Hear Us Roar

I can’t believe we’re at the end of Season 1! It was around the 4th or 5th episode mark when I realized that this podcast I’ve created for you has started to change me as well. I’m so grateful that you’ve come along this journey with me, and have given me the fuel for such purposeful work. In this finale episode, I talk about creating space for ourselves in order to allow room for magic. I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be a GREAT year, and what better time to clean house and spark joy

Betty Ng, founder and CEO of Inspiring Diversity, LLC has had a lot of experience breaking down walls and stereotypes as a strong and capable woman of color. Tune in to hear about how Betty tackles bias, and why it's so important for all of us to build up relationship capital.  We talk about finding opportunity in moments of change, as well as why it's pertinent to drive Diversity and Inclusion initiatives from the heart.

Chand Nirankari founded Youth Boxing For Change because she wanted to create a safe space where under-resourced youth in New York City could be empowered through boxing, service, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.  Tune in to hear about why Chand chose to reexamine the definition of under-resourced within the context of her non-profit.  We talk about how the lessons you learn in boxing can translate to real life, and why having guidelines but not being too rigid is critical to success.

Legendary comedian Margaret Cho was one of the first faces I saw on American television, that reminded me of myself.  That is one powerful feeling.  She has fearlessly put herself in the line of fire over and over again in order to speak up for those whose voices and stories have often gone unheard, and bares the true essence of a pioneer. Tune in to hear about the challenges of growing up on the road, the inherent pressures of being the first, and the value in appreciating honesty in art.

Eliza Blank founded The Sill because she understood that urbanites needed an easier way to find, acquire and care for their houseplants.  Since quitting her job and launching her Kickstarter in 2012, Eliza has grown The Sill into an Instagram and eCommerce phenomenon raising over $13 million in funding, and expanding into multiple retail locations across the U.S.  Tune in to hear about why Eliza feels like we should lean into our differences, and how she was able to use that as fuel for her fire.

Kimmy Yam is the Co-Founder of HuffPost Asian Voices and a champion for issues that disproportionately affect Asian-Americans. Asian American news extends far beyond representation in Hollywood because "our community is so much bigger than that." Tune in to hear about Kimmy's journey towards self love, and how she learned to appreciate her parents' sacrifices.  Kimmy talks about how there's no such thing as a perfect job, and why news and reporting can, and should be beautiful.

Acupuncturist and Chinese herbal medicine practitioner Janet Lee swung by to give me some tips on staying healthy during these critical transitional months between Fall and Winter, in a new segment called, Conversations with HUR. Tune in to hear about how holistic treatment addresses the emotional, as well as the physical, and why you should incorporate acupressure into your daily self care practice.

As an adoptee from Korea, Julie Young's journey towards understanding her own unique identity led her to building DreamMaker 3D, the TIDE Film Festival, The Phenomenal Girls Club, and the $6.99 Per Pound Podcast. Tune in to hear how Julie learned to push past the fear of her own greatness, and why representation in media is so critical to our cultural context. To find out more about the Hear Us Roar podcast, and sign up for my mailing list, visit www.hurpodcast.com.

Birchbox COO Pooja Agarwal was thrilled to joined its executive team because she saw it as an opportunity to build and scale a brand new business model for the beauty industry.  Tune in to hear Pooja's tips on what it takes to make a successful cold call/email, how she was able to turn an internship paying $200 a month to a blossoming career, and why we should all value being authentically ourselves.

Imagine a life rooted in maximizing your standard of giving vs. standard of living. April Tam Smith is the co-founder of P.S. Kitchen, a social business that uses 100% of its profits to fund justice work, while hiring those in need of a second chance. Tune in to learn steps we can all take towards living a more generous lifestyle.

Coffee Meets Bagel was birthed from a need. Dawoon Kang and her two sisters knew all too well the struggles of finding a life partner in New York City, which is why they set out to create an app that was focused on fostering meaningful human connections—Coffee, for the perfect first date, and Bagel, as an ode to NYC. There's a lot to learn from Dawoon, a master at cultivating genuine and meaningful interpersonal engagements through technology.

If you don't see faces that look like yours in film and television, why not create your own platform to put those put those faces on camera?  That's exactly what Nicki Sun did. If you’ve ever wanted to get into show biz but felt like you either didn’t know the way in, or didn’t have enough content to showcase your talents, Nicki shares how you can get super creative with your approach, given the resources that you have.

In this premiere episode of the podcast, you’ll find out what it was like for host Sara Porritt to move to the United States from China at the age of 8, how R&B music changed her life, and why it’s so important for her to share journeys down the road not taken as a proud Asian American female.