AAP at Our Table: Advocacy as Everyday Action (w/ Mike Yee)

Written By Tracy Wendy

EPISODE 31 — 28 JANUARY 2023

 
“I don’t know what the next best boxer or wrestler looks like. No one is pegging this Chinese boy or girl over here to be the next star boxer, but suddenly they’re in the ring and fighting, and it doesn’t matter anymore.”
— Mike

ABOUT THE EP

This episode is the fifth and final part of a collaboration between A Seat at Our Table & the Asian Australian Project (AAP). AAP at Our Table is a five part series where we sit down with various members of AAP, take a look behind the scenes, and get to know the diverse stories that make up the organisation.

Mike Yee, Writer at APP, is a consultant, writer, wrestler and rapper, of Fijian Chinese descent. He is also the founder of coffee micro-roastery 'Sleepy Bloc'. We do a whistle-stop tour of Mike's creative pursuits and the ways he personally advocates and champions ethnic diversity within Sydney's suburban fabric. From anime to comedy to politics, we discuss the multitudes of ways we can support the Asian Australian community on an every day basis. 

 

THE DETAILS

Episode outline:

1. An introduction to Mike's multi-hyphenated identity

2. Championing local and community level representation

3. Seeing anime culture in mainstream media

4. The commodification and stereotyping of Asian Australian culture

5. Advocacy and impact as daily actions

6. Asian Australian engagement with politics

 

ABOUT AAP

The Asian Australian Project (AAP) is a not-for-profit initiative run by and for young Asian-Australians and more broadly, Asians Between Cultures (ABCs): those who grow up sharing cultural influences from both the East and the West.

Living in a multicultural society like Australia is a unique and often confusing experience for many ABCs. AAP wants to help facilitate their journey in growing their awareness and understanding of the nuances of these unique cultural experiences while nurturing a surrounding network and community.

 
 
Tracy Wendy
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All the Ingredients Behind Running a Food Truck (w/ Damson Nguyen, Owner of Rice and Rolls)
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AAP at Our Table: Taking Pride in My Mixed Asian Identity (w/ Charlene Behal)