In her most recent role as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the organization behind the Oscars), Janet Yang helped move AAPI stories from the margins to the mainstream, reshaping how Hollywood sees and celebrates Asian voices.

A quiet insider turned cultural trailblazer, Janet reflects on her journey from being the only Asian kid in her Long Island neighborhood to producing The Joy Luck Club and Empire of the Sun, and on helping make the Oscars more inclusive than ever.

She shares how moments of exclusion fueled her lifelong mission to bridge East and West, the lessons she learned from mentors like Steven Spielberg and Oliver Stone, and how a painful incident at the 2016 Oscars ignited a movement for representation that led to Gold House and beyond.

This episode offers a powerful look at how one woman’s persistence turned isolation into influence and changed Hollywood forever.

Just days before announcing his retirement, Jeremy Lin sat down with the Aconic Podcast for his final interview as an active player. In this candid conversation, Jeremy opens up about the decision to step away from basketball, the questions he wrestled with, and what might come next.

He shares raw reflections on purpose, impact, and faith, asking himself, “Am I really living up to who I said I wanted to be?” Jeremy discusses whether his greatest contribution now lies off the court, using the resources and platform he’s built to serve others, especially marginalized youth through his Foundation.

For the first time, Jeremy reveals how he struggled to balance on court demands with being fully present for his off-court mission, and why he believes “mental health is more important than Kumon.”

This exclusive conversation offers an unfiltered look into the mindset behind one of the most impactful decisions of his life and the possibilities for his future beyond the game.

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When the Doctor Becomes the Patient: Dr. Bryant Lin’s Journey

In this episode, Soon Yu interviews Dr. Bryant Lin, a primary care physician at Stanford, who shares his compelling journey from doctor to patient. The discussion begins with Dr. Lin's professional background, including his pivotal role in founding the Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) and his focus on lung cancer in the Asian community. The irony unfolds as Dr. Lin, who has been advocating for lung cancer research among non-smokers, particularly in the Asian population, is diagnosed with stage four non-small cell lung cancer himself. Despite the devastating diagnosis, Dr. Lin's story is one of resilience and hope. He emphasizes the importance of human connection in medicine, the impact of storytelling, and the role of hope in patient care. Dr. Lin also discusses his ongoing efforts to raise awareness and funding for early-stage lung cancer research and broader health initiatives in the Asian community. This episode is a powerful narrative of facing adversity with purpose, driving change, and finding serendipity in the most challenging circumstances.

03:59 Dr. Lin's Diagnosis Journey
07:35 Challenges in Healthcare Access
13:37 Importance of Screening and Early Detection
26:21 Impact on Dr. Lin's Perspective as a Physician
26:31 The Human Side of Medicine
30:28 The Role of Hope in Medicine
38:13 The Power of Storytelling
43:29 Letters to My Sons
52:17 Future Projects and Legacy