Escape From Plan A

Teen and Adam are joined by friend and all around creative badass Mtume to discuss a common trope seen in much of American media that goes conspicuously unremarked upon, and that is the Orphan Hero. It's not unique to the United States, but most, if not all of the protagonists in the top entertainment franchises have an orphan hero main character. Star Wars with Luke Skywalker (and Rey Palpatine), DC Comics with Batman, and perhaps most well known recently Harry Potter with Harry Potter. What is it about America that makes us especially obsessed with the "blank slate" that a parent-less hero provides? We also discuss how and why this trope isn't nearly as common in Black American fiction. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Mtume (@SirCoreGant) Teen (@Mont_Jiang) Adam (@snbatman) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ) Image Source: Dorkly

The Philippines is under attack as an unprecedented crackdown on freedom of speech and freedom of the press is underway through the imminent passage of the so-called Anti-Terror Bill set to become law on July 9, 2020. Special guests Robert Cheng (Katilunggan), Malaya Arevalo and Julie Jamora (Malaya Movement) join us to discuss the bill in more depth and it’s impact on the Philippines and abroad in the era of Donald Trump’s America. Hosted by Jess. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Jess (@cogitatotomato) Robert (@smoothposer) Altermidya (@altermidya) REFERENCED RESOURCES: Malaya Movement ● Website: ​www.malayamovement.com ● Facebook and Instagram: @malayamovement ● Email: ​malayamovement@gmail.com ● Petition for Duterte to Veto the Anti-Terrorism Bill: ​tinyurl.com/vetotheterrorbill Ibon Foundation: www.ibon.org Altermidya: https://www.altermidya.net Bulatlat: https://www.bulatlat.com The International Coalition For Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP): https://ichrp.net/ SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Mike Nguyen, who wrote “PAST THE TIME FOR ALLYSHIP: WE NEED POLITICAL EDUCATION, ORGANIZATION AND SOLIDARITY” joins Q and Diana to discuss the political ideologies that are near and dear to our hearts. How did three Asian Americans from apolitical families and right wing communities find our way to anti-imperialism, leftism, and coalitional, organized resistance? There is so much we can learn from history, so much we can do today, and so much we hope to change for tomorrow. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Diana(@discoveryduck) Q (@allyouneedis_q) Mike (@euthanasiaclown) REFERENCED RESOURCES: Essay by Ho Chi Minh: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/ho-chi-minh/works/1960/04/x01.htm Terror in Little Saigon, ProPublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/terror-in-little-saigon-vietnam-american-journalists-murdered Mike's article: https://planamag.com/past-the-time-for-allyship-need-for-political-education-organization-and-solidarity/ Yellow Power: The Formation of Asian American Nationalism in the Age of Black Power: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ccbh/souls/vol3no3/vol3num3art3.pdf SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ) Show Image Source: Roz Payne archives, www.newsreel.us

The rapper and general friend of the pod Ayekay aka Austin Koh -- who by the way created this podcast's intro and outro beat -- joins Teen to talk about the anti-racist protests and why it's a great time for us Asian American people to get lit up about the injustice that defines America. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Austin (@ayekay) Teen (@mont_jiang) LINKS: Austin's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ayekay SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

NY activists Kevin Wei and Kate Zen join Diana and Chris to discuss the upcoming primary election for State Assembly in District 40. Incumbent assemblyman Ron Kim is being challenged by Steve Lee, a police officer backed by luxury real estate. Kevin and Kate uncover various allegations against Lee and the ways in which policing, gentrification, and media can be manipulated by special interests to disenfranchise vulnerable communities. Red Canary Song: https://www.redcanarysong.net/ Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Kate (@katezenlove) Kevin (@kevinlwei) Diana (@discoveryduck) Chris (@JesuInToast) REFERENCED RESOURCES: Assemblymember Ron Kim's website: https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Ron-Kim 'You can't have cops watching cops' — NYPD officer, ex-cop lawyer sue NYC: https://queenseagle.com/all/cops-corruption-harassment-nypd-lawsuit-lee-murray SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

This one is a long deep dive with Adam Hudson (Real Sankara Hours pod) and Andray Domise (Macleans) where we dig deeper into the ways that class operate within racial groups, and that broad similarities exist between Asian and Black experiences. Being Asian or Black is not just about our relative distance to the default standard of White. Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Adam Hudson (@adamhudson5) Real Sankara Hours pod (@sankarahours) Andray Domise (@andraydomise) Teen (@mont_jiang) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

NY Assemblyman Ron T. Kim joins us Jess, Diana and Teen to describe being a public servant during a time of multiple crisis. Ron represents NY's 40th District, which includes the Asian American enclave of Flushing. We have heard many Asian Americans express a desire to enter public service and perhaps run for local office. We talk to Ron about the realities of public service, and how he approaches the job. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Ron T. Kim (@rontkim) Jess (@cogitatotomato) Diana (@discoveryduck) Teen (@mont_jiang) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Danny Haiphong (contributor to the Black Agenda Report) joins Diana and Teen to talk about his work in radical politics and foreign policy, especially as it relates to China. Plan A has focused on the rise in hostilities between the US and China, and Danny shares his insights about the dangers of the US propaganda efforts to stoke fears of a Yellow Peril/Red Scare menace. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Danny Haiphong (@SpiritofHo) Diana (@discoveryduck) Teen (@mont_jiang) REFERENCED SOURCES: Danny's book American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News―From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror (https://www.amazon.com/American-Exceptionalism-Innocence-News_From-Revolutionary/dp/1510742360) Danny's work at the Black Agenda Report (https://blackagendareport.com/author/Danny%20Haiphong) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Charlene Sayo of Vancouver and Cherisse Nadal of AF3IRM's LA chapter join Diana to introduce KANLUNGAN, a digital memorial for the Filipino healthcare workers who have passed in the COVID-19 pandemic. We go into the weeds of the history of transnational migration, the situation for Filipino diaspora in the US and Canada, and take a huge shit on NBC's The Good Place. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Diana (@discoveryduck) Cherisse (@cherisseyanit) AF3IRM (@AF3IRM) REFERENCED SOURCES: https://www.kanlungan.net http://www.af3irm.org/af3irm SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Eric was one of the 70-odd protesters who found refuge in Rahul Dubey's home on Swann St. in DC after the police trapped them and began to arrest for "violating" curfew. He joins Chris to recount what happened during the day, night, and following morning of that extraordinary event that not only showed the lengths to which the police are going to stamp out these protests, but also how united the people are in pushing forward. Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/planamag Donate to: Brooklyn Community Bail Fund: https://brooklynbailfund.org/ Help Oakland Chinatown Recover: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-oakland-chinatown-recover TWITTER: Eric (@eyswrld) Chris (@JesuInToast) REFERENCED RESOURCES: D.C. Protesters Hail The Hero Of Swann St., Who Sheltered Them From Arrest: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/02/868324634/d-c-protesters-hail-the-hero-of-swann-st-who-sheltered-them-from-arrest SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)