Hey there, welcome back to a third season of Chatting with Asians! Well it's the beginning of May 2020 and the world has completely changed because of coronavirus since our last season, and I hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy. Where do I even begin with this season? You know, COVID-19 has brought a lot of issues to the surface. Class and racial inequalities that already existed are now even more exacerbated and, of course, the anti-Asian racism that's been spreading around the world. So I've been motivated to take this third season to get a little more political.

Right now in America, we don't have the leader we especially need during this pandemic and it's up to us to use our privilege and platforms to be a voice for those who usually don't have a seat at the table. My guests will be coming from a wide variety of experiences that focus on different aspects of social justice such as the history of movements of racial justice during the 1960s and 70s, the incarceration of Asian Americans, and violence against Asian American women. Throughout our conversations, we'll not only be exploring these topics but we'll also be talking about how COVID-19 affects disadvantaged groups, such as communities of color, and talk about solutions of systemic oppression.

As you listen to these episodes, if you feel that they resonate with you, remember that you can make a difference to those in need by further researching these issues, having conversations with other people about them, donating money to nonprofits or funds, or supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs during these times. I hope that you find these conversations as enlightening as I've found them to be and I hope that it inspires you to be a little more political in your lives, too. So with that, welcome to the third season of Chatting with Asians!