The Loida Lewis Podcast

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 11 - BD Wong: Legacy, Identity, and the Power of Visibility In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with the legendary BD Wong - Tony Award-winning actor, director, activist, and pioneer for Asian American visibility in Hollywood. From his early days in high school and college theater, to his groundbreaking Broadway debut in M. Butterfly, and iconic roles in La...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 10 - Gregory Ho: Investing in a Better World, One Step at a Time In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with Gregory Ho, founding partner of Spring Mountain Capital, to explore what it really means to make a social impact. Greg shares how his career began at McKinsey and how he later helped launch Spring Mountain Capital to fund mission-driven ventures. But be...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 9 - Sofronio Vasquez III: From Small-Town Dreamer to The Voice Winner In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we’re joined by Sofronio Vasquez III, the groundbreaking Filipino-American artist who won Season 26 of The Voice, making history as the first Filipino and Asian male to win a major American singing competition. We talk about his journey - from humble beginnings to...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 8 - Chef Cris Comerford: Inside the White House Kitchen In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we’re joined by Cris Comerford - the first Asian, first woman, and first Filipina to serve as Executive Chef at the White House, from 2005 to 2024. She shares stories from nearly two decades of cooking for U.S. presidents, including her final state dinner for the Kenyan delegati...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 7 - Ramona Diaz: Telling Truths Through Film In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with Ramona Diaz, the acclaimed Filipino-American documentary filmmaker behind Imelda, Motherland, A Thousand Cuts, and her latest, And So It Begins. She talks about the power of storytelling in holding truth to power, the making of And So It Begins - the Philippines’ official...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 6 - Sandro Roco: Building Sanzo, the First Asian-Inspired Sparkling Water In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with Sandro Roco, the trailblazing Filipino-American entrepreneur behind Sanzo - the first Asian-inspired sparkling water brand made with real fruit and no added sugar. Sandro shares how his Filipino heritage, Wall Street background, and a chance tr...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 5 - Jhett Tolentino: From Iloilo to Broadway and Beyond In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with Jhett Tolentino - a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, Grammy winner, and proud Filipino creative force. Jhett opens up about his journey from Iloilo to New York, breaking into the high-stakes world of Broadway and earning three Tonys and a Grammy...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 4 – Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel: Fighting for the Filipino Immigrant Dream In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we welcome Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel - renowned immigration lawyer, host of Citizen Pinoy on TFC, and one of the most trusted voices in U.S. immigration law for over 40 years. Atty. Gurfinkel breaks down today’s most urgent immigration issues: the looming thre...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 3 - Tessie Tomas: Queen of Comedy, Champion of Reinvention In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with the iconic Tessie Tomas - trailblazing actress, creative powerhouse, and one of the Philippines’ most beloved comedians. Tessie shares her inspiring journey from humble beginnings as a radio voice talent at just 10 years old to becoming the first Filipina cre...

🎙️ Season 3, Episode 2 - Leila de Lima: A Fight for Justice and Freedom In this episode of The Loida Lewis Podcast, we sit down with former Senator and former Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima, a human rights champion and staunch advocate for justice. She opens up about her years in detention, the political persecution she endured, and how she maintained her resolve despite adversity. Leila share...

🎙️ Season 3 Opener: Maica Teves - Empowering Women and Advocating for Change Across the Globe To close out Women's Month and kick off Season 3, The Loida Lewis Podcast welcomes the incredible Maica Teves, Executive Director of SPARK Philippines. In this episode, Maica shares her inspiring journey and deep commitment to women’s empowerment, human rights, and sustainable development. Maica takes...

🎙️ Season 2 Finale: Boy Abunda – The King of Talk Shares His Story In this special season closer, Loida Nicolas Lewis welcomes the one and only Boy Abunda, Asia’s King of Talk, esteemed TV host, LGBTQ advocate, and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Development Education. As the final guest of Season 2, Tito Boy shares an unforgettable conversation filled with wisdom, passion, and heartfelt moments. F...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 13: Dr. Calvin Sun – Healing and Exploring the World In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Dr. Calvin Sun, a trailblazing emergency medicine physician, founder and CEO of The Monsoon Diaries, author, speaker, and advocate for social justice. Dr. Sun’s incredible journey has taken him from the bustling emergency rooms of New York City to the far corners of the glo...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 12: Bessie Besana – Crafting Dreams in Fashion In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis speaks with Bessie Besana, a remarkable Filipino entrepreneur whose inspiring journey took him from civil engineering to becoming a celebrated fashion designer and a multi-faceted visionary. Bessie’s career began with a degree in Civil Engineering, but his passion for creativity led him to pivo...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 11: Chynna Mamawal – Redefining Global Fashion with Filipino Excellence In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis speaks with Chynna Mamawal, an inspiring Filipina fashion designer who has taken her craft from the Philippines to the global stage. Chynna shares how her career journey started with corporate experience at SM, where she honed her skills in marketing, before pursuing he...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 10: Bing Chen – Building a New World for Multicultural Communities In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis speaks with Bing Chen, the visionary CEO and Co-Founder of Gold House, about his extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most influential multicultural leaders today. Bing shares his dream of becoming the next Walt Disney and his decade-long proje...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 9: DJ CherishTheLuv – Healing Through Music In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis speaks with Reverend Cynthia Cherish Malaran, also known as DJ CherishTheLuv, a Filipino-American DJ, producer, ordained minister, and survivor whose incredible story is rooted in resilience and transformation. After a head injury caused amnesia, DJ CherishTheLuv used music to restore her memories...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 8: Vincent Rodriguez III – Breaking Barriers, One Stage at a Time In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis chats with Vincent Rodriguez III, a trailblazing Filipino-American entertainer who became the first Filipino-American lead in a primetime TV show with his role as Josh Chan in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Vincent shares his journey from Daly City, California, to Hollywood, showcasing...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 7: Janet Nepales – A Life of Stories, Stars, and Strength In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Janet Susan R. Nepales, a trailblazing journalist, devoted mother, and proud Filipina. Janet shares her incredible journey from Quezon City, Philippines, to becoming an award-winning journalist and the first Filipina member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (H...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 6: From Humble Beginnings to Hollywood: The Journey of Ruben Nepales In this episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Ruben Nepales, an award-winning journalist and Hollywood correspondent. Ruben takes us on a journey from his humble beginnings in the Philippines to becoming one of the most respected voices in entertainment journalism. Ruben shares the story of his early ye...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 5: The Power of Representation with Lou Diamond Phillips In this insightful episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with the acclaimed actor, director, and author Lou Diamond Phillips. Born at the Subic Bay Naval Station in the Philippines to a Filipino mother and an American father of Scots-Irish and Cherokee descent, Lou has forged a path as a powerful advocate for diverse re...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 4: Empowering the Asian Diaspora with Anla Cheng, Founder of Serica Initiative In this insightful episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Anla Cheng, the visionary Founder and CEO of Serica Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the Asian diaspora in America. Anla’s remarkable career spans leadership roles at global financial institutions...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 3: Elevating Wellness in Sports and Beyond with Erwin Benedict Valencia In this inspiring episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Erwin Benedict Valencia, a Filipino-American wellness expert who has made a transformative impact on professional sports, most notably as the Wellness Lead for the New York Knicks. During his nearly decade-long tenure with the team, Erwin introd...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 2: Uplifting Filipino Excellence: Elton Lugay and The Outstanding Filipino Awards In this inspiring episode, Loida Nicolas Lewis speaks with the trailblazing journalist and founder of The Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA), Elton Lugay. TOFA, now recognized as one of the most prestigious events in the Filipino community, celebrates its 14th year in 2024 with an exciting ceremo...

🎙️ Season 2, Episode 1: Celebrating Filipino Heritage Through Film: Michele Josue on Nurse Unseen Kicking off Season 2, Loida Nicolas Lewis sits down with Emmy Award-winning director Michele Josue to discuss her powerful new documentary, Nurse Unseen. In this deeply moving film, Michele highlights the untold stories of Filipino nurses on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic and their signif...