accepted, on the basis of how you look
The life-changing experience of living in Ibiza for two years
Her decision to drop out of university in Japan and the implications of that on her career
Being a child of divorce between parents of vastly different cultural backgrounds
Why she left home at 17 and has never looked back
The special relationship she had with her grandmother

Please share and rate, as well as follow along on Instagram. Reach out to me on notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Finding the joy in activism with 이혜 지 Hye Ji (Erica) Lee

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:00:00 GMT

이혜지 Hye Ji (Erica) Lee joins me on this episode to talk activism and decoloniality - specifically what constitutes activism for her and how she finds the joy in activism, rather than focusing only on the things that cause pain and trauma.

Erica is an academic who teaches and researches in Sociology, who was born in South Korea and migrated to New Zealand with her family when she was 11 years old. Like so many migrant kids, she experienced firsthand the ups and downs of growing up in a place where you are marked as an outsider at first glance.

She has published and spoken about these issues in the media and through academic publications. You can read her work on her website and you can also follow her on Instagram.

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Too Arab to be Russian, too Russian to be Arab

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Maria Khaydar is Russian-born and speaks Russian fluently, but has struggled to identify as Russian for a long time. As a part-Arab part-Azeri woman, she’s been questioning where she belongs and what her identity really is. And now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she has been unpacking even more questions about identity and belonging.

Remember to rate, review and subscribe if you enjoyed this episode, as well as follow along on Instagram.

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From Me to You: Documenting the past, the present and the future with Sochetha Meng

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 17:00:00 GMT

In the last year of her degree in communication design at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, Sochetha Meng created three zines documenting her family’s past, her own present and her hopes for the future.

Sochetha is a second generation Cambodian New Zealander who is grappling with her identity as an “inbetweener” while also learning more about - and working through the trauma - her family’s history that, like all Cambodians, is inextricably intertwined with the horrific Khmer Rouge regime.

You read Sochetha’s zines here: https://issuu.com/sochetha_meng and you can follow her work on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/project.frommetoyou/

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Florence & Athina: Inclusive eyewear, diversity in fashion, and growing up in the US

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Florence and Athina are the co-founders of Covry, a company that makes inclusive eyewear for faces of all shapes and sizes. I bought a pair of these glasses last year after seeing an ad on Instagram and I had no idea I needed them until I tried them on.

In this conversation, I chat with Florence and Athina about their backgrounds, the inspiration behind Covry, building their brand, and why it’s meaningful to them to promote diversity and inclusion through their business.

You can buy Covry products via the website and follow them on Instagram.

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Representation and diversity in gaming with Dhayana aka “MissDeusGeek”

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Dhayana, who goes by “MissDeusGeek” online, is an avid gamer, influencer and content creator based in Australia. Of Sri Lankan descent and born and raised in Malaysia, Dhayana is passionate about championing diversity in gaming, particularly for future generations.

During our conversation, we chat about:

The hierarchy of Malaysian society and its implications, including the pursuit of perfection, unhealthy competition and colourism.
Why she started Women of XBox, a global initiative focused on supporting and empowering women Xbox gamers.
The power of diversity in gaming and entertainment

You can follow Dhayana on Twitter and Instagram, and learn more about her work on her website.

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Golriz Ghahraman: What it means to be a truly representative MP

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Golriz Ghahraman is often described as New Zealand’s first refugee Member of Parliament (MP) and it is a label that follows her in all her work with under-represented communities in New Zealand. She came to New Zealand as a nine-year-old child asylum seeker from Iran and went on to study at Oxford University and practise law at the United Nations. She’s now an elected MP representing The Green Party, where she works on a wide range of human rights issues, including refugee and migrant rights.

In this episode, Golriz shares with me:

The influence her background has had on her career choices and the issues she’s most passionate about
How she manages the responsibility of representation for so many different under-represented communities
Her journey with multiple sclerosis and her firsthand experience of how healthcare fails women

You can learn more about Golriz’s story in her book, Know Your Place. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Rerun: experiences at the intersection of sexuality and race with Alex Nguyen

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:00:00 GMT

This is a rerun of a conversation released in June 2021.
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Alex was born and raised in the United States and is of Taiwanese and Vietnamese descent. In this conversation, we explore Alex's experiences being both Asian and gay and the challenges those intersecting parts of his identity bring.

He shares his lived experiences being Asian American, why the US isn't really the melting pot that it claims to be, why we need better representation of what being gay means in popular media, and his journey of becoming more comfortable and accepting of his identity.

As always, please share and rate, as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram! And send me an email notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Rerun: Shilo Kino on reclaiming her indigenous identity

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 17:00:00 GMT

This is a rerun and extended edit of an episode published in March 2021.
------------------------------

Challenging the status quo and being the representation you want to see can be a lonely uphill battle. Shilo is an author and journalist who is of Ngāpuhi and Tainui iwi and she on that path to breaking down existing narratives and heavily entrenched racism against Māori in New Zealand through her storytelling.

In our conversation, we talk about our early days as graduate journalists at The Manukau Courier, Shilo's time in Hong Kong as a missionary, confronting racism while working in Tauranga, writing and releasing her first book and how she is feeling ahead of her year-long full-immersion Te Reo Māori course.

Language notes:
1. "iwi" means "people" or "tribe".
2. "Aotearoa" is the Māori name for New Zealand.
3. "Pākehā" means a non-Māori New Zealander, generally of European descent
4. A marae is a meeting ground and focal point of Māori communities, incorporating a carved meeting house, Te Wharenui. It's where the community gathers for celebrations, funerals, and other important events.
5. "Kaumātua" are tribal elders and help to preserve traditions and pass knowledge down to younger generations. They are highly revered.
6. "Mana" is kind of a tricky term to understand fully through words only. In Māori, it refers to an intangible force found in people and objects. It underpins everything and to have mana means to have spiritual power, authority, identity and respect.
7. "Waka" means "canoe", but in the context of this episode, the word is used metaphorically to mean "journey".

You can support and follow Shilo's work through her Instagram account and Twitter, as well as her column at Newsroom. She is documenting her Te Reo Māori journey through her own podcast, Back to Kura. Her book is The Pōrangi Boy.

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Rerun: Growing up as the "token" Asian, becoming a business owner & coping with the grief of losing a loved one with Sheila Ye

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 17:00:00 GMT

This is a rerun of the first episode of the first season of NYTM that aired in February 2021.

In the very first episode of Not Your Token Minority, I speak with my good friend Sheila about growing up in small-town New Zealand, building her career as one of the only Asian female leaders in her industry and coming to terms with her mum's death.

Themes and topics explored in this episode include:
- growing up as an Asian kid in small-town New Zealand, including experiences of racism
- work ethic
- the death of a parent

Have a story you want to share? Email me at notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com or fill in the form here.

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

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Lisa: challenging the "fairytale" narrative of transnational adoption

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:00:00 GMT

The "better life" adoption narrative is one that many of us know well - a child, who is usually from the global south, is adopted by a loving couple from the west and given a “better life”, one that they never would have had, had they never been adopted.

But what if, in reality, many adoptions don't follow this familiar narrative? In this episode, my guest shares with me her own adoption story and how her journey to learning more about her own background has led her towards a decade of fighting for adoptee rights.

Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom is a Korean adoptee, who was adopted by a Swedish couple when she was 2 years old. During the course of her journey looking for her first parents, she uncovered some unsettling things that challenged everything she was ever told about her adoption.

Her graphic novel "Palimpsest" is about this journey and you can order online. You can also check with your local library to see if they have it in their catalogue.

In our conversation, we also talk about finding belonging as an adoptee of Asian descent and the unique challenges she's faced in figuring out her own identity.

You can also follow Lisa on her Instagram and support her Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/woolrim

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Leo: Finding his place in the global migration story

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 17:00:00 GMT

"Nikkei" is a term that you'll hear a few times in this episode. It's a Japanese word that means "of Japanese descent" and is used to refer to the huge communities of Japanese diaspora living overseas.

Leo Fuchigami is second generation Japanese-Canadian and is considered "Nikkei". But what does that really mean? In this episode, Leo shares his journey of how he has unpacked his "Nikkei" story through a series of experiences travelling and living overseas. Through the people he's met along the way, the things he's learnt from their stories and discovering more about his own family's migrational movements, Leo has come to understand his own cultural identity in the context of the much larger migration of people all over the world and across generations.

As always, please rate and share to support this podcast, as well as follow on Instagram and Facebook. This is the second-to-last episode of the year before I take a bit of a break over December and January. This is the perfect time to get in touch if you, or someone you know, would like to be a guest on the show. Just send me a message via IG or FB, or email notyourtokenminoritypodcast@gmail.com.

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Gigi: Why being invited to the party isn’t enough

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT

You've probably heard the terms "diversity and inclusion" (D&I) or "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI) thrown around a fair bit in more recent years. They have become indispensable parts of employee engagement and retention initiatives in workplaces - but not all DEI strategies are built the same.

I'm joined in this episode by Gigi Hui, an HR professional who is passionate about DEI and working with others to help them become their best selves. In our conversation, we look at the different layers of “leaning in”, especially when you’re not a straight white male; society’s obsession with extroverts and the implications of that in the workplace; and what true DEI looks like and how to avoid turning it into a “tick box” exercise.

Gigi mentions a TED Talk on "The myth of bringing your full authentic self to work" by Jodi-Ann Burey. You can watch it here.

Follow NYTM on your favourite podcast platform, as well as on Instagram and Facebook.

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Learning to take life slower with Bonnie Hu

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Most of us are familiar with the busy-ness that life can bring and how easily we can get caught up in it. This was no less true for this episode's guest, Bonnie, who is a fellow podcaster and a business owner based in Auckland. This year for her, though, has been about slowing down and having more gratitude for the smaller things in life. We talk all about that mindfulness journey she's on, as well as the biggest lessons she's learnt as a small business owner and her love of sky diving.

Bonnie's podcast is called The Everyday Us and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

As always, share, review and subscribe to this podcast and follow on Facebook and Instagram.

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So you want to talk about racism?

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Have you ever heard someone say: "Why is everything about race these days?" or "I can't joke about anything, everything is so PC"? If these comments make you uncomfortable, then this episode could be for you.

In this episode, Steph Tan - who was my wonderful guest in the previous episode - joins me again to break down comments that we most commonly hear and see when addressing race and racism. We look at why those comments can be damaging in the context of racism against people of Asian background and how someone might address them.

I don't intend this episode to be a complete, incontestable conversation - just what Steph and I currently understand of and have learnt about racism so far. There is still so much to learn and I'm always open to constructive and healthy discussions.

As always, rate and subscribe if you haven't done so already + follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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Steph: behind Auckland's #StopAsianHate march

Sun, 26 Sep 2021 16:00:00 GMT

In March 2021, Steph Tan organised the #StopAsianHate peaceful march in Auckland - a first for her and a first for me, too. It was my first time attending a protest like that and it was a really incredible experience - one that helped me feel more part of a community than I ever had and one that raised a lot of questions in me around the value of protest, what true activism looks like and what my position is when it comes to advocating for causes I believe in.

Steph and I explore some of those questions around protest hesitancy and what action in activism means. She also shares her own experiences growing up in New Zealand, why it was so traumatic for her and how life is going now that she lives in the US, where she's currently studying at Yale University.

As a public health scientist, Steph has also been instrumental in bringing COVID-19 saliva testing to New Zealand. She shares her experiences with that process and why saliva testing could be a game changer for our country in the battle against COVID-19.

As always, don't forget to rate and subscribe if you haven't done so already + follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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Jemaima: why a cultural approach matters in suicide prevention

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 19:00:00 GMT

TW: this episode contains discussion about mental health and suicide.

Academic Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath joins me on this episode to talk all things suicide prevention and the importance of taking a culture-first approach. Jemaima is of Samoan descent and is a member of the inaugural Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. She was also one of six panellists on the New Zealand Government’s 2018 Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry.

As well as her work in suicide prevention, we dive into her personal experiences of being brown and female in academia. She spoke openly about this topic a few months ago for a talk she gave for Raising the Bar, a worldwide series that invites top academics to step out of their lecture rooms and into local bars/cafes to share their knowledge with the public.

You can listen to a version of her talk here.

Mental health resources
For mental health and suicide resources, please visit and contact Lifeline or The Mental Health Foundation.

You can also call 0800 LIFELINE (0800 543 354) or text 4357 for support.

0508 TAUTOKO (0508 828 865) is a free, 24/7 helpline for any person who is thinking about or attempted suicide, concerned about or supporting someone else or who is recently bereaved by suicide.

There are more mental health helplines and support services here.

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Leon: leaving the tech industry to pursue music in LA

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

Being stuck between a career and a passion is something many of us can probably relate to, but how many of us can say we've given up our careers to chase our passions - without any guarantee that it will work out?

In this episode, I speak with musician Leon Zhang, who is currently making his way through the LA music scene. To get there, he gave up a promising career with one of the hottest tech companies in the world. He tells me why and how he made that decision to quit his job and why he feels so passionately about his music.

We also talk about his experiencing growing up in Auckland, New Zealand and why he decided to move to the US after graduating high school.

As always, please rate and share, as well as follow along on Facebookand Instagram.

You can also support MSG Approved through their Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as their website. You can find the Stir Fry Boyz on YouTube and Instagram.

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Nilam: navigating the hyphen between two identities

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

All of us who have grown up in a different culture to that of our parents can probably relate wholeheartedly to what my guest today describes as a "hyphenated identity". That space between two separate, often vastly different, cultures and identities.

This episode's guest, Nilam, explores this concept through her personal experiences growing up in New Zealand with traditional Indian parents and the challenges of owning an identity that is the antithesis of what her parents want and expected of her.

We also talk about an upcoming production that Nilam produced - The Kamasutra Chronicles - and what Bollywood movies have to do with her Masters thesis.

The Kamasutra Chronicles is showing for a limited time at Auckland's Basement Theatre from August 24-28. You can buy tickets here.

Show description:
Meet Ishita and Rishabh. They’re experiencing some pretty standard stuff in your traditional long-term marriage - loneliness, sexual frustration and a loss of themselves. Enter Vatsayana, the author of the iconic Indian text The Kamasutra and his muse - Vasant Sena. Things are about to get very interesting. In a brand-new play featuring heart, satire and drama, writer Shriya Bhagwat explores the ups and downs of marriage whilst boldly challenging stereotypes.

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Iori: being the bridge between two cultures and what it was like being on Japanese reality TV

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

When I first met and got to know the guest of this episode, it was like the gift of her story just kept giving. Each layer that I peeled back revealed something even more mind-blowing and I knew it only made sense to invite her to share her story as a guest on this podcast.

Iori is half-Australian and half-Japanese and she embodies the terms "bicultural" and "biracial" through and through. She split her childhood between Japan and Australia, which allowed her to experience both cultures fully and be fluent in both languages. She grew up with 7 brothers (she's the oldest of 8 children) and her family had its own reality TV show for a significant part of their childhoods and teenage years.

We talk about what it was like for her growing up split between two very different cultures, where she felt like she fit in the most, her experience growing up in front of TV cameras, and the most important things to giving your own children the truly multicultural upbringing.

You can follow Iori and her family on their YouTube channel, 大家族フォーサイス家 (Large family Forsyth). Note that the channel is in Japanese only.

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Fara: dismantling the stigma of being a teen mum

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 19:00:00 GMT

When Fara was 16, her and her family left South Africa to move to New Zealand permanently, with the intention of building a better and brighter future. But what lay ahead of them wasn't exactly the experience they had hoped for.

The racism they experienced in New Zealand was like nothing they ever went through in South Africa. And for Fara, life threw her something completely out of left field when she was coming to the end of high school: a baby.

In this episode, Fara has a candid and open conversation with me about her journey to where she is now. We talk about:
- Leaving South Africa and what it's really like being an immigrant of colour in New Zealand;
- The impact of the Christchurch shooting and the problem with "They Are Us" (the catchphrase echoed following the mosque shooting)
- Raising her daughters in a society that constantly reminds them of how different they are;
- What it was like having her first child at 18 and the stigma that comes with being a teen mum

As always, share and subscribe, follow on Facebookand Instagram, and reach out if you have any thoughts, feedback, or if you want to also share your story.

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Yukari: on embracing and celebrating difference and her hopes for the future of women in Japan

Sun, 18 Jul 2021 19:00:00 GMT

We're heading back to Japan for this week's episode to speak with my friend Yukari, who has always been interested in making a difference and experiencing the world beyond Japan. She offers unique and vital insight into being a bilingual and bicultural Japanese woman in today's Japanese society.

We talk all about her love of English and Western culture, her experiences in Australia, why she's so often labelled as "different" in Japan and what she thinks of the future of her home country when it comes to social and economic progress.

Note this interview was recorded in March this year.

As always, make sure to share and subscribe, as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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What's in a name? Exploring "name angst" and why pronouncing names right matters

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 19:00:00 GMT

In this episode, my friend Terhys and I talk a bit about our names and how they are tied to our identities. My name has always been a bit of a sensitive issue for me because up until a few years ago, I deliberately mispronounced my name to make myself seem less "foreign". It never sat right with me though, because I always knew that I was denying an integral part of myself.

Have a listen and let me know what you think. And if you also have your own "name angst" experiences, then feel free to share!!

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Alex (Part II): challenging the status quo about what it means to be Asian and gay

Sun, 27 Jun 2021 19:00:00 GMT

We're back with Alex this week to explore another integral part of his identity - his sexuality. He was 28 when he came out and he describes it as the best day of his life - the day where he could finally live his most authentic self.

We talk all about his experience growing up, his experience being at the intersection of race and sexuality and why we need better representation of what being gay means in popular media.

Thank you Alex for being so candid in sharing your experiences!!

As always, please share and rate, as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram! And send me an email hello@notyourtokenminority.com if you want to share your story - I would love to hear from you!

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Alex (Part I): on the intersection of being Asian and gay

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Alex was born and raised in the US and is of Taiwanese and Vietnamese descent. In this two-part conversation, we explore Alex's experiences being both Asian and gay and the challenges those intersecting parts of his identity bring.

In this particular episode, we focus on his lived experiences being Asian American, how his mum ended up in the US, the awkwardness of asking our parents about their pasts, appropriation of Asian food and culture and why the US isn't really the melting pot that it claims to be.

Have feedback? Let me know via Facebook and Instagram, or send me an email hello@notyourtokenminority.com. And if you want to share your story, then please get in touch too - I would love to hear from you.

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Kaya (Part II): changing the narrative on cannabis

Sun, 30 May 2021 18:00:00 GMT

In the second part of my conversation with Kaya, we go more into detail about her work around cannabis, why she is so passionate about it and what she would like to see happen in terms of legislation regarding cannabis use in New Zealand. We also wrap up on her experience and learnings from living in Canada and the work she is doing in becoming the activist she - and many of us - need.

As always, I would love to hear your stories if you are also a part of the global majority, so email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.com or fill in the form here.

If you're enjoying the show, make sure to leave a review, subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

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Kaya (Part I): conforming to racial oppression to fit in & breaking free of the "Western box"

Sun, 23 May 2021 18:00:00 GMT

In this two-part interview, I speak with my friend Kaya, who is ethnically Japanese but was born and raised in New Zealand. We have a conversation about what is was like for her growing up in a predominantly white community, going on to work in a largely white workforce, all the ways she was reminded that she was "different" and how she began the process of unraveling years of conforming to racial oppression.

Stay tuned for Part II next week, when we dive more into her work around cannabis education and wrap up on where she is at in her culture identity journey.

Did Kaya's story resonate with you? Let me know via Facebook and Instagram, or send me an email hello@notyourtokenminority.com. And don't be shy about putting your hand up to be a guest on the podcast!

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Aki: from high school drop-out to education company founder

Sun, 16 May 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Born in Canada, Aki lived the full Asian-Canadian life up until he was in his early teens. Then, his entire life changed as he moved to his ancestral homeland of Japan, a country that was completely opposite to the western society he was so used to.

In this interview, Aki talks about the experience of moving from a western society to Japanese society, why he dropped out of high school and his ensuing journey that led him back to education.

As always, share, follow and subscribe, as well as follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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Mi-La's Place: lessons in business failure & the importance of nurturing creativity

Sun, 09 May 2021 18:00:00 GMT

We have Sheila back on the podcast for this week's episode to talk about her cafe, which she opened around this time three years ago. She ran the cafe on Ponsonby Road in one of Auckland's most expensive areas and from the get-go, things didn't sit right. Despite being urged by family and friends to sell the cafe, Sheila battled on to try and keep Mi-La's Place afloat.

We talk about the reasons behind that decision to open the cafe and to try to keep it running, what that cost her, what finally shut its doors and the things Sheila has learnt from this experience.

As always, share, subscribe and follow on Facebook and Instagram - your support means the world! And of course, don't hesitate to reach out if you would like to share your story.

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Terhys: travelling the world as a black woman & growing up in the US with Caribbean-Indian heritage

Sun, 02 May 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Terhys and I first met when she travelled to New Zealand and ended up living here for a year after visiting several countries in Asia. Sometime later she visited South Africa, where she filmed her travel series, Where Art Thou. With this in mind, it makes sense that our conversation took on a travel theme.

We talk about her personal experiences travelling abroad, how the meaning of blackness shifted with different countries and the struggles she had with belonging and identity when it comes to her Caribbean and Indian roots.

Have a story you want to share? Email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.comor fill in the form here.

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

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Jenny: the anxieties of being a first-time mum, raising a biracial child & the taboo of mental health in Chinese culture

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 19:00:00 GMT

TW: this episode contains discussion about mental health and suicide.

Jenny and I have known each other for almost three decades - she was, in fact, one of my very first friends. I’m grateful to have shared many significant life events with her, with one of the most recent being the birth of her first child, Orla. You’ll hear her gurgling away in the background of this episode! 👶🏻

In 2020, I was one of her bridesmaids at her wedding in Thailand and before that, we shared many birthday celebrations, nights out on the town and lots and lots of heartwarming meals.

But it's not always been good times and there was a point when things got incredibly dark. Jenny’s dad tragically and suddenly died right before her 21st birthday, changing her life irrevocably.

In an open and candid conversation, we talk about her journey following her dad’s death and the toll it took on her mental well-being and relationship with her family. We also discuss her experiences so far as a first-time mum and her anxieties around raising her biracial daughter in a western society.

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Mel: the realities of freelance life & owning her identity as an Indonesian-born Kiwi

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Mel Gouw is the young and creative designer of this podcast's artwork - she spent many hours dealing with my requests and going back and forth! Today, we hear a bit about her story, starting from her current life in Perth, Australia as a freelance graphic designer and then going back to her roots in Indonesia.

We talk about what it was like embarking on her freelance journey right when things were getting serious with COVID-19, her life in Indonesia, then moving to and growing up in New Zealand. We also reflect on some of the things our parents did for us, which we didn't understand at the time came out of love and their personal struggles in their new, foreign home.

As always, share, subscribe and follow on Facebook and Instagram - your support means the world! And if you would like to follow Mel, you can do so via her Instagram or her website.

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Bun: surviving the pandemic as a small business owner & continuing the legacy of Satay Noodle House

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Bun started helping his parents at their noodle shop, Satay Noodle House, more than 20 years ago when he was barely taller than the counter he stood behind. After working every Saturday since then, including 30+ hours a week while he studied at university, he took over the shop 10 years ago after his dad retired.

We chat about why his parents started Satay Noodle House, the legacy it has in the local community and why he doesn't necessarily see it growing massively in the future. We also talk a bit about his Cambodian heritage, the perception of South Auckland vs the reality and how the past year has been as a small business owner in light of the global pandemic.

Have a story you want to share? Email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.comor fill in the form here.

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

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Sam: intergenerational identity in Malaysia's Chinese diaspora

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 18:00:00 GMT

In today's episode, I chat with my friend Sam about how her experiences living overseas - first as an international student and then working abroad - have helped shape her relationship with her own identity. Sam was born and raised in Malaysia, studied in Australia as an international student and now lives and works in Tokyo, Japan.

We talk about what it's like living in Japan as Asian foreigners, the realities of being an international student and the journey of finding her identity as a Malaysian person with Chinese heritage.

Have a story you want to share? Email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.com or fill in the form here. I look forward to catching up!

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

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Shilo Part II: the journey of reclaiming her own identity & language

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

This is Part 2 of my interview with journalist and author Shilo Kino. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I would recommend you go back and listen to that episode to get the full context of this conversation.

In this episode, we talk about what motivated Shilo to stay in journalism, writing and releasing her first book and how she is feeling ahead of her year-long full-immersion Te Reo Māori course.

Language notes:
1. "Kaumātua" are tribal elders and help to preserve traditions and pass knowledge down to younger generations. They are highly revered.
2. "Mana" is kind of a tricky term to understand fully through words only. In Māori, it refers to an intangible force found in people and objects. It underpins everything and to have mana means to have spiritual power, authority, identity and respect.
3. "Waka" means "canoe", but in the context of this episode, the word is used metaphorically to mean "journey".

Other notes:
"Ihumātao" is a village in Auckland, but in this episode it refers to protests by local Māori against proposals to use the land, which was initially confiscated by the New Zealand government as punishment, for housing. For more information, you can visit: https://www.protectihumatao.com/

"The Stuff Apology" refers to an apology made by one of the country's largest media outlets for its racist coverage of Māori stories. You can read it here.

Shilo's book is called The Pōrangi Boy and you learn more about it here.

You can support and follow Shilo's work through her Instagram account and Twitter, as well as her column at Newsroom. She is documenting her Te Reo Māori journey through her own podcast, Back to Kura.

If you liked this episode, please make sure to share and leave a review. I would appreciate all your help in getting these stories out to more people so that we too can challenge the narrative and be the representation we want to see.

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Shilo Part I: the struggle & power of being a Māori journalist

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Challenging the status quo and being the representation you want to see can be a lonely uphill battle. Shilo is an author and journalist who is of Ngāpuhi and Tainui iwi and she on that path to breaking down existing narratives and heavily entrenched racism against Māori in New Zealand through her storytelling.

In this first part of the interview, we talk about our early days as graduate journalists at The Manukau Courier, Shilo's time in Hong Kong as a missionary and battling racism while working in Tauranga.

Make sure to tune in to next week's episode to hear the rest of her interview, where we delve more into how she embarked on the journey she's on now to reclaiming her own identity, language and culture in the context of working in the media.

Language notes:
1. "iwi" means "people" or "tribe".
2. "Aotearoa" is the Māori name for New Zealand.
3. "Pākehā" means a non-Māori New Zealander, generally of European descent
4. A marae is a meeting ground and focal point of Māori communities, incorporating a carved meeting house, Te Wharenui. It's where the community gathers for celebrations, funerals, and other important events.

You can support and follow Shilo's work through her Instagram account and Twitter, as well as her column at Newsroom. She is documenting her Te Reo Māori journey through her own podcast, Back to Kura.

If you liked this episode, please make sure to share, subscribe and leave a rating. I would appreciate all your help in getting these stories out to more people so that we too can challenge the narrative and be the representation we want to see.

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Tao: from law school to journalism and my dreams for this podcast

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

For those of you who have been listening so far and have no idea who your host is, this is the episode for you. I share a bit about my background, my journey in trying to figure out my purpose, my time living in Japan and my hopes and dreams for this podcast.

I love connecting with my listeners, so please don't hesitate to reach out on FB/IG or email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.com. I am always looking for people's stories to share, so get in touch if you, or someone you know, would like to be a guest on NYTM.

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Shahad: on rewriting her own story, lessons from the finance world & being a solo mum

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

So far on this podcast we've heard stories where a common experience is wanting to fit in. But for Shahad, that is one of the last things she would ever want to do. From her approach to living life, to how she practises her religion, to raising her daughter, Shahad does things her way, even if it's a bit different or risky. Rules? Don't know her.

With the sounds of summer as our backdrop, we talk about why she decided the married-and-settled-down life wasn't for her, what she did to change her situation, what manifesting your future actually means, and how so much of life can be related back to finance and the financial markets. We also talk about her journey so far in raising a child as a solo mum and what her hopes are for her daughter.

Be prepared for an impassioned, fiery and candid conversation. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't done so already and get in touch via social media or email hello@notyourtokenminority.com.

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Bel: why Fiji will always be home and the road to embracing her heritage

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:00:00 GMT

When Bel and I first met, she was the first person I had ever come across who was of Chinese heritage, but was born and raised in Fiji.

Despite knowing each other for more than 15 years, this is the first time we have spoken at length about her upbringing, the struggles her family went through and what her identity journey has been like.

We also talk about the impact of Chinese migrants to Fiji, which has been increasing in recent years due to China's growing investment in the South Pacific region. And we touch on a random occurrence that shows just how small the world really is.

Have a story you want to share? Email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.com or fill in the form here.

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nadia: growing up biracial, finding belonging as a Third Culture Kid & how life is changing in Hong Kong

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Despite being located in New Zealand, I always wanted Not Your Token Minority to have a global reach. Today's conversation is with my first international guest and when I say international, I really mean international.

Nadia is half-German, half-Chinese, was born in Egypt, grew up in Germany and is currently living and working in Hong Kong. We chat all about her childhood in Germany, work and life in Hong Kong and the benefits of being a third culture kid.

Themes and topics in this episode include:
- growing up biracial in Germany with a strong Chinese identity
- the discrimination faced by hua qiao (people of Chinese ethnicity who live outside of China)
- life in Hong Kong, including work culture and the increasing influence of mainland China
- the concept of "home"

Also, if anyone knows the Chinese Mandarin name for that basket-like ladle you use for hot pot, please enlighten me!

Don't forget to subscribe and follow on Facebook and Instagram. And get in touch if you want to share your story!

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Sheila: being the "token" Asian, becoming a business owner & coping with the grief of losing a loved one

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 18:00:00 GMT

In the very first episode of Not Your Token Minority, I speak with my good friend Sheila about growing up in small-town New Zealand, building her career as one of the only Asian female leaders in her industry and coming to terms with her mum's death.

Themes and topics explored in this episode include:
- growing up as an Asian kid in small-town New Zealand, including experiences of racism
- work ethic
- the death of a parent

Have a story you want to share? Email me at hello@notyourtokenminority.com or fill in the form here. I look forward to catching up!

If you like the show so far, I would really love your support: leave a review, make sure to subscribe and follow NYTM on Facebook and Instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 18:00:00 GMT

Recorded before the Lunar New Year, Sheila and I talk a bit about how our respective families celebrate Chinese New Year, the meaning behind the customs and our goals for the year of the ox.

LNY is a significant celebration in many cultures that begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. As you will hear in this episode, there may be many different variations on the food eaten or customs that are practiced, but the true meaning of LNY remains the same.

Note also that while we use Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year interchangeably in this episode, I believe Lunar New Year should be the correct term used since it is celebrated in other parts of the world, not just China.

I love hearing about how other people celebrate LNY so head over to the NYTM Facebook page or Instagram and send me a message! I'd love to connect and chat.

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“When you’re thinking about everyone else, but nobody else is thinking about you"

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 21:00:00 GMT

This episode wasn't planned, but I couldn't stay silent in light of the alarming lack of coverage and discussion around the increasing violence against Asian communities in the US.

Here are some people and platforms you can follow to learn more:
@intersectional.abc
@alyssahowritings
@jocekittyllama
@nextshark
@hownottotravellikeabasicbitch
@aznactivists
@thenextgenerasian

Here is the New York Times interview with Steven Yeun, which you can also listen to: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/magazine/steven-yeun.html

Please share these resources and this episode. It's important that we talk about this.

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The "Why"

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 04:00:00 GMT

A brief take on why this podcast came about and what it's here for.

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Trailer

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 03:00:00 GMT

Not Your Token Minority is launching on February 15. Will you join me in celebrating minority stories and challenging the narrative?

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