ConversAsians

Amanda Oon

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SOCIETY & CULTURE

A podcast diving into the different dimensions of Asian diaspora identity.

06/09/2025

Author and DEI leader Daisy Hung on tiger mums, British-Chinese invisibility and being a "tourist" in her home country.

It was an offhand comment at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum that sparked the title inspiration for Daisy Hung's first book, 'I am Not a Tourist.' Curious about why her Asian appearance immediately relegated her to the status of temporary visitor in her home city, she started digging into the British Chinese experience, and the history, stigmas and resilience that surround it. Daisy is not a tourist. She's a writer, mother and passionate diversity advocate, who shares her triple Asian diaspora experience across three different countries, why she'll never be a "tiger mum" and why now, more than ever, we can't be complacent in the fight for DEI.

43 min
04/20/2025

Michaele Nagac on modern mental health, navigating gender identity, and what the West gets wrong about yoga

What makes us who we are? And how much of that is influenced by not just our parents, but the generations that have come before us? These are all questions that have always fascinated Michaele Nagac. From his childhood in a working-class Philippines neighbourhood to his career as a psychotherapist and mental health advocate for vulnerable diaspora communities and LGBTQ+ rights in London. Michaele chats to us about his work with Filipino migrant workers and victims of human trafficking, the meaning of masculinity, his own journey embracing his sexual identity, and how the language around mental health needs to change.

42 min
04/13/2025

Comedian Salman Malik on multi-lingual comedy, the influence of Bollywood and why white audiences are the "hardest" rooms to play to

How to get a British passport. Asian weddings vs. English timeliness. Bollywood music. Salman Malik has lived it all, and weaved most of it into his sharp and observant stand-up comedy. Salman talks to us about his move to London and settling into the South Asian diaspora community, how to be funny across four different languages and why Hindi standup might just be the next big thing.

39 min
04/06/2025

Singaporean-British actor Daniel York Loh on addiction, race blind casting and supervillains as heroes

Setting the ConversAsians stage with some acting royalty this episode! Daniel York Loh's career has spanned some of the most prestigious hubs of Singapore and UK classical theatre and appearances on the silver screen, including in early noughties blockbuster, The Beach. In October, he's set to star in ITV's tense real-life inspired drama 'I Fought the Law' alongside Sheridan Smith. Daniel talks to us about his father's childhood uprooting from a large Chinese-Singaporean family to the UK, his own early struggles with racism and substance abuse, the Asian stigma around addiction, East Asian classic punk music and of course, his favourite Singaporean foods.

37 min
02/17/2025

Ray Roberts on Filipino-British heritage, food histories and the power of anime

British-Filipino filmmaker Ray Roberts starts the first ConversAsian of the year with a bang. Ray pulls no punches as he talks about tackling racism, the Philippines' relationship with its colonial history, the joys of street food and nineties nostalgia, and what he really doesn't like about being asked for holiday recommendations.

34 min
12/30/2024

Sylvia Yu Friedman, on being fearless and finding yourself

'Fearless' is the name of writer, activist and philanthropist Sylvia Yu Friedman's latest book, and it's an apt description for the way she lives. From her intrepid adventures in the TV newsroom, to her tireless work fighting for women's rights, including justice for the forgotten comfort women of World War II, she grasps every aspect of her life and career with energy and a steely spirit. But, courage hasn't always come easily. From experiencing childhood racism to navigating toxic workplace relationships, Sylvia shares how your hardest struggles can shape your strength, and why being vulnerable is sometimes the most fearless thing we can do.

34 min
12/15/2024

Rosanna Lee: Mixed race identity, lion dancing and the power of diaspora stories in art

Rosanna Lee's art truly crosses borders. From the power of language as connection, to dim sum in Essex's Southend on Sea, she draws on her family's own history, spanning Ireland, Scotland, England and Hong Kong, to tackle universal themes of homeland, belonging and growing up. She talks about juggling mixed-race identity, the demand for diaspora stories in art and why she travelled to Hong Kong on the trail of a lion dance.

39 min
11/24/2024

Thuy Hoang, from Refugee to MasterChef Star: A Story of Resilience, Food, and Heritage

Talking food with Masterchef royalty! "It's good to be different", is Thuy Hoang's mantra. And it's this resilience, optimism, and baked-in immigrant mentality that took this classical pianist to the bowels of one of Britain's best-loved cooking shows, winning viewers' hearts and a place in the quarter-finals in last year's series. But Thuy's story goes way past the kitchen. She shares how she arrived in the UK aged nine as a refugee, how she navigated the ups and downs of assimilation into a new country, and how sharing her country's food keeps her connected to her heritage. Check out Thuy's great recipes on her YouTube @thuycooks.

38 min
10/27/2024

Loretta Chen on breaking boundaries, beauty standards and bold choices

Loretta Chen is a true multi-hyphenate. She's an actress, author, activist, entrepreneur and proud self-professed "childless cat lady". She's also an intrepid traveller, splitting her time between Singapore where she grew up and Hawaii where she now lives. Loretta talks about challenging traditional perceptions of gender and parenthood, finding a sense of self in a world of "Western-dominated beauty ideals", the importance of women speaking out in a pre- MeToo movement and her refusal to be "put in a box", both professionally and personally.

42 min
10/20/2024

Eva Wong Nava on sharing South East Asian stories

Join host Amanda Oon in a deep dive into the Asian diaspora experience with award-winning author and historian Eva Wong Nava. From growing up in post-independence Singapore to navigating her sense of identity as an expat in the UK, Eva shares her personal journey and passion for storytelling. The conversation touches on the power of representation, the challenges of writing diverse characters, and how her own cultural background has shaped her writing, including her celebrated works on East and Southeast Asian folklore. Discover the importance of seeing oneself in stories and the impact it can have on young readers.

55 min

10 Episodes

A podcast diving into the different dimensions of Asian diaspora identity.

Creator

Amanda Oon
Years Active

2024 - 2025
Episodes

10
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2024
Show Website

ConversAsians