LOCAL GODZ

Journalist and documentary filmmaker Dolly Li discusses her body of work covering immigrant stories in America for the South China Morning Post with Goldthread and sharing the little known history of the Mississippi Delta Chinese community for AJ+, which led to her work as a cultural consultant on Ryan Coogler's award-winning hit film, SINNERS. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in Br...

Disney Pixar’s latest director Daniel Chong has come a long way since his halcyon days reading comic strips and watching Saturday morning cartoons. The creator of We Bare Bears and an instrumental part of Inside Out and Bolt, Daniel shares how his childhood love of Calvin and Hobbes, He-Man, and Jodeci all came together to create lovable, cuddly, furry characters with funny and profound things to...

Angela Lin is one of the leaders behind the latest craze that is sweeping the nation and taking over LA: mahjong. Better known as Angie QQ, the founder of East Never Loses shares the origin behind Mahjong Mistress, the not so ancient roots of the game, and what's behind mahjong's renewed popularity all over America. Angie also explores questions of ownership and community when it comes to...

Hip-hop pioneer and Taiwan rap icon Miss Ko takes us on a journey from her roots in Forest Hills Queens, to discovering her cultural identity in Taiwan, to winning the Golden Melody Award (the equivalent of the Grammy’s in the Chinese-speaking world) for Best New Artist in 2013. Miss Ko also discusses her special relationship with the late, great Chinese pop music superstar Khalil Fong, the pressu...

Marco and James look back on the first season of LOCAL GODZ, reflect on what they learned, and consider whether or not they want to re-up for another season. Is this the end or is there a LOCAL GODZ Season 2 in the future?

Legendary dance icon Mike Song shares how his Korean identity makes him a better dancer, his observations on how dance culture has changed over the years, the experience of being a judge and not a contestant on competition shows like Street Woman Fighter (and realizing viewers don't know who you are), the origin story behind The Kinjaz and KinjaBang Noodles, and creating dance choreo "tea...

Filmmaker and co-founder of Wong Fu Productions Wesley Chan talks about 20 years of working in traditional and "new" media, how the Asian American community has evolved over those 20 years, his lifestyle design project BASE GRAY, creating lifelong connections with viewers (and their kids), as well as what he's learned after "sixty years" of being on Earth and what's nex...

Pioneering Korean beauty advocate and content creator Jen Chae talks about growing up Korean American in Kansas, her mother's influence on her beauty routine, discovering her niche audience over Soompi and YouTube, the types of products and treatments she prefers for herself, and the responsibility she feels as a Korean Beauty translator for the West.

Legendary import model, singer-songwriter, and journalist Kaila Yu talks about the gangster origins of ABGs, growing up in Upland, the import car scene in Southern California, her memorable role in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and what inspired her to write Fetishized, a memoir reflecting on her life and how Asian women as a whole are seen and treated in mainstream American culture.

Miles Canares talks about how his Filipino roots, love for streetwear, growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, and a keen eye for spotting food trends all came together to form the coolest food event in America, Family Style Food Festival.

Entrepreneur, dancer, and content creator Michael Le talks about finding a new identity through dance, diversifying his business interests across the internet, and how his parents' small business background helped him develop a hustler mentality from a young age.

Comedian, actor, content creator, and podcaster David So reflects on fatherhood, the role his Korean identity plays in his life, real life Korean drama at home and on the internet, overcoming an existential crisis during Covid, his journey in the Christian faith, avoiding burnout as a content creator, why worrying about your legacy is the dumbest thing you can do, and a comprehensive survey of the...

Content creator, entrepreneur, and artist of life Aileen Xu aka Lavendaire talks about making life your masterpiece, traveling to Asia, reconnecting with her father, and the importance of finding inspiration and designing your dream life on your own terms, not anyone else's.

Singer-songwriter Stephanie Poetri talks about the creation of her breakout hit "I Love You 3000", performing and producing music with 88rising, her love for video games and crafts, the utility of personality tests, and representing Indonesia in the West (a country people in America barely know exists).

Asian American pioneer Tim Chantarangsu talks about being a different kind of Asian on YouTube, his 9-season run on Wild 'N Out, how his comedy and podcast persona differs from his music persona Traphik, and his top priorities now that he has reached the next level of life: being a dad.

Portrait photographer and content creator David Suh discusses the secrets behind self-acceptance, taking selfies you love, the difference between being an artist and a designer, how somatics transform the mind-body connection, and why he believes that no one can possibly be unphotogenic.

Content creator and fitness influencer Rebecca Benedict talks about growing up as an adoptee from China in a white family, her speedrun through Asian American identity, and what it's like being abducted as a teenager and surviving a wilderness therapy program.

Chef, owner, and James Beard Foundation 2024 Best Chef: California award winner Lord Maynard Llera shares what it was like to win the "Oscars of the food world", explains his unique regional take on Filipino food, reflects on being an overripe restaurateur, and goes into detail about the origin story behind his highly lauded first dining concept in Los Angeles: Kuya Lord.

Restaurateur and serial entrepreneur Andy Nguyen breaks down the secrets behind successful enterprises like Afters Ice Cream and Trill Burgers, why Little Saigon in Orange County has some of the best Vietnamese food in the world, his experience pioneering food concepts across the country, and what we should learn from the era of Web3 and NFTs.

Rapper, content creator, and idea architect Jason Chu talks about making Asian American history fun for audiences both young and old, why Asian adoptees may have the deepest understanding of what it means to be Asian American, the global shift toward Asia and what that means for America, and the complexities behind being a professional Asian American.

Arika Sato dishes on the early days of YouTube, being a pioneer in social media content creation, how her background in broadcast journalism makes her a better storyteller, and how practicing and teaching yoga and pilates keeps her calm and balanced in the midst of her fast-paced, glamorous life.

Actor and singer-songwriter Kevin Woo talks about being developed in the K-Pop system as a member of the Korean boy band U-KISS, making his Broadway debut in the musical KPOP, his upcoming role in Anderson Paak's K-Pops! feature film, and how his singular role as a Korean American cross-cultural ambassador is turning K-Pop into Kevin-Pop.

DJ and producer Tim Wu aka Elephante reflects on his Michigan roots, going to Harvard with Jeremy Lin, taking the leap from corporate consultant to full-time artist, introducing his parents to EDM, the inspiration behind his latest album COPE, and his ongoing mission of mentoring young Asian artists through his Hidden Horizon collective and label.

Chef, author, and content creator Tue Nguyen aka Twaydabae gives us her take on modern Vietnamese cuisine, opening a restaurant in the Asian food desert of West Hollywood, and why 50 years after the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War it's more important than ever for Vietnamese Americans to visit Vietnam.

Fashion designer Vivian Chan, founder and creative director of her own eponymous label VIVIANCHAN, talks about finding beauty in the broken, honoring her mother, and celebrating women for every occasion in life through her designs.