May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and NPR is celebrating! We have new Tiny Desk concerts for you to watch, podcast episodes for you to listen to, new stories for you to read and some fun merchandise for you to buy!
Join us as we celebrate and update this post with new content throughout the month.
WATCH:
Tiny Desk:
NPR Music's Tiny Desk is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. These artists represent just a sliver of the cultural diversity that exists within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
While you can hear [his] musical influences in these songs, what is really striking is the ease with which he molds them all together. Add to the mix his powerful yet warm vocal quality and the ensemble's effective layering of sounds. "That's why music in general encapsulates this idea that pushes are momentum," Sriram said. "I wanted to figure out how we could bring the spectrum of dynamic and nice [music], and the best way to do it."
As sunlight filters into the corner of the room, the singer and rapper Jay Park is turning his Everything You Wanted deep cut "I Got This" inside out with a groovy, lounge-ready interpretation on the trap-powered jam. "Born and raised in Seattle; we rep South Korea — Seoul city," he outlines, before transitioning into the feel-good R&B of his 2022 single "Need to Know," and that cross-cultural exchange has defined his keen shapeshifting — and the subtle breadth of the music he brings to his Tiny Desk (home) concert.
5/31 NIKI
LISTEN:
Throughline:
Mythos and Melodrama in the Philippines
Corruption. Wealth. Authoritarianism. Torture. These are the words many people associate with Ferdinand Marcos, the former dictator of the Philippines, and his wife, Imelda. But in 1965, on the day of his presidential inauguration, clad in bright white traditional Filipino clothing, Ferdinand and Imelda were the picture of hope and progress: the Camelot of the Philippines. They styled themselves as mythical figures with a divine right to rule, even as their democratic ascent reached a dictatorial peak.
Code Switch
Hari and Hank speak to each other publicly for the first time since Hari's documentary The Problem With Apu came out in 2017. The film called out Hollywood's portrayal of South Asians and doubled as a criticism of Hank, who is white, for voicing the Indian Simpsons character, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. They talk about what went down in the aftermath, and how the fallout defined their careers — and their lives — in very different ways.
On the latest episode of Code Switch, B.A. Parker asks Dr. Lakshmin: What is "real"self-care? What is "faux" self-care? And why are those distinctions especially important for women of color?
K-Pop's Surprising B(l)ackstory
It's a tale of cultural exchange, American imperialism, underground smuggling, two young lovebirds from different worlds making eyes at each other across a crowded diner.
It's Been A Minute
Padma Lakshmi's Trojan Horse; Plus, is Michael Jackson un-cancellable?
Brittany Luse talks to Padma Lakshmi about the second season of her series Taste The Nation. They get into what is "American food" from apple pies (spoiler: nothing in an apple pie is from here) to daal and pancakes.
Invisibilia
In this moment when Invisibilia is forced to stop production, the team says goodbyeby doing what Invisibilia does best: thinking hard about goodbyes. In this episode, we offer a bouquet of meditations on these tricky moments of departure. We'll miss you.
Everyone and their Mom
We at Everyone & Their Mom are bidding you, our good listeners, adieu. We have loved being silly with you over this past year. Thank you all so much for listening and laughing along with us. May the road rise to meet you yada yada. Later, nerds!
Life Kit
How to start cooking Korean American food
Whether you are a fellow Korean American who craves the taste of home or you are interested in exploring a new cuisine, Kim and Janet Lee will walk you through pantry essentials and simple recipes to welcome more Korean flavors into your own home.
READ:
A chapter ends for this historic Asian American bookstore, but its story continues
'It's not for the faint-hearted' — the story of India's intrepid women seaweed divers
5 things to know about a major new Pew poll of Asians in the U.S.
You're invited to 'Monsoon Wedding' - a musical nearly 15 years in the making
'Sesame Street' introduces TJ, the show's first Filipino American muppet
How the Telugu immigrant community is instilling their culture in the next generation
She wants fiction writers to step outside their experiences. Even if it's messy
NPR Extra
Yang Yi, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of JustPod, is a prominent figure in China's podcasting and digital audio industry. Based in Shanghai, JustPod is recognized as China's premier podcast and digital audio company.In this interview, we learn more about Yang Yi, and JustPod's work with NPR to introduce "NPR's Podcast Start Up Guide" to China and the revision of its Chinese version.
Faces of NPR:
Faces Of NPR showcases the people behind NPR--from the voices you hear every day on the radio to the ones who work outside of the recording studio. You'll find out about what they do and what they're inspired by on the daily.
Ailsa Chang, Host of All Things Considered
Wanyu Zhang, Brand Director for Audience Growth
Asma Khalid, White House Correspondent
BUY
"Happy AAPI Month! ✨ Today is the day we celebrate the brilliance, resilience, and beauty of our AAPI community. This collaboration with NPR is a testament to our unwavering pride and admiration for the AAPI family. Our Chunks x NPR collection features two stunning, grippy styles that will make your heart skip a beat. The Collection will go live on Friday, May 19th at 10am/PST, 1pm/ET. Exclusively available on the Chunks website at https://chunks.shop, this collection is a true representation of the power and unity of AAPI voices. Don't forgot to click the interview page. We've lined up a series of captivating interviews with some of NPR's incredible AAPI sisters, including Emma Choi and her mom Julie Choi, Yowei Shaw, Moy Zhong, and Wanyu Zhang. Through their stories, both on and off the airwaves, they will dive deep into their AAPI identities, celebrating their rich heritage and inspiring us all.
Are you ready to catch a glimpse of the magic? Head over to TikTok for an exclusive sneak peek video at https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRENHqN1/. It's time to get pumped!" - Wanyu Zhang, Brand Director, Marketing & Audience Growth
Member Stations
Mid Pacific explores what it means to be Asian American and the feeling of being caught between two worlds. Host Sarah Mizes-Tan brings you stories of food, politics, family and more and shows how those experiences influence our ideas of identity.
Shoes Off: A Sexy Asians Podcast from WBEZ
Asians have long been ignored, fetishized or made the butt of the joke in America. Shoes Off: A Sexy Asians Podcast, wants to put that to rest. Each week, we celebrate badass Asians who are making a mark on pop culture and entertainment. Co-hosts Esther Yoon-Ji Kang and Susie An hang out with trailblazers in comedy, film, music and other fields.
Hungry For MO is a podcast from KCUR Studios where hosts Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara celebrate the stories behind Missouri's iconic foods.
California Love: K-Pop Dreaming from LAist
K-Pop Dreaming is about the rise and history of K-pop in the United States, as told from the point-of-view of the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles. Host Vivian Yoon takes listeners on a journey from K-pop's origins in Korean trot music and American presence in post-war South Korea to the 1992 LA Uprising and the booming global popularity of K-pop in the present day.
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