115: Asians at Work, with Jerry Won

Dear White Women

When’s the last time you had a conversation with someone of Asian descent? Not just a transactional conversation, or a “hi how are you” mumbled in passing, but one where you saw them as a product of their history and experiences and asked them something perhaps more sensitive and interesting than “where are YOU from?” Something about their goals, their passions, and how their identities may have played into shaping who they are, rather than relying on the stereotypes that are so pervasive in American culture?

Our guest today, Jerry Won, is the host of Dear Asian Americans, a podcast featured by Apple Podcasts at the TOP of the list of podcasts to listen to for Asian American Pacific Islander Month this May. His podcast growth has more than quadrupled since the latest slew of anti-Asian hate - and he’s used it as an opportunity for personal and professional growth to get more narratives of the often under-celebrated Asian community in America out into the world.

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What to listen for:

• How Asian cultural norms might shape how vocal Asian people in America might be
• What Jerry thinks about the model minority myth, and how it places an artificial divide between Asians in America and other minoritized communities
• The hypocrisy of people who stand against immigrants, when most of us are descendants of immigrants - even if you look White
• How making assumptions about your Asian colleagues may be harming them

About Jerry:

Jerry Won is a storyteller, brand builder, and community leader. He is the Founder & CEO of Just Like Media, an Asian American storytelling company whose podcast brands include Dear Asian Americans, recently featured as the top podcast for APAHM by Apple, and currently working with McDonald’s on the #WeAreAPA campaign.

He is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator and has worked with organizations such as Johnson & Johnson, LEK Consulting, Horizon Media, and Pepsi. Jerry speaks on a variety of topics including authentic storytelling and the Asian American experience in the workplace.

Prior, he was a Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture and sales leader at start-ups and F500 companies. Jerry has a BS from USC Marshall and an MBA from Michigan Ross, where he served as President of the Student Government Association. He has served in board and leadership roles of alumni organizations and community non-profits.

Along with his wife Kyung and his two children, Jerry lives in Southern California.

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