Turning Trauma into Purpose: Michelle Li's Journey as a Korean Adoptee and TV Journalist
Topics: Adoptee, Korean American, AAPI Heritage Month, APAHM, TV Journalist, author, Very Asian, Korean Food, mixed-race families, Asian heritage, racial trauma, nonprofit, purpose, AAPI identity, Asian American history and culture
Nancy Luong on Breaking Bamboo Ceilings in Tech, Immigrant Dads, and Money Myths in a "Bling Empire" World
Asian Women Rising series | Vanessa interviews Nancy Luong, a senior marketing leader at Salesforce, author of "How We Got Here", and recently crowned Ms. Southern California 2023. We talk about why allyship is the key to breaking the Bamboo Ceiling and Glass Ceiling, healing intergenerational trauma with immigrant parents, and busting money and success myths in a “Bling Empire” World.
Nancy shares her personal mission to break down walls and barriers - whether it’s the Bamboo Ceiling at work, awkward family dynamics due to intergenerational trauma, or a “lack”/ scarcity mindset when it comes to personal finance and success. We talk about the importance of mental health for men, and why her struggles to connect with her emotionally distant dad inspired her to write “How We Got Here Journal” and how gratifying it is to “see the walls come down” in their relationship.
Plus: Vietnamese food and the common bond of Asian moms never measuring ingredients, the frugal eco-warrior upcycling “immigrant mindset” that we experienced as kids, and unpacking personal finance myths that tie your happiness to your net worth or title.
The “Busy” Trap: Dr. Jenny Wang on Navigating Anxiety, Anger, and Uncertainty
What happens when society is OK with Asian women feeling anxious - but not angry? Perhaps we find comfort with hyperproductivity - until it leads to anxiety, burnout, and rage. “Busyness is an addiction to urgency,” says Dr. Jenny T. Wang, PH.D, a Taiwanese American psychologist, founder of @asiansformentalhealth and author of Permission to Come Home. Dr. Wang and Vanessa talk about creating healthy spaces for anger, untying our worth from our productivity, and why Dude Tribes might be a step in cultivating positive masculinity and community healing for Asian men. As children of immigrants and parents, we discuss why AAPI youth suicide prevention is a multi-generational effort - not just about Gen Z.
Plus: our favorite Taiwanese snacks, traveling with young kids, and daily habits for a brighter morning routine.
About Dr. Jenny Wang, PH.D:
Dr. Jenny T. Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist and national speaker on the intersections of Asian American identity, mental health, and intergenerational and racial trauma. Her professional mission is to destigmatize mental health within the Asian community and empower Asian Americans to prioritize their own mental well-being. She spearheaded the Asians for Mental Health therapist directory (www.asiansformentalhealth.com) to connect individuals with culturally reverent mental health care for Asian American diasporas. She created the Instagram community Asians for Mental Health (@asiansformentalhealth), where she explores the unique ways in which Asian American identity impacts our mental health. Her first book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans was published by Grand Central Balance in May 2022. She is a mental health advisory member of Wondermind and The Mental Health Coalition.
Breaking the Stigma: Neurodiversity and South Asian Mental Health
“I thought therapy was a hardcore luxury for the rich”, says Mrinal Ghokale, Author of Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted. Mrinal shares how growing up as a bicultural, neurodivergent and "defiant" kid enabled her to become a game-changer in mental health. We explore what it means to be neurodivergent - which can span autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and even bipolar disorder, and what society can do to be more supportive. We unpack how stereotypes around gender, the Model Minority Myth and cultural habits like “sweeping it under the rug” may actually intensify mental health conditions and isolation. Plus: building confidence through belly dancing, Desi wellness traditions like ayurveda and pranayama breathing exercises, and blending East and West when it comes to health and nutrition.
About Mrinal:
Mrinal Ghokale is an author and speaker with a passion for the human brain. She uses her voice to help shift the narrative around health and wellness. She recently published Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted , which shares 11 true stories of second generation Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi immigrants and how they navigate mental health in the West. Topics covered are stigma, identity, trauma, and access, along with the goal of promoting acceptance and knowledge around mental health between generations.
Lyn Liao Butler, Author of The Tiger Mom's Tale: Asian family drama. Adoption. Food as a love language.
Lyn Liao Butler, author of The Tiger Mom’s Tale, tells us how she found peace and healing in her writing, Taiwanese heritage, and fitness background, and how fate led her to adopt "the happiest little boy in the world". We talk about the effects of racism and Tiger parenting, why food is the original love language in Asian culture, and unpack why mental health issues are seen as so shameful in our families and communities - and what we can do about it.