Modern Minorities

Cathy Erway hosts the podcast SELF EVIDENT, a podcast challenging the narratives of the Asian American experience. Cathy is fascinated by the intersection of culture, food, and race. In our candid conversation about growing up (and eating - two of our favorite topics) - you’ll hear Cathy’s take on the role food has played in her life, and how recipes and cooking experiences have shaped her. Cathy’...

As we get ready for 2021, we look back on the long year before with friend-of-the-pod Suzanne Sinatra. What made our 2020 (beyond the obvious)? From personal moments, to coping mechanisms, to TV/movies? What did we miss most and least about “the before times”? What do we predict for 2021 - for ourselves and the world? What are most looking forward to (and worried about). And most importantly, how...

One year and nearly SIXTY episodes later, we decided to take a step back and reflect on what we heard from all the conversations we had about “work and life through the lens of race and gender.” The whole point of this show (and this episode)? For us to just get out of our own way and let the guests tell their story - whether they’re doctors, reporters, athletes, entrepreneurs, diversity experts,...

Have you ever wondered what a conversation would be with your bi-racial kid, reflecting on everything that's going on in the world - the good, the bad, and the ugly? Have you ever had a conversation about race with your spouse of another race? This week, Sharon crashes Raman’s secret underground comic book podcast QUARANTINED COMICS with his other co-host (and friend of the MM Pod), Ryan Joe. We d...

Dr. Brandi Baldwin is a psychology + business professor turned entrepreneur tackling diversity & inclusion challenges from the ground up. As the Founder of Millennial Ventures, Calling All Allies, AND the Colorcast Podcast Network, she is enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs to level-up their leadership across all levels of business. A respected lecturer at Wharton, Johns Hopkins, and...

Nicole Armstrong is the Founder & CEO of Queen City Certified - the US’ first data-driven employer certification and cohort-based leadership program for gender equity in the workplace. In less than 3 years, QCC has won awards and accolades - but more importantly impacted more than 7,500 employees nationwide - by providing a roadmap for policies that foster more diverse and inclusive workplaces...

Goli Kalkhoran is the host of “Lessons from a Quitter” a great podcast (and platform) to de-stigmatize the notion of quitting - providing resources and inspiration to folks looking to pivot in their established careers. Goli herself followed the traditional path to “success” by becoming the lawyer she (and her parents) always wanted to be - and walked away from it all after several years of practi...

This year is a most unusual Thanksgiving for all of us - and we hope you’re celebrating responsibly. Since a regular old turkey just won’t do (Jieun was right), our crack team of culinary experts at Modern Minorities assembled a menu of the BEST OF THE BEST ...from our guests’ mom dishes. So what’s on the menu? Vietnamese Soup (Kim), Chinese Dumplings (Jay), Mutton Curry (Bevan), Chicken Saag (Ram...

Stanley Lumax is the founder of African Chop House, which celebrates African culture through good food, music and people. As a professional marketer and a photographer - Stanley’s also worked with Nike Basketball, the NBA, Converse, Beats By Dre’. Growing up in a Ghanaian household, Stanley combines all of his experiences to ignite the African Diaspora together. His latest endeavor is the restaura...

Mita Mallick is infamous - an outspoken champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion at companies like Carta + Unilever. She’s also a passionate storyteller. As a columnist for SWAAY - and published in the Harvard Business Review, New York Post, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and more - Mita is challenging perceptions of what diversity is really about. Across her career, Mita’s fought to...

Ashlyn Gentry is a renegade academic / political wonk turned business strategist...who has a PhD. As the Co-Founder / Managing Partner of Attention Capital, she’s cultivated a reputation for moving fast and getting results. Ashlyn’s held senior roles @ Palantir’s, Hill+Knowlton Strategies (WPP), AND is a mentor to rising female and minority entrepreneurs. Basically, Ashlyn’s a BOSS. Constantly nav...

It’s been a LONG week, but it seems to be finally over...almost. Joe Biden & Kamala Harris won. So now what? Given the good news, our pal (+comedian) Rajiv Satyal re-joined us for a post-post election chat, this one a bit more cheery, but only cautiously optimistic. This is a fun, but serious one. Buckle your seat belts and empty your peach baskets, because we’ve got (a lot) more work to do. S...

Lan Phan may or may not have once driven a getaway car, founded her own music agency, and/or had a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio - all before she was 30. Today she’s left her BigCo business cards behind, and is now the founder of COMMUNITY OF SEVEN - which brings together big brands and non-profits - to solve big business and societal problems - through content, events and loyalty pro...

What does it even mean to “talk white” or “act black”? Kenyatte Nelson might live in Liverpool, but his life and career have spanned Charleston (SC), Tallahassee (FL), Cincinnati (OH), Geneva (CH), and Manchester (UK). Once declared Esquire’s best dressed man (2008), this tall, dark, and handsome (brand) man shares his thoughts on the importance of empathy, kindness, and names - despite being ofte...

While Seif Hamid was born and raised near Cleveland, and feels deep roots in Egypt - he’s most at home in NYC. And his dad may or may not have a British accent. This recovering DJ may or may not have led one of the first arab-american hip hop groups (the Desert Crew), incorporated his own record label (Music Without Borders), and released two albums (2009’s “Hindustani Gangster” gained him coverag...

Dr. Nzinga Harrison hosts “In Recovery” - a podcast about understanding addictions (all of them) as a medical illness. Nzinga’s a physician board-certified in psychiatry and addiction medicine. As an educator and vocal advocate - she asks and answers the “why’s” about our perceptions (and laws) - and how they often shift dramatically around addiction. Nzinga’s ALSO the Co-Founder and Chief Medical...

Jieun Kim Kirtley was born in Korea, raised in Barcelona, grew up in New Jersey, and lives in Ohio. But when she arrived to this U.S. - it felt like a different planet. The daughter of a Taekwondo instructor, she of course has a her black belt, but was never going to take over the family business - she had degrees to get in - Mechanical Engineering (Cornell) and Technology Policy (MIT). In a warm,...

Buck Rocker is just a kid from Ohatchee, Alabama (now living in Arizona), who happens to be half Black, half Vietnamese, and ALL federal attorney. Having worked as a juvenile public defender, and with the Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Buck’s now Assistant Chief Counsel at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement...yep ICE.  By hearing some hard conversations...

Carol left the island of Antigua when she was 13 - for the bright lights of NYC. After growing up in Bronx, Carol studied at Middlebury college, and soon found her becoming a young mother. Now an Assistant Dean at the University of Cincinnati, Carol is an educator, Black feminist, student advocate, and proud mother - who’s in the business of changing lives, and making sure her kids make it home to...

JON POLLOCK says (Ciao) Andiamo Jon Pollock is the Founder & CEO of Ciao Andiamo - providing authentic, insider journeys of Italy. In a candid conversation among old friends, Jon shares his experiences growing up in Long Island - and coming to terms with being gay. We learned more about how our society should challenge our assumptions beyond Will & Grace, Rupaul, and/or even Mayor Pete. Li...

You may have heard Raman mention his super-secret, super-NERDY, third podcast “Quarantined Comics” with his reporter pal (and past MM guest) Ryan Joe. SHARON was recently a guest, where we talked about THI BUI’s “The Best We Could Do” - an illustrated memoir of the author’s family's history and exodus from Vietnam to America. Bui’s FIRST book (which you don’t need to - but should - read) covers lo...

Comedian Erik Rivera isn’t on “the drugs” - despite what his mom thought. He just liked hitting the comedy clubs as a kid, and giving people - no matter where they’re from - something to relate to. We got into a pretty serious (but often funny) chat about being brown in a white world, and being American - while still in the mix of different cultures and countries (his mom’s from Guatemala, his dad...

Lucia Liu is the Founder of ROCK THE BOAT - a podcast and community focused all about Asians challenging the status quo. On her show, Lucia interviews entrepreneurs, entertainers and executives, from Adele to Andrew Yang - and many more. Beyond comparing notes on her immigrant-parent / free-range childhood, we explored the idea of creating your own destiny, the difficulties of differentiation, the...

James “Jay” Veraldi’s has worked across media, tech, VC, and ultimately conservation. He’s worked at/with all the big names - Target, Viacom, P&G, YouTube, Snap, TikTok - but now, most importantly, Jay’s the founder of ANIMALIA - a new platform (and podcast!) for conservation and climate news, information, and experiences. Jay has become deeply rooted in the conservation space - through Animal...

Abby Allen is Founder of Neon Butterfly - the only creative agency of its kind run by a woman of color. Her mission-driven approach has the world’s biggest brands making their voices more relevant to the changing faces of America - not just because it’s the right thing - but also the SMART thing to do. In 2013 she created “Perfectly Mixed” - driving cross-country to interview and photograph interr...