Michelle Lee is an award-winning marketer and editor, mother, writer, and founder of Monologue, a marketing and PR agency based in NY/LA. She was the editor in chief of Allure and Nylon magazines, global marketing VP at Netflix, and she sits on the board of Gold House as well as on the Advisory Council of Act to Change, which are organizations that propel and protect the Asian Pacific community.

Michelle shares how being ruthlessly bullied as a child stayed with her into adulthood, expressing as internalized racism, rage, and ultimately a deep sadness that she has transformed into fighting for a more diverse world. We talk about the damaging effects of reducing Asians to cliches and stereotypes rather than recognizing us as full human beings. 

As we acknowledge that there’s no quick and easy answer to how we go beyond DEI optics and checkboxes, Michelle emphasizes that one thing is very clear — we have to uplift ALL marginalized cultures. We have to stay out of our comfort zones and keep pushing each other forward and lifting each other up, because an entire ecosystem is required to effect change. And in our conversation, I really came to understand how powerful the beauty industry is as a cultural force. So please enjoy, this beautiful conversation with the iconic — Michelle Lee. 

You can follow on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@heymichellelee, you can find out more about Monologue at hellomonologue.com you can also find Leah ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@leahsoojinkim⁠

This podcast was produced by Just Breathe, find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠justbreatheproject.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ our intro and outro music is from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠purple-planet.com