Cultureful: Identity, Family, and Global History

In the Season 3 finale of Cultureful , we conclude our three-part exploration of personal storytelling and cross-border identity with Maria. After years of navigating systemic instability and DACA work permit challenges, Maria shares the profound emotional weight of returning to Mexico for the first time in over two decades. This episode offers an intimate window into what it means to build a life...

The Realities of Systemic Hurdles & Teen Motherhood In the second part of our three-part conversation with Maria, we explore the sharp, systemic blockades that drop into her life during high school. From discovering she is pregnant on her 16th birthday to enduring an unexpected preterm labor, Maria shares the visceral reality of balancing teen motherhood, full-time high school, and late-night...

What is it like to grow up in a country where you didn’t have legal status to be there? In the premiere of this powerful three-part series, we sit down with Maria, a twenty-something healthcare worker in the U.S. who grew up undocumented. We trace her early childhood —from the high-stakes reality of crossing the border as an infant using a borrowed passport, to the vibrant, chaotic warmth of a cro...

“And the air… if you're from LA, you know that faint smell of pee in the morning … and the air was so clean here. It was crisp. It was so unbelievably clean .” What happens when an outspoken, willful teenager is suddenly uprooted from the familiar concrete grit of 1990s Los Angeles and dropped onto a rural coffee farm in the mountains of Guatemala? In the second half of our deep-dive conversa...

"Use your voice." In part one of this two-part conversation, we meet Yeira, a 39-year-old Guatemalan-American therapist who grew up navigating the sharp contrasts of 1990s Los Angeles. Her story begins as a carefree kid hanging out on the sands of Redondo Beach, a neighborhood in South Bay Los Angeles, before moving to the tight-knit, resilient streets of Inglewood. Yeira reflects on a c...

How do you bring your whole self to a family function? In the second half of our conversation, Michelle reveals the radical honesty required to integrate her polyamorous and queer reality with her Colombian family roots. From navigating family gatherings with two partners to a tough conversation with her aunt, Michelle shares the pillars of integrity and respect that guide her life. While many cho...

“I do it for myself. Because I want to feel confident for me. I could care less about the male gaze. That’s a part of Latino culture that I have flipped.” Michelle identifies as Latina first . She is a 32-year-old creative, and in this first half of our conversation, we trace the roots of her identity from the mountains of Pereira, Colombia to her life today in Atlanta . From the "telenovela&...

In this "Wind Down" bonus session, we step away from the historical timeline to debrief with Willy on the personal "blueprint" that shaped his childhood. From the tactical way his mother navigated American extracurriculars to his surprisingly strong defense of why Costco beats a theme park, this conversation explores the lighter side of the 1.5 generation experience. In This Ep...

In the second half of our conversation with Willy, a 28-year-old biomedical researcher, we shift from the historical foundations of his family’s past to the lived reality of the 1.5 generation experience. This episode explores the high-stakes world of the South Korean education system and the invisible labor of children who serve as the primary bridge between two cultures. From the late-night inte...

In this episode, we sit down with Willy, a 28-year-old biomedical researcher originally from Sacramento and currently living in Atlanta, to explore a lineage rooted in the resilient history of the Korean Peninsula. From the forced labor of the Japanese occupation to the enduring community structures of the Northern California delta, Willy's story is a map of the 1.5 generation experience. Thi...

Taking a little extra time this week to get our next full episode ready, so today I’m sharing our first-ever "Extra Gems" bonus segment! In this episode, we’re diving back into my conversation with Jin to share a few stories that were too good to keep in the vault. Jin takes us back to her childhood training at elite youth ping pong centers in Beijing and reflects on the beautiful consis...

In the final chapter of our journey with Jin, we step behind the counter of the family restaurant and into the world of competitive ping pong. This episode explores childhood as a restaurant kid and treasured moments of quality family time in between whirlwind schedules for parents and children alike. From her parents’ challenging backgrounds, we see the family they were able to build and the peop...

In Part Two of our journey with Jin, we move from the harrowing escape routes of the 1970s to the vibrant, complex grid of 1980s San Francisco Chinatown . This episode explores the different timelines of the Chinese diaspora—where four-generation American families collided with a new wave of Southeast Asian refugees. We trace a crazy meet-cute that involves a blind date gone wrong, the high costs...

“In a world that often feels divided, Cultureful is about the intersections—where we put ourselves in each other’s shoes.” In the Season 3 premiere, we sit down with Jin - a 37 year old, Teochew Chinese American tech product manager from Peoria, IL- to trace a family lineage that spans the specialized merchant guilds of Southeastern China to the high-stakes escape from the outskirts of Saigon. Thi...

Cultureful is a project for bridging cultures and building empathy. We’re back for Season 3 on Tuesday, January 27th! New intimate, up-close, and human stories coming your way. I have deep-dive conversations with regular, amazing people about the everyday experiences, traditions, and family histories that connect us all. 3 Ways to Join the Global Neighborhood: Subscribe : Hit the "Follow&quot...

In this 2025 reflection, Cultureful host, Jess Lin, shares a personal update on hosting while healing, navigating a career pivot, and building a global neighborhood. From leaving a decade in Global Health to the realities of independent podcasting, this episode is a sincere thank you to the Founding Friends and neighbors who made this year possible. Support the Neighborhood: We are currently raisi...

👉 Join the circle of Founding Supporters: https://ko-fi.com/cultureful Kwanzaa is more than a holiday — it’s a living tradition shaped by family, history, and intention. In this Season 2 finale of Cultureful , Jess Lin sits down with Martina to explore Kwanzaa as a living tradition shaped by family, history, and community. Martina reflects on growing up in San Francisco, her family’s roots in the...

After our full interview, Joanne and I sat down for a more relaxed conversation — a space to debrief, unwind, and share a few favorite things. In this bonus “Wind Down” episode, Joanne talks about the surprising through-line she discovered while telling her story, from childhood to her work in belonging and organizational coaching today. We also get into lighter moments: perfectionism, Brene Brown...

In Part 2 of our conversation, Joanne shares how her STEM journey unfolded in ways she never expected—through academic pressure, nonlinear pivots, surprising mentors, and the slow, intentional work of choosing where she belongs. We talk about what it means to grow up under high expectations, nearly failing out of college, rediscovering purpose through neuroscience and teaching, and the moment she...

Joanne shares what it was like growing up as one of the only Chinese American kids in a small upstate New York town—and the year her family moved to Taiwan, placing her in a public school during the height of martial law and anti-communist propaganda. In Part 1, she talks about her parents’ refugee journey from mainland China to Taiwan, learning Mandarin and Bopomofo, and navigating identity, belo...

Join Jess for The Wind Down , a new bonus series from Cultureful — a cross-cultural podcast about how stories shape who we are. In this first ever “after-show,” Jess and Hakim unwind after recording their main episodes to reflect on vulnerability, healing, and the power of storytelling. Hakim shares memories of his grandmother, what “home” means to him, and some of his favorite things — from books...

Join us on Cultureful as Hakim Asadi, a Black queer therapist from Upstate New York, shares his journey of growing up queer in a religious community. He opens up about the challenges of navigating faith, family expectations, and shame, and how therapy, self-reflection, and community helped him embrace his authentic self. This episode explores: Growing up queer in church and Black communities Overc...

Hakim Asadi, a 35-year-old Black American therapist, reflects on his childhood, family, and community, exploring what it was like growing up between the inner city and suburbs. Host Jess Lin dives into his experiences in the church his grandparents founded, formative family moments, and the influences that shaped his curiosity, values, and identity. This first half of a two-part conversation lays...

Host Jess Lin continues her conversation with Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Northern California. This episode explores cultural identity, heritage language, and how learning traditions like Día de los Muertos can help families reconnect to their roots. Taryn reflects on her parents’ love story, family visits to Mexico, and how her family’s connection to Mexican culture has evolve...

In this episode, Jess Lin interviews Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Woodland, California and a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer. Taryn shares powerful stories about her grandparents’ migration from Mexico, their resilience as farmworkers, and the traditions that shaped her family’s life in California’s Central Valley. She reflects on her grandpa Eloy’s journey crossing the bord...