Have you ever felt torn between two worlds?

Maybe between competing cultures?

Or maybe you’ve suspected there’s some kind of bias you just can’t quite put words too and fully grasp. 

I know I have - especially when it comes to knowing where we come from and how we ‘fit’ into society, especially when polarizing cultural practices are at play. 

Today's guest Jay Ooi has always felt and known that he was different from the white kids at school but couldn’t always put a name to it - it was just always there. After years of working in video production on, Jay decided to dip his toe into the world of podcasting to explore the nuances of what it means to Asian Australian, from the reverence and importance of the names we give our kids to the rise and rise of Bubble Tea, Jay questions and explores and celebrates what it means to be Asian Australian. We spoke specifically about:

• How Jay developed Shoes Off by narrowing down his audience niche
• Translating his experience from working in television media to a strictly audio format and learning how to edit 
• The vision Jay holds for the role his podcast will play in cultural discourse
• What Shoes Off clearly is, and is not 
• The role of representation for Asian Australians
• How Jay sourced academic experts to speak with 
• Exploring his hunches, and discovering the nuances of racism

Who is Jay Ooi?

Jay has over 6 years in broadcast television experience, working across shows like At the Movies with Margaret and David (ABC), The Amazon of the East (ZDF) and The Set (ABC), as well as years of freelance video production work telling personal stories for small and big brands. An avid listener of podcasts for over 10 years, this is Jay’s first foray into the audio-only world.

About Shoes Off Podcast

This is the Australian podcast about all things Asian - what it's like to live as a third culture kid in the great down under. Each episode we'll bring you stories from Aussie Asians around a particular topic, and we'll question, explore and celebrate what it means to be an Asian Australian.

Check out Shoes Off Here:

instagram.com/shoesoffau

facebook.com/shoesoffau

Connect with Ashleigh Here:

Email [email protected] 

FB/IG @evokemediaAU