May 9, 2024; Washington, DC — Inheriting, a new narrative podcast from LAist Studios launching May 23rd, is a journey through the lives of seven families reckoning with major moments in Asian American and Pacific Islander history. Through these stories, the show explores how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we're constantly inheriting.
Listeners can subscribe and find the trailer on NPR and wherever podcasts are available. The podcast will also air as a broadcast special on LAist 89.3.
In each of the eight narrative episodes of the multi-part series, NPR's Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. The first season highlights the stories of Asian American and Pacific Islander families from across the diaspora including Cambodia, Guam, Japan, India, Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Vietnam – all residing in California.
"All the work I've done in the last 10 years has led up to Inheriting: it's the history class I wish I had taken in college, coupled with all my curiosity about family relationships. Our show lives in the space between the generations – and each episode is built entirely around a single family's questions about their past. That participatory model of journalism is really exciting to me," said Emily Kwong, host of Inheriting.
"Inheriting is also about how hard it is to understand a different generation than your own. The gulf between generations is both historical and psychological. The way to close this gap is by first admitting it exists. And then, allowing listeners to experience what it's like to bridge it, through intentional conversation, deep listening, and moments of real learning and sharing."
California plays an important role throughout the first season as it is an epicenter of AAPI history including the Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II, the Third World Liberation Front, and the 1992 LA Uprising. With each episode, Inheriting shares the often untold stories and seldom taught histories within AAPI communities through multigenerational conversations.
"NPR is proud to partner with LAist Studios to bring Inheriting to a national audience. The show tells important stories about American history from Californians that will resonate with listeners across the country. The NPR Network is committed to supporting and providing a platform for locally produced stories direct from voices that can offer perspectives about their lives, experiences, and communities. We expect Inheriting to reach new audiences and bring more attention to the incredible work happening at LAist Studios and other Member stations," said Dan McCoy, NPR's Senior Director of Network Growth.
On Thursday, June 27, LAist will present a special Inheriting live event. Kwong will provide an immersive and in-depth look at some of the stories from families featured in the podcast. Also, she and Inheriting's consulting psychologist Sherry C. Wang, PhD will share advice with the audience on how to interview their own family members. For tickets and more information, visit LAist.com/events.
Inheriting was proudly created and produced by an all Asian American team including host Emily Kwong, senior producer Anjuli Sastry Krbechek, editor Sara Sarasohn, producers Minju Park and James Chow, and executive producer Catherine Mailhouse.
The podcast is produced by LAist Studios and distributed by the NPR Network.
About Southern California Public Radio (SCPR)
Southern California Public Radio (www.scpr.org) is a member-supported multi-platform public media organization that has garnered more than 500 journalistic honors since 1999. Recognized as a national leader in public service journalism and community engagement, SCPR's flagship radio station, LAist 89.3, is LA's #1 NPR station. The network's five stations (LAist 89.3, LAist 89.1 KUOR-FM, LAist 90.3 KVLA-FM, LAist 89.5 KJAI-FM and LAist 89.9 Santa Barbara) deliver award-winning local stories to the communities of the region, including a robust slate of signature programs from NPR, APM, the BBC, and PRI.
LAist is a brand committed to serve audiences in Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. Its award-winning work reaches more than seven million people per month on LAist.com and social media platforms. In 2019, the brand grew to include LAist Studios (www.laiststudios.com), a dedicated podcast development and production studio. Furthering SCPR's commitment to premium on-demand audio storytelling, podcasts from LAist Studios aim to reflect the ethos of Los Angeles — a forward-looking community built upon unmatched diversity, inclusion, and drive—going beyond geographical borders to connect with listeners around the globe who share the LA state of mind.
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