Just Beings

Joanne Molinaro on telling stories to change the world

Sep 6, 2022

Joanne Molinaro, a master of storytelling for social change, discusses using food and cooking as a way to bridge divides and promote empathy. She shares her journey as a Korean vegan, navigating family dynamics, and advocating for veganism. The transformative power of reading and female empowerment are also explored. Tune in for thought-provoking insights and engaging conversation.

43:48

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Episode guests

Joanne Molinaro

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Creating relatable moments with people can lead to profound change and compassion.

Using storytelling and food can facilitate conversations beyond food, exploring the complexities of relationships with culture and identity.

Deep dives

Creating Memorable Moments and Building Relationships

The best way to foster change and facilitate impact is to create memorable moments with people by building relationships with them, even in brief encounters. This relatability can leave an imprint that can lead to profound change and compassion. The podcast hosts emphasize the importance of relationships in creating a better world and improving personal lives and relationships in the process.

Introduction

3min

Cooking as Storytelling: Bridging Divides and Building Connections

10min

Navigating Family Dynamics and Advocating for Understanding

2min

Advocating for Veganism: Challenges and Perspectives

23min

The Transformative Power of Twilight

3min

A discussion on female empowerment, writing, and new projects

3min

Joanne Molinaro, known on social media as The Korean Vegan, is a master of the art of storytelling for social change. After the video in which she prepares Korean braised potatoes while describing how she worked as a janitor during high school in order to earn money to buy clothes to fit in with the cool kids went viral, she started producing 60-second recipe videos in which she tells stories about her family, immigrants from what is now known as North Korea.

In this episode, Joanne—a passionate social justice advocate—joins Evanna and Melanie to discuss how she uses storytelling and food strategically to promote empathy as the antidote to the division and conflict she sees in the world. Tune in to learn how Joanne has embraced the challenge of embodying her values by making significant changes in her life, while protecting the bonds she has with loved ones and honoring her cultural traditions.

Learn more about Joanne at thekoreanvegan.com.

Check out her book, The Korean Vegan Cookbook.

Listen to The Korean Vegan podcast.

Follow her on social media:

Check out Melanie’s books Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows and Beyond Beliefs.

Follow Just Beings on social media:

This episode was edited by Andrew Sims.