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Cultureful
Jess Lin
28 episodes
3 days ago
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 m...
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All content for Cultureful is the property of Jess Lin and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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 m...
Show more...
Personal Journals
Places & Travel,
Society & Culture,
Relationships
Episodes (20/28)
Cultureful
BONUS: 2025 Reflections & Gratitude — Building the Global Neighborhood
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 m...
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2 weeks ago
11 minutes

Cultureful
Martina, African American - Kwanzaa, Southern Roots, & Growing Up in San Francisco
👉 Join the circle of Founding Supporters: https://ko-fi.com/cultureful 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 relations...
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4 weeks ago
57 minutes

Cultureful
BONUS: The Wind Down 2 with Joanne - The Galápagos Moment
Send us a text 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 — incl...
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1 month ago
7 minutes

Cultureful
Joanne, Part 2 - Chinese American: STEM, Identity & Choosing to Belong
Send us a text 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, resilie...
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1 month ago
47 minutes

Cultureful
Joanne, Part 1 - Chinese American: Catching Snakes & Camping Trips
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 histor...
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1 month ago
45 minutes

Cultureful
BONUS: The Wind Down 1 with Hakim - Healing Out Loud
Send us a text 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! Follo...
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2 months ago
9 minutes

Cultureful
Hakim, Part 2 - Black American: Sweetheart & Highest Consciousness
Send us a text 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 communitiesOvercoming internalized shame and stigmaFinding authenticity, resilience, and self-loveH...
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2 months ago
43 minutes

Cultureful
Hakim, Part 1 - Black American: Churches, Cookouts & Kickbacks
Send us a text Hakim Asadi, a 35-year-old Black American therapist, reflects on his childhood, family, and community, exploring what it was like growing up between the inner city and suburbs. Host Jess Lin dives into his experiences in the church his grandparents founded, formative family moments, and the influences that shaped his curiosity, values, and identity. This first half of a two-part conversation lays the foundation for Hakim’s journey: love, upbringing, and the people who helped hi...
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2 months ago
46 minutes

Cultureful
Taryn, Part 2. Mexican American: Silo Parties, Weddings & Día de los Muertos
Send us a text Host Jess Lin continues her conversation with Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Northern California. This episode explores cultural identity, heritage language, and how learning traditions like Día de los Muertos can help families reconnect to their roots. Taryn reflects on her parents’ love story, family visits to Mexico, and how her family’s connection to Mexican culture has evolved across generations. Listeners will hear personal stories, insights on volunteeri...
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3 months ago
44 minutes

Cultureful
Taryn, Part 1. Mexican American: Farmers' Markets & Fur Coats
Send us a text In this episode, Jess Lin interviews Taryn, a third-generation Mexican American from Woodland, California and a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer. Taryn shares powerful stories about her grandparents’ migration from Mexico, their resilience as farmworkers, and the traditions that shaped her family’s life in California’s Central Valley. She reflects on her grandpa Eloy’s journey crossing the border, his time in the Marines, and his role in the Woodland community. On her father...
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3 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Cultureful
Aisha, Part 4. Pakistani American: Eid, Mehndi & Motherhood
Send us a text In Part 4 of Aisha’s story, we follow her into adulthood as she marries her husband and begins a new chapter back in Pakistan. She shares the culture shock of adjusting to a different city, trying to break glass ceilings, and the challenges of navigating career and motherhood. Aisha also reflects on her identity as a Muslim feminist, how she celebrates Eid, and what it means to find home across cultures and geographies. This episode explores themes of marriage, motherhood, gend...
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4 months ago
48 minutes

Cultureful
Aisha, Part 3. Pakistani American: Be Tamed
Send us a text Episode photo credit: Asher Imtiaz https://www.asherimtiaz.com/ In Part 3 of Aisha’s story, we follow her journey through adolescence and young adulthood as she navigates loss, family, and identity. After losing her father during childhood—a central figure in her life and a source of deep love—Aisha grapples with childhood grief, searches for a sense of home, and learns to code-switch between different cultural contexts and varying expressions of Islam across Muslim communities...
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4 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Cultureful
Aisha, Part 2. Pakistani American: Dahlias, Dupattas & the Last Born
Send us a text In this second part of our 4-part conversation, Aisha Sarwari shares vivid stories of her childhood in Uganda as the youngest in her family. She recalls her mother sewing dupattas for her and her sister, the blooming dahlias in their garden, and the deep love she felt for her father. Aisha reflects on her lifelong connection to nature, her gratitude for growing up surrounded by it, and what it meant to be a minority in Uganda in the shadow of historical events like the expulsio...
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5 months ago
45 minutes

Cultureful
Aisha, Part 1. Pakistani American: Street Fighter, Parkour & the Original Audiobook
Send us a text In the Season 2 premiere of Cultureful, host Jess Lin talks with Aisha Sarwari, a 43-year-old Pakistani American women's rights activist, author and public speaker, and corporate communications expert, and public speaker based in Atlanta. Aisha shares about her family’s multi-generational migration story—from India to Uganda and Kenya and eventually to Pakistan and the U.S.—intertwining personal history with major events like India’s Partition and the expulsion of Asians from U...
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5 months ago
49 minutes

Cultureful
Season 2 Trailer
Send us a text Trailer for Season 2, which drops THIS TUESDAY, July 29th, 2025! Interviews of epic family migration stories, exploring identity and love, and much more. Spanning cultures, geographies, and intersecting with historical moments like India's partition. Subscribe now and catch new episodes every other Tuesday. Thanks so much for listening! Follow, review, and share to help us grow. Episode trailers on Instagram: @thecultureful https://instagram.com/thecultureful
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5 months ago
1 minute

Cultureful
Stefanee, Filipino and Spanish American: I had a Michael Jackson Childhood
Send us a text In the Season 1 finale of Cultureful, host Jess Lin talks with Stefanee Clontz, a 44-year-old Filipino and Spanish American working mom and Director of Operations at Hydra+, a medical spa in Atlanta. Stefanee shares what she calls her “Michael Jackson childhood,” her evolving connection to her Asian American identity, and how that connection has grown over time. She also opens up about the balance of not only work and family, but also finding time for herself. Thanks for ...
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6 months ago
1 hour

Cultureful
Denetra, Part 2. Black American: I have to know my purpose
Send us a text Join Jess Lin in Part 2 of her conversation with Denetra, as they discuss her son DeAndre's life journey from high school graduation to battling cancer. Denetra opens up about DeAndre's work and love life, his fight with osteosarcoma, and the impacts of his illness. She also shares her own experience with grief, healing, and how she channels her energy into projects like Smiley Connections LLC to support other parents who have lost children. Listen to Denetra's story and learn ...
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9 months ago
54 minutes

Cultureful
Denetra, Part 1. Black American: DeAndre always had the biggest smile
Send us a text In honor of Women's History Month, host Jess Lin sits down with Denetra Smiley, a 54-year-old African American medical coder from the Gullah Geechee community, now living in Acworth, Georgia. Denetra shares her personal story, her son DeAndre's story, and her path through grief and healing after DeAndre’s passed from cancer. Denetra speaks candidly about her childhood, the importance of her cultural roots, the example of her parents’ marriage, her experiences raising two ...
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9 months ago
49 minutes

Cultureful
Tina, Part 2. Taiwanese Chinese American: You water it and it grows
Send us a text In this episode of Cultureful, host Jess Lin continues her conversation with Tina, exploring her experience with intercultural marriage and raising multicultural children. Tina, a Taiwanese Chinese American woman, discusses the cultural differences between her upbringing and her Russian Ukrainian American husband's family. The episode covers how Tina navigated these differences, the challenges of blending their cultural backgrounds, and their parenting styles, which focus on po...
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11 months ago
49 minutes

Cultureful
Tina, Part 1. Taiwanese Chinese American: A cut above the rest
Send us a text In this special bonus episode of Cultureful, host Jess Lin speaks with Tina, a 37-year-old Taiwanese Chinese American tech project manager from Fremont, California. The episode delves into the first half of Tina's life, covering her parents' immigration story from Taiwan, her upbringing, and the background of her family. Tina shares insights about her family's moves from China to Vietnam to Taiwan and eventually to the U.S., and discusses how her parents' cultural backgrounds i...
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11 months ago
48 minutes

Cultureful
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 m...