The Bánh Mì Chronicles

What does it mean to be a “Third Culture Kid"?Jason “Phúc” Nguyen has worked to better understand his Vietnamese identity since arriving in the US (Arizona) from Vietnam at 10. Now 28, he has spent the last few years working on Nguyen Dynasty Co and collaborating with Vietnamese partners to celebrate and honor Vietnamese culture across generations. Phúc is preparing a cultural heritage tour with other Vietnamese diaspora folks to the family homeland before 2026 is over. We talked about breaking the barriers that prevent most Vietnamese diaspora folks from exploring their culture and identity. Phúc goes into the political division among Vietnamese Americans, and he even got me to say a few things in Vietnamese!Listen to the full episode and follow Phúc on IG at whothephuc and nguyendynastycoBio:(From Phúc):From an early age, I knew I was different. English wasn’t my first language, and my ethnicity set me apart from the people around me. Ever since I moved here in 08, I’ve carried the feeling of being an outsider.After almost 18 years, I’ve grown and adapted the way any plant does when it’s moved to new soil. I’ve been shaped into the”Americanized” person I am today. But a plant that has been uprooted always leaves some of its roots behind, buried in the place it came from.Coming home from a work trip to Taiwan back in 21, I finally understood why I’ve always felt so different. I’ve been living in between: between identities, between worlds. That cultural tension has shaped so much of who I am.So for the past three years, I’ve poured myself into building a brand, not only as a way to heal myself, but to help others heal and reconcile too. I started Nguyễn Dynasty out of a deep need to reconnect with where I come from, my roots, and my heritage.This is my story.

I’ve been following adult filmmaker and comedian Oliver Wong since the COVID era, and I was intrigued by his comedic storytelling about his days working in the adult film industry right after college. Oliver is confident, assertive, and holds no shame about his line of work. We discussed what led him to the adult filmmaking world and what he experienced along the way regarding racial and gender stereotypes in adult film. He shared more about it through his stand-up comedy. Also, we get into the hot topic of AI and how we are trying to make sense of this new reality. Listen to this full episode for more on our deep dive. Follow Oliver on IG at oliverwongcomedy or through his Linktree: click hereBio:Oliver Wong is a Taiwan-born stand-up comedian who moved to the U.S. at 23 and learned to speak English by watching How I Met Your Mother.With degrees in film production and screenwriting, Oliver came to Hollywood hoping to make movies—and somehow stumbled into directing adult films. For three years, he wrote and directed narrative-driven, cinematic adult movies that received recognition from AVN and XBIZ. Yes, they had plots.Now he brings his love of storytelling to stand-up, joking about being an immigrant, being gay, stumbling through his 30s, and his experience working as a film director in the adult industry.Oliver also produces Drunk on Boba, a monthly comedy show in Los Angeles.He regularly performs at The Comedy Store, The Ice House, and Flappers Comedy Club.

What can creating healthier masculinity look like for all Asian men?Leo Xia (IG: lowhiofficial), founder of JinShan Collective, joins me to discuss his personal experiences as a straight Asian man and what he has continued to unlearn and heal from over the years. We discuss the toxicity of the “manosphere,” the challenges that Asian men face, and how to create a safer space for vulnerability and empathy to happen. Leo shares what he observes in those spaces through his virtual groups, and I share a few of my experiences as a queer Southeast Asian and my relationship to straight Asian men. Take a listen to the full episode as we get into the nitty-gritty of what vulnerability and empathy can look like as Asian men. To learn more about JinShan Collective, visit hereBio:Leo Xia is a men’s group leader and facilitator of support groups for Asian men. He has spent over 6 years holding conversations about masculinity, identity, and culture for 500+ men.He facilitates his own men’s group, JinShan Men’s Community through his company JinShan Collective, as well as the Proud Asian Men group under Asian Mental Health Project.

TW/CW: Discussions of g*nocide regarding Palestine, Congo, and Sudan. Vicarious traumaPalestinian American poet and doctor, Fady Joudah shares his poetry, essays, and photography in collaboration with Gaza Soup Kitchen on his upcoming collection, Exhibit G. We discuss the vicarious trauma of witnessing a g*nocide through his work as an artist but also as a Palestinian. Fady shared the painful and complicated process of trying to share the resilience, strength, and humanity of the Palestinian people while also reminding the world of what was done to them. We had a very frank conversation about the process of creating this collection and what he hopes to see for the future of Gaza and its people. Order your copy of Exhibit G: Link HereBio:Fady Joudah is the author of [...], a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize. His other poetic works include: The Earth in the Attic; Alight; Textu, a book-long sequence of short poems whose meter is based on cellphone character count; Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance; and Tethered to Stars. He has translated several collections of poetry from Arabic and is the co-editor and co-founder of the Etel Adnan Poetry Prize. He was a winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets competition and has received the Jackson Poetry Prize, a PEN award, a Banipal/Times Literary Supplement Prize from the UK, the Griffin Poetry Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Arab American Book Award. He lives in Houston, with his wife and kids, where he practices internal medicine.

How is Aaliyah remembered and celebrated 25 years after her untimely passing at age 22? Do you remember where you were when you found out the tragic news? Aaliyah’s fast rise from a teen R&B idol into global superstardom showed so much promise for what could have been. From her final critically acclaimed self-titled album to a potential world tour, to being a highly sought-after film star, and whether she could have been a fashion and cosmetics entrepreneur like Rihanna, these are all possibilities that will never be realized. Returning guest and veteran music journalist brittany spanos and I discuss the pop culture impact of Aaliyah’s legacy, from her early upbringing, controversial pairing with R. Kelly, her introduction of Missy Elliott and Timbaland, who would change the R&B landscape, the trajectory that her final album released weeks before her passing would have taken her into, and her promising film career after her debut in the hit movie alongside Jet Li, “Romeo Must Die.” We talk about the messy rollout of her posthumous legacy, led by her uncle Barry Hankerson, where for a long period, her music (except her debut album) was out-of-print and not available for digital purchase or streaming, leading to years of squandered opportunities to honor her legacy and introduce Aaliyah’s music to a new generation. We think of the impact that she is making today and where it can lead to next. Bio:Brittany Spanos is a renowned music journalist and former senior writer for Rolling Stone. Throughout her tenure at the magazine, she authored more than 15 cover stories, profiling era-defining artists including Lorde, Adele, Harry Styles, Janelle Monáe, Jennie and Addison Rae.Beyond her long-form profiles, Spanos has gained acclaim for her insightful commentary on music history and internet culture. She currently produces BRIT POP, a weekly newsletter where she reviews new music and rounds up the week’s most essential pop news for a dedicated community of subscribers.To reach out to Sohaib for the Virtual Queer POC Group (NY residents only): [email protected]