LOCAL GODZ

Journalist and documentary filmmaker Dolly Li discusses her body of work covering immigrant stories in America for the South China Morning Post with Goldthread and sharing the little known history of the Mississippi Delta Chinese community for AJ+, which led to her work as a cultural consultant on Ryan Coogler's award-winning hit film, SINNERS. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in Brooklyn and going to college in Texas, Dolly unpacks America's complicated relationship with race and regional histories, and dives deep into the scene from SINNERS that everyone has been talking about.Get 20% off all purchases by using our code GODZ20 at checkout when you shop at 1587sneakers.com

Disney Pixar’s latest director Daniel Chong has come a long way since his halcyon days reading comic strips and watching Saturday morning cartoons. The creator of We Bare Bears and an instrumental part of Inside Out and Bolt, Daniel shares how his childhood love of Calvin and Hobbes, He-Man, and Jodeci all came together to create lovable, cuddly, furry characters with funny and profound things to say about our world. Daniel goes into detail about the making of We Bare Bears and his latest project: his studio feature directorial debut, Disney Pixar’s HOPPERS.Get 20% off all purchases by using our code GODZ20 at checkout when you shop at 1587sneakers.com

Angela Lin is one of the leaders behind the latest craze that is sweeping the nation and taking over LA: mahjong. Better known as Angie QQ, the founder of East Never Loses shares the origin behind Mahjong Mistress, the not so ancient roots of the game, and what's behind mahjong's renewed popularity all over America. Angie also explores questions of ownership and community when it comes to mahjong, the different ways the game is played across Southern California, as well as her latest music project through Pure Person Press: Sounds of Taiwan, and why Taiwan holds such a special place in her heart.Get 20% off all purchases by using our code GODZ20 at checkout when you shop at 1587sneakers.com

Hip-hop pioneer and Taiwan rap icon Miss Ko takes us on a journey from her roots in Forest Hills Queens, to discovering her cultural identity in Taiwan, to winning the Golden Melody Award (the equivalent of the Grammy’s in the Chinese-speaking world) for Best New Artist in 2013. Miss Ko also discusses her special relationship with the late, great Chinese pop music superstar Khalil Fong, the pressures of being a recording artist in Asia, her comeback album soul.food 靈食, and why she’s the Teresa Teng of Rap.Get 20% off all purchases by using our code GODZ20 at checkout when you shop at 1587sneakers.com

Marco and James look back on the first season of LOCAL GODZ, reflect on what they learned, and consider whether or not they want to re-up for another season. Is this the end or is there a LOCAL GODZ Season 2 in the future?

Legendary dance icon Mike Song shares how his Korean identity makes him a better dancer, his observations on how dance culture has changed over the years, the experience of being a judge and not a contestant on competition shows like Street Woman Fighter (and realizing viewers don't know who you are), the origin story behind The Kinjaz and KinjaBang Noodles, and creating dance choreo "teammotes" for NBA 2K.

Filmmaker and co-founder of Wong Fu Productions Wesley Chan talks about 20 years of working in traditional and "new" media, how the Asian American community has evolved over those 20 years, his lifestyle design project BASE GRAY, creating lifelong connections with viewers (and their kids), as well as what he's learned after "sixty years" of being on Earth and what's next for him as a creator.

Pioneering Korean beauty advocate and content creator Jen Chae talks about growing up Korean American in Kansas, her mother's influence on her beauty routine, discovering her niche audience over Soompi and YouTube, the types of products and treatments she prefers for herself, and the responsibility she feels as a Korean Beauty translator for the West.

Legendary import model, singer-songwriter, and journalist Kaila Yu talks about the gangster origins of ABGs, growing up in Upland, the import car scene in Southern California, her memorable role in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and what inspired her to write Fetishized, a memoir reflecting on her life and how Asian women as a whole are seen and treated in mainstream American culture.

Miles Canares talks about how his Filipino roots, love for streetwear, growing up in the San Gabriel Valley, and a keen eye for spotting food trends all came together to form the coolest food event in America, Family Style Food Festival.

Entrepreneur, dancer, and content creator Michael Le talks about finding a new identity through dance, diversifying his business interests across the internet, and how his parents' small business background helped him develop a hustler mentality from a young age.

Comedian, actor, content creator, and podcaster David So reflects on fatherhood, the role his Korean identity plays in his life, real life Korean drama at home and on the internet, overcoming an existential crisis during Covid, his journey in the Christian faith, avoiding burnout as a content creator, why worrying about your legacy is the dumbest thing you can do, and a comprehensive survey of the Southern California dining scene in the longest and most wide-ranging LOCAL GODZ podcast conversation to date.

Content creator, entrepreneur, and artist of life Aileen Xu aka Lavendaire talks about making life your masterpiece, traveling to Asia, reconnecting with her father, and the importance of finding inspiration and designing your dream life on your own terms, not anyone else's.

Singer-songwriter Stephanie Poetri talks about the creation of her breakout hit "I Love You 3000", performing and producing music with 88rising, her love for video games and crafts, the utility of personality tests, and representing Indonesia in the West (a country people in America barely know exists).

Asian American pioneer Tim Chantarangsu talks about being a different kind of Asian on YouTube, his 9-season run on Wild 'N Out, how his comedy and podcast persona differs from his music persona Traphik, and his top priorities now that he has reached the next level of life: being a dad.

Portrait photographer and content creator David Suh discusses the secrets behind self-acceptance, taking selfies you love, the difference between being an artist and a designer, how somatics transform the mind-body connection, and why he believes that no one can possibly be unphotogenic.

Content creator and fitness influencer Rebecca Benedict talks about growing up as an adoptee from China in a white family, her speedrun through Asian American identity, and what it's like being abducted as a teenager and surviving a wilderness therapy program.

Chef, owner, and James Beard Foundation 2024 Best Chef: California award winner Lord Maynard Llera shares what it was like to win the "Oscars of the food world", explains his unique regional take on Filipino food, reflects on being an overripe restaurateur, and goes into detail about the origin story behind his highly lauded first dining concept in Los Angeles: Kuya Lord.

Restaurateur and serial entrepreneur Andy Nguyen breaks down the secrets behind successful enterprises like Afters Ice Cream and Trill Burgers, why Little Saigon in Orange County has some of the best Vietnamese food in the world, his experience pioneering food concepts across the country, and what we should learn from the era of Web3 and NFTs.

Rapper, content creator, and idea architect Jason Chu talks about making Asian American history fun for audiences both young and old, why Asian adoptees may have the deepest understanding of what it means to be Asian American, the global shift toward Asia and what that means for America, and the complexities behind being a professional Asian American.