The Bánh Mì Chronicles

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles , host Randy Kim sits down with the incredible Nisha Mody (she/her)—a certified Liberatory Life Coach, Facilitator, and Writer—for a profound conversation about self-compassion, unlearning harmful beliefs, and showing up authentically in relationships. Nisha, who is currently writing a memoir about her divorce, shares the raw, deeply personal story of her toxic...

This week on The Bánh Mì Chronicles , host Randy Kim brings you an urgent, on-the-ground report with Lilly Le (she/her), Community Organizing Director at the Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI) . Lilly works to build community power among Vietnamese people in Illinois through engagement and leadership development. In this critical discussion, we address the twin crises currently impacting Vie...

This week, we’re getting real and diving into the deep end with the incredible Joi Louviere from the Werk Stories Podcast . Our conversation pulls no punches as we talk about the brutal realities of toxic workplaces , especially through the lens of a Black women . Joi and I discuss how the prevailing political environment—specifically the Trump administration—has created an even more difficult and...

Recorded on 10/21/25, 6:30 pm CST TW/CW: contains discussion surrounding ICE raids I welcome a fierce and fabulous friend, Saint Mary Clarence , who joins us in full drag to demonstrate the political power of this queer art form. But the conversation shifts into the urgent discussion of the current ICE raid crisis in and around Chicago. Saint Mary Clarence —a dedicated community member—breaks down...

In this candid and powerful episode, I brought a fellow podcaster friend Patrick Armstrong , a Korean American adoptee from the Midwest, a celebrated co-host of The Janchi Show , and the creator of the intimate new local series of the people in Indianapolis, Conversation Piece . Patrick shares his deeply personal journey as an adoptee, reflecting on the decades it took to reconcile his upbringing...

In this emergency episode,  Francia Garcia Hernandez , a reporter for  Block Club Chicago , joined me as a guest, focusing on the seismic impact of recent ICE raids across the city. Francia shares her on-the-ground reporting, giving us a clear view of how these raids affect Chicago’s vibrant Latino communities and the real-world consequences for local, family-owned  small businesses . In this epis...

Note from Randy: The last 30 seconds of the episode went silent so my apologies to listeners This episode features an in-depth conversation with Aaron Yin , an organizer based in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Aaron shares his four years of experience in the organizing space, offering valuable insights into what it truly means to be an activist today, especially for those ju...

A State of Emergency: Resisting ICE in Chicago Trigger/Content Warning: Episode will mention ICE raids, violent detainment, and police brutality. Recorded on Tuesday, 10/13/25 at 7:30 pm US Central. The city of Chicago is currently grappling with a climate of fear and constitutional crisis following escalated raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In this critical emergency episo...

What happens when your intersectional identity meets the social media algorithm? This week on The Banh Mi Chronicles , we sit down with the incredibly insightful Johnathan Gibbs—a queer Black and Filipino content creator and founder of The Otaku Choir. Johnathan shares his unique journey, from navigating his Black and Filipino roots growing up in Mississippi to making his mark as a creator in NYC....

Jung is back on my podcast again to give us a rundown of what is being used by ICE, police, and military, and what you need to do in case you come in contact with any chemicals. Also, check out my previous episode with Jung in case you missed it which is ICE Raids & Protest Safety Episode There are more safety tips and awareness on chemical weapon contact if you go to: https://open.substack.co...

In this emergency episode of The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast , I’m joined by Mahdis Azimi , a Chicago-based immigration attorney working closely with clients who are facing deportation threats and uncertain legal status amid the current ICE raids in the city. Mahdis sheds light on the rapidly changing immigration landscape , the fear and confusion facing undocumented and mixed-status families and l...

More than just a vacation: Insight into the 47% rise in US expats, and how living abroad fosters profound connections and understanding. Join us for an enlightening conversation with the incredible Nicole Brewer , an English Language teacher, travel blogger, author, and co-founder of the expansive travel community, I Luv 2 Globe Trot . Speaking to us from Oman , her home for the past decade, Nicol...

TW/CW: Discussion of ICE Raids, civilian violence This emergency episode responds to the ongoing ICE raids taking place in Chicago, which have left many in the Chicago communities vulnerable and at-risk. I’m joined by my return guest, friend, and community organizer Jung Han, to break down what’s happening right now, how these raids impact community members, and what you can do to stay safe and aw...

Award-winning Korean Author Bora Chung ( Cursed Bunny , Your Utopia , The Midnight Timetable ) joins me to discuss how fiction warns, resists, and reimagines our world. What if fiction isn’t just storytelling, but a foreshadow of things to come? In this episode of The Bánh Mì Chronicles , I’m joined by acclaimed Korean author Bora Chung , best known for her award-winning collection Cursed Bunny ,...

Trigger and Content Warning:  This episode will discuss topics involving self-h*rm, s*icide, mental health, genocide, and involuntary hospitalization. In this “bonus” episode, we take the time to recognize S*icide Awareness/Prevention Month this September. My good friend and longtime activist, Jung Han (they/them) and I had a conversation revolving around the challenging capacity in community acti...

Chatting with keynote speaker, activist, and award-winning author Michelle Mijung Kim on what it means to build courage in speaking out in today's political climate. She was a previous guest of mine in 2020 when we discussed what the DEI landscape looked like in the aftermath of George Floyd, and why Asian communities must stand in solidarity with the Black community. Since 2020, she has relea...

On this episode of The Bánh Mì Chronicles Podcast, I invited guest Tony DelaRosa to share his current work and knowledge about what is happening with DEI in the K-12 public education and in higher learning at both the local and national level in the US. As DEI is getting dismantled by the federal government, and in certain states and local governments, Tony sheds some light on what DEI practitione...

I sit down with my friend Ed Do for this important discussion on the current US political landscape and what progressives are facing and needing during this very critical time. Ed currently works for a US Democrat Congressman from Texas, representing his district that includes the Dallas and Ft Worth area. In our long conversation, we talked about Ed’s upbringing as a queer, mixed Korean American,...

I recently chatted with the creator of the IG Page PhoDaCulture (the creator asked to remain anonymous. We talked about his journey in creating content that reflects the humor and pride of the Vietnamese diaspora and Vietnamese identity. Pho Da Culture now has 480,000 followers on Instagram, and he shares about how the diaspora and native Vietnamese community have responded to his page. He also ho...

My Journey to Learning Vietnamese as a Geriatric Millennial I decided to record another solo episode, this time about my recent journey to learn Vietnamese as a now 42 year old. I recently wrote about it on my Substack and I got several wonderful feedback from folks who are also learning their family tongue for the first time. I share my early experiences in dealing with the lifelong shame and res...

Content/Trigger Warning: Mentions of s*icide, mental health, and grief. My return back to the podcast, this time through Substack. What led me to come back, my journey since August 12, 2024, and what to expect moving forward---all here in this episode! Subscribe to my Substack at randykim.substack.com

Well, this is the last episode of The Banh Mi Chronicles Podcast. I am joined by my friend and podcast host of The Vietnamese, Kenneth Nguyen who interviewed me about the process of the podcast and what to look forward to next. Many thanks to my guests, past sponsors, and listeners for making the last 4 years a wonderful ride. Special thanks to Huythang Tran for designing the logo and season theme...

My good friend and fellow Cambodian American Tola Livesey joins us for this episode as we talk about the effects of assimilation and her understanding and curiosity of her Cambodian identity and heritage. She also talks about her passion for archiving stories, and its importance to the Cambodian community and more! Bio: Tola is a 1.5 generation Cambodian American who currently lives in in the Los...

(S9, EP 8) Joined by my good friend and internationally acclaimed artist Anida Yoeu Ali, we talked about Anida's journey as a Muslim Khmer American, her years-long work as an artist, and the challenges she's experienced along the way including the forced disappearance of her Red Chador. Anida shared the process in developing her critically acclaimed Buddhist Bug that has been seen in exhib...

S9, EP 7. Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen is back on my podcast again, this time to talk about his latest book, A Man of Two Faces, the political and socio issues among Vietnamese Americans, and so much more! Bio: Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and numerous other awards. His most recent publication is his memoir, A Man of Two Faces . His other...