The Blue Dumpling Podcast

Episode 9: Delegate David Moon

In this episode, Maryland House Majority Leader, Delegate David Moon reflects on growing up as an Asian American in Montgomery County, working behind the scenes for various causes, and the value of coalition politics in building a stronger Democratic party. His combined experiences as a political operative, grassroots advocate, and blogger have all informed his work as a state delegate, representing District 20. Stream this episode to hear Delegate Moon’s perspective on improving our legislative and democratic process. 
 
About Delegate David Moon
David Moon is the Majority Leader in the Maryland House of Delegates and currently represents District 20. First elected in 2014, Delegate Moon is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and also chairs the Criminal Law Subcommittee. His past legislative efforts have focused on expanding constitutional rights, promoting criminal justice reform, and defending our diverse communities. Outside of elected office, Delegate Moon works as a grassroots organizer, political consultant and policy attorney. His projects have included work on immigration reform, transit, criminal justice, fair elections, LGBTQ+ rights, civil liberties, youth mobilization and more. Delegate Moon is a Montgomery County native and lives in Takoma Park with his wife Melinda.

Episode 8: Ankit Jain

What exactly is a DC Shadow Senator and how does that role help remedy the lack of representation for District of Columbia residents at the national level? Our guest, Ankit Jain, who is running for the DC Shadow Senator seat, shares how this role is tied to the district’s lack of statehood. Jain also emphasizes how his background fighting for fair elections and democracy reform is important for many communities of color, including immigrants and Asian Americans.
About Ankit Jain
Ankit Jain is currently the DC Shadow Senator, representing Ward 2 in Washington DC. He is also a voting rights attorney for the organization FairVote. Ankit is the son of Indian immigrants who grew up in Fairfax County, VA. Ankit is a champion leader in D.C.’s fight for statehood, for a stronger democracy, and in getting young people involved in local Democratic politics. He is an active member of the D.C. Democrats Statehood Committee, the leadership team for the Make All Votes Count D.C. committee that is advocating for Ranked Choice Voting in D.C. elections, and the Ward 2 Advisory Neighborhood Commission Redistricting Taskforce. He also founded Young Democrats of Ward 2 to get young people more involved within the Ward 2 Democrats. Ankit also interned with the D.C Public Defender Service as an undergrad.
While attending law school at Columbia University, Ankit was one of the lead organizers of the NYC March for Our Lives for stronger gun laws, which drew over 200,000 attendees. He then became President of March for Our Lives Manhattan. Ankit completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago.

Episode 7: 2024 Democratic National Convention

In this special edition of The Blue Dumpling Podcast, we take you inside the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where we chatted with members of the Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Caucus. Hear from a few Asian American elected officials and community leaders about their hopes for the future of AAPI representation and advocacy. We also discuss what it means for the AAPI community at-large to have Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ballot for President.

Episode 6: Lt. Governor Aruna Miller

We're thrilled to have Maryland’s trailblazing Lieutenant Governor, Aruna Miller on this episode of The Blue Dumpling Podcast. As the first woman of color and the first immigrant to hold statewide office in Maryland, she’s broken barriers and is here to share her incredible journey into the world of politics and public service. From her engineering roots to shaping public policy, Aruna reveals how she’s been instrumental in building a government that truly represents the people of Maryland alongside Governor Wes Moore. We also dive into her Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) political engagement efforts and what fuels her optimism for the next generation of AAPI leaders. Don’t miss this powerful conversation with a true pioneer in public service!
About Lt. Governor Aruna MillerMaryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, is the first woman of color and the first immigrant elected to statewide office in Maryland. With a background in civil engineering and a 25-year tenure as a transportation engineer in Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation, Lt. Governor Miller has dedicated her life to public service. Her impactful career includes serving in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018, representing District 15. During her time as a delegate, she championed legislation focused on STEM education, uplifting working families, and protecting the environment. Lt. Governor Miller's story is a testament to her commitment to breaking barriers and advocating for diverse communities.

Episode 5: Bel Leong Hong

With her Maryland roots, trailblazer Ms. Bel Leong Hong has made her mark through political organizing and fundraising at the national level. As chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Asian Committee’s Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Caucus, she has spearheaded a movement of AAPI political engagement for more than two decades. From ensuring AAPI representation at all levels of government to mobilizing AAPI donors for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, Bel emphasizes opening doors for future Asian Americans in politics. Stream this episode to hear how Bel has shattered barriers, championed diversity, and elevated the visibility of AAPIs nationwide.
About Our Guest:
Ms. Bel Leong Hong is an advocate, changemaker and trailblazer. Bel’s foray into politics began when she first stumped for John Kerry for President. She eventually made her way up the ranks in Democratic politics, becoming the Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Caucus. As chair, Bel built a caucus organization that shepherded in a new era of AAPI political growth and engagement for more than two decades. Bel also co-founded the national political action committee, AAPI Victory Fund. She is a powerhouse when it comes to campaigning and fundraising for Presidential, Senatorial, Congressional, and Legislative candidates on the Democratic ticket - especially in Maryland. Outside of politics, she is the CEO and President of Knowledge Advantage, Inc. Before entering politics, she had an astounding career as a federal government public servant, retiring as the highest ranking Asian American civilian in the U.S. Department of Defense. 
 

Episode 4: PIVOT - The Progressive Vietnamese American Organization

The political engagement of Vietnamese Americans is often complex, which is why this episode dives into how to increase their engagement in progressive and Democratic leaning campaigns. Leaders of the Progressive Vietnamese American Organization (PIVOT) sat down with us to explore the interaction between history, culture, language and generational dynamics that shape Vietnamese Americans' involvement in U.S. politics. Our guests also shared how PIVOT is the go-to-source to combat misinformation that is widely circulating within Vietnamese American communities across the nation. Co-Founder and President Dr. Tung Nguyen and Research Lead of PIVOT’s VietFact Check project Nick Nguyen shares their insights to how Vietnamese Americans respond and interact with American politics.
About Our Guests
Dr. Tung Nguyen is the co-founder and president of PIVOT. He fled the Vietnam War as a child refugee. Currently, Dr. Nguyen is a general internist and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. As a community-engaged health equity researcher, Dr. Nguyen has worked with Vietnamese American communities on health promotion projects since 2000. Dr. Nguyen is also the former Chair of President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.Nick Nguyen in the Research Lead of VietFact Check - a PIVOT project that empowers Vietnamese Americans with fact-checked, source-verified analysis and rebuttals in English and Vietnamese to combat the onslaught of misinformation circulating widely in Vietnamese American communities. His parents were refugees from South Vietnam who fled the persecution of the Communist North Vietnamese regime in 1975. Like many Vietnamese Americans, he grew up with conservative politics and became more progressive as his education and career progressed. Nick has spent over two decades of his career in the technology space. Nick joined the PIVOT board to fight the rampant misinformation that affects Vietnamese Americans.

Episode 3: Janelle Wong

The Blue Dumpling Podcast was thrilled to have Dr. Janelle Wong, Senior Researcher of AAPI Data. Dr. Wong delves into the major data trends shaping policy issues and voting behavior within the Asian American community. She shares the intensive survey process to collect data that is inclusive of the diverse, multilingual Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community across the nation. This episode also features a special news round up segment, which uncover pivotal AAPI data that influences the future political landscape in the 2024 elections. Join us as we explore the intersection of data, policy, politics, and the Asian American experience.
Janelle Wong is a Professor in Government & Politics and American Studies at University of Maryland (UMD), College Park. She is also the Director of the Asian American Studies Program at UMD. Wong is the author of Immigrants, Evangelicals and Politics in an Era of Demographic Change (2018, Russell Sage Foundation), Democracy’s Promise: Immigrants and American Civic Institutions (2006, University of Michigan Press) and co-author of two books on Asian American politics, including Asian American Political Participation. Wong has collected data on Asian American political views through surveys for more than two decades and currently is a Senior Researcher with AAPI Data - a nationally recognized publisher of demographic data and policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Wong received her PhD from the Department of Political Science at Yale University. 

Episode 2: Delegate Lily Qi

This episode features Maryland Delegate Lily Qi, who hails from District 15. Delegate Qi, walks us through her journey of how building an AAPI cultural community niche can successfully inform legislation,  increase the democratic participation of Asian Americans, and build a winning strategy for a down-ballot race. Additionally, she shares how her immigrant background influenced her work as a legislator and community leader. Join us as we dive into these important topics as the 2024 MD General Assembly legislative session begins!

Episode 1: Devang Shah

Our inaugural podcast features Devang Shah, Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party AAPI Diversity Leadership Council. During our conversation, we covered several important issues relating to AAPI civic and political life, from increasing political engagement and participation of AAPI communities in swing states to fighting against the Monolithic Myth. Join us for the first conversation of many! 
About our Guest 
Devang Shah is a driving force in the Democratic Party at the national, state, and local level. He is a grassroots leader focused on increasing the political engagement and participation of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.Since 2017, Shah has served as the Chair of the AAPI Diversity Leadership Council and Treasurer of the Maryland Democratic Party. Shah was also elected as the Democratic National Committee delegate for President Joe Biden in 2020, representing Maryland’s Congressional District 6. He is active in recruiting Asian American volunteers from Maryland to help turn out the vote in swing states.
About The Blue Dumpling Podcast
The Blue Dumpling Podcast is a collaborative effort between the Fells Group and PWP Strategies. This podcast aims to bridge the gap in information and awareness surrounding Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in politics and civic life within the state of Maryland. Blue Dumpling will bring forth influential figures from various communities, as well as experts and political strategists who have effectively connected with the AAPI electorate within the Democratic sphere. These conversations will emphasize the importance of reaching out to Asian American communities during elections, share insights to targeting the AAPI community, and demonstrate subject matter expertise in Asian American political engagement and mobilization.