♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Renee: WHERE ARE Y'ALL REALLY FROM?

THAT'S A UNIVERSAL QUESTION ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN ISLANDER PACIFICKERS ARE REPEATEDLY ASKED AND THAT'S THE QUESTION TACKLED IN A NEW PODCAST THAT SHARES THE EXPERIENCES OF AAPI MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AS THE INCIDENTS OF HATE RISE, SOME KENTUCKIANS ARE WORKING TO BURST THE MYTHS AND CEMENT THEIR BELONGING IN A PODCAST THAT AIMS TO BREAKTHROUGH BARRIERS TO UNDERSTANDING.

LEARN MORE FROM CHARLENE BUCKLES AND DAN WU, CHINESE AMERICAN BUSINESS OWNER AND ACTIVIST IN LEXINGTON.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

PAI.

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WE KICK OFF THE 1th SEASON OF CONNECTIONS.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

WITH THE RISE OF HATE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES, A NEW PODCAST IS COMING ON LINE TO HELP BRIDGE THE DIVIDES IN UNDERSTANDING.

IT'S CALLED "WHERE Y'ALL REALLY FROM" AND ANSWERS TO THAT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION WILL COME FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF GUESTS OF THE PODCAST HOST JOINING ME TODAY, DAN WU, A LEXINGTON-BASED BUSINESSMAN AND ACTIVIST CHARLENE BUCKLES, AWE LIEVILLE-BASED ACTIVIST.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

DAN HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE, NOT THAT LONG AGO.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> Renee: I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO KICK OFF THE NEW SEASON THAN TO HAVE, I DON'T NOAH YOU CALL THE ENTREPRENEUR IN MEDIA, MEDIA-PREURS THAT ARE REALLY PAVING THE WAY YOU ARE FOR A NEW, FRESH CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T OFTEN GET A LOT OF SHINE AND RECOGNITION AND NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE UNDERSTANDING SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS PODCAST AND IT'S CALLED... >> WHERE Y'ALL REALLY FROM.

>> Renee: WHERE Y'ALL REALLY FROM.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION A COUPLE TIMES AND THIS IS A SHARED EXPERIENCE.

TELL US THE SIGNIFICANCE, CHARLENE, OF THE TITLE.

>> WE WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THE TITLE AND WE WANTED TO HAVE A TITLE THAT RESONATES WITH MOST OF OUR EXPERIENCES IF NOT ALL OF OUR EXPERIENCES, OF COURSE WE GET THAT AS ASIAN-AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS, WE GET THAT QUESTION ONE TO A MILLION TIMES IN OUR LIVES.

>> Renee: MORE ON THE MILLION TIMES SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S A QUESTION THAT RESONATES WITH ALL OF US BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY EMOTIONS THAT COME FROM WE GET THAT QUESTION.

HOW DO WE ANSWER THAT?

MOST OF THE TEAM PEOPLE ARE SINCERE.

>> Renee: THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE DEMEANING THEY'RE JUST INQUISITIVE OR CURIOUS FOR THE MOST PART.

>> BUT THERE ARE UNDERTONES AND IT REALLY PUTS AN OTHERRING TO THE PERSON THAT IS GETTING ASKED THE QUESTION.

WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SHOW, I HAD A LOT OF FEELINGS AGAINST IT ACTUALLY BECAUSE I WAS LIKE I DON'T KNOW I'M STILL TRYING TO PROCESS HOW I FEEL WHEN I GET THAT QUESTION ASKED AND HOW I RESPOND TO IT.

>> Renee: YOU ARE CLOSE TO YOUR MILLIONth TIME BEING ASKED THAT, HOW HAVE YOU HONED A RESPONSE.

>> TYPICALLY IT DEPENDS ON MY MOOD.

SOMETIMES I'LL JUST SAY I GREW UP IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY I LOVE MOVE THERE HAD WHEN I WAS SEVEN.

KENTUCKY IS MOO I HOME.

I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

OF COURSE WE HAVE PLAYED THIS GAME WITH A LOT OF OUR GUESTS WHO WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE GET ASKED AGAIN AND AGAIN WHAT WE'RE ARE YOU REALLY FROM HOW MANY TIMES IT WILL TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO GET TO WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW.

>> Renee: WHO IS ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE PERSON ASKING THE QUESTION.

>> SOMEONE FROM THE GROCERY STORE TO NEW FRIENDS OR ACQUAINTANCES THAT WE KNOW.

ANYONE AND EVERYONE.

IT USUALLY TAKES PROBABLY I MEAN DEPENDING ON THE PERSON BUT IT WILL TAKE THEM ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OF THEM MEETING ME WHERE THEY'LL LOOK AT ME AND THEY HAVE THAT LOOK AT LET ME TRY TO PLACE YOU AND LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.

>> Renee: IT'S IN THEIR MIND, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARTICULATE IT RIGHT OUT OF, IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO AND THEN WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

>> AND THE KEY WORD IN THAT WHOLE TITLE IS THE REALLY.

BECAUSE IT'S THE PART WHERE WHEN YOU GIVE THEM THE FIRST ANSWER AND THE FIRST ANSWER IS THE GENUINE ANSWER BUT IT'S SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA AND THEY CAN'T WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND IT A LOT OF FOLKS.

THEY WANT TO INTERROGATE, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE ASKING AND WE SOMETIMES PLAY THE GAME AND PLAY COY AND JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE KIND OF TIRED OF IT WHAT I FIND INTERESTING WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHO IS ASKING THE QUESTION, THE ONE TYPE OF PERSON THAT ASKS THAT QUESTION THAT I DON'T MIND IS USUALLY AN OLD ASIAN LADY.

NOW SHE WON'T SAY REALLY BECAUSE I'LL GIVE HER EXACTLY THE ANSWER SHE WANTS WHEN SHE SAYS WHERE ARE YOU FROM.

WHAT SHE WANTS TO KNOW IS CAN WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE.

AND SO THAT WHERE ARE YOU FROM IS ABOUT CAN WE CONNECT TOGETHER.

>> Renee: ARE YOU PART OF MY FAMILY.

ARE YOU KUN FOLK.

>> BUT WHEN WE GET IT IN THE GROCERY STORE LINE APROPOS NOTHING, IT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE EFFECT, WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT YOU IN A BOX AND WHEN YOU TELL THEM THAT'S NOT THE BOX YOU BELONG IN.

LET'S INTERROGATE THIS UNTIL WE GET TO THE QUESTION.

SO FOR US, AND I SAID TO CHARLENE, THE FACT THAT IT ELICITED SO MANY FEELINGS IN HER, IT WAS PROBABLY A GOOD TITLE.

>> Renee: AND ONE PEOPLE OF COLOR CAN CONNECT TO AS WELL AND DAN, WHEN WE HAD YOU ON BEFORE AND MAE SARAH WHO IS THE CO-CREATOR ALONG WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE NIMA WHO WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN INDIAN TO SERVE IN THE KENTUCKY ASSEMBLY WHO HAILS FROM LOUISVILLE.

THE PODCAST CAME FROM WHAT?

JUST RESPONSE TO THE RISE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY OR ARE THERE OTHER REASONS YOU THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THIS.

>> I HATE TO SAY IT IT PARTLY WAS TRIGGERED BY THAT I THINK.

THE HISTORY OF ASIAN-AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN, STAY OUT OF THE HEADLINES AND OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE UNTIL WE WERE CAUGHT IN THE LITERAL LINE OF FIRE AND FOR A LOT OF US EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF US WERE DOING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS, FOR A LOT OF US, IT WAS A WAKEUP CALL FOR LIKE WE ARE NOT AS SAFE, WE ARE NOT AS PROTECTED, WE ARE NOT AS HIDDEN AND OUT OF SIGHT AS WE MIGHT THINK WE ARE IT WAS VAL BEGANNIZING FOR A LOT OF US TO SAY LET'S DO SOMETHING AND THAT CONVERSATION LITERALLY STARTED AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME CREDIT BECAUSE NIMA AND MAE MET BECAUSE OF THIS SHOW.

THEY TALKED TO EACH OTHER AND THE REST OF US HAD THIS WHOLE SENSE OF LIKE LET'S DO SOMETHING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT SOMETHING WAS.

WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAS IT AN EDITORIAL IN THE PAPER, ORGANIZING A RALLY, PUSHING FOR LEGISLATION AND SO THEY HAD THE CONVERSATION THROWING AROUND IDEAS AND THEY SAID PODCAST AND MAE SAID PODCAST, LET'S TALK TO DAN, I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF PODCASTS AND RADIO SHOWS THROUGHOUT MY TIME.

AND AS WE WERE PUTTING IT TOGETHER I WAS LIKE I WOULD LOVE SOME HELP ON THIS.

THERE IS A LADY I TOOK A SHINE TO BECAUSE I ATTENDED A PANEL, YOU KNOW, THIS SPRING ABOUT ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES, I DON'T KNOW HER EXCEPT FROM THIS PANEL I LIKED HEARING HER TALK.

I SAID LET'S REACH OUT TO CHARLENE AND THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENED.

>> Renee: BECAUSE YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING YOU WERE RELUCK AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME ABOUT DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS PODCAST THING.

HOW WERE YOU CONVINCED?

>> IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I DON'T-- I USED TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF PODCASTS BUT WHEN I HAD CHILDREN AND LIFE HAPPENED, I DON'T LISTEN TO ANY PODCASTS AT ALL AND SO WHEN DAN ASKED ME, I WAS LIKE ARE YOU REALLY SURE YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS BECAUSE I COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE, ONE ON ONE, BUT TO INTERVIEW, I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON I MUMBLE OFTEN.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF YOU WANT ME.

AND HE WAS LIKE NO, IT'S GREAT.

JUST COME ON.

COME AND DO THIS I THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LOT AND AT THE TIME I WAS IN MATERNITY LEAVE.

I HAVE A SIX MONTH OLD AND I TOLD DAN YOU HAVE ME FOR A MONTH AND THEN AFTER THAT, CAN I-- I CANNOT COMMIT TO ANYTHING.

AND THE REASON I WANTED TO DO IT LIKE DAN SAID, SOMETHING PARKED IN ME AT LEAST AFTER THE ATLANTA MASSACRE, I ALSO WAS THINKING I'VE LIVED IN KENTUCKY MOST OF MY LIFE AND I STILL HAVE THE MOMENT WHERE I THINK OH THERE IS ANOTHER ASIAN IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE LIVING IN SILOS IN OUR EXPERIENCE AND THERE IS ONLY, I THINK 1.9% OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE CONSIDERED AAPI AMERICANS AND WE ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND TOKENNIZED IN MAGAZINES AND I THE FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING TO ORGANIZE OR DO THIS PODCAST WHERE WE COULD REALLY CONNECT THE AAPI KENTUCKIANS SAYING YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

YOU BELONG HERE.

WE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCES AND THIS IS OUR KENTUCKY, TOO.

SO I REALLY FELT LIKE WHEN HE PITCHED ME THE IDEA, AT FIRST I WAS LIKE HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS BUT THEN WE NEED TO DO THIS THIS IS FOR LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA, PART OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING FAMILY AND WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER ABOUT THAT BUT IF IT WAS A VITD YO' THING, WE HAVE TO HAVE A COLON FOR A SERIES.

WE WOULD SAY WHAT YOU SAY, I BELONG HERE, TOO, RIGHT, I THINK THAT'S A VERY STRONG SUBTEXT OF I BELONG AND THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY AND HERE ARE THE SHARED EXPERIENCES, YOUR FIRST GUEST IS SOMEONE WHO I DO NOT HIDE MY ENTHUSIASM AND FAN GIRL OF WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE WHO HAS BEEN ON THIS SHOW AND OTHER PROGRAMS WHERE SHE HAS BEEN VERY BLUNT AND I'VE SHARED STAGES WITH HER AND OTHER VENUES WHERE SHE HAS TALKED ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IS IT THAT YOU GLEANED FROM HER?

WOE DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE PODCAST BUT WHAT DID SHE BRING AS THE FIRST GUEST THAT YOU THINK SETS THE TONE FROM HERE ON OUT?

>> WELL, WITH HER I WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN TALKING TO AN ASIAN AMERICAN PARTICULARLY AN ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN A REAL VISIBLE PUBLIC POSITION OF POWER, THERE WAS A NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE WHERE IT SAYS ASIAN-AMERICANS ARE OVER REPRESENTED IN MIDDLE MANAGEMENT AND SEVERELY UNDERREPRESENTED IN LEADERSHIP SO WE GET GOOD AT A PARTICULAR SKILL WHETHER IT'S TECH OR WHATEVER, MEDICINE AND WE CAN MAKE IT UP TO IN THE MIDDLE TECHNICALLY BUT WE NEVER GET TO THAT TOP RUNG WHERE WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS AND BEING THE GATEKEEPER AND SETTING THE TONE ABOUT WHAT THE INSTITUTION IS ALL ABOUT SO I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN TALKING TO HER PARTICULARLY, SHE CAME IN AFTER A FIRE STORM OF CORONAVIRUSES FROM-- CONTROVERSY FROM HER PREDECESSOR.

I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THAT IDEA, TOO.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOMEN, OTHER MINORITY AND MARGINALIZED GROUPS, THE WAY WE ENTER A POSITION OF POWER IS NOT THE SAME AS OTHER PEOPLE.

>> Renee: AND SHE TALKS ABOUT THAT AND HAS A TERM FOR IT.

>> THE GLASS CLIFF IS WHAT SHE CALLED IT THE IDEA THAT YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A SEX SCANDAL, YOU BRING IN A WOMAN TO REPLACE THAT PERSON IF IT IS RACIALLY SKINNED, YOU BRING IN A WOMAN OF COLOR.

THERE WERE SO MANY SCANDALS THEY BROUGHT IN A WOMAN OF COLOR BUT YOU ARE WALKING INTO A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE PUTTING OUT FIRES, YOU ARE TRYING TO BRING A NEW FACE AND IMAGE TO THE INSTITUTION TRYING TO REHAB EVERYTHING SO YOU ARE NOT COMING IN WHEN THE SHIP IS SMOOTH SAILING.

YOU ARE COMING IN TO RIGHT THE SHIP AND SO YOUR OPPORTUNITY, YOUR CHANCE TO SUCCEED IS MUCH HARDER.

IT'S A STEEPER ROAD AND THEN WHEN YOU FAIL, IT'S VERY EASY FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT INSTITUTION, THOSE DECISION MAKERS WHO HIRED YOU TO SAY WELL, WE TRIED A WOMAN ISN'T TURN OUT THAT GREAT, LET'S GO BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL IN A LOT OF WAYS WHEN WE ENTER THESE POSITIONS OF POWER AND CHOSEN BY OTHER PEOPLE WE ARE SET UP TO FAIL AND IT'S A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION AND I THINK SHE RECOGNIZED THAT SHE PUT A NAME TO IT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AMAZING.

AND SO SHE IS COMING INTO IT CLEAR EYED AND KNOWING WHAT SHE IS UP AGAINST.

>> Renee: BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE HAD YOU ON A FEW MONTHS AGO, TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE MODEL MINORITY, RIGHT, SO THESE ARE ALMOST LIKE DICOTOMOUS CONCEPTS YOU HAVE, THIS GLASS CLIFF BUT YOU HAD THE PERCEPTION THAT ASIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS ARE THE MODEL-- IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A MINORITY GROUP, THIS IS WHAT THEY SHOULD BE AND LOOK LIKE AND PERFORM LIKE BECAUSE THEY'RE HIGH ACHIEVERS AND WE ASSUME THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF ACADEMIC ACUMEN THAT IS SUPERIOR AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.

SO HOW DOES THAT RECONCILE WITH THE WHOLE GLASS CLIFF LEXICON?

>> IT STILL FITS INTO, I THINK, THE LIMITATIONS THAT ARE PLACED ON US IN TERMS OF THAT MODEL MINORITY.

WE HAVE CERTAIN LANES THAT WE ARE ALLOWED IN WHETHER IT'S MEDICINE OR ENGINEERING OR ACADEMICS AND WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP USUALLY ARE LESS TECHNICAL AND MORE ABOUT MANAGING PEOPLE, MANAGING MEDIA, MANAGING IMPRESSIONS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

WE ARE NOT SEEN AS HAVING THOSE KIND OF SORT OF SOFT SKILLS OR SOCIAL SKILLS SO TO ME, HER BEING IN THAT POSITION IS STILL REALLY, REALLY RARE AND IT DOESN'T FALL IN LINE TO WHAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LANES, THE MODEL MINORITY TRAVEL IN.

>> Renee: AND WE KNOW AS DAN DESCRIBED, SHE CAME IN WHERE THERE WERE TURBULENT CHOPPY WATERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE AND EVEN ADDRESSED THEM HEAD ON WITH THE RACIAL AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE.

SHOE SHE HAS BEEN FORTHRIGHT ABOUT SAYING WE ARE GOING TO BE AN ANTI-RACIST INSTITUTION THAT'S STRONG, YOU KNOW, PROACTIVE LANGUAGE AND IT'S LIKE TAKING OWNERSHIP OF A CHECKERED PAST AND SAYING WELL, WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T DONE WAS WE NEEDED TO DO BUT UNDER MY WATCH WE ARE SETTING A NEW COURSE SO FOR A WOMAN OF COLOR TO HEADACHE THAT PRONOUNCE MANY, HOW RISKY IS THAT FOR OTHERS WHO MIGHT FOLLOW HER?

>> IT IS VERY WHISKEY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PERSON IN YOUR SEAT.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO KICK YOU OUT OF THE TABLE AND CLOSE THE DOOR AND LOCK IT BEHIND YOU.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT THE INTERVIEW IS THAT SHE HAD SAID, SHE TALKED ABOUT THE GLASS CLIFF AND CONCEPT THAT'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN IN ACADEMICS AND IN BUSINESS, BUT SHE SAID MY GOAL I KNOW I'M GOING TO FAIL.

I'M SET UP TO FAIL, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PERSON BEHIND ME IS ALSO A PERSON OF COLOR ON OR A WOMAN OF COLOR.

I DON'T WANT TO BE THE LAST WOMAN OF COLOR AT THIS TABLE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE BUST THAT DOOR OPEN AND MAKE SURE WE BRING AS MANY PEOPLE BEHIND US AS POSSIBLE; WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT.

LIKE YOU KNOW I FEEL LIKE I'M ALWAYS GOING AT 150% AND I NEED TO THINK ABOUT, I NEED TO GET TO THIS POINT AND STAY AT THIS POINT OR STAY AT THE TABLE BUT IF I THIS I ABOUT, OKAY, LET'S BRING AS MANY PEOPLE WITH ME AS POSSIBLE THEN THEY CAN'T SAY THIS.

THEY CAN'T CLOSE THE DOOR ON US.

>> Renee: BUT THERE IS THE FEAR THAT THEY REALLY ONT WANT ONE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Renee: AND MORE THAN ONE IS A SERIOUS THREAT AND SO CHANGING THAT MIND SET REALLY A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THINKING THAT ONE DOESN'T MEAN THERE IS GOING TO BE A FUTURE MUTINY HERE, RIGHT?

I MEAN YOU KNOW, THAT GETS A LITTLE TEDIOUS, RIGHT?

AND FOR SOME WOMEN, THINKING THAT I WANT TO STAKE MY CLAIM, CEMENT MY OWN LEGACY, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER COMES AFTER ME, THEY HAVE TO DO THEIR OWN THING, RIGHT?

BUT YOU THINK WOMEN ARE MORE OPENED UP TO MAKING SURE IT'S NOT JUST A DOOR BUT A WIDE GATE THAT IS OPEN.

>> I THINK SO.

I MEAN THERE IS A REALLY GREAT CONCEPT DECOLONIZING YOUR MIND THINKING THAT IT IS WITHIN-- I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF.

IT IS WITHIN MY MIND THAT IT IS A COMPETITION BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE SPOT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE BEST YOU CAN POSSIBLY BE BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ROOM FOR ONE PERSON AND I THINK DAN IN A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS BROUGHT THIS UP TO ME BUT YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE.

THERE IS NOT-- YEAH, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT JUST A DOOR.

IT COULD BE A GATE OR WHAT HAVE YOU BUT THERE IS ROOM FOR MORE COLLABORATION NOT JUST ONE VOICE WE ARE TRYING TO LIFT UP I'M GOING THROUGH A PROCESS MYSELF THINKING I NEED TO DECOLONIZE THAT MIND SET AND TO REALLY THINK OF IT LESS OF A COLLABORATION AS OPPOSED TO A COMPETITION.

>> Renee: THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR YOUR PODCAST, IS IT FOR THE AAPI COMMUNITY OR OTHERS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THAT COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE AAPI COMMUNITY.

>> BOTH.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION YOU KNOW, I JUST WATCHED THE NEW MARVEL MOVIE LED BY THE FIRST ASIAN SUPERHERO ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVED THAT MOVIE, THE MOVIE HAS A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF DIALOGUE IN MANDARIN WITH SUBTITLES WHICH, IN THE MAINSTREAM BIG BILL CLINTON BUSTER MOVIE THIS DON'T GENERALLY DO.

WHAT THAT STOWED ME, ESPECIALLY AS A CHINESE MANDARIN SPEAKER IS THAT THIS MOVIE IS FOR ME AND IF EVERYBODY ELSE ENJOYS IT, GREAT AND THAT'S THE WAY WE LOOK AT THIS PODCAST AS WELL.

IT'S FOR THE FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T HEARD THEIR OWN VOICES MUCH LESS OTHER PEOPLE'S VOICES THAT SOUND LIKE THEIRS THAT HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT IN THIS ABEAN, THAT I MIGHT FEEL ALONE IN THE SMALL TOWN OF WILLIAMSBURG, KENTUCKY BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT GREW NEWSPAPER SMALL TOWNS THAT HAVE HAD PARALLEL EXPERIENCE WITH ME SO FIRST AND FOREMOST IT'S FOR US.

BUT THE SPECIFIC FROM THE SPECIFIC IS BORN THE UNIVERSAL A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MEDIA OFTEN WILL SAY IF YOU MAKE A FILM WITH ALL BLACK FOLKS LIKE HOW ARE WHITE FOLKS GOING TO RELATE TO IT?

WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING DECADES AND DECADES AND CENTURIES OF MEDIA THAT'S JUST WHITE FOLKS.

WE CAN STILL RELATE TO THAT.

CAN I WATCH THE WONDER YEARS AND STILL GET SOMETHING OUT OF THAT EVEN THOUGH ALL THOSE KIDS ARE WHITE, RIGHT?

SO IT'S THE FLIP SIDE IS ALSO TRUE THAT PEOPLE CAN LISTEN TO THESE EXPERIENCES EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T EMIGRATE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND A MOM THAT'S ALWAYS TRYING TO OVERFEED YOU OR SOME SORT OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY OR EXPECTATIONS FROM YOUR PARENTS OR GRAND PARENTS ALL THOSE THINGS ARE UNIVERSAL THINGS.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SAME LANGUAGE AND HAVE THE SAME FACE OR NAMES AS YOU BUT ALL THOSE ELEMENTS ARE THERE.

>> Renee: SHARED EXPERIENCES RIGHT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Renee: HAVE I TO ASK LIKE WHO IS AFTER Dr. VINDAPUTI AND OTHER THAN HER, WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM GET IN THE BUSINESS?

WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO INTERVIEW YOUR FIRST SEASON.

>> I HAVE SOMEBODY AND LET'S SEE IF SHE IS WATCHING THIS SHOW SCWHRR THAT'S PRESSURE.

>> WE HAVE IN LEXINGTON NOT JUST ONE OLYMPIAN, BUT TWO.

WE HAVE AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN FENCING LEE KIEFFER AND HER HUSBAND GARRICK WHO WON A BRONZE IN FENCING.

WE REACHED OUT TO THEM.

THEY UNDERSTANDABLY WERE PLAYING CATCH UP FROM A YEAR OF TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPICS.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM AND NOW THE PRESSURE IS ON.

I'VE CALLED THEM OUT ON PUBLIC TELEVISION.

>> Renee: YOU HAVE TO SEND THEM A LEANING TO THE SHOW.

>> TO ME NOT ONLY IS THAT A TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT, THESE TWO FOLKS ARE ALSO IN MED SCHOOL HERE THEY HAVE, I'M SURE INTERESTING STORIES AS ANYBODY ELSE I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHAT WERE THE OLYMPICS LIKE.

>> AND PARTICULARLY IN THE COVID ERA WE ARE IN AND NOT HAVING FAMILY PRESENT.

THE SHARED COMOB CURIOSITIES THAT WE ALL HAVE, YOU WANT TO KNOW AND, YEAH AND AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE SO DIVIDED, SHAR MEAN, I MEAN ALONG POLITICAL AND RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES, WE ARE PRETTY FAR APART RIGHT NOW.

HOW CAN THIS BE A BRIDGE BUILDER?

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I ALSO-- WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS SHOW WE REGARDED ALL 12 EPISODES WITHIN 12 WEEKS.

-- IN TWO WEEKS.

>> Renee: THAT'S AMBITIOUS.

I'M NOT WORTHY.

>> I SAID HAVE I TWO WEEKS BEFORE I GO BACK TO WORK.

SO YOU HAVE ME FOR TWO WEEKS.

I DO THINK THE STORIES, LIKE DAN SAID, HE SAID IT INCREDIBLY THAT THEY'RE UNIVERSAL STORIES I THINK ONCE YOU HUMANIZE A CONCEPT, PEOPLE WILL COME TOGETHER AND CHEER YOU ON THAT'S THE OPTIMIST IN ME BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S A PLATFORM FOR YOU'RE EVERY PERSON.

WE WOULD LOVE-- WE WOULD LOVE TO GET LEE TO COME TO THE SHOW BUT WE HAVE A LOT-- WE HAVE AN EDUCATION AMERICAN MOM WHO IS TRYING TO RAISE THEIR CHILD IN LOUISVILLE OR WE HAVE, THERE IS A LOT OF EVERYDAY STORIES AND A LOT OF I GIVES A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO RELATE TO AND HUMANIZE.

AND BECAUSE IT'S NOT A VISUAL MEDIUM, YOU CAN TUNE IN AND NOT KNOW NECESSARILY THAT IT'S AAPI.

>> WE HAVE AN EP SOD COMING, I'M NOT SURE WHEN IN THE SEASON.

THERE IS A LADY NAMED ANGELIQUE WEAVER AND I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU ANYMORE ABOUT IT BUT IT'S A GREAT, GREAT LISTEN.

SHE GREW UP IN WILLIAMSBURG KENTUCKY WHICH SHE TOLD ME IS 1% NOT WHITE, EYE SMALL COMMUNITY TO BEGIN WITH 5,000 PEOPLE.

I WAS DOING THE MATH AND I WAS LIKE YOU ARE ONE OF 50 NON-WHITE PEOPLE IN THAT PLACE LIKE YOU LITERALLY COULD NO EVERY NON-WHITE PERSON IN THE PLACE.

SHE IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ASIAN AMERICAN THERE.

I WILL JUST SAY THAT AS AN AUDIO MEDIUM, HER EPISODE IS PRETTY GREAT.

>> Renee: WE WILL BE LISTENING TO THAT.

THAT'S THE LUXURY OF HAVING YOUR OWN PLATFORM YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHO IS INTERESTING TO YOU AND THAT CAN VARY AND WHETHER THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ON TELEVISION OR DON'T WANT THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD.

WE KNOW THERE HAS BEEN RESISTANCE BY SOME WHO FEAR TELLING THEIR STORIES THEY FEAR FOR NOT JUST THEIR LIVELIHOOD BUT PERSONHOOD AND SAFETY, TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE HATE COULD BE AT SUCH A LEVEL WHERE IT MUZZLED PEOPLE'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH, RIGHT?

>> WE HAD A COUPLE OF GUESTS WHO SAID THEY WERE NOT COMFORTABLE BEING ON THE SHOW BECAUSE PARTICULARLY ONE WHO HAS NOT COME OUT TO THEIR PARENTS YET.

THEY IDENTIFY WITH THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND SO IT WAS GOING TO BE TO BE ON A PUBLIC PLATFORM, IT WAS SCARY TORE THEM.

WE REACHED OUT TO SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS FROM THE THE ASIAN AND THEY HAVE SAID I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SHARING THAT STORY RIGHT NOW AND BEING HERE I THINK IT'S A FEAR.

I HAVE A VERY BIG FEAR OF BEING VERY OPEN ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T USUALLY TALK ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC SETTINGS ESPECIALLY ON LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA OR KET.

SO I'M NERVOUS OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO SAY WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT?

I'M NOT-- IT IS-- IT'S VERY NERVE RACKING FOR ME BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE PUBLIC EYE BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT TIME AND IMPORTANT MOMENT RIGHT NOW AND THAT MOVEMENT HAS TO HAPPEN.

>> Renee: WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT TRANSPARENCY MAKES AN IMPACT AND IT MIGHT BE NEGATIVE AT FIRST, BUT AT LEAST IT PLANTS A SEED TO START A CONVERSATION, EVEN WITH OUR OWN FAMILIES.

NOW IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME SOME OF US NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FAMILIES, IT'S RIGHT NOW BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT TOP TOPIC.

ITE HAS BEEN A PLEASURE MEETING YOU CHARLENE AND DAN, YOU ARE OLD HAT.

WE WANT TO HAVE YOU COME BACK AND TEM US HOW IT IS GOING IN A FEW MONTHS AND OUR BEST TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN AS WELL THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF CONNECTIONS, I'M RENEE SHAW.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO US IN PODCAST, TOO GO ON ket.org.

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