Modern Minorities

Latest Episodes:

Cathy Erway’s uncovering (Self Evident) conversations Jan 10, 2021

Show notes

Cathy Erway hosts the podcast SELF EVIDENT, a podcast challenging the narratives of the Asian American experience. Cathy is fascinated by the intersection of culture, food, and race. In our candid conversation about growing up (and eating - two of our favorite topics) - you’ll hear Cathy’s take on the role food has played in her life, and how recipes and cooking experiences have shaped her. Cathy’s also a James Beard Award-winning writer and hosted the award-winning podcast “Why We Eat What We Eat” (Gimlet). She is the author of the cookbook The Food of Taiwan, and the memoir The Art of Eating In. Born in NYC and raised in NJ, Cathy has learned that people shouldn’t be judged by how they look, or even what their name is...

LEARN ABOUT CATHY:

Social: @cathyerway
Podcast: Self Evident
Podcast: Why We Eat What We Eat
NY Mag: “Food Media Must Work Harder to Fix Its Racism Problem”
Cookbook: The Food of Taiwan
Memoir: The Art of Eating In

MENTIONS:

Book: Klutz Kid's Cooking
Book: How to Write an Autobiographical Novel (Alexander Chee)
Person: Cecilia Chang

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2021: Looking forward, by looking back Jan 03, 2021

Show notes

As we get ready for 2021, we look back on the long year before with friend-of-the-pod Suzanne Sinatra. What made our 2020 (beyond the obvious)? From personal moments, to coping mechanisms, to TV/movies? What did we miss most and least about “the before times”? What do we predict for 2021 - for ourselves and the world? What are most looking forward to (and worried about). And most importantly, how are we gearing up for long awaited 1/20 (we’ve already picked out our t-shirt)?

WHAT MUCH OF 2020 FELT LIKE...

“Love Life” (Cover): newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2020-12-07
“Bubble” (Ad): youtu.be/PO3a9ofiUOA

WHAT GOT US THRU IT...

The Undoing: imdb.com/title/tt8134470
Little Fires Everywhere: imdb.com/title/tt8089592
Never Have I Ever: imdb.com/title/tt10062292
West Wing: imdb.com/title/tt0200276
The Crown: imdb.com/title/tt4786824

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2020: Learning from our (Guests’) Lived Experiences Dec 28, 2020

Show notes

One year and nearly SIXTY episodes later, we decided to take a step back and reflect on what we heard from all the conversations we had about “work and life through the lens of race and gender.” The whole point of this show (and this episode)? For us to just get out of our own way and let the guests tell their story - whether they’re doctors, reporters, athletes, entrepreneurs, diversity experts, getaway car drivers, lawyers, comedians, and yes, even marketers. And what's so surprising - we can all find ourselves in the majority OR the minority relative to some of the things we hear. So listen, enjoy, and learn from our first year’s worth of guests, and we’ll see you in 2021!

GUESTS FEATURED

Jesse Meza (intro)
Rajiv Satyal
Erik Rivera
Francisco Ramos
Reshma Shetty
Zineb El Ouazzani
Lucia Liu
Lan Pham
Mita Malik
Karl Preissner
Abby Allen
Dr. Bevan Bonhomme
Alexis Agosto
Kenyatte Nelson
Castel Valere-Couturier
Mara Lecocq
Ashlyn Gentry
Suzanne Sinatra
Joe Medved
Matt Story
Jay Wong
Carol Tonge
Jieun Kirtley
Jon Pollock
Erin Heidrich, Esq.
Buck Rocker, Esq.
Dr. Nzinga Harrison
James Veraldi
Lulu Ge
Kim Thai
Raman Sehgal (UK)
Ida Abdalkhani
Goli Kalkhoran, Esq.
Seif Hamid
Stanley Lumax
Stefan James
Melissa Haughton
Ryan Joe

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Mira Jacob's (Good Talk) hits too close to home. Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

Have you ever wondered what a conversation would be with your bi-racial kid, reflecting on everything that's going on in the world - the good, the bad, and the ugly? Have you ever had a conversation about race with your spouse of another race?

This week, Sharon crashes Raman’s secret underground comic book podcast QUARANTINED COMICS with his other co-host (and friend of the MM Pod), Ryan Joe. We discuss acclaimed author Mira Jacob’s debut graphic novel “GOOD TALK.” It's different from any (comic) book you've ever read, and we can't recommend it enough. As an Indian American, Mira Jacob recalls - in a uniquely simple graphic form (even for comics) - conversations about work and life with her young son, her Jewish husband, her parent-pleasing brother, her Indian parents, her extended family in India, her two best friends, and her very Trumpy in-laws. This book - all told through a lens of race and gender - hit some of us a little too close to home, which is probably why we loved it so much. Hear the episode, read the book. You’ll thank us later.

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Dr. Brandi wants to Impact (not impress) Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Brandi Baldwin is a psychology + business professor turned entrepreneur tackling diversity & inclusion challenges from the ground up. As the Founder of Millennial Ventures, Calling All Allies, AND the Colorcast Podcast Network, she is enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs to level-up their leadership across all levels of business. A respected lecturer at Wharton, Johns Hopkins, and Temple University, with degrees in Psychology, Org Development, and Educational Leadership/Policy - Dr. Brandi believes leaders have to “put in the work” - roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and actively lead beyond any titles. In our ranging conversation about family, work and hustle - we talk about how to level the playing field for those who can’t even bootstrap, and challenging expectations to make it work for the next generation.

LEARN ABOUT DR. BRANDI

DoctorBrandi.com
MillennialVentures.co, CallingAllAllies.com
Colorcastnetwork.com // Diversity & Confusion Podcast - apple.co/3a6Gi1s
Instagram / Twitter: @thedoctorbrandi, @colorcastnetwork
Book: “Put in the Work” -goodreads.com/book/show/30146452-put-in-work

MENTIONS

BOOK: The Bible “...it’s the ultimate story of redemption”
PERSON: Lauryn Hill: wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauryn_Hill
ALBUM: “the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” - allmusic.com/album/the-miseducation-of-lauryn-hill-mw0000034642

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Nicole Armstrong puts (gender) equity to work Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Nicole Armstrong is the Founder & CEO of Queen City Certified - the US’ first data-driven employer certification and cohort-based leadership program for gender equity in the workplace. In less than 3 years, QCC has won awards and accolades - but more importantly impacted more than 7,500 employees nationwide - by providing a roadmap for policies that foster more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Through her mission-driven work, Nicole is helping employers do MORE than talk - but taking ACTION so people of all genders can thrive, regardless of race, sexual orientation, income, or family status. Having worked in Geneva and Boston - Nicole’s at heart a Cincinnati native who’s returned home to make a big impact on a national stage. After all, as Nicole lets us know: training alone won’t solve bias, but changing systems can.

LEARN ABOUT NICOLE:

queencitycertified.com
FB: @queencitycertified // TW: @queencitycert

MENTIONS:

BOOK: Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) goodreads.com/book/show/15796908-little-women
BOOK: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (Caroline Criado Perez) goodreads.com/book/show/41104077-invisible-women

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Goli Kalkhoran’s Lessons (from a Quitter) Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

Goli Kalkhoran is the host of “Lessons from a Quitter” a great podcast (and platform) to de-stigmatize the notion of quitting - providing resources and inspiration to folks looking to pivot in their established careers. Goli herself followed the traditional path to “success” by becoming the lawyer she (and her parents) always wanted to be - and walked away from it all after several years of practice. And it wasn’t easy. Beyond family expectations, she had to wrestle with her own feelings of regret and obligation. An Iranian-American, Goli shared the story of her family's journey away from and back to, their motherland during the Iranian Revolution and then away again during the Iran/Iraq war. Goli only returned to Iran at the age of 18, afraid of what to expect, and was surprised by what she found. In a revealing, candid conversation, we talk about balancing expectations - and raising families - across two cultures. For Goli quitting is not just an ending, it’s a beginning to help us pivot, learn, and keep moving.

LEARN ABOUT GOLI

Lessonsfromaquitter.com
Instagram: @lessonsfromaquitter
Apple: apple.co/33srwhb
Spotify: spoti.fi/37kl7px

MENTIONS

BOOK: “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” (Elizabeth Gilbert): goodreads.com/book/show/24453082-big-magic
PERSON: Ken Jeong: wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Jeong

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Sharon & Raman are Thankful (for Mom dishes) Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

This year is a most unusual Thanksgiving for all of us - and we hope you’re celebrating responsibly. Since a regular old turkey just won’t do (Jieun was right), our crack team of culinary experts at Modern Minorities assembled a menu of the BEST OF THE BEST ...from our guests’ mom dishes.

So what’s on the menu? Vietnamese Soup (Kim), Chinese Dumplings (Jay), Mutton Curry (Bevan), Chicken Saag (Raman UK), Fesenjan (Ida), Fried Chicken (Suzanne), Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Erin), Venezuela Arepas (Francisco), Mac & Cheese AND Sweet Potato Pie (Kenyatte), Mashed Potatoes (Joe), Corned Beef & Cabbage (Nzinga), and of course, some Egyptian Basbousa (Seif). You may also hear a few secret traditions from the Thony + Sehgal households...old and new. You’ll want to loosen your belt a notch for this one. Stay safe (and not too hungry) out there...

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Stanley Lumax builds (diaspora) community thru food Nov 22, 2020

Show notes

Stanley Lumax is the founder of African Chop House, which celebrates African culture through good food, music and people. As a professional marketer and a photographer - Stanley’s also worked with Nike Basketball, the NBA, Converse, Beats By Dre’. Growing up in a Ghanaian household, Stanley combines all of his experiences to ignite the African Diaspora together. His latest endeavor is the restaurant Teranga, a Harlem-based Pan-African restaurant led by celebrated Senegalese Chef Pierre Thiam. In a candid conversation about giving back to our heritage (and homeland), Stanley challenges us to think about how we live in a society that is not always welcoming. But ultimately, he believes that all people of color are stronger together - as fighting separately keeps us from reaching our goal of eradicating inequality faster, together.

ABOUT STANLEY:

African Chop House: AfricanChopHouse.org, @africanchophouse
RESTAURANT: itsTeranga.com, @itsteranga_
WATCH: https://youtu.be/_KpbMPWNnCc

MENTIONS:

MUSIC: Queen Latifah, A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-ONE, Public Enemy, Jungle Brothers
FILM: Storm Over Brooklyn (2020): imdb.com/title/tt8594010
FILM: City of God (2002): imdb.com/title/tt0317248
PERSON: Malcolm X: wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

“She said the one thing that Africa is missing is the return of its children. That was a really powerful statement because here we are all around this diaspora becoming successful in doing amazing things - and I think it's important that we don't forget the need to look towards the continent. And for some of us that might be a lot easier than others and. For others, it may be more idealistic. But I think the reality is Africa does not move to the next level without taking a proactive approach to helping it evolve.”

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Mita Mallick knows (the cost of) Advocacy Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Mita Mallick is infamous - an outspoken champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion at companies like Carta + Unilever. She’s also a passionate storyteller. As a columnist for SWAAY - and published in the Harvard Business Review, New York Post, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and more - Mita is challenging perceptions of what diversity is really about. Across her career, Mita’s fought to ensure people who look different are included - in the workplace, our communities, and even in our media. In a candid, revealing conversation about the not-always-rosy parts of her youth and career, we learned a lot more about the importance of advocacy, (perceived) power dynamics and why we HAVE to stick up for each other - even when it might cost us something. In today’s world, being a bystander won’t cut it anymore, even when they’re just mispronouncing your name.

LEARN ABOUT MITA

twitter.com/MitaMallick2
swaay.com/u/mitamallick
hbr.org/2020/09/do-you-know-why-your-company-needs-a-chief-diversity-officer
fastcompany.com/90533252/why-this-workplace-microaggression-does-more-harm-than-you-realize

MENTIONS

BOOK: “Becoming” (Michelle Obama): goodreads.com/book/show/38746485-becoming
FILM: Bombshell (2019): imdb.com/title/tt6394270

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