This week on The Truth Is, Kathryn sits down with Joanne Molinaro — or as many know her, The Korean Vegan — a New York Times best-selling and James Beard Award–winning author, attorney, and creator whose storytelling and advocacy invite millions to look more closely at who they are, what they stand for, and how they show up in the world.

At the height of her legal career, Joanne realized that to be “successful,” she was becoming someone she wasn’t sure she could respect. That moment of reckoning — between achievement and integrity — sits at the center of her story, and at the center of this conversation.

Together, they explore what it really means to fight for yourself, to tell the truth to yourself first, and to leave the life that looks right in order to build the one that actually is. Joanne shares how she turned fear into agency, how writing became a lifelong practice of truth-telling, and how her voice — through food, advocacy, and storytelling — continues to be a force for compassion and change.

A conversation about courage, integrity, and the ongoing practice of becoming someone you respect.

In this episode, they talk about:

• What it really means to fight for yourself
• The myth that adulthood means giving up joy
• How to tell the truth to yourself first
• The cost of “success” when it’s defined by others
• Turning fear into agency and advocacy
• The quiet work of staying rooted in integrity

Connect with Joanne
ORDER JOANNE'S NEW BOOK! → The Korean Vegan: Homemade
Discover Korean Vegan Beauty → koreanveganbeauty.com
Connect with Joanne → @thekoreanvegan | thekoreanvegan.com

Connect with The Truth Is
Instagram → @thetruthis_podcast
YouTube → @thetruthis_pod
TikTok → @thetruthispod

Credits
Hosted by Kathryn Flaschner
Edited by Dan Croll
Music by Will Savino
Visual Identity by Sarah Gainer & Jonathan Bush
Advised by Natalie Tulloch