Dan Barach is a licensed Social Worker who specializes in Veteran assistance. In 2012, Dan worked at the Cuyahoga Jail in Cleveland, OH for 3.5 years and helped clients connect to the outside world. Dan is also a writer who illuminates the realities of life in jail. You can find his work on Medium under the username @SirKrinkly. Our discussion covers everything from child abuse and trauma, to the emotional thick skin social workers need to develop in order to stay grounded in their jobs.
Nov 24, 2019•42 min•Season 3Ep. 3
On today's episode of Woke Fu, I spoke with Ashley Jones, a youth behavioral specialist at a Residential Treatment facility, author of "I work with Fucking Monsters," and a long-time member of the LLAG community. Our discussion covered everything from the emotional baggage of social work and clients who call in the middle of the night, to the lack of Diversity within the social work industry.
Oct 14, 2019•29 min•Season 3Ep. 2
I am and will always consider myself a leftist, but I can't help but notice how rigid some people are when it comes to their definition of leftists. You might share 80% of the same values as another leftist, but does that 20% variance disqualify you from being considered a "valid" lefty?
Sep 18, 2019•21 min•Season 3Ep. 1
What does it mean to "figure yourself out"? I've spent the last few years trying to understand my mental health and time and time again, I end up in the past. I know who did what to me, and how it affects me today, but I'm now faced with a bigger question: what do I do with all these answers? A big focus of mine is to figure out who I am when I'm not depressed, and who I was before my trauma.
Feb 10, 2019•18 min•Season 2Ep. 13
A professor at Duke University is in hot water after exposing the rampant racism in one of their graduate programs. Megan Neely, the director of graduate studies for the Duke University’s Master of Biostatistics program, passed around an email discouraging Chinese-speaking students from speaking their native language. The emails revealed a plot within the faculty to deny specific Chinese students from opportunities on the basis of them speaking a foreign language in the break room.
Jan 27, 2019•19 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Many moons ago, I wanted to become a fashion designer. Unfortunately for me and my mom's account balance, we couldn't afford the tuition cost of $100k for the San Francisco Art Institute. So instead, I went to community college and on a whim, picked Business Administration. Then I changed it to Communication Studies and never looked back. But did this decision help me out in the end? Now that I'm five years removed from graduating college, I have a better appreciation for the decision I made in ...
Jan 17, 2019•20 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Gillette is one of the oldest companies in America. Founded in 1901, they've been making razor blades since before women and people of color started gaining any damn rights in this country. Forged in the past, Gillette came out this weekend with a viral commercial addressing the #MeToo movement, sexual harassment, and toxic masculinity, a move very much in-tune with 2019. The commercial was endearing and honest without feeling too sensational. It wasn't a call-out so much as a call-in. While a h...
Jan 16, 2019•22 min•Season 2Ep. 10
A lot of men get upset when women order expensive items on the menu, even if both parties agreed on the same restaurant in the first place. I think the root cause of this issue has to do with men not being honest with their finances. Today we'll discuss a post shared on our Facebook group (LLAG +Fam) about a man upset because he thought his first date would cost $25 but it came out to $65.
Jan 11, 2019•11 min•Season 2Ep. 9
It's easy to dismiss cultural appropriation as a whine-fest for annoying SJWs that don't have anything better to do. But there is utility in policing culture, especially when there's money involved. Here are my quick thoughts on the importance of calling out cultural appropriation.
Jan 09, 2019•19 min•Season 2Ep. 8
POC News: Quick recap of last week's top stories posted on LLAG with extra commentary from me and feedback from you. Topics from December 30, 2018 - January 5, 2019 1.) Vietnamese Salon Owner Killed Over $35 Manicure Bill 2.) Man Assaults Black McDonalds Associate 3.) Leaked Audio of Louis CK's New Stand-Up Routine Features Anti-Asian Jokes 4.) Andrew Zimmern's Shows Have Been Cancelled After His Comments About Chinese Restaurants
Jan 08, 2019•40 min•Season 2Ep. 7
I was told back in college that Sessue Hayakawa was the first Asian male to appear as a sex symbol in Holywood for his role in "The Cheat," a 1915 silent film. I just watched "The Cheat" and holy fucking shit, it's racist. It might not appear that way explicitly, but if you read between the VERY well established lines, it's hard to miss the blatant racism, sexism, and dog whistling. I was told that "The Cheat" was supposed to be some landmark film that broke barriers and made Asians look good. I...
Jan 02, 2019•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 6
I feel like I've been in a daze for the last few years. My writing chops seem weakened and I just don't sound like the writer I used to know, or the writer I want to become. Something needs to happen, and that something is blogging. Good ole angsty blogging. The same shit that made me who I am today.
Dec 19, 2018•7 min•Season 2Ep. 5
It's easy to talk about all the nice, sweet things that motivate you, but sometimes you need to tap into a darker force to give you fuel. Yes, I'm talking about revenge. When you feel the need to prove someone wrong, if you do it right, it could serve as a springboard to get you to start moving. It can inspire you to be different, and relentless in your hustle. This is my story from high school, back when I was determined to become a fashion designer lol
Nov 30, 2018•10 min•Season 2Ep. 4
What happens when your talents start to diminish and you can't find a way to recover from too many blows to your confidence? Whether you're a practitioner of Muay Thai or a skilled graphic novelist, there are times when you're on fire and times when you feel like your skills just can't pay the bills. Here's some advice on how to overcome this frustrating plateau.
Oct 30, 2018•9 min•Season 2Ep. 3
I developed a system to help me escape my deepest, darkest bouts with depression. It's my emergency plan that I call "How to Get Home" and it's an ongoing list of activities that have the power to lift my spirits, even if it's only for five minutes. Here are the first three: 1.) Consume new media. Old shit = old ideas. The more new content I consume, the more new ideas I produce. 2.) Do physical art. The act of transferring ideas into motion, and motion into physical art is incredibly therapeuti...
Oct 30, 2018•10 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Former Fox News talk show host Megyn Kelly of "The Kelly Files" made the transition to NBC in 2017 after she accused Fox News CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. One year later, Kelly finds herself out of a job after she defended Blackface for Halloween. Conservatives argue that both Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon have not only supported Blackface, they wore it -- and they're absolutely correct.
Oct 28, 2018•12 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Today I'll be reviewing episode 1 of Wong Fu production's "Yappie," a Youtube series about a young Asian-American professional (yappie) and his quest to break out of his comfort zone. I'll also give my opinions on yappies as well as an overall first impression of the show.
Oct 05, 2018•31 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Woke Fu Podcast Episode #15: Today's Top Stories: 1.) BBQ Becky's" Viral 911 Call Made Public 2.) Report: GOP Official Resigns After Calling Kneeling NFL Players 'Baboons' 3.) OC Lawyer Draws Flack for Comparing ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ With Negative Racial Stereotypes 4.) Artist Speaks Out After Mural is Painted Over in East San Jose 5.) Justice Dept. Backs Suit Accusing Harvard of Discriminating Against Asian-American Applicants
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr
I saw Crazy Rich Asians on opening night and just as I expected, it was a decently fun rom-com with great music and major plot holes. Don't get me wrong, it was a damn good time at the movies, but I think we need to revisit our expectations of Crazy Rich Asians before we get ourselves too hyped up. _____________________________ Follow me on Youtube and Facebook! www.youtube.com/WokeFuPodcast www.facebook.com/WokeFu
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 17 min
Musician and professional moo-er Doja Cat came under fire for homophobic tweets just days after she went viral for her "Moo" music video where she dressed up as a cow and repeated "Bitch I'm a cow." People were applauding her for her creativity and now, folks wanna cancel her. Considering her quick rise and (mini) fall, it's worth asking: is 'cancel culture' effective or a waste of time? _____________________________ Follow me on Youtube and Facebook! www.youtube.com/WokeFuPodcast www.facebook.c...
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Topics: - Bourne Who? Omarosa is the REAL secret agent - Did Asia Argento throw Anthony Bourdain under the bus? - 3 bold predictions for the future of Wokebook - Jamie Oliver just invented "Jerk Rice" because why not? He ruins everything anyways. - North Carolina teacher Kandice Mason loses job over FB pole dancing videos. Why this is fucked up. _____________________________ Follow me on Youtube and Facebook! www.youtube.com/WokeFuPodcast www.facebook.com/WokeFu
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Practical and a bit of unconventional advice for POC looking into interracial dating. _____________________________ Follow me on Youtube and Facebook! www.youtube.com/WokeFuPodcast www.facebook.com/WokeFu
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Most Americans remember John McCain because he stood up for President Obama during his run for Presidency in 2012 and was held captive as a POW during the Vietnam War. But what was John McCain's role during the Vietnam War? What about the racists who he aligned himself with throughout his career? There's a lot more to John McCain than smiles and patriotism. _____________________________ Follow me on Youtube and Facebook! www.youtube.com/WokeFuPodcast www.facebook.com/WokeFu
Oct 05, 2018•41 min
