Reppin

What do Bruce Lee, hip hop, and you have in common? More than you think. Acclaimed author and cultural critic Jeff Chang joins us for a conversation that goes way beyond Bruce Lee—and straight into identity, race, representation, belonging, and the pressure to become someone else just to fit in. Based on his acclaimed book Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, Jeff unpacks how Bruce Lee became a symbol of visibility, confidence, and self-definition for generations of people who felt underestimated, stereotyped, or erased. But this episode expands far beyond one icon. We get into Hollywood, racism, stereotypes, imposter syndrome, belonging—and the unexpected link between Asian American identity and hip hop culture. Jeff Chang brings a deeply human perspective shaped by growing up navigating race and identity, facing racism at Berkeley, and slowly turning those experiences into voice through music, activism, and storytelling. That lived experience is what grounds how he understands—and writes about—culture, identity, and belonging. At its core, this episode is about identity and belonging—and the power of culture to help people finally feel seen. If you’ve ever felt caught between worlds, underestimated, or like you had to fight to belong—this conversation meets you there… and reminds you: the story has always been yours to own. Listen to Reppin on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reppin/id1480913421 Clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReppinPodcast Follow Reppin on Instagram: @reppin_podcast Visit the Reppin website: https://reppin.tv Learn more about Jeff Chang: https://jeffchang.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My next guest has proven you should never underestimate the power of determination and hope. Meet Candace Wohl, she is a writer, public speaker and women’s health advocate. Her evolution towards becoming that advocate began when she and her husband Chris, who were in their late 20s then, were thrown onto the private and painful roller coaster of infertility. After 6 years of enduring an assault of medical procedures and investing their entire life savings, they were still unable to conceive. As they went through devastating lows, they also began documenting their struggles and created a blog called Our Misconception. They worked to break down the stigma of infertility and provided the unique perspective of a man and a woman. They shared information and mistakes to help others navigate and approached this shrouded issue with a lighter touch. Since then, Candace’s blog garnered national attention and has been named Best IVF blog in 2019 and they’ve been profiled in Glamour and Cosmopolitan Magazine and were featured on MTV’s Award Wining documentary series True Life.Find out how Candace and Chris transformed their pain into power, how they harnessed their strength using humor and light and how they persisted through grief. See how she’s paying it forward and find out if she and Chris were able to have the family they desperately wanted. Candace’s Blog Our Misconception: https://ourmisconception.com/Candace’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmisconceptionCandace’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ourmisconception/

What does it actually mean to be seen—and to belong—without having to earn it, explain it, or change yourself just to be understood? That’s the question at the center of this conversation with Eugene Yi, an Emmy-winning director known for powerful documentary work including Free Chol Soo Lee, The Rose: Come Back to Me, and his latest HBO film The A-List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas. On the surface, The A-List brings together 15 voices across the Asian American and Pacific Islander community—Connie Chung, Sandra Oh, Bowen Yang, Kumail Nanjiani, alongside people you may not know yet, but should. But this is not a celebrity documentary. It’s intimate by design: no performance—just people speaking honestly. A story rooted in AAPI identity, diaspora, and lived experience. And what stands out is that even these leaders and public figures have felt like they didn’t belong in the rooms they were in. This is a universal challenge. People trying to find their place.People trying to be understood. And what you see in this film is a community of people who have felt unseen—realizing those shared experiences don’t just connect us, they strengthen what community actually is. If you’ve ever felt unseen, you’re not understood or need to change everything you are to belong. This conversation on REPPIN will help you feel less alone in that experience, and see it differently. Full Conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/show/1tq2vuZiWLvhmTMaaWX2w8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories don’t just reflect the world—we use them to understand it. And few writers do that more powerfully than Angie Thomas. Angie is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give, the global bestseller that sparked worldwide conversation and became a major film. She’s also the author of On the Come Up and the fantasy series Nic Blake and the Manifestors. Her work consistently centers people and communities that are often overlooked—bringing their voices, experiences, and humanity into focus in a way that feels honest and grounded. She was the very first guest I ever had on Reppin… and helped launch this show. So having her back is a very special full-circle moment. In this episode, we talk about The Hate U Give, Nic Blake, why history still belongs in fantasy, and how stories travel across cultures—shaping how young readers see the world and themselves. We also get into the larger conversation happening right now around books like hers—and why it matters more than most people realize. If you care about the stories that shape how we see the world—and each other—you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how they shape how you’re seen too. Full video on⁠ Spotify⁠:https://open.spotify.com/show/1tq2vuZ... YouTube: ⁠@ReppinPodcast⁠ Instagram: @reppin_podcast Angie's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angiethomas/ 🎧 Listen, follow the show, and if this episode resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Breaking Point: Adam Kinzinger on January 6 and the Courage to Stand for Your Values What happens when standing by your values could cost you everything — your career, your friendships, even your sense of belonging? In this episode of Reppin, I sit down with former U.S. Congressman, U.S. Air Force veteran, and January 6 Committee member Adam Kinzinger to talk about the moment that became his breaking point: the January 6 United States Capitol attack. After 12 years representing Illinois in Congress, Adam Kinzinger made a decision that would define his career — speaking out after January 6 and choosing principle over party. The fallout was immediate: backlash, threats, lost friendships, and a life that would never look the same again. But this conversation goes beyond politics. On Reppin, Adam Kinzinger opens up about the fear and chaos inside the Capitol that day, the emotional toll that followed, and the faith that helped him navigate one of the hardest chapters of his life. He also shares why he founded Country First, a movement working to rebuild trust in American democracy and create space for Americans across political divides to disagree without losing their humanity. At its core, this episode is about courage, integrity, and the resilience it takes to stand by your values — even when the cost is high. 🎧 If you care about leadership, democracy, and principled conversations that challenge the status quo, this episode is for you. • Adam Kinzinger’s experience inside the Capitol on January 6 • The moment he chose principle over party • The personal cost of speaking out • Relationships that didn’t survive the fallout • How faith helped guide him through backlash and isolation • Why he founded Country First • What he hopes his son learns about courage and integrity What you’ll hear in this episode • Adam Kinzinger’s experience inside the Capitol on January 6 • The moment he chose principle over party • The personal cost of speaking out • Relationships that didn’t survive the fallout • How faith helped guide him through backlash and isolation • Why he founded Country First • What he hopes his son learns about courage and integrity Learn more about Adam's organization: COUNTRY FIRST https://www.country1st.com/ Follow Adam on his instgram: https://www.instagram.com/adam_kinzinger/?hl=en WATCH this conversation on Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/show/1tq2vuZiWLvhmTMaaWX2w8 Listen to Reppin: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reppin/id1480913421 Follow me on the gram: https://www.instagram.com/reppin_podcast/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Reppinpodcast Music by: DJ ACE the Cut Lieutenant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices