aapi / Sifu Mimi Chan

91. Tommy Tam on murals and graffiti street art

Tommy Tam is an incredible muralist that has been painting the wall at the Wah Lum Temple. We have named it “The Great Wall of Wah Lum”. He is incredibly talented and chooses the tool of spray can over paintbrush. We chat all about graffiti, street art, and murals.

84. Gene Ching on China’s film market, lightsaber training, and kung fu movies

Gene Ching is the editor of Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine. Last time he was a guest on the show we discussed weapon making, fencing, drugs, and his evolution as a journalist. Today we discuss the China film market and its relationship to Hollywood. Is China going to take over as the #1 film economy in the world? Listen in for Gene’s opinion and his take on what is happening in the film industry today. We also geek out about lightsaber training, weapons, and reminisce about old school kung fu movies.

78. Ricky Ly on food and the Asian American culture in Orlando

As you all know, I love food. Today, I chat with Ricky Ly, food blogger of Tasty Chomps Orlando and author of Food Lovers’ Guide to Orlando: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings.

77. Dr. Ravi Chandra on FACEBUDDHA: Transcendence in the Age of Social Networks

Dr. Ravi Chandra is the author of FACEBUDDHA: Transcendence in the Age of Social Networks. I was delighted to chat with him about the journey he underwent writing his book. Ravi describes the book as an Asian American immigrant memoir.

75. Edwin Zane on TV development

Edwin Zane has been developing TV shows since the 1990s. He’s an old friend of mine from my Hollywood days, and I thought I would talk to him about the changes in TV development over the past 30 years, with the boom of Netflix and Hulu. We also talk about how Asian American roles in the industry have evolved since that time.

49. Toan Lam on finding your unique power to inspire

Today I had the pleasure of talking with Toan Lam. He is currently the host of the “Truth Dare” podcast, which is a series of intimate conversations with “bad asses” who have found their true calling, are using it to serve others and daring listeners to find their truth. He is also a motivational speaker, university instructor, and founder of the nonprofit, Go Inspire Go (GIG), a multimedia platform that highlights everyday heroes to inspire the hero in each of us. These stories have appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CNN, Disney and Hallmark Channels and Yahoo. Toan also shares his immigrant story and the challenges he faced in bringing to fruition his version of the American Dream. I am truly inspired by his accomplishments and admire the work he has done through his nonprofit Go Inspire Go and urge everyone to check it out. I am grateful I had the opportunity to chat with him, and know you will find his energy and positivity as contagious as I did.

44. Richard Sakurai in a Japanese Camp

41. Dave Nguyen on adoption, Operation Baby Lift, and reunions in Vietnam

In 1975, the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to the United States and other countries at the end of the Vietnam War was named Operation Babylift. Thousands of children were evacuated during that time, and today I speak with one of those evacuees, Dave Nguyen. Dave was adopted at the age of three by an American family and now has a family of his own. In 2010, Dave set out on a journey to discover his heritage and find his birth parents. He shares his compelling story of his return to Vietnam, visiting his birth place, and reuniting with his birth mother. Through this emotional journey, Dave discovers his own identity, and is now on a mission to find more answers about his past. I love learning from others, and in this chat, I enjoyed hearing Dave’s story of his adoption, reunions, and self-discovery and learning about Operation Babylift.

28. Hiep Dang on Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and The Matrix

It’s time to geek out … no this is not a comic book episode. You don’t have to be a computer or tech geek to tune in. Anyone who uses a computer or smart phone should listen to this chat with cybersecurity expert Hiep Dang. How can you better protect yourself from hackers or computer viruses? What are the most common threats? How does this all fit into The Matrix? Hiep answers all of these questions in today’s podcast about cyberthreats and cybersecurity.

22. Gene Ching on Weapons, Drug Intervention, and Fencing

Gene Ching keeps busy. He is the publisher of Kung Fu Magazine, a martial artist, a fencing expert, and is the Psychiatric Crisis Intervention Supervisor in which he volunteers his time in drug and psychiatric crisis intervention at music events. I had the pleasure of talking with him about all of these areas of expertise. I also learned more about ancient weapons, making weapons, and his new show Man at Arms: Art of War on the El Ray Network.

21. Roger Garcia on Asian cinema, film festivals, and the scientific approach to filmmaking

Roger Garcia keeps busy: he is the executive director of the Hong Kong Film Festival, director of the Asian Film Awards Academy, a movie producer, and an expert on Hong Kong cinema. He’s also edited books on Asians in Film and is a renowned film critic. We chat about the time he spent on the famed Shaw Brothers film sets in the 1980s, the history of Asian film studios and the future of filmmaking in Asia. Roger also shares a fascinating theory on how films have adapted for different technological platforms during the end of our chat. For comments or suggestions reach out on social media @sifumimichan.. On with the show.