The Bánh Mì Chronicles

Catching up with my friend Alec Phan about his experience as a Chicago stage actor in a queer/trans-centered production, and his mom's experience as a Vietnamese singer and how it influenced Alec's work as an artist, and more! Bio: Alec Phan (he/they) is a queer, trans, Viet-American theatre artist based in Chicago. He was last seen as Jon in an all-trans and gender non-conforming producti...

Dolly Ave joined us for this episode as she talks about her recently released debut album, the impact of her mom's passing, and her life and vision as an artist. Bio: Dolly Ave has received radio airplay on powerhouse 103.5 KISS FM Chicago, influential KEXP and tastemaker station 88Rising Radio on SIRIUS XM. She has appeared at two major music festivals, and received press in Forbes, The NY Ti...

In this week's episode, I chatted with journalist and author of her memoir, "Ma and Me", Putsata Reang. We talked about the process in writing her memoir, her queerness and Khmer identity and how that affected her relationship with her mother and more! Bio: Putsata Reang is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Politico, The Guardian, The San Jose Me...

(S9, EP 3) Rahimeh Ramezany discusses the lack of Muslim and religious groups in DEI work, and her advocacy in raising that awareness through her work. We talk about the current state of DEI, and Rahimeh shares important practices with listeners on how to be proactive as advocates and be an agency for change. Bio: Rahimeh Ramezany (she/her) is a multiethnic, neurodiverse, Muslim American woman, an...

(S9, EP 2) Kahmora Hall chats about her upbringing as a queer Viet American, and the challenging conversations she had with her parents about getting into drag performance. She spoke about her experience being on RuPaul's Drag Race, the current drag ban and anti-LGBTQ legislation happening in recent times, and so much more! Bio: Kahmora Hall is a Chicago-native and Drag Artist of over 10 years...

Retired Chicago veteran news anchor Linda Yu kicks off my season 9 opener as we talk about her decades-long career in Chicago news television, what it was like to navigate the news media industry as an Asian American woman, and more. Bio: Linda Yu has been called a trailblazer, mentor and award- journalist. She recently stepped back from daily broadcasting after more than forty years in television...

(S8 Finale) Check out my interview with Tuan Huynh, founder of VietFive Coffee which is the featured sponsor of the 8th season of the podcast. Bio: Tuan Huynh, founder of VietFive Coffee, is also an award-winning Creative Director, business man, and community organizer. He fled to the U.S. as a toddler and refugee from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. Growing up in the Midwest, he has developed a...

(S8, EP 12) Meet Ginger Leopoldo, Executive Director of Circa Pintig, sponsor of the 8th season of The Banh Mi Chronicles, and learn about Circa Pintig's work in Chicago. Bio: Ginger Leopoldo is an educator, actor, director, producer, and community organizer. She is the founding Artistic Director of the Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA), and Executive Director of CIRCA...

(S8, EP 11): On this week's episode, I invited past guest and poet Dr. Joshua Nguyen to be a special guest host. He interviewed Susan Nguyen, author of her poetry collection, "Dear Diaspora" about heroes and villains during this conversation. Bio: Susan Nguyen's debut poetry collection, Dear Diaspora (University of Nebraska Press, 2021) won the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poet...

(S8, EP 10): For this week's episode, former guest Tony Ho Tran takes my place as a special guest host, and interviews Lan Samantha Chang, author of her latest novel, "The Family Chao". Bio: Lan Samantha Chang’s new novel, The Family Chao, was published by W. W. Norton in February 2022. She is the author of two previous novels, All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost and Inheritance, and a...

(S8, EP 9) For this week, I invited Ko Chandetka, an award-winning body builder to the show.  We talked about his family’s resettlement in Elgin, IL after the Lao Civil War, his development as a body builder, and his recovery from addiction and more.  You won’t want to miss this episode! Thank you and enjoy the listen! Bio: Born in Mukdahan, Thailand, Ko Chandetka spent his early years l...

(S8, EP 8) For this week's episode, I am honored to bring in critically-acclaimed and best-selling author Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai as a guest.  We discussed her latest book, "Dust Child", and the issues surrounding AmerAsians who were left behind during the Vietnam War, the discrimination that ethnic minorities face in Vietnam, and the stigmas that is covered in her book. Don't miss out on this ep...

(S8, EP 7) For this week's episode, my good friend Amy M. Le who has appeared in two of my episodes is back again on the podcast, this time as a guest host as she interviews our friend and writer, Christina Vo.  Amy chats up with Christina about the loss of her mom when she was a teenager, her writing journey, and her debut memoir, “The Veil Between Two Worlds” set to come out in April. Bio:...

(S8, EP 6)  For this week's episode, Nisha Mody steps in as guest host, and chats with Fiza Pirani, the founder of Foreign Bodies, an award-winning newsletter on immigrant mental health. Hear them discuss the meaning of immigrant mental health, and what it means for our Asian communities.  Tune in to hear this amazing discussion! Bio: Fiza Pirani is an Atlanta-based freelance writer and...

Trigger Warning:  Medical Scare (S8, EP 5) Meet Darro Chea, a Khmer American emo pop-punk artist originally from Brooklyn, NY.  Hear his story about what got him into music, and his survival from a threatening brain tumor a few years back.  Learn and follow his work now! Bio: Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, Asian-American artist Darro is fusing together the strongest and catchiest elemen...

S8, EP 4:  Sara Blanchard and Misasha Suzuki Graham, co-hosts of the Dear White Women Podcast join me for this week's episode as we talk about the genesis of putting together their podcast, what unlearning white supremacy and recognizing privilege means, and offering anti-racism tools.  Bio: Misasha Suzuki Graham: A graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School, Misasha Suzuki Grah...

(S8, EP3) Check out this episode w/author, journalist, and educator Erika Hayasaki who recently released her book, "Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family".  We talked about the release of her book, as well as the themes (e.g. adoption, adoptee trauma, diaspora) in "Somewhere Sisters." Bio: Erika Hayasaki teaches in the Literary Journalism Program at the U...

TW/CW:  Mentions of Anti-Asian hate, sexual violence, and gaslighting (S8, EP 2) Leslie Lew joins me for this week's episode as she talks about her work as a trauma-informed self-defense coach and what it means to break down the patriarchy and ableism in self-defense work.  We discussed the ongoing Stop Asian Hate movement, and what it means to reclaim one's courage.  Bio: Leslie is...

On Season 8's first episode, I interviewed leading nonprofit commentator, Vu Le about the issues concerning philanthropy, and why it's deeply flawed and rooted in white supremacy.  We chatted about what it's like to date a nonprofit professional, and why he believes in the full good of the Oxford comma.   Bio: Vu Le (“voo lay”) is a writer, speaker, vegan, Pisces, and the former Executiv...

Thank you for your patience as I am finally back from my months-long hiatus.  Learn what's in store for Season 8.  Enjoy the ride with new episodes each week! Sponsored by: VietFive Coffee: Start your day right with VietFive Coffee.  Freshly grown coffee harvested straight from Vietnam and roasted in Chicago, VietFive offers rich quality tasting Vietnamese coffee straight to your so...

BONUS EPISODE: So I'm back for a moment with a new shared episode w/ Kenneth Nguyen from The Vietnamese Podcast and Tracey Nguyen Mang from The Vietnamese Boat People Podcast.  We discussed our experiences as podcasters from a Vietnamese lens, and the current landscape of Vietnamese podcasting today.  Check out our discussion and don't forget to follow each of our works! 

Season 7's "reClaim" is over and I'm here to share my closing remarks about the season.  Many thanks to the following guests of Season 7: Michelle Li, Ju Hong, Noor Hindi, Sotheara Lim, Soultree Camba, Marpheen Chann, Consuela Hendricks, Angela Lin, and Nidhi Shastri.   Season 7 is sponsored by the following: Nguyen Coffee Supply, America’s first specialty Vietnamese coffee company and p...

As Season 7 is about to soon wrap up, Nidhi Shastri rounds up this Season 7 guest lineup.  Nidhi is the founder and producer of her podcast, "Model Minority: Uniquely American".  She is a South Asian American based in Chicago. We talked about the process of starting her podcast which explores stories and issues of the Asian, African, and Middle Eastern American / diaspora, her upbringing...

(S7, EP 6): For this episode, I invited both Consuela Hendricks and Angela Lin, co-presidents of People Matter, a community-based organization whose mission is to uplift, unearth, and untether people in different communities in the Chicago area, particularly in Chinatown, McKinley Park, , Bridgeport, Bronzeville and more.  We talk about People Matter's work in improving race relations among B...

TW: Discussions of intergenerational & adoptee trauma (S7, EP 5) Marpheen Chann joined me for this week's episode. He's a queer Khmer American community advocate and now an author of his new memoir. We spent time talking about his memoir, going through his family's struggle with the US refugee resettlement after the Khmer Rouge genocide, and going through his experiences being adopted. We shar...