An Indian girl and Filipino boy walk into a recording studio and make a podcast. A question that lingers between them: is it okay for Asians to talk about race?

For the first episode of Influx, Amreen and Kyle delve into questions of Asianness as it pertains to their lives and the stories told by mainstream media. Anchoring the conversation is the book Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Korean American poet and writer Cathy Park Hong. A memoir and cultural criticism on the nameless feelings of guilt and erasure embedded in the Asian American experience.

For a section in the novel, Hong explores the glorified whiteness of Wes Anderson films. And look, we love the guy but it’s about time that he be dragged for his outright appropriation of Asian culture in a film like The Darjeeling Limited. This episode gets messy and vulnerable. Listen along with love and compassion as we welcome you to this journey with open arms. Thanks for being here with us.

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This episode of Influx was recorded and produced in Toronto by Amreen Kullar and Kyle Jarencio in October 2020. You can find them online at @amreenk_ and @fragilekyle. Our intro music is by Boy Garcon and our cover art is by Andrew O’Brien.

Read an excerpt of Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong here: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/cathyparkhong/cathy-park-hong-minor-feelings-bad-english and we urge you to purchase it from your fave local bookstore. Pirate the Darjeeling Limited? Idk reparations.