Food is so much a part of our lives, and even more so for many Asians. Some are the biggest foodies out there, and although a love for food isn’t uniquely Asian, there are definitely elements of the culture around food, and the way some Asians eat that are pretty unique. This episode is not a cooking show, rather, we explore what is different in the way Chinese cultures, in particular, eat.

What does Australia look like without international students? What was once a hypothetical question is now the reality as Australia’s travel ban extends indefinitely due to COVID-19. But beyond statistics and numbers, what does it look like to this significant cohort of people and what does it say about us when the government specifically excludes them from welfare support in the middle of a global crisis? Extending beyond our previous episode, this episode seeks to explore the history of Australia’s reliance on international education, specifically from our Asian neighbours (the largest cohort being from China), the COVID-19 international student experiences, and what the post-pandemic world will hold for Australia’s not-so-secret cash cow.

Crazy Rich Asians. This 2018 blockbuster is, in the words of director Jon M Chu, “not a movie. It’s a movement.” So many of us diasporic Asians flocked to cinemas to watch this film. But why was it so important? Why does representation matter, and what is the state of representation on our screens here in Australia?

2020 has been an…interesting year. Race has been at the forefront of a lot of news, discussion, and our own lives. And as Asian Australians there’s never been a better time to learn more about how race, and culture influences our experiences. And hey, Shoes Off season 3 has got your back.

This week's show is from LEMON with a discussion about Mulan 2020 and COVID social bubbles.

LEMON delivers the latest juice of celebrity & pop culture news, candid conversations with celebrities and influencers, as well as social and cultural topics from an Asian perspective. Hosted by Phillip Kuoch and Thomas Tan.

This week I’m bringing you an episode from another podcast, Rock the Boat. In this episode, host Lucia Liu sits down with screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians, Adele Lim, for a hilarious conversation uncovering Adele’s experience working on Crazy Rich Asians, the difference between working in television and feature film, her parents' reaction to her pursuing a career in writing, and then her parents' reaction after watching Crazy Rich Asians. During the conversation, Adele also opens up about her decision to go public about leaving the sequel for crazy rich Asians due to a significant pay discrepancy.

Rock the Boat (www.gorocktheboat.com) is a podcast featuring Asians who challenge the status quo hosted by Lucia Liu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucialiu1/). Guests include Andrew Yang, Michelle Phan, The Fung Bros, and more. Follow Rock the Boat on instagram @rocktheboatnyc and subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this next in-between-isode, we reflect on how COVID-19 and BLM has impacted how we talk about racism and representation whilst we reflect on our favourite episodes of season 2. Plus, we talk about what's coming up for the next season.

For this in-between-isode, we swap roles and I get interviewed about how the show started, what the process for making episodes is, and we look back at some of our favourite eps from Season 1. It’s less formal and it’s not scripted (for a change!)

Diversity and Inclusion - it seems to be a hot topic in many workplaces, and rightly so. Australia is a very diverse country and we’re seeing more higher educated people of colour joining the professional workforce. So what exactly is it, and why is it important?

When we think about Asians in Australian history, we might think miners, indentured labourers, perhaps furniture makers. But doctors? Well there's an interesting history here too, and in this episode, we'll take a look at the story of a few of them, and what their legacy is.

When we say the words Kung Fu, something very specific comes to mind. Probably some Chinese guy, maybe in a crane stance, busting out some stylish punches and kicks to take down a bunch of enemies in succession whilst making weird noises. And whilst there might be some truth to that when it comes to some Chinese martial arts, there’s certainly a lot more to it.

Those of us who went to university in Australia probably had encounters with international students, and we probably have opinions about them. They stick together, their English is terrible, they don’t understand the assignment given, I do not want to be in a group project with them. But we probably never said these things out loud to them, or each other. So let’s dig into it.

Today I’m bringing you the story of an Asian Australian musician and producer who goes by Yeo. The Australian music scene isn't known for being particularly diverse, so we chat the good, the bad and the ugly of being a minority in the industry.

Tutoring. A lot of us have been there, after school at a desk, doing more work so we can get better grades. But what sort of tutoring should we be getting, and when is too early to start?

Saving face is something a lot of us Asians are very familiar with it, even if we don’t quite know how to put it in words. From fighting over the bill to politely deflecting compliments, it shows up far more than we think. But what else does face hide and cover over?

We’ve seen reports, videos, and maybe you’ve had your own experience of racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s something that a lot of Asians are dealing with at the moment, and today, I want to explore the roots of this racism in Australia.

Hey culture fanatics, boot up your phone, get on your wifi and plug in your headphones because Shoes Off is back.

What is Asia? No, really, have you ever thought about it? It’s a continent right? But, I mean, is it? Where is the clear physical border between Europe and Asia? The answer of course, is, there is none - it’s really one big continent that is Eurasia. So back to the original question: what is Asia? Where did this divide come from, and what does it mean for us today?

Doctors. They’re one of the most respected professions in Asian culture, but where did this prestige come from? And what’s it actually like in the profession?

Today I’m bringing you a conversation with one of LinkedIn's top voices Suzanne “String” Nguyen on fighting those invisible walls and finding your voice.