More Than a Monolith
The AAPI label is an umbrella term for over 50 ethnic groups and when considered as a standalone identity, a monolithic group, the richness of our community is diminished and our different experiences and truths become void. On this podcast, we invite you on a journey to dismantle the stereotypes as we set out to show we are more than a monolith by addressing misperceptions, sharing our truths and exploring personal stories. Each episode is a conversation where we dive into a variety of topics. We explore topics like policy, leadership, culture, racism and share space for hearing personal stories to celebrate the diverse narratives behind the AAPI name. We are one community standing strong together in honoring our multiple perspectives and unique histories.
Episodes
16 episodes
15: Empowering Pacific Islander Communities with Estella Owoimaha-Church
Today my guest is Estella Owoimaha-Church, Executive Director of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities–also known as EPIC. Estella, a former educator of nearly two decades, is a strong voice and advocate for marginalized commun...
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43:24
14: Barriers to Accessing Higher Education with Maria Medrano
Welcome back to another episode of More Than a Monolith. I am really thrilled to introduce you to our guest today, Maria Medrano. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Maria for about 15 years when her daughter enrolled in the school I h...
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51:03
13: Poetry, Adoption and California with Lee Herrick
Welcome back to a new episode of More Than a Monolith. Today, I have the honor of being joined by Lee Herrick. Lee Herrick is the California Poet Laureate and the first Asian American to hold the title. He is the author of three boo...
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44:44
12: A Conversation with Fresno USD Deputy Superintendent, Misty Her
Today I am thrilled to welcome our guest, Misty Her. Misty is the Deputy Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District and the highest ranking Hmong K-12 professional in the nation. Yes, in the nation. Her story is exceptio...
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49:02
11: The Unjust System for NHPI Youth with Dr. Karen Umemoto
For today’s episode, I am joined by Dr, Karen Umemoto who is a a professor in the departments of Urban Planning and Asian American Studies at UCLA and is the inaugural Helen and Morgan Chu Endowed Director’s Chair of the Asian American Studies ...
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35:29
10: Youth Advocacy in Action with Mina Fedor & AAPI Youth Rising
We are back with another episode and I am so excited about today’s guests. Yes, guests, plural. On this episode, I am joined by five exceptional youth voices behind AAPI Youth Rising. I’ve been a follower of their work for a w...
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52:29
9: Advocacy, Affinity Spaces and Advancement in Education with Dr. Diann Kitamura
Our guest today is Dr. Diann Kitamura. Diann is the former superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools and has worked in public education for the past 40 years. She continues this work in her retirement as a lecturer in the Leaders fo...
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41:08
8: The Impact of Ethnic Studies with Tracie Noriega
Today’s guest is Tracie Noriega and we’re talking about the history of ethnic studies and what are the critical considerations we need to pay attention to as it is delivered in our schools. Tracie Noriega serves the students of San Lorenz...
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48:56
7: From Labor Camp to District Office with Dr. Ratmony Yee
I am here with our final episode of season 1. Not to worry, season 2 will be here before you know it so stay connected to us on Twitter @caaple1 and on LinkedIn so you’ll know when we are back in spring. But, before we sign of...
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34:35
6. Stop AAPI Hate with Dr. Russell Jeung
I am so excited to introduce our guest today, Dr. Russell Jeung. Dr. Jeung is currently a professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and he is also one of the co-founders of the Stop AAPI Hate coalition which tr...
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30:01
5. Using Data for Equity with Sujie Shin
Today’s guest is Sujie Shin, Deputy Executive Director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. In her role, she spearheads specific statewide initiatives and helps to lead Direct Technical Assistance efforts to distri...
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24:23
4. Using the Past to Move Forward with Michele Tsutagawa Ward
If you’ve been following our CAAPLE journey from the very beginning, today’s guest is familiar to you. Michele Tsutagawa Ward is a founding board member of CAAPLE and an elementary school principal in Poway School District. Today sh...
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24:37
3. Education Policies for Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities with Roby Chatterji
Today I am chatting with Roby Chatterji. He’s the associate director for K-12 Education at American Progress and Today we are discussing his report titled Education Policies Need to Address the Unique Needs of Asian American and ...
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32:21
2: The Value of Storytelling with Victor Tam
My guest today is someone I call a dear friend, Victor Tam. Victor is a principal in San Francisco, California and if you don’t follow him on Twitter make sure to go find @principaltam. He is one of the most genuine people I’ve had ...
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30:22