Yellow Glitter
Steven Wakabayashi
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Welcome to Yellow Glitter! Mindfulness through the eyes & soul of queer Asian perspectives. Every episode, my guests and I share with you what’s on our minds on topics around racial identity, queerness, activism, and life. Come join our conversation.
Available episodes
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Aug 14, 2023
#42 Collective Change and Community-Centered Design with Lee-Sean Huang
This episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, Lee-Sean Huang (he/they), a queer first-generation Taiwanese, Cantonese American designer and educator based in New York City and Providence. Lee-Sean Huang is the director of Design Content and learning at AIGA and a co-founder, creative director of Foossa, and teaches design and innovation at Parsons and SVA.
This episode, we talk about:
* Lee-Sean's "midlife crisis" and how he is navigating a new chapter in his life
* Navigating corporate world and academia with queer & Asian identities
* His work with the New School and advocating for teachers
* The role of creativity and design in social impact
* Dismantling perfectionism, and leaning into imperfection as an invitation for social change
* The power of community-centered design
You can find more information about our guest:
* @leesean on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn
* Website: https://foossa.com/leesean-huang
Learn more about Yellow Glitter:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
* Website: yellowglitterpodcast.com
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Jul 17, 2023
#41 Embracing Imagination and Manifesting Reality with ONCH
In this episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, ONCH, a multi-talented artist and jewelry designer based in Los Angeles.
We chat about:
* The power of dreaming and creating a vision of our future
* Using a dream diary to record, capture, and realize everyday dreams
* ONCH's journey from Taiwan and finding oneself
* Setting intentions and manifesting reality
* Upcoming collaborations coming to life from dreams
* Becoming fearless and dreaming for a brighter future
Learn more about ONCH:
* Website: onch.us
* Instagram: @onch
You can follow me at:
* Website: yellowglitterpodcast.com
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Jun 19, 2023
#40 Allyship, Accountability, & Performative Activism with Johnathan Gibbs
This episode, we're joined by our lovely returning guest, Jonathan Gibbs, creator of the Black and Asian Alliance Network, a proud, gay, Black and Filipino American filmmaker, storyteller, podcaster, and gamer based in Brooklyn, NY.
In this episode, we chat about:
* The importance of solidarity among marginalized communities
* Issues of performative activism and establishing genuine allyship
* Holding individuals and corporations accountable and enacting change
* The need for representation and visibility in media and entertainment for our communities
* Raising the bottom line for our underrepresented and historically marginalized communities
* Challenges and benefits of social media
You can find Johnathan Gibbs at:
* Instagram: @jonahsahn
* Twitter: @jonahsahn
* Youtube: @blasianFMA
You can follow me at:
* Website: yellowglitterpodcast.com
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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May 31, 2023
#39 Inclusive Healthcare & Showing Up for Our Communities with Dr. Jonathan Tolentino
In this episode, we’re joined by an extra special guest, Dr. Jonathan Tolentino, Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami. We chat about intersectional healthcare and the importance of understanding our history, legislation, and evolving healthcare to show up for our historically marginalized communities & youth.
We chat about:
* The importance of recognizing the intersectionality of gender, race, and sexuality in healthcare.
* The future of our ever-evolving medical field.
* Our stories of acceptance and fitting in and the growing visibility of queer identities around the world.
* Discriminatory laws and their impact on our historically marginalized communities, especially our youth.
* The importance of showing up and holding our legislators accountable
You can more of JT at:
* Instagram: @jonjon980206
You can follow me at:
* Website: yellowglitterpodcast.com
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Apr 24, 2023
#38 The Transformative Power of Community & Joy with Kim Thai
In this episode, we’re joined by a returning friend, Kim Thai, a queer Vietnamese writer, Emmy-award winning producer, social justice advocate, and mindfulness teacher based in New York. We chat about community building, cultivating joy, and her latest work with Ganeshspace, a mindfulness organization that creates healing spaces for historically excluded communities and social justice education for all.
In this episode we talk about:
* Community healing and the importance of centering joy and liberation in our equity-centered work
* Reclaiming queerness and honoring indigenous practices
* Surrounding ourselves with people who uplift and nourish us
* Prioritizing happiness leading to ultimate self-care and joy
You can more of Kim at:
* Instagram: @kthai6
* Instagram: @Ganeshspace
You can follow me at:
* Website: yellowglitterpodcast.com
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Dec 13, 2022
#37 Finding belonging at the intersection of art & activism with Haruka Aoki
This episode we're joined by an extra special guest, Haruka Aoki. Haruka (she/they) is a queer Japanese artist, author and illustrator of children’s books based in Queens, New York City. Their narrative artwork, which has appeared in New York Times and the Washington Post, aims to inspire individuals with both wit and sincerity as their hand drawn characters engaged with the world around them growing up.
In this episode we talk about:
* Haruka’s pivot from corporate life to exploring art
* Mental health in today’s workplace
* Their background and family experience growing up
* Haruka dives into their world of illustration and the inspiration behind their characters
* Exploring their latest book, Fitting In (fittinginbook.com)
You can find Haruka at:
* Website: https://harukaaoki.com/
* Instagram: @thecosmicharuka
You can follow me at:
* Website: https://yellowglitterpodcast.com
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Jul 14, 2022
#36 Fire Island and the gay white gaze with Johnathan Gibbs
In this episode, we are joined by a special returning guest, Johnathan Gibbs, to talk about the latest gay movie Fire Island, and also reflect on the harmful impact of the gay white gaze on our queer Asian communities.
In this episode we talk about:
* Reflect on Fire Island movie’s representation of queer Asian perspectives and stories
* The gay white gaze and discussing the harmful impact of these narratives
* How to catch ourselves when we are co-opting into systems of power and oppression
* Forgiving ourselves in the process and healing our inner selves
* Finding refuge and community with more diversity around us
References:
* BaBEC Fire Island
* GaGaOOLaLa
You can find Johnathan Gibbs at:
* Instagram: @jonahsahn
* Twitter: @jonahsahn
* Youtube: @blasianFMA
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* Twitter: @wakuu
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Jun 7, 2022
#35 Journey into the world of design and creating inclusive toys with Linda Jiang
Excited to be joined by Linda Jiang, a toy designer living in Los Angeles, California. In this episode, we delve into the world of the doll industry and the representation of gender-inclusive doll design.
Linda Jiang (she/they) is a toy designer living in Los Angeles, California; unceded Tongva land. Linda’s work centers around designing inclusive toys to create social change through play. They designed the recent Barbie Inspiring Women doll, specifically the doll for Ida B Wells, and led the design for Creatable World, a gender-inclusive fashion doll line. When they're not designing, Linda enjoys building community with her friends, reading mystery novels, and learning fashion history through vintage clothing.
In this episode we talk about:
* Linda’s background and story of entering the world of design
* A day in the life of designing in the doll industry
* Queer BIPOC people in creative industries
* Gender-inclusive doll designs
You can find Linda at:
* Website: little-linda.com
* Instagram: @little.linda
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Feb 1, 2022
#34 Chasing perfection: body image, PEDs, and social media with Dr. JT (Jonathan Tolentino)
We’re joined by Dr. JT (Jonathan Tolentino) once again to talk about our society’s obsession with the perfect physique. We chat about body and muscle dysmorphia, PEDs, the impact of social media, and how this ultimately impacts both our queer and Asian communities.
Dr. JT is the Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami.
In this episode we talk about:
* The state of COVID and the recent surge
* Social media effects on our bodies and body image
* Body and muscle dysmorphia within the queer & Asian communities
* The slippery slope of dating apps - the effects that filters can have on our experience
* The dark side of performance-enhancing drugs
* 2022 Resolutions and how are you recharging yourself this new year?
You can find JT at:
* Instagram: @jonjon9980206
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Nov 7, 2021
#33 State of COVID & healing our queer Asian identities with Dr. JT (Jonathan Tolentino)
We have another beautiful episode chatting about COVID, our mental health, and our future. We're joined by an extra special guest Dr. JT, Jonathan Tolentino, who is the Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency program at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami and Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at University of Miami.
In this episode we talk about:
* The state of COVID and vaccinations
* Navigating misinformation through COVID
* How communities have learned through history of AIDS and SARS
* GaysOverCOVID and quarrels within our queer community during COVID
* Sexual and ethnic minority stress theory on how we see and react to the world
* Breaking out of the cycle of comparison, judgement, self-criticism
* How to become allies with one another - especially within our LGBTQ+ community
* Becoming more aware of our privilege
* Jonathan's coming out story
* Navigating queer identities in the Asian community
You can find JT at:
* Instagram: @jonjon980206
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Weekly Newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Jun 24, 2021
#32 Rainbow-washing and performative allyship of pride
This week, we're joined by our favorite Derek Tran once again to chat about the state of COVID, rainbow-washing, performative allyship, and showing up authentically.
In this episode we talk about:
* Derek's Tinder profile. Yes. Really.
* COVID mask mandates going down in many parts of America
* Rainbow-washing and performative allyship from companies
* Goods Unite Us revealing of where corporate sponsorship is going toward
* The capital reason why it's valuable to rainbow-wash and market pride
* Why we all still need to support pride as a protest
* The shift away from hiring police at pride
* Why everyone needs to stop eating at the evil chicken shop
* Showing up authentically yourself this pride season
* Speaking with our action vs. performance
References
* Goods Unite Us
* Queer Liberation March
You can find Derek at:
* Instagram: @findyourfearless
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Weekly News…
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Jun 14, 2021
#31 Activism & Asian culture: showing up & calling in our community with Derek Tran
Another wonderful episode with our lovely guest Derek Tran, to talk about issues surrounding activism, current-day events, and the Asian culture.
In this episode we talk about:
* Flashback to Xanga? Livejournal?
* Our COVID check-in and thoughts on the CDC directive to remove masks in the US
* Trump's rhetoric that catalyzed so much of the Asian hate we face
* Shallow activism in celebrities and gay community
* Becoming more conscious of the news we take in
* Why we need to call in vs. calling each other out
* The shift in younger generation and activism
You can find Derek at:
* Instagram: @findyourfearless
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
* Weekly Newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Apr 9, 2021
#30 Stop Asian Hate and addressing rise in anti-Asian hate crimes with Derek Tran
Derek Tran and I chat about the rising anti-Asian hate crimes and what we can do to keep ourselves safe and sane during this time.
In this episode we talk about:
* COVID and where we are at with vaccinations
* Issues with performative social media activists
* How allies can show up - with more actionable steps
* The intersection of mindfulness and activism
* Struggling to find our voice as Asian-Americans
* Standing up within our romantic relationships to microaggressions
* Why addressing cultural issues in Asia, by denigrating Asian-Americans don’t work
* Our social media feeds full of trauma porn
* Why we both still hate Chick-fil-A
* How can keep ourselves safe from hate crimes and attacks
You can find Derek at:
* Instagram: @findyourfearless
You can follow me at:
* Instagram: @stevenwakabayashi
* YouTube: @stevenwakabayashi
Weekly Newsletter: mindfulmoments.substack.com
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Jan 24, 2021
#29 Leading by example: compassion and mindfulness with Kim Thai
This episode, I’m joined by Kim Thai, founder of ganeshspace, an organization dedicated to making mindfulness a more equitable space. We chat about the current politics of America, how we can show up with compassion in activism, understanding ourselves before helping others, and her journey of finding her queer identity after marriage. Enjoy!
Kim Thai is a writer, Emmy-award winning producer, and the founder of ganeshspace, a community organization dedicated to pursuing equity through mindfulness. She is a proud daughter of Vietnamese refugees and is currently living in NYC with her partner and two cats.
In this episode we talk about:
* Advice on managing this pandemic for extroverts
* What politics of today say reflect what is happening deep down inside of America
* How to hold compassion for those we don’t agree with
* Why we need to first assess our own bandwidth before we give
* The truth behind humor when it appears during traumatic conversations
* Her journey c…
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Jan 12, 2021
#28 Storytelling and the richness of our Asian history with Randy Kim
On this episode of Yellow Glitter, I’m joined by Randy Kim, a queer, second-generation Viet-Khmer American from Chicagoland and podcast host of The Banh Mi Chronicles, highlighting uplifting important Asian voices. We chat about the Asian diaspora, how to heal the trauma of our parents, coming out, the importance of storytelling history of Asian culture, creating inclusive spaces, and why the slogan “representation matters” needs updating.
Randy Kim is a queer 2nd generation Viet-Khmer American from the Chicagoland area. Randy currently serves as a board member with the National Cambodian Heritage Museum. He is the co-producer with founder Ada Cheng for TALK Stories: An Asian American/Asian Diaspora Storytelling Show in Chicago. He is the producer and host of “The Banh Mi Chronicles” podcast which can be on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast. Randy is currently working on his Master's in Non Profit Management at DePaul University.
In this episode we talk about:
* How…
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Nov 24, 2020
#27 A graphic tale of honesty, darkness, truth and love with Mike Curato
In this episode, we are joined by Mike Curato, a queer Asian author and illustrator, to talk about his latest graphic novel, Flamer, inspired by his own personal life story. We cover a lot of topics including, mental health, bullying, suicide, and the wave of intolerance plaguing our country, and also looking ahead at how we can all do better.
Mike Curato is a gay first generation half Filipino-Irish American author and illustrator of books for youth. He has created many picture books for young children, and just released his debut queer young adult graphic novel, Flamer.
In this episode we talk about:
* How Mike is managing quarantine life and Zoom dates
* Experience of growing up biracial in an intolerant world
* The importance of finding community
* Why honesty is important in writing a book and how our shared humanity connects us together
* Finding family in the queer community - but also facing racism within our queer circles
* Navigating intolerance within dating a…
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Oct 30, 2020
#26 Paving ways & coming out in the world of hockey with Jon Lee-Olsen
In this episode, we are joined by Jon Lee-Olsen, a professional ice-hockey player who made headlines as the first openly out player in Europe and third in the world. We talk about his experience coming out nationally, managing relationships alongside a sports career, and his experiences as a transracial adoptee.
Jon (he/him) is Danish transracial adoptee from Korea who currently lives in Copenhagen Denmark. He was the first to come out as a gay man in professional ice-hockey in Europe and the third in the world. Now he is harnessing his story to help uplift LGBTQ+ and the Asian community.
In this episode we talk about:
* Experiences of being an Asian transracial adoptee growing up in a white community
* How he discovered hockey while coming to terms with his own sexuality
* His experience coming out on national television for the first time
* Combatting the fears of being the first openly out gay ice-hockey player in Europe
* How being open about his identity improved his…
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Sep 18, 2020
#25 Moving mountains and the importance of visibility with Rain Valdez
In this episode, we are joined by Rain Valdez to talk about her journey from the Philippines and Guam to the Emmy-nominated actress and producer she is today. We talk about her Emmy-nominated show, Razor Tongue, as well as her recent work on Disclosure highlighting the impact Hollywood has had on the trans community. We have a beautiful conversation with Rain about trans talent and the importance of visibility and stories in media.
Rain Valdez is an Emmy nominated actress most notably known for Razor Tongue, Transparent and Why Women Kill. She's an award-winning filmmaker and an out and proud transgender woman and activist. Rain is also the founder of ActNOW, the first and only LGBTQIA+ acting class in Los Angeles that teaches beyond the binary.
On this episode we talk about:
* COVID-19 check-in and finding motivation to get fit during quarantine
* Her story growing up in the Philippines and Guam
* Finding pride in her heritage and how it translates into her work
* Knowing h…
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Jul 30, 2020
#24 Discovering our voice & living our unapologetic truth with Amazin Lêthi
In this episode, we are joined by Amazin LeThi, LGBTQ+ sports ambassador, former competitive bodybuilder, entertainment executive, and fitness author to chat about current events and her life journey. We talk about trans-racial issues, equity and representation in media, and body positivity, homelessness in our queer community, and so much more.
Amazin LeThi (she/her) is an Athlete Ally and Stonewall sports ambassador, former competitive bodybuilder, entertainment executive and the first Vietnamese internationally published fitness author. Through her personal journey of homelessness she founded the Amazin LeThi Foundation. Amazin has shared her story for ‘Its Gets Better’ campaign and the first White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Asian anti-bullying campaign 'Act to Change'. She has been recognized by GLAAD and NQAPIA for her LGBTQ advocacy. She was the first Asian LGBTQ Athlete in 2020 to be honoured at the Brooklyn Nets 4th Annual Pride Night, she ha…
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Jun 15, 2020
#23 Representation and equity in media with Ian Alexander & Vivien Ngô
I am joined by none other than Ian Alexander (Buck Vu of The OA) and Vivien Ngô (Trinh Phan of Queen Sugar) to talk about what it’s like being gaysian in the entertainment industry, their humble beginnings as children of Asian immigrants, and their latest thriller, Daughter. They share some mindful advice on how to create a more equitable workspace for queer actors and having more diverse representation for cast and crew.
IAN ALEXANDER
Ian (he/him) is an actor best known for his role as Buck Vu in the Netflix sci-fi series The OA. He will be making his video game debut as "Lev" in the highly anticipated The Last of Us Part II for Naughty Dog. Ian is a passionate advocate for transgender and racial justice, and he hopes to see more representation of transgender youth in media. When he's not on set, Ian loves taking naps and walking his dog Max.
VIVIEN NGÔ
Vivien (she/her) is most known for her role as Trinh Phan on Ava Duvernay's Queen Sugar, and roles on NCIS: New Orleans, Sham…
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Jun 6, 2020
#22 Activism, direct action, and expressing solidarity with Kalaya’an Mendoza
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Kalaya’an Mendoza, a nonviolent direct action trainer and disaster preparedness expert, to talk about the current climate and advice for those who headed out to protest in the streets. We chat about how we can show solidarity with Black folx and addressing racism within our Asian community.
Kalaya’an Mendoza (he/him) is a nonviolent direct action trainer, Disaster Preparedness expert recognized by TIME Magazine and has spent the last twenty years of his life fighting for social justice on Turtle Island and around the world alongside Human Rights Defenders in the Global South.
In this episode we talk about:
* The current social situation and what is happening all around the US
* Why Black lives matter
* How he discovered activism in high school
* The importance of activism on the streets and behind the keyboard
* Tips on how to prepare for going out into the streets
* Using OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loops
* Doing t…
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Apr 27, 2020
#21 Combating racism towards Asians amidst COVID-19 with Derek Tran
With the novel coronavirus spreading all around the world, so has intolerant attitudes towards Asians. Hate crimes have increased to unsettling amounts and it seems to get worse with each passing day. I am joined in this conversation with our returning guest Derek Tran to unpack the racism towards Asians and offer some advice on how to navigate it.
This episode, we talk about:
* The current climate of COVID-19 and racism
* Why is this racism different from many others?
* Addressing the op-ed by Andrew Yang
* Derek’s personal experience with recent racism
* Why we struggle to call-out and stand up for ourselves as Asians
* Why is this even harder for gaysians?
* Defining what a hate crime is
* Why we love Cardi B
* What is the difference between calling in and calling out
* Some resources to stop AAPI hate
Things form our show:
Stop AAPI Hate: http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate/
Our favorite activis…
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Apr 9, 2020
#20 Managing Change During Turbulent Times with Ning Zhou and Marti G Cummings
We are living in an unprecedented era with many of us confined in our own homes, facing uncertainty around COVID-19, and experiencing sudden changes in employment. Join us for a session as we have a chat on staying physically and mentally healthy amidst COVID-19, establishing mindfulness to stay present and peaceful, understanding trauma responses during difficult times, and managing sudden shifts in employment.
This episode, we talk about:
* Establishing mindfulness to stay present and peaceful
* Managing physical health with COVID-19 and what are recommendations on staying safe from this virus
* Maintaining mental health with balance and routine during shelter-in-place
* Establishing boundaries to prioritize ourselves
* Staying connected and navigating social media and news during a pandemic
* Understanding trauma response during turbulent times
* What are some opportunities we have during these difficult times
* Managing sudden shifts at work
* R…
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Apr 2, 2020
#19 Finding Opportunity During COVID-19 and Celebrating Trans Day of Visibility
This episode, we talk about the continued struggles with COVID-19 here in NYC. But in light of this, there is also opportunity to connect with friends, family, our finances, emotions, feelings, and the planet. We also touch on some of the discriminatory laws that were recently passed against trans folks in Idaho.
This episode, we talk about:
* The current state of COVID-19 in NYC
* Finding opportunity in our living situation right now, amidst everyone staying at home
* Taking time to deepen our relationship with those we are living with
* Practicing unconditional love and kindness for those we struggle with
* How to become more present with our feelings and emotions
* Clamping down on our finances
* How might we improve our relationship with this planet
* The recent discriminatory bill passed by Gov. Brad Little hurting our trans community in Idaho
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
YouTube (youtube.com/stev…
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Mar 27, 2020
#18 Lessons from the Coronavirus on privilege, xenophobia, and mindfulness
This episode, I talk about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. I share how our privilege and ignorance has led us where we are today, why we may be past the point of containment, why getting rid of wet markets is not the solution, addressing xenophobia, and advice on how to cope with emotions during this time. This episode, we’re going to chat about the coronavirus. I talk about:
- The clear warnings that were left ignored by Asia and Italy.
- How our American privilege has led us to where we are today.
- Why focusing on the numbers should not be our main priority
- Why getting rid of wet markets is not the solution.
- Global xenophobia spurred by this pandemic.
- How to deal with racism and prejudice during this time.
- Some advice on how to cope and manage emotions.
Resources:
* Google Hangouts
* Apple Facetime
* Uber Conference
* Zoom Video Conferencing
* Report anti-Asian harassment or hate-crime to New York City
*
* civil.rights@ag.ny.gov
* 1…
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Mar 11, 2020
#17 Behind the comedy and queer Asian life, love, and spirituality with Margaret Cho
This episode, we have none other than Margaret Cho, one of the leading queer Asian voices in comedy, media, and activism here in America. We sit down and talk about her life leading up to comedy, including what it was like growing up in a Korean household, exploring sexuality, dating as a queer Asian, finding spirituality, and practicing mindfulness.
She has been a Five-time Grammy and Emmy-nominated comedian, and named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time, 50 People Who Changed American Comedy by CNN, and most recently, stunned America singing her way through the wildly popular break-out hit show The Masked Singer. She is currently on tour with her international “Fresh Off The Bloat” tour and has a brand new podcast, where each week she interviews people YOU KNOW and people she thinks YOU SHOULD KNOW, if you don't already. The 36-episode first season includes guests such as Jonathan Van Ness, Kat Von D, Michael Yo, Kathy Griffin, Quentin Taran…
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Feb 29, 2020
#16 Navigating media, dating apps, and finding love with ONCH
For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America.
This episode, we chat with ONCH, a nonbinary first-generation Taiwanese-American designer in LA about gaysian representation in media, racial fetishism, navigating finding love as a queer Asian, and the impact of social media and dating apps on today’s culture.
ONCH is a non binary first generation Taiwanese American, the creative force behind the "ONCH" brand (previously known as Onch Movement), designing 'wearable art' for a discerning VIP client list that includes Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian, and Nicki Minaj. ONCH subsequently launched a long term relationship with cult fave Hello Kitty, which culminated in a recent role as designer for the brand’s second collection at Forever21, The Hello Kitty Forever jewelry collection. The trend-setter whose work was even featured in a bio-technology textbook and Italian Vogue has also made headlines f…
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Feb 26, 2020
#15 On equity and challenging personal preferences with Johnathan Gibbs (aka blasianFMA)
For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America.
This episode, we chat with Johnathan Gibbs, aka blasianFMA about activism, biracial identities, model minority myths, our racial preferences, and so much more.
Johnathan Gibbs, he/him/his also known as blasianFMA online, is a content creator, podcaster, activist, serial panelist, and bubble tea enthusiast. His work in activism began with his YouTube channel “blasainFMA” in 2008, in which he worked to bring awareness to multiracial issues surrounding the intersection of Black and Asian identity. He later enjoyed a 60 episode run of his first podcast “Edugaytion” which covered QPOC issues from the point of view of people from around the United States. He is now working on a newly launched podcast, “This QPOC Life” which is a spiritual successor to the Edugaytion series, re-imagined and ever evolving to be more sensitive to a…
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Feb 24, 2020
#14 Navigating asexual, panromantic, and polyamorous identities with Robin Mele
For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America.
This episode, we sit down with Robin Mele, a queer second-generation Taiwanese-American therapist in NYC and learn more about them navigating through their asexual, panromantic, and polyamorous identity. We talk about identities, stereotypes, dating apps, and so much more!
Robin Mele (they/them/theirs) is a queer second-generation Taiwanese-American who currently works as a therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit for adolescents at a public hospital in New York City. They have a master's degree in dance/movement therapy, and they have their yoga teaching certification. They currently identify as asexual, panromantic, and polyamorous.
This episode, we cover:
* How Robin got started in their career working as a therapist.
* What is dance movement therapy?
* Growing up biracial white and Asian.
* How they discovered their…
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Feb 17, 2020
#13 On growing up Indian and lessons in love with Rajiv Khanna
For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America.
This episode, we sit down with Rajiv Khanna, a gay second-generation Indian-American living in San Francisco. We talk about what it was like growing up as a gay Indian man, coming out, dating apps, combating prejudice and so much more.
Rajiv Khanna (he/him/his) is a gay second-generation Indian-American living in San Francisco, CA. He is very involved in the South Asian community through volunteering and hosting cultural and queer events, and always loves a good Bollywood dance party!
This episode we go over:
* Growing up as a gay Indian man in a school with only ten Asians
* Assimilating into US culture and navigating being Asian in America
* Coming out within Asian culture.
* Datings apps and how de-personalized they have become.
* How to navigate racial preferences and combatting prejudice.
* How we can be more…
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Feb 17, 2020
#12 On finding self-love and cultivating gaysian pride with Derek Tran
For the month of February, we sit down with queer Asian Americans to learn more about how they navigate finding love here in America.
This episode, we sit down with Derek Tran, a gay second-generation Vietnamese-American entrepreneur in LA and talk about growing up in LA, being a part of the gaysian LA scene, navigating social media and dating apps, and finding self-love through his spiritual and body transformation.
Derek Tran (he/him/his) is a gay, second-generation Vietnamese-American entrepreneur residing in Los Angeles. His interests include mindfulness, fitness, environmental sustainability and has been an integral part of the LA Gaysian scene for more than 20+ years.
In this episode we talk about:
* How he got started with his businesses in LA.
* The story of his family moving from Vietnam and throughout Los Angeles county.
* Growing up as one of the only Vietnamese individuals in his hometown and trying to assimilate into American culture.
*…
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Feb 7, 2020
#11 My experience with death and lessons of impermanence
Right now, we are in quite a precarious time. From the recent death of Kobe Bryant to hundreds of people dying from the Coronavirus all around the world, death is becoming more present than ever. For me, it’s been a frequent visitor and teacher. I share some advice on what I learned from life, death, and lessons of impermanence.
This episode I talk about:
* My experience with death
* Advice on if you are getting over a death
* How we continue on after death
* How to be more present
* Buddhism concept of impermanence (gross vs. subtle changes)
* Why is impermanence important
* Key insights from death that can help change our lives.
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)
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Jan 17, 2020
#10 My 2019 in review and creating habits and New Year’s resolutions that stick
I’m back for 2020! I share with you my highs of 2019, favorite books I’ve read, lessons from my lows, and advice on how to create habits and New Year’s resolutions that stick. I share a bit about how to practice self-love, compassion and how to address our egos.
This episode I talk about:
* What were my highlights of 2019?
* What were my favorite books of 2019?
* What were my lows of 2019?
* Why do we use negative reinforcements to build habits?
* Why negative reinforcements don’t work.
* How to build habits correctly.
* What is the biggest lesson I learned in 2019?
* How to practice self-love.
* What trick do I have to get me to go out when I feel shy.
* What is my 2020 mantra?
* Tips on how to set your New Year’s resolutions
Check out my gaysian support group in NYC: Yellow Glitter Sparkles (February 2020)
Favorite books:
* Mindfulness: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Na…
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Nov 28, 2019
#9 Forgiving our parents and caregivers
Happy Thanksgiving! Though this day has quite questionable roots, many of us are spending time with those we love. For many Asians, this might mean returning home to our conservative Asian families. In this episode, I share with you something that is near and dear to my heart - forgiving our parents and caregivers.
This episode I talk about:
* My story of finding forgiveness for my conservative family
* What unconditional love truly means.
* Why forgiveness isn’t forgetting.
* An exercise on getting in-touch with our emotions.
* An exercise on addressing and validating our feelings
* Being grateful with unconditional love and forgiveness
Core Emotions:
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/putting-some-emotion-into-your-design-plutchik-s-wheel-of-emotions
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)
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Nov 26, 2019
#8: Lessons from writing about the cultural insensitivities of Queer Eye Japan
This past week, I published an article addressing the cultural insensitivities of Queer Eye Japan. Lots of learnings and also four key lessons to share with you.
In this episode, we cover:
* Feedback from the show
* Following Western advice all of my life as a queer Asian man
* Why Western ideologies don’t work for Asians
* Embracing the edits
* Doubting myself before publishing the article
* Why all of our intersections and identities matter
* Why it’s important to focus on the good
Resources:
My Culture is Not Your Toy: A Gay Japanese Man’s Perspective on Queer Eye Japan
Netflix’s ‘Queer Eye: We’re in Japan!’ highlights a big problem with mainstream LGBTQ advocacy
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)
Facebook (facebook.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Twitter (twitter.com/wakuu)
YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi)
So much love for you and I…
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Nov 11, 2019
#7: Defying filial piety and Asian parental
expectations in career and in life
Many of my Asian friends and I have experienced parenting in the form of helicopter parenting or Asian guilt to motivate us. After decades of conditioning, this becomes ingrained as a part of our psyche.
And to be honest, for me, I’m still navigating and figuring out whenever I make a decision if I am being true to my heart center or doing it out of Asian guilt. “I have to do this to be a good Asian son”.
In this episode, we cover:
* My story of how I defied being a doctor
* Being compassionate with my family and their expectations
* Finding a career that my family doesn’t understand
* Filial piety and impact on us
* Compensatory strategies of being gay
* Is it wrong to defy parental expectations
* Why not following our truth has health consequences
* Tips on how to manage parental expectations
* What are the top 5 regrets of dying patients
Resources:
* Gabor Mate - When the Body Says No, The Co…
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Oct 29, 2019
#6: Yellow fever and rice queens: fetish or just a preference?
Yellow Fever!! Exoticism, objectification, and fetishizing of the yellow skin. I've dealt with this so much myself and wanted to share my perspective on this topic. It’s prevalent everywhere and every single Asian I’ve known has faced this in dating and especially interracial relationships.
This episode, we cover:
* The background of the word fetish
* Origins of yellow fever
* Whether or not fetishism is a problem or not
* My experience dating rice queens
* Racial fetishism on dating apps
* If it’s just a preference, is it okay?
* Prioritizing our values and what we’re looking for
* Advice on managing with rice queens and racial fetishism
References:
* Grindr’s 2018 “0 Tolerance Policy"
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)
Facebook (facebook.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Twitter (twitter.com/wakuu)
YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi)…
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Oct 14, 2019
#5 Queer rights and facing discrimination in the workplace
This week, we had three major cases got up against the Supreme Court regarding discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
We go in detail about:
* The three cases and why they are so important for queer rights.
* My experiences with discrimination in job applications and in my previous workplace.
* What is the most impactful discrimination for minorities.
* Why gossip and venting are not useful for us.
* Why we want to recruit our aggressors as allies.
* The first key question to ask any aggression.
* External resources for legal employment support.
Resources:
* NELA.org
* AVOO.org
* https://www.eeoc.gov/employees/charge.cfm
If you have any topics you’d love to hear covered, you can email me at podast@stevenwakabayashi.com.
So much love for you and I’ll talk to you later. Bye! ♥️
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
YouTube (youtube.com/ste…
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Sep 24, 2019
#4: Let's talk about drugs
Last week, Jonathan Van Ness, star of Queer Eye, came out with his memoir and an interview with NY Times about life managing HIV, sexual abuse, and drug addiction. They are all pressing issues in the queer community and in this episode, we dive into drugs.
Whether we like to admit it or not, drugs are all around us. They are at parties, festivals, and even the bars we frequent. Both legal and illegal drugs are being used and abused and for us to build a more mature relationship with it - it is to talk about them openly.
In this episode, we cover:
* Why are drugs prevalent in gay and Asian culture?
* History of drug use in gay culture
* Prevalence of drugs on gay dating apps
* Chemsex culture
* Drawing the line between personal responsibility and encouragement
* The G epidemic in gay culture
* A look into drug consumption worldwide
* The opioid epidemic in the US
* Drug laws and regulations across Asia
* Impact of drug liberalization…
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Sep 8, 2019
#3: Managing superficiality in Asian and gay cultures
Superficial: The narrow focus on surface-level attributes, like appearance, status, wealth, and career over things that are more internal like morals, values, and ethics.
This episode, we cover:
* 3 golden rules of Asian households
* Superficiality in Asian culture and potential causes
* Generational trauma
* Racism, colorism, and body-shaming in Asian and gay advertisements
* Plastic surgery in Korea
* Purikura machines in Japan
* Augmented reality apps in China
* Gay-dating apps
* Dangers of circuit parties (gay "raves")
* Performance enhancers
* And a whole lot more
How to combat superficial culture
* Understand it: ask yourself what are you ultimately looking for?
* Reframe it: you are in control of how you perceive yourself
* Change your environment: read books, watch videos, listen to podcasts to expand your thinking
* Call it out: call out authority figures when permitted
References:
* Racist C…
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Aug 14, 2019
#2: Growing up Asian and Gay in America, and Feeling "Not Good Enough"
We’re on the second episode!
This week, we dive INTO it with my stories of growing up Asian and gay in America, the feelings of not good enough perpetuated by people and society, and how to overcome it with some insights and compassion.
I go into detail about:
* Growing up as a 2nd generation immigrant child in the white suburbs of West Covina
* Being friends with other westernized Asians
* My traumatic experiences with my Asian heritage in school
* Navigating life knowing more English than my mom in elementary school
* Statistics of bilingual languages in America
* Why being bilingual is pretty amazing
* Examples of early integration of foreign languages in other countries
* Same-sex partnerships in Asia
* Getting caught looking at gay porn
* Trying to commit suicide during high school
* Distancing myself from my Asian heritage in college
* Coming out in college
* Dating rice queens
* How to work through the feelings…
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Aug 3, 2019
#1: What is Yellow Glitter?
Welcome to Yellow Glitter! Mindfulness through the eyes & soul of a queer Asian. Every episode, I share with you what’s on my mind, things I'm be struggling with and how I'm working through it to live a more mindful, fabulous life!
For my first episode, I share what inspired me to do this podcast. I talk about my health, the meditation journey around the world that set the premise, and thoughts on the current mindfulness movement and space as it pertains to Asian and queer experiences.
Hope you enjoy and hope your day can be a little bit more mindful! xo
Things talked about on this show:
Jim Kwik
Marie Kondo
Darren Main (Inspire Within Podcast)
Yoga at Grace Cathedral
You can follow me at:
Instagram (instagram.com/stevenwakabayashi)
YouTube (youtube.com/stevenwakabayashi)
Weekly Newsletter (mindfulmoments.substack.com)
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