The Mike Muse Show: Asian Americans Unplugged
Due to mainstream media's misrepresentation of the Asian American community, host Mike Muse asks some questions that many people are probably wondering, "Where do Asian Americans fall in the race conversation and movement for social justice?"
Please tune in for a very critical and necessary conversation about Asian Americans for racial justice, diversity, Silicon Valley, education, and media. We discuss recent lawsuit against Harvard, De Blasio's ed plan to diversify, and code switching in Hollywood. I come in heavy with the facts and clarify that the conservative AAPI voices that get all the press love do not represent the greater AAPI community.
I'm joined by two amazing guests: KJ Bagchi (Asian Americans Advancing Justice) and Nina Yang Bongiovi (Film producer, "Fruitvale Station," "Roxanne Roxanne," and "Sorry to Bother You.")
I reference work from: www.aapidata.org and www.oiyanpoon.com
After chatting on Mike's show, I realized that we need to be having more of these conversations with non-Asian American folks, blogs, and platforms -- so that we can truly shift perceptions and grow understanding.
Tune in
We are stronger together.
Verizon HQ Talk: Think Bold, Act Bold, Be Bold
Verizon invited me to their headquarters to speak to employees, upper management, and their diversity initiatives for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month -- in celebration of this year's theme, "Think Bold, Act Bold, Be Bold."
In this conversation, I talk about:
-- The importance of having diversity on your team, for the input and the output
-- The story of my parents escaping Vietnam as refugees, coming to the U.S., and building a life in Boston
-- My early experiences realizing race, being an "outsider," cultural shame, and "Pajama Day"
-- The turning point when I started to embrace my culture: activism, political awareness, and self-empowerment
-- Internal work + external work go hand in hand
-- Navigating different values and expectations in both the American context and Vietnamese/Asian context; ie. leadership
-- The importance of shifting culture, rather than just adapting or ditching in the bicultural context
-- My advice for those seeking to be bold: practice consciousness
-- How I transitioned from poetry to films
-- The relationship with my parents as I pursue a creative career
I had a blast. Let me know what you think below. Thanks for watching! xo
"Deported" is a WINNER of the 2018 NAMIC Vision Awards!
I never dreamed that "Deported" would be in a winner's circle along with Oprah Winfrey: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, HBO's Insecure (I love Issa Rae!), Netflix's Master of None (I love Aziz Ansari!), HBO's Baltimore Rising, and many more incredible works.
I hope this award gets more eyes on the film, and the voices of everyone included will be uplifted even higher. I also hope it serves as proof that our stories DESERVE to be told, everywhere.
Congrats to all the winners. Honored to be in great company, and in celebration of visionary content uplifting the stories and perspectives of our diverse communities.
However, the fight isn't over. Follow 1Love Movement and 1Love Cambodia to stay updated on what's happening, and how you can help.
Major thanks to NBC Asian America and Traci Lee for believing in my vision and supporting the entire production. Watch, screen, and share "Deported" in 5 parts HERE.
Now, back to work!
Press release and all the winners: http://www.einpresswire.com/article/439961495/winners-of-25th-annual-namic-vision-awards-announced
Duke University: Keynote Speech for Women's Center 30th Anniversary & Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Honored to kick off Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Duke's Women's Center! My keynote speech will be along the theme of "Unity through Diversity: Consciousness is..." ... I have so much to share, can't wait! :)
On Air Fest 2018: Effective Media for Social Change
Hosted & Created by: Sahra V. Nguyen
Featuring: Jamila Brown & Akil Gibbons
Location: On Air Fest 2018, Brooklyn NY
A live conversation exploring the perspective, language, and tools we can employ in communicating + creating content for justice -- especially when we want to reach audiences outside of our immediate communities. In the face of 45, hate speech, and fear mongering, we're seeing how conservatives are winning the communication battle. Through this discussion, guests will share reflections and lessons for how to overcome and navigate the communication landscape, consider the audience, and create media that is effective for social change.
Now Booking for Spring & Fall 2018
My live convo with On Air Fest is free and open to the public, in NYC:
"Mastering the Narrative: Effective Media for Social Change"
I'm visiting Smith College (Massachusetts) and Duke University (North Carolina) for a series of screenings, discussions, workshops, and keynote speaking.
If your school or company would like to book me, contact my agent and request a kit -- her name is Paloma and she's a phenomenal woman! Email: paloma@papalodown.com
Hope to see you soon!
2018 NAMIC VISION AWARDS
My documentary, "Deported," for NBC News was nominated for a NAMIC Vision Award, alongside Lisa Ling's "This Is Life." Honored to be considered here -- a nomination is already a win! Thank you to everyone who has supported the series and continues to screen it in their homes and classrooms. You can watch all 5 parts of "Deported" for free online here.
Announcement: Part of Google NextGen Leaders Program 2018
I'm stoked to announce that I was nominated (without knowing!) and selected to join the 2018 class of Google NextGen Tech Policy Leaders Program, where I'll be joining nearly 100 leaders around the country to explore creative solutions at the intersection of racial justice and tech policy.
I spent 3 days at the kick-off Summit in Google's Silicon Valley, where I immersed myself in workshops, presentations, and conversations on everything from net neutrality, to future work, to economic inequality through/within tech. For the next year, I'll be spending a few hours every month with my cohort to study the field, and develop solutions.
As a creative through and out, it feels empowering to dive into a world I know so little about, and to enter 2018 with an open mind for learning things outside of my comfort zone.
If you want to work together in 2018, send me a message!
Read my 4 page feature in NYLON Magazine's August 2017 issue
Click images to read feature.
I never thought I'd see myself in a national print magazine, let alone a 4 page spread! Still in a bit of disbelief. Feeling very grateful for the opportunity to share my voice, story, and perspective with the NYLON platform. It's my first national print feature!
I remember reading teen / fashion mags growing up and thinking, would be kind of cool to see myself in here. then I thought, but I'm not white, not rich, not a tall skinny model, and I'm not passionate about make-up/fashion/celebrity lifestyles (all things that seemed to dominate the pages). When the age of social media "influencer" blew up, I thought, would be kind of cool to get free stuff and have people pay attention to you. But then I thought, you don't have enough Instagram followers because you don't post enough pics and you simply don't have the patience to curate a "proper" social media strategy. Moral of the story here (for myself) is don't worry about the external, worry about the internal. continue working on yourself, your mind, your heart, your hustle -- put it out into the world, and those who take notice will take notice. Don't change who you are to fit the mold. because i'm in NYLON talking about Asian American history, activism, Vietnam War, immigrant hustle, and more. do you, boo. ✨ Major thanks to the talented team of women I had the honor of working with @atoosamoinzadeh @gibaela, thank you Nylon Magzine for giving my voice a platform
Find my friends + faves mentioned in the feature -- of course I had to take the opportunity to share the shine with my incredible community of change makers, culture shifters, entrepreneurs, and mentors: The Starliner, The Flavr Blue/Hollis Audrey, Still Mind Collective/Jarell Perry, Johnny Dep (Danny Bridge Jen Sar, they edited your names out, sorry!), Lucy's Vietnamese Kitchen, Jeff Chang, Beau Sia, Monica Sok, Mixtape Coffee, UCLA Asian American Studies Department, Artists For Humanity, (Jason Talbot, Rob Gibbs, Richard Frank), NBC Asian America, Coalition for APA Youth (Peter Kiang, Tri Quach, AASO - UMass Boston).
Interview: "SAHRA NGUYEN TALKS "DEPORTED", CIVIL RIGHTS, & THE POWER OF ONE VOICE"
An in-depth interview with Emma Banks from Milk Media about my creative process and thoughts on art, activism, stereotypes in the media, and brilliance of Asian American leaders in today's civil rights and immigration movements. Click here to read.
I'm on a billboard!
These billboards dropped Summer of 2016 all over Brooklyn, but I never got around to "blogging" about it here until now. Super honored to be selected as one of the creative hustlers in this campaign that focuses on entrepreneurs and trailblazers.
Podcast: Facebook's inflated metrics, Snapchat's future, and fashion's new trend -- feminism!
I joined my guys Michael Brooks and Philip Mckenzie for another episode of 2 Dope Boys & a Podcast. Had a lot of fun with this one. Enjoy!
Podcast: 2 Dope Boys & A Podcast
I was recently invited to join the illustrious crew of 2 Dope Boys & A Podcast, where we discuss culture, politics, and marketing strategies. I hop in the studio about once a month with the show's hosts, Philip Mckenzie and Michael Brooks. Here's the most recent episode, where we discuss center politics within Hillary's campaign, Moncler's brand fuck-up, the dating economy and normalization of prostitution. Take a listen and let me know what you think :)
Guest Post on Angry Asian Man
Phil Yu from the illustrious AngryAsianMan.com asked me to write a guest post, so I wrote about my mom & her foray into YouTube stardom.
It's titled, "5 Things I learned Watching Watching My Mom's YouTube Cooking Show" and you can read it here.
Attend: Speaking Engagements in Minneapolis & Seattle
I'll be speaking in two cities this month, discussing my personal path and sharing some insight on how you can discover your purpose.
Video Announcement: Thanks + My New Documentary
I'm flying to Seattle today to begin filming my new documentary. Watch the video above to find out what I'm up to ;)
Follow along BTS on Snapchat + Instagram: @oneouncegold
XO
My Interview With Imprint Culture Lab
The good folks over at Imprint Culture Lab asked me 8 questions I haven't answered in a while. In this in-depth interview, I discuss my upcoming international documentary, a typical day of my life, where I find inspiration, some challenges, and my next dream project.
Podcast: Food Talk With Mike Colameco
I'm 1 of 2 guests this week on the radio show, Food Talk with Mike Colameco. I had a blast chatting with Mike -- he's a great host! We discuss how I became involved with my restaurant Lucy's Vietnamese Kitchen, why pho is the best noodle soup in the world, and my upcoming project with NBC News which I publicly announced here for the first time! :)