Karen Weliky

Opportunity in Every Hurdle

Ng Lai Goon, eager to fit in with her American grade school peers, chose her American name, Sally, from an elementary school reading primer,  

My Self-Honoring Choices

Peggy Nagae grew up in Boring, Oregon, the second generation of her family to be born in the US. With other Japanese Americans, her parents and grandparents

On My Parents’ Shoulders

Growing up in Taiwan, Janet Liu had no memory of her father, who had left to study abroad when she was very young. At age 10, she finally met him

An Orphan’s Long Journey Home

Liani Reeves arrived in the US when she was only a few months old. With no way to trace her ties to her birth family in Korea, she grew up […]

Karen Weliky

Life Through Her Eyes

For 98-year-old Bertha Lee Saiget, Portland’s Chinatown is more than a mark on a map or a tourist destination. Its history is her life, and she has borne witness to […]

Sankar Raman

Finding Strength in a Complex Heritage

“Being 100% American means fully accepting your heritage — whatever it is,” Mitzi Loftus says, reflecting on her experience growing up in Oregon

Temple Romance – Live on Stage

Temple Romance goes to South Indian classical flute melodies blended with a strong string and chorale harmonies. Bala’s inspiration for this piece is

Magic Gem – Live on Stage

Magic Gem takes a classic Western melody and adapts it to an Eastern classical vibe using the Chinese erhu, played by Jerry Lin. 

Hit the Strings – Live on Stage

Hit the Strings is based on a Middle Eastern musical scale and features the Japanese koto played by Masumi Timson. Many cultural influences flow between  

Harmony of Rhythms – Live

Harmony of Rhythms features young musicians from Portland Kalai Kuzhu playing parai drums, one of the oldest instruments in India but one that,

Sankar Raman

Changing the System from Within

Chanpone Sinlapasai was born in Laos during a bloody civil war, and narrowly escaped to the US with her family at just four years old.

Sankar Raman

Here From the Very Beginning

Kambiz GhaneaBassiri is one of the nation’s leading scholars of Islam in the United States. In this conversation, he sat down with writer and educator  

Sankar Raman

That Little Girl Got a Shock

Originally from Taiwan, Janet Liu’s family spent years trying to build a home together in the United States despite restrictive immigration policies at that time. 

Dmae & Patti

This Is All of Me, and I Claim It All

Welcome to Many Roads In Conversation, where we look deeply at issues affecting communities within the United States. This inaugural series focuses on the roots  

Ricki Mudd

A Daughter of Two Countries

Ricki was born in 1993 in Quzhou, China, but was adopted when she was four years old by a White American family living in Seatac, Washington.