#160 - Celebrating Asian American Stories All Year Long (with Tasha Jun)

May might be coming to a close, but it’s always a good time to appreciate and learn more about Asian Americans through books, TV series, and movies. My good friend (and friend of the show), Tasha Jun, is back on The Couch this week to talk about some of our favorite stories about Asian Americans. We’re talking about everything from children’s picture books to Oscar-winning movies, and you don’t want to miss it!   And, of course, because this is The Couch where side notes and rabbit trails are always welcome, we also talk about Tasha’s new book, the origins of AAPI Heritage Month, zombies as my least favorite monster, the importance of representation and why we keep talking about it, favorite snacks and fast food, and elephant documentaries. We covered a lot! But most importantly, we made a list of great stories about Asian Americans for you. So, let’s get started!   MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging by Tasha Jun AAPI Heritage Month (History Channel and PBS) The Couch episode #48 with Tasha (about romantic comedies) The Couch episode #85 with Tasha (about Shang-Chi) The Couch episode #108 with Tasha (about Turning Red) The Couch episode #126 with Tasha (Ms. Marvel) Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri National Treasure: Edge of History (Disney+) American Born Chinese (comic book and Disney+ series)   NOT-SO-GUILTY PLEASURES: Secrets of the Elephants (Disney+) Kettle corn Taco Bell app   DON’T FORGET: Join The Couch on Facebook! It’s so much fun—plus, you'll receive a complete list of our recommendations there! Find Tasha on Instagram at @tashajunb or sign up for her newsletter on her website, and find her book (Tell Me the Dream Again) on Amazon or anywhere books are sold.  And you can find me on Instagram at @marycarver or at marycarver.com.   Welcome to The Couch!   This post may include affiliate links. This means that if you click and purchase, I might receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.