The first AANHPI Summit Seattle inspired me to restart this podcast. In this episode, I share highlights from the summit — a day filled with multigenerational AANHPI voices, thoughtful stories, and meaningful representation. Then you’ll hear my 23‑minute talk, Aren’t Asians All Alike?, recorded live at the event.

After the talk, I reflect on the speakers who motivated me to return to the mic, including Kelly Goto’s work preserving her family’s history, and leaders like Toshiko Hasegawa, Sam Cho, Assunta Ng, and others who are claiming their culture in powerful ways.

This episode is about identity, storytelling, and the wide range of experiences within the AANHPI community.

Aren’t Asians All Alike? After this summit, the answer becomes clear. See summit link and notes on my website. JoleneJang.com

Representation matters — because for much of my life, I didn’t see Asian Americans in leadership, on stages, or in mainstream media. So now, when I do see someone who looks like me in the spotlight, I notice. And I feel it.

In this episode, I reflect on the moments that made a big impact — from Ronny Chieng hosting The Daily Show and interviewing another Asian guest, to witnessing Asian emcees, astronauts, senators, and comedians boldly sharing their culture on public platforms.

These aren’t just one-off wins. They’re powerful reminders of what’s possible.

You’ll hear about the times I’ve gone out of my way to thank Asian speakers at events, the emotional lift of representation.

This episode is for allies, listeners of color, and if different identities and anyone learning to pay attention to who gets the mic — and why it matters when we show up and claim our culture.

Lung cancer is the #1 cause of death for Asian Americans. Yet 50% of Asian American women diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked. While lung cancer rates are declining in all other groups, they’re rising among Asian American non-smokers—up 2% each year.

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders continue to be overlooked across industries, including healthcare. We're underrepresented in research, invisible in data, and underserved when it comes to life-saving resources.

In this episode, I speak with thoracic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Velotta and advocate Angie Jin, who are working to bring visibility and action to this deadly trend.

Share this episode. Awareness is power. And in this case, it might just save lives.

There is a youtube version too.

Getting the word out will help

https://thoracic-northerncalifornia.kaiserpermanente.org/resources/