The APAHM Conversations is a nine-part podcast series exploring lesser talked about Asian diaspora conversations.
Conversation Piece with Patrick Armstrong is a new podcast series that is on a a mission to share joy, knowledge, and stories from the Asian American diaspora. More specifically, the series aims to highlight the missing pieces of the conversation of what it means to be Asian American today.
From social issues, relationships, intersectional identities and more, each episode aims to deepen and diversify conversations beyond the who, what, and where in the Asian diaspora.
Over Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in 2023, the show’s producer and host – Korean American adoptee Patrick Armstrong – interviews nine different guests to answer the question “what pieces of the conversation about Asian America do you think we should be talking about right now, but aren’t?
Hear stories from transracial adoptees, diasporic Asian Americans who struggled with their identities, and folks transitioning from corporate careers to creative ones (or solopreneurship). Further details about the guests and topics covered below.
New episodes air every Monday and Wednesday throughout May 2023.
Listen or watch episodes of Conversation Piece with Patrick Armstrong and learn more about his work below.
About Conversation Piece with Patrick Armstrong
Both Cold Tea Collective and Conversation Piece recognize the importance and privilege of storytelling, specifically through an Asian American lens and recognize that together, we can do great things. And as a Korean American adoptee, Patrick Armstrong takes control of his own narrative.
“The APAHM Conversations Podcast was conceived as an opportunity to discuss, specifically, the missing pieces of the conversation around Asian America,” shares Armstrong. – maybe an opportunity to use the pull quote widget? The APAHM Conversations Podcast features the following guests, along with their respective release dates to look forward to:
Liz Kleinrock, she/her, Antibias and Antiracist Educator, Facilitator, Author of Start Here, Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work in Your School Community (5/1)
Liz and Patrick discuss the significance of developing relationships beyond the work, the importance of knowing our underlying why, and how we can build coalitions and relationships across communities.
Marguerite Jay, they/she, Student, Transracial Adoptee Advocate (5/3)
Marguerite and Patrick discuss the impact of colorism within our diaspora, internalizing whiteness as transracial Asian adoptees, and deconstructing harmful concepts like the model minority myth.
Tony Delarosa, he/they/siya, Author of Teaching the Invisible Race: Embodying a Pro-Asian American Lens in Schools (5/8)
Tony and Patrick discuss uncovering our histories through the oral narratives of our families, developing mindful, expansive Asian American education policy + curriculum, and how, with our lived experience, we can do this work right now.
Simi Shah, she/her, Founder & Host, South Asian Trailblazers (5/10)
Simi and Patrick discuss why data-driven approaches are so important when it comes to understanding the nuances and complexities of our communities, how Asian Americans can push for data in the spaces they occupy, and the ways we can bring our voices together to reach new heights.
Rohan Zhou-Lee, They/Siya/祂/Elle, Founder of The Blasian March (5/15)
Rohan and Patrick discuss how erasure by white society contributes to internalized self-hatred in the Asian American community, the deep history of cross-community solidarity between Asian America and others, and the idea of Asian American identity as transcendent.
August Rocha, they/them, Advocate, Speaker, Writer (5/17)
August and Patrick discuss support + representation (or the lack of) for Queer and Disabled Asian Americans, navigating the intersection of multiple identities and communities, and the importance of these two things: you can ask for help and you are not alone.
Rick Allen, he/him, Husband, Father, Adoptee Advocate (5/22)
Rick and Patrick discuss folks with certain identities left out of the conversation, how that affects us as Asian adoptees, and how we can get outside of the echo chamber and bring these conversations to other places.
Sho Dewan, he/him, Lead Career Coach & Founder of Workhap (5/24)
Sho and Patrick discuss how Asians and Asian Americans can advocate for themselves in their careers, the cultural context for understanding our self-worth when it comes to our professional lives, and recognizing our self-limiting beliefs.
Bianca Mabute-Louie, she/her, Author, Sociology PhD Student, Researcher, Educator (5/29)
Bianca and Patrick discuss the costs of representation, the types of liberation we want to invest in, and the importance of cross-racial, multiracial relationship + coalition building.
Special Guest: Natasha Jung (5/31)
Natasha and Patrick discuss takeaways from The APAHM Conversations Series and what’s next.
Watch and listen to new episodes of The APAHM Conversations here.