Rice & Shine

With no specific plan, we sat down and talked about anything that came to mind. In this chaotic episode, we talked about: the butterfly effect, the logic behind seating charts, elementary school math, our short attention spans, and Sophie's obsession with using literary terms. 

Today we celebrate one year of Rice & Shine! We reflect on our growth, talk highs and lows, and look forward to many more years to come. 

Inspired by the New York Times article "A New Look For a New World", today we break down the creative outlet of makeup and discuss the idea of a male and female gaze. We ask where the middle ground is between the male and female gaze, reflect on our makeup journey and our struggles balancing feminity and masculinity, as well as look towards a near future with no gender roles.  Check out the articl...

Today we talk to Yordanos Gebreamlak from the Washington state Office of Education Ombuds. We discuss about what Ombuds do, what's changed since COVID, and appreciate the OEO. Find all OEO contact here:  https://www.oeo.wa.gov/en  OEO intake form: https://services.oeo.wa.gov/oeo  Interpreters are available for all OEO resources!

With Lauren and Ava out (aka the unemotional people), Grace and Sophie take the opportunity to reminisce on their past relationships of all sorts and share some advice. Listen in as they talk about boundaries, affection, and their thought on dating in high school. 

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* With Grace out, the crazy sleepover energy is brought back as we talk about the 2018 Chinese drama, Meteor Garden. The episode gets pretty chaotic as we remember the bizarre plot points and characters. Sophie expresses her affection for the main love interest, while Lauren and Ava realize Sophie conned both of them into watching the show with her. Although this episode may not...

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* Today, we revive the Asians On-Screen series to talk about the wildly popular Squid Game. We discuss the good and the bad of Squid Game's impact. Ava talks about Squid Game art, Grace gives us some cultural background, Lauren shows her appreciation for the cast, Sophie assesses if she would make it through Squid Game, and we all figure out which characters we would be.  Link to...

Happy Halloween! (Or happy whenever you're listening) In this episode, we tell our Halloween stories, talk about costumes, and show our love for Big Hero Six

Lately, the Rice & Shine team has been going through a rough patch, so today we sit down and talk through it. We discuss our changed dynamic, why we've decided to push through, but also give advice to ourselves and others who struggle with friendship. 

Needing a break week, we air an old un-released episode. Back in August we talked about our city Mercer Island, addressed its stereotypes and the truth they hold. 

We're back for Season 2 of Rice & Shine! In this episode, we talk back to school stress, covid concerns with in-person school, how we attempt to balance school with extracurriculars, and the highs and lows of our sophomore year so far. We are back and will be regularly updating! Make sure to stay updated with us whether that be following us on your favorite podcast platform, or following our I...

Today we discuss our thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) and technology and the impacts on our lives. From minor issues such as Siri activating unintentionally to more serious concerns regarding personal security, we weigh the pros and cons.

Today we bring the heat as we talk about climate change (pun intended). We discuss how we handled the Pacific Northwest heat wave, talk about our concern for the planet's & our future, show appreciation for Greta Thunberg, and give our tips on how to stay eco-friendly. 

In a continuation of our interviews with LGBTQ+ AAPI people, we are joined by film writer and director Sarah Kambe Holland! We get the background on her upcoming film Egghead & Twinkie, discuss the importance of representation, and she speaks on her identity as a queer woman in the film industry.  Check out the trailer for Egghead & Twinkie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=231owwkDnY0

Today we're joined by a new friend, Ren (@ren1_59 on TikTok)! We ask about his TikTok fame and influence, the struggles of being a queer creator, and his life in Australia. Find him on TikTok @ren1_59 and on Instagram @1_59cmr 

You read that right! Our freshman year has come to a close, and with that, we reflect on what an odd year this has been. Lauren appreciated the unique opportunities the COVID situation brought us, Sophie talked about trying to enjoy the "once in a lifetime" experience, Ava gave her advice to incoming freshmen, and Grace talked about thriving as an extrovert in the hybrid system. Don't worry, altho...

Last week we had an episode in which we talked about the deeply rooted sexism of traditional dress codes in school. Today we interview Jordin, an 8th grader at a middle school in Kennewick, Washington. Jordin got dress-coded, challenged the authority, and today she tells her story. 

Although our school year has been dominated by zoom, dress codes are still prevalent. Especially with Bartram Trail High School making headlines by digitally altering girls' yearbook photos. Today we sit down to discuss our personal experience with dress codes, their sexist and body type-phobic ways, as well as seek change for dress codes and sexism in the future. 

With TikTok seeming to be the app of the year (or past 3), today we sit down to discuss its pros and cons. From its strong hold on pop culture to its problematic security, we each voice our thoughts on the app and determine whether TikTok is a blessing or a curse for each of us. 

With Sophie and Lauren out of town for volleyball, Grace and Ava lead this episode alone, discussing their thoughts and experiences regarding performative activism. They talk about what "Performative Activism" means and how they have encountered it, while Grace shares some personal stories. Links to some helpful articles: - https://www.dearasianyouth.org/post/how-to-combat-performative-activism -...

Trigger Warning at 17:30 for mentions of suicide. This week, we take a deeper dive into the mental health of students, specifically South Korean students. Grace shares her parent's stories of being students in one of the top performing academic countries in the world. We compare the academic systems of South Korea to our schools and share how we deal with the stress surrounding education and our f...

After a week-long break, we are back with new content! While we were gone, we did an interview with Radio Survivor. Now with high school seemingly going back to normal, we reflect on the current hybrid system. We compare and contrast the online-only system with the hybrid system, voice our concerns, and appreciate our teachers. Link to the interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zqJZSwz7xAPWK...

This week we hop back on the K-Pop train as we discuss the industry's flaws: unrealistic beauty standards, disregard for mental health, controlling rules, creepy fans, the list goes on. We discuss our concern for idols' mental health and hope for a future of better treatment. 

In a continuation of our "get to know you" episodes, today we channel the sleepover vibe as we dive into hypothetical and most-likely-to questions. From rants about Mark Lee to deep mental health discussions, this episode is sure to entertain everyone. 

This week, the team reflects on the beauty standards of Asian and western countries and how they have impacted their lives. We become as vulnerable as ever as we unpack our insecurities and share the stories of our journeys to self-love along with what has helped us feel at peace with our self-image. Keep an eye out for announcements about Sophie's upcoming solo mental-health series on our Instagr...