Cultureful is a project for bridging cultures and building empathy. We’re back for Season 3 on Tuesday, January 27th! New intimate, up-close, and human stories coming your way. I have deep-dive conversations with regular, amazing people about the everyday experiences, traditions, and family histories that connect us all.

3 Ways to Join the Global Neighborhood:

1. Subscribe: Hit the "Follow" button so you don't miss our premiere on Jan 27.
2. Watch on YouTube: Experience these stories in video at https://youtube.com/@cultureful?si=oV0E-T7UfcNHKAr3
3. Support the Mission: Become a Founding Supporter of Cultureful by Jan 31: https://ko-fi.com/cultureful

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Website: https://linktr.ee/cultureful

Cultureful—Culture-F-U-L like beautiful.

Thanks for being here!

In this 2025 reflection, Cultureful host, Jess Lin, shares a personal update on hosting while healing, navigating a career pivot, and building a global neighborhood. From leaving a decade in Global Health to the realities of independent podcasting, this episode is a sincere thank you to the Founding Friends and neighbors who made this year possible.

Support the Neighborhood: We are currently raising funds to help record and preserve more of these vital stories in 2026. If these memoirs have moved you, please consider contributing to our mission: 👉 https://ko-fi.com/cultureful

Stay Connected: Join our mailing list to be the first to know about new episodes, neighborhood news, and host reflections: https://forms.gle/EPxvvkskFt2md1Qf6

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KaeI97kGAQY

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Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

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Kwanzaa is more than a holiday — it’s a living tradition shaped by family, history, and intention.

In this Season 2 finale of Cultureful, Jess Lin sits down with Martina to explore Kwanzaa as a living tradition shaped by family, history, and community. Martina reflects on growing up in San Francisco, her family’s roots in the U.S. South, and how her grandmother’s stories influenced her early student activism and relationship with Black identity.

Together, they talk about the origins and meaning of Kwanzaa, how Martina celebrates it today as an adult and parent, and why cultural traditions matter in a world that’s constantly changing. This conversation is about heritage, memory, and the ways we create and pass down meaning—across generations and across communities.

🎥 Watch the full video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O74Z-I7CpMk

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Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

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Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

After our full interview, Joanne and I sat down for a more relaxed conversation — a space to debrief, unwind, and share a few favorite things. In this bonus “Wind Down” episode, Joanne talks about the surprising through-line she discovered while telling her story, from childhood to her work in belonging and organizational coaching today.

We also get into lighter moments: perfectionism, Brene Brown, nostalgic foods, the band Elbow, and the places that hold meaning for her — including an unforgettable trip to the Galapagos Islands that brought her to tears.

If you enjoy hearing the human side of each guest, their reflections, and a peek behind the interview, you’ll love these Wind Down episodes.

Topics in this episode:
• Finding unexpected clarity after the main interview
• How belonging became central to Joanne’s life and work
• Recovering from perfectionism
• Favorite books, nostalgic foods, and personal recommendations
• Her emotional reaction to seeing the Galapagos Islands
• A casual, warm debrief between host and guest

Listen to Joanne’s full 2 Part interview if you missed it.

Connect with Joanne: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/

Listen to Joanne’s full 2-Part interview if you missed it.

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

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In Part 2 of our conversation, Joanne shares how her STEM journey unfolded in ways she never expected—through academic pressure, nonlinear pivots, surprising mentors, and the slow, intentional work of choosing where she belongs.

We talk about what it means to grow up under high expectations, nearly failing out of college, rediscovering purpose through neuroscience and teaching, and the moment she finally said: “I get to choose to belong.”

This episode is about identity, resilience, and rewriting your story when the old one no longer fits.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Sdxi9CwAUJw

In this episode:
• Nonlinear STEM career paths
• Academic pressure + nearly failing out
• A professor who offered a second chance
• Chinese American identity and belonging
• Purpose, risk, and choosing your own path

Connect with Joanne: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/

Keywords: Asian American stories, Chinese American identity, STEM careers, belonging, immigrant family expectations, nonlinear careers, resilience, Cultureful Podcast

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Send us a text

Joanne shares what it was like growing up as one of the only Chinese American kids in a small upstate New York town—and the year her family moved to Taiwan, placing her in a public school during the height of martial law and anti-communist propaganda. In Part 1, she talks about her parents’ refugee journey from mainland China to Taiwan, learning Mandarin and Bopomofo, and navigating identity, belonging, and culture shock across two countries. This episode explores family history, diaspora, growing up between cultures, and the moments that shaped Joanne’s understanding of who she was.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1Fcw4aEHxsk

Connect with Joanne:

• Strelo Group: https://strelogroup.com/about/joanne/
• Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-chu-strelo/
• Email: joanne@strelogroup.com

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Join Jess for The Wind Down, a new bonus series from Cultureful — a cross-cultural podcast about how stories shape who we are. In this first ever “after-show,” Jess and Hakim unwind after recording their main episodes to reflect on vulnerability, healing, and the power of storytelling. Hakim shares memories of his grandmother, what “home” means to him, and some of his favorite things — from books and music to nostalgic foods.

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful

Join us on Cultureful as Hakim Asadi, a Black queer therapist from Upstate New York, shares his journey of growing up queer in a religious community. He opens up about the challenges of navigating faith, family expectations, and shame, and how therapy, self-reflection, and community helped him embrace his authentic self.

This episode explores:

• Growing up queer in church and Black communities
• Overcoming internalized shame and stigma
• Finding authenticity, resilience, and self-love
• How childhood experiences shaped his career as a therapist and public speaker

If you’re interested in queer experiences, faith, identity, and mental health, this conversation is a must-listen.

Connect with Hakim:

• Website: HakimAsadi.com
• Email: hello@hakimasadi.com.
• Instagram: @hakimasadi_

Keywords: queer identity, LGBTQ+ mental health, Black queer therapist, faith and sexuality, overcoming shame, therapy journey, self-love, intersectional identity, queer stories

Support the show

Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow.

More info about the show.

Trailers are posted on Instagram @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful