The Bánh Mì Chronicles

TW/CW: ICE Raid violence, imprisonment, and deportation Recorded on 2/5/2026, 9:05 am Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of SEARAC (The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center)joins me as a guest for this emergency episode regarding the current ICE raids happening in Minnesota and across the US. In Minneapolis-St Paul, ICE and CBP have been doubling down efforts to detain residents, including those with...

To honor and celebrate Black History Month, I invited Chicago journalist and author Arionne Nettles to discuss her research and experience with Black Chicago’s long-lasting impact on Black culture through music, journalism, literature, politics, social justice, and so on. We talk about Chicago-based media magazine Jet’s impact on covering Emmett Till’s murder, which propelled the start of the Civi...

TW/CW: Mentions of child exploitation, sexual violence towards women, fraud, and other potential community trauma. For this special episode, I invited my good friend, past guest, and longtime Khmer American community leader, Sina Sam, to the show to discuss the allegations made against Khmerican founder, Phatry Derek Pan, involving financial grifting, child exploitation & predatory behavior to...

This week on The Banh Mi Chronicles, I did a total kiki with the multi-talented writer, dancer, and creative benedict nguyễn (she/her). Benedict joined me as we dived deep into the genesis of her debut novel, Hot Girls With Balls (Catapult 2025). We explore the nuances of writing trans stories that center joy and athleticism, the reality of navigating social media as a public-facing creative, and...

(Trigger Warning: Mentions of S*xual Violence during this recording) This episode is the last of 2025! It brings me great joy to invite former pin-up model and lead singer of Nylon Pink, who recently released her memoir, “Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty,” to wrap up the final podcast episode of 2025. Kaila recounts her experience as a former pin-up model in the earl...

In this deep-dive episode, I chat with 2x Emmy-award winning producer and director, Jon Hill , Director of Creative Video at Fox Sports Digital. We kick off with some spirited discussion on Chicago and Philly sports , before switching gears for a profound conversation about Jon’s award-winning feature film, Above the Clouds . Jon shares the introspective journey of making his debut film, explainin...

This week, I caught up with longtime Chicago Uptown community leaders and co-owners of the new Haibayô Cafe , Hac Tran and Jennifer “Nuky” Pham . Join us as Hac and Nuky take us into an intimate look at the history of the Asia on Argyle neighborhood—a historic cultural center for Chicago’s Chinese and Southeast Asian communities for the past 50 years. The Mission of Haibayô: Their work in co-found...

This week, I’m joined by my friend and fellow podcaster, Kenneth Nguyen , the host and creator of the acclaimed The Vietnamese Podcast . He was my guest host on my then-farewell episode in 2023 when I was sunsetting the podcast, and he’s back on my show, to remind me that he was right that I would come back to the podcasting sphere, and here I am now! With hundreds of episodes recorded, Kenneth ha...

This week, I brought the multi-talented French-Canadian comedian and personality Tranna Wintour to the podcast. We dived into the current political noise in her own backyard (Canada), but also what she has observed in the States. A major focus of the conversation was Madonna’s legacy. We dissected how difficult the last 20 years of her career and persona have been for some to stand by, and how thi...

In continuation of the current Chicago ICE Raids, and recent SNAP benefits crisis affecting Chicago's Chinatown community, I invited two dedicated community leaders in the Chinatown community: Grace Chan McKibben and Andrew Frangos , to discuss the rapid response efforts in Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods. In a time when federal actions are creating widespread fear and instability, we...

In a profoundly moving conversation, host Randy Kim welcomes Dorothy Chow , the Chinese-Cambodian American host of the father-daughter podcast, "Death In Cambodia." Dorothy shares the deeply personal and powerful genesis of her show: creating a space for her father to share his survivor experience from the Cambodian genocide. This podcast wasn't just a historical documentation; it be...

I decided to record a solo episode to gather my thoughts since returning to the podcast a few months ago, and how wild it's been recording emergency episodes amid the chaos Chicago has been experiencing with ICE and CBP raids. I also talk about my reaction to content creator Nathan Ramos-Park's reel about how Asian Americans and the Asian diaspora are deciding to live in Asia, and how that...

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles , host Randy Kim sits down with the incredible Nisha Mody (she/her)—a certified Liberatory Life Coach, Facilitator, and Writer—for a profound conversation about self-compassion, unlearning harmful beliefs, and showing up authentically in relationships. Nisha, who is currently writing a memoir about her divorce, shares the raw, deeply personal story of her toxic...

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles , host Randy Kim brings you an urgent, on-the-ground report with Lilly Le (she/her), Community Organizing Director at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI) . Lilly works to build community power among Vietnamese people in Illinois through engagement and leadership development. In this critical discussion, we address the twin crises currently impacting Vie...

This week, we’re getting real and diving into the deep end with the incredible Joi Louviere from the Werk Stories Podcast . Our conversation pulls no punches as we talk about the brutal realities of toxic workplaces , especially through the lens of a Black women . Joi and I discuss how the prevailing political environment—specifically the Trump administration—has created an even more difficult and...

Recorded on 10/21/25, 6:30 pm CST TW/CW: contains discussion surrounding ICE raids I welcome a fierce and fabulous friend, Saint Mary Clarence , who joins us in full drag to demonstrate the political power of this queer art form. But the conversation shifts into the urgent discussion of the current ICE raid crisis in and around Chicago. Saint Mary Clarence —a dedicated community member—breaks down...

In this candid and powerful episode, I brought a fellow podcaster friend Patrick Armstrong , a Korean American adoptee from the Midwest, a celebrated co-host of The Janchi Show , and the creator of the intimate new local series of the people in Indianapolis, Conversation Piece . Patrick shares his deeply personal journey as an adoptee, reflecting on the decades it took to reconcile his upbringing...

In this emergency episode,  Francia Garcia Hernandez , a reporter for  Block Club Chicago , joined me as a guest, focusing on the seismic impact of recent ICE raids across the city. Francia shares her on-the-ground reporting, giving us a clear view of how these raids affect Chicago’s vibrant Latino communities and the real-world consequences for local, family-owned  small businesses . In this epis...

Note from Randy: The last 30 seconds of the episode went silent so my apologies to listeners This episode features an in-depth conversation with Aaron Yin , an organizer based in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Aaron shares his four years of experience in the organizing space, offering valuable insights into what it truly means to be an activist today, especially for those ju...

A State of Emergency: Resisting ICE in Chicago Trigger/Content Warning: Episode will mention ICE raids, violent detainment, and police brutality. Recorded on Tuesday, 10/13/25 at 7:30 pm US Central. The city of Chicago is currently grappling with a climate of fear and constitutional crisis following escalated raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In this critical emergency episo...

What happens when your intersectional identity meets the social media algorithm? This week on The Banh Mi Chronicles , we sit down with the incredibly insightful Johnathan Gibbs—a queer Black and Filipino content creator and founder of The Otaku Choir. Johnathan shares his unique journey, from navigating his Black and Filipino roots growing up in Mississippi to making his mark as a creator in NYC....

Jung is back on my podcast again to give us a rundown of what is being used by ICE, police, and military, and what you need to do in case you come in contact with any chemicals. Also, check out my previous episode with Jung in case you missed it which is ICE Raids & Protest Safety Episode There are more safety tips and awareness on chemical weapon contact if you go to: https://open.substack.co...

In this emergency episode of The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast , I’m joined by Mahdis Azimi , a Chicago-based immigration attorney working closely with clients who are facing deportation threats and uncertain legal status amid the current ICE raids in the city. Mahdis sheds light on the rapidly changing immigration landscape , the fear and confusion facing undocumented and mixed-status families and l...

More than just a vacation: Insight into the 47% rise in US expats, and how living abroad fosters profound connections and understanding. Join us for an enlightening conversation with the incredible Nicole Brewer , an English Language teacher, travel blogger, author, and co-founder of the expansive travel community, I Luv 2 Globe Trot . Speaking to us from Oman , her home for the past decade, Nicol...

TW/CW: Discussion of ICE Raids, civilian violence This emergency episode responds to the ongoing ICE raids taking place in Chicago, which have left many in the Chicago communities vulnerable and at-risk. I’m joined by my return guest, friend, and community organizer Jung Han, to break down what’s happening right now, how these raids impact community members, and what you can do to stay safe and aw...