Culture, Power, and the Pen
Culture, Power, and the Pen
Podcast Description
Culture, Power, and the Pen is a podcast dedicated to amplifying the voices of Asian minority communities through conversations with writers, activists, and storytellers. Hosted by Andy Liu, each episode explores how language and literature become tools for reclaiming identity, challenging dominant narratives, and illuminating cultures that are often overlooked. If you’re passionate about literature, social justice, or simply curious about the stories that shape our world, you’re in the right place!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores themes of identity, literature, and social justice, with episodes featuring discussions about personal experiences, cultural reclamation, and challenges faced by Asian communities. For example, conversations highlight the experiences of growing up in exile, preserving cultural heritage, and the impact of generational trauma on storytelling.
Culture, Power, and the Pen is a podcast dedicated to amplifying the voices of Asian minority communities through conversations with writers, activists, and storytellers. Hosted by Andy Liu, each episode explores how language and literature become tools for reclaiming identity, challenging dominant narratives, and illuminating cultures that are often overlooked. If you’re passionate about literature, social justice, or simply curious about the stories that shape our world, you’re in the right place!
In the fourth episode of Culture, Power, and the Pen, host Andy Liu speaks with Hmong American playwright and performer Katie Ka Vang about the role of theater in shaping identity, memory, and community. From childhood afternoons spent absorbing her parents’ stories to navigating questions of belonging in Colorado classrooms, Vang recalls how storytelling became both a source of wonder and resilience. She reflects on the influence of Hmong oral traditions and tonal inflections in her writing, the journey from survival to political consciousness, and the strength she found while creating Final Round during her recovery from cancer. Together, they discuss the gaps in Hmong representation on stage, the joy of family traditions like preparing New Year’s outfits and pickled vegetables, and the power of art to preserve culture, spark connection, and inspire new generations to claim their own stories.
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