I absolutely love this human being, Shirani M. Pathak, and all the amazing work she has been doing to dismantle trauma resulting from supremacy culture. Shirani is following up her first book Fierce Authenticity with Fierce Authenticity 2.0, adding in critical information and resources about how trauma, tending to our nervous systems, and supremacy culture have to be addressed when it comes to understanding our wounds. Her transition from her first one to this one is a beautiful demonstration of...
Dec 21, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 4
So there's good news and bad news. After reflection about what feels aligned for me, I'm ending MigrAsians, BUT there will be 2 more interviews, so stay tuned! I'm shifting to a new platform that's an audio newsletter (that you can also add to your podcast player) called The Healing Hype. Subscribe today to hear about healing and liberation an an oppressive and work-driven world. And to find more about my coaching and facilitating, visit my website at www.nishaland.com . Here are awesome Asian-f...
Dec 09, 2021•5 min•Season 2Ep. 3
CW: Suicide This episode is very close to my heart. It's about a heavy topic, and I encourage you to take your time listening to it, or step away from it if it's too much. In this episode, I talk to four people, all of whom have a relationship to suicide. I speak with Monica (they/them), the eldest child of Chinese immigrants and a freelance musician whose flexible jobs allows them to maintain their mental health; Henry Ling (he/him), who identifies as a third culture kid, found support for ment...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Hello everyone! MigrAsians is back. Take a listen to hear a pretty big announcement about my life, learn about my coaching work, and get a sneak peek into what this season of MigrAsians will look like. Thanks for being here <3 Links: The Healing Hype - my healing + justice community My BIPOC Healing Fund - put "BIPOC Healing Fund" in the memo MigrAsians Patreon My website My Instagram Support the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 08, 2021•12 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In this episode, I review the season a bit, reflecting on the fact that the majority of these episodes were released during the pandemic! And I'm guessing once I start up again in early 2021, we might still be in some form of the pandemic. I talk about what we dove into for Season 1 and how I'm shifting Season 2 to be more in alignment with my passions. Thank you to my parents, my brother, Dalya Guerin, Gina Manola, all my Patreon patrons, Tiffany Wong, Shin Kawasaki, and Quincy Surasmith for yo...
Oct 08, 2020•8 min•Season 1Ep. 16
If you live in LA, you have probably seen an egg with a red yolk plastered on sidewalks and walls. This is the work of street artist Black Palms - @blk_plms on Instagram. Black Palms identifies as Hapa - he grew up in Hawaii and migrated to LA to work in TV production. In this conversation, we talk about his migration story, how he fell in love with television, transitioned from directing to producing, and how butoh dancing helped him make this transition. You'll also hear the story about how hi...
Sep 24, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Indian Matchmaking aired on Netflix in mid-July, and every South Asian person I knew binge watched the show which follows Indian matchmaker "Sima from Mumbai" Taparia between India and the United States while she attempts to match clients with their future spouses. Everyone I spoke to had their opinions about this show - some found it entertaining, others found it offensive and cringe-worthy, some found it boring; most found it a combination of all of these. But, more notably, each South Asian p...
Sep 07, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In Season 1, Episode 13, I interview musician Shin Kawasaki who sings the MigrAsians song "Find Another Way." Shin came from Japan to Los Angeles to pursue his music dreams as a young adult, and he's basically been here ever since! Until COVID-19 hit, Shin had a Tuesday night residency at The Escondite and talks about how he has been faring during the pandemic. Shin share's some interesting stories about his family's ancestry and struggles, including escaping what is today, North Korea, and star...
Jul 30, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this episode, I get into more detail about the connection between Black Lives and Asian Lives. I've talked about the connection between Asian American civil rights and Black civil rights. But I wanted to talk more about how this podcast is related. MigrAsians focuses on learning the migration stories of creative and political Asians. When I talk to my guests, we chat about how their story of migration affect the work they do. But what how are Asian migration stories related to Black stories? ...
Jul 16, 2020•10 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Suhad Khatib (she/her) is an artist with Palestinian roots who was born in Oman and grew up in Jordan. She is a futurologist, creative director, filmmaker, and public speaker. I connected with Suhad on Instagram @suhadizms . Her art drew me in immediately, and her voice kept me listening. I have listened to various parts of this interview over and over because I am mesmerized by the way Suhad talks about the world, our futures, and hope. She talks about the Massacre of Lyd, the question of Pales...
Jul 02, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Immigration is not a simple process. If I didn't know this before, my conversation with immigration lawyer Dhenu Maru, an immigrant herself, proved this point. We talk about her difficulties acclimating as a young girl emigrating from Mumbai, India, and how this inspired her to become a lawyer, though the reason isn't what you might think. Dhenu talks about common misconceptions such as "immigrants are taking our jobs" or "they just need to get in line" in a way that anyone can understand. My pa...
Jun 18, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 10
We are pausing on MigrAsians interviews for this episode supporting Black lives. The majority Asian Americans would not be living in the United States if it wasn't for the Civil Rights movement and the emotional and physical trauma experienced by Black people. We have been positioned as a model minority to create divisions instead of solidarity. Let us recognize and support Black Americans for what they have done for us and the continued oppression and marginalization they face. How to Support #...
Jun 04, 2020•7 min
Meet Nic Strack, a Korean and Indian, non-binary autistic Parenting Coach. I had a very very hard time summarizing our conversation for the title of this episode because it was full of SO MANY GEMS. I'm not a parent, but it doesn't matter. Nic blew my mind with their unique migration story, strategies for parenting, and experience with discovering their non-binary self (and how this informs their own parenting style and the work they do!) We talk about how their dad used translators to talk to t...
May 21, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Episode 8! MigrAsians is halfway through its first season, YAY! In today's episode, you'll get your fantasy fix :) I talk to fantasy author James Yu about the historical distinction between Taiwan and China, writing full-time in the age of COVID-19, and why he chooses to write fantasy (I love his answer!) James reminds me about the importance of community, especially when it comes to writing. After all, this is how I know James! We went to a writing coworking space together, and now he's part of...
May 07, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Meet Sonalee Rashatwar (she/they), known as @thefatsextherapist on Instagram! They're an award-winning superfat queer bisexual non-binary clinical social worker, sex therapist, adjunct lecturer, and grassroots organizer based in Philadelphia. This episode was recorded toward the end of March, just as many shelter-in-place orders were taking effect. First of all, we talk cantaloupes! Our melon chat frames a very serious dialogue about Sonalee's challenges within the social work field and creating...
Apr 23, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Meet Marzieh Saffarian, the collage artist behind @psychpersia . Marzieh is also a speech-language pathologist who I met during graduate school. Our conversation flowed in so many wonderful directions. We chat about her feminist artistic inspirations, the Iranian revolution, identity and assimilation, and the challenges both of us face around speaking our native language, especially given our speech and language backgrounds. I love how Marzieh so beautifully connects feminism, art, and culture i...
Apr 09, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, I explore the C-word, but not the one that's all over the news lately (though I will touch on it a little bit). This episode focuses on the CENSUS! Yes, the U.S. Census, which is given every 10 years, should be in your mailbox. It looks at household information like age, sex, home information, race, and ethnicity. And, you guessed it, I'm going to talk about how the "Asian" category is "defined" on the Census, which is under the Office of Management and Budget (the OMB). Let's j...
Mar 26, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 5
I chat with Khadija aka @browngirlbiz on Instagram in this episode about the multiple diasporas she has been through, how that has made her more self-reliant, and how entrepreneurship is more than what we think! Khadija strives to help other children of immigrants navigate society, especially entering the job market. We talk about how leadership can look, how to alter our views about money, and...Oprah! You'll have to listen to the end for that conversation :) Find Khadija on Instagram @browngir...
Mar 12, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 4
CW: rape, sexual assault In this episode, award-winning author, actress, screenwriter, and speaker Reema Zaman joins me! She is the author of I Am Yours: A Shared Memoir , a global story of sexual assault, being silenced, and finding your voice. She talks to me about her book, abusive relationships, the challenges of the immigration process, as well as family healing. Find Reema on Twitter and Instagram @reemazaman and at www.reemazaman.com Research cited: Decker, M. R., Raj, A., & Silverman...
Feb 14, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Meet Tiffany Wong, the artist behind the MigrAsians cover art! I loved Tiffany's flowing art and colors, and I knew she would make amazing cover art for this podcast. And she did! In this episode, Tiffany and I talk about perfectionism, making time your friend, and her art process. We had a delightful conversation about how it feels to be othered and defining "normal" as the children of Asian immigrants. Tiffany Wong Instagram: @tiffanywongart Website: http://tiffanywongvisualart.com/ Strangers ...
Feb 10, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome to the first episode of MigrAsians! MigrAsians is a podcast about creative and political Asians and their story of migration. In this episode, you'll meet Nisha Mody, the host. This podcast was birthed to understand how migration affects creative and political work. This podcast will cover the Asian diaspora. This means ALL Asians, not just the one we think of as "Asian." The immigration stories from Asian countries hold so many similarities and differences. Yet, the common threat of liv...
Feb 10, 2020•11 min•Season 1Ep. 1
