Hibiku Kotoba is a brand new podcast series we are launching this Fall! With a new podcast we hope to outreach through a new medium to an ever growing community. When translated, Hibiku Kotoba means “Resonating Words” and we hope that this podcast will reach you, family and friends and spark conversations that will bring ideas and people together from all backgrounds.
Kathleen Wong – a former J-Sei staff – will be the host and producer of the show. She will be interviewing local AANHPI leaders, creatives, innovators and more, and will cover topics from art to health and culture to advocacy. Along the way, she hopes to gain insights and perspective from the people she interviews and share new things along the way. Join us on this brand new adventure!
J-Sei is a Japanese-American, multi-generational and multi-cultural organization with its roots in Nikkei values and culture located in the East Bay. Visit the website: https://j-sei.org/
Wendy Tokuda, the First Asian American Primetime News Anchor in the Bay Area
In episode 13 of Hibiku Kotoba, retired news anchor of KPIX 5 and KRON 4 and the first Asian American primetime news anchor in the Bay Area, Wendy Tokuda, joins Kathleen. In this episode, Wendy shares her origins as a field reporter from a Seattle news station and how she made her way to the Bay Area and eventually became a primetime news anchor for 6pm and 11pm (before turning 30!). Both discuss the stories Wendy has reported on that has resonated with her the most - covering the Japanese incarceration camps with a personal story of her mother and highlighting low-income students in her special series, "Students Rising Above" which won multiple awards and is now a professionally run nonprofit organization.
Listen and subscribe to Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and J-Sei's YouTube Channel! Episodes out monthly.
26 Aug 2026
Janet Nagamine, Hikari Farms, and Honoring Legacy through Farming
On episode 12 of Hibiku Kotoba, Janet Nagamine of Hikari Farms joins the podcast. From medical doctor turned farmer, Janet shares her story why and how she decided to run her parents' farm now. Kathleen and Janet also talk about the challenges of running a small but mighty organic farm, the nuances of local food sourcing, and what you can do to help support your local organic farm. There is a likelihood that you may have bought a Hikari Farm vegetable at your local Bay Area supermarket or farmers' market!
Subscribe and listen to Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and J-Sei's YouTube channel!
29 Jul 2026
Dale Minami on the Korematsu v. United States Case and the Future of USA's Legal System
Lauded and tenured civil rights attorney Dale Minami joins Hibiku Kotoba with Kathleen. Together they talk and revisit the landmark Supreme Court Case, Korematsu v United States, and Dale's experience leading a group of motivated legal team to overturn a 40 year long conviction. Dale and Kathleen also talk about the similarities of that case, the Japanese American incarceration in the early 1940s, and the current political events as well as Dale's hope and advice for the future of USA's judicial and legal system.
You can listen to Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and J-Sei's YouTube channel. Subscribe to listen to new episodes monthly.
24 Jun 2026
Asian Food Culture in the Bay Area and "Meals That Made Us" with Nisha Balaram
Documentary film director, producer, and editor Nisha Balaram joins Kathleen on Hibiku Kotoba as they talk about Nisha's beginnings as an environmental reporter and how Nisha made a career pivot into visual media and founding her own production company, Mystery Squid Films. Premiering her most recent documentary film, "Meals That Made Us" at the 44th Annual CAAMFest, the film showcases the unique Asian diaspora of the Bay Area, their food culture and the reminder that food brings us together. In the film also shares a beautiful segment on J-Sei's Nutrition Program Chef, Yuji Ishikata and his story with food and community. Kathleen and Nisha talk about the film's conception and process, and what Nisha found gratifying about the topic and what's next for her.
You can follow "Meals That Made Us" on @mealsthatmadeusfilm and Nisha's production company @mysterysquidfilms to see her other fabulous work.
Listen and subscribe to Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and J-Sei's YouTube Channel!
27 May 2026
Soleil Ho on Food Writing and Independent Journalism
Food writer and journalist Soleil Ho joins Kathleen on this episode of Hibiku Kotoba. Coming to the Bay Area in 2019, Soleil was the restaurant and food critic of SF Chronicle during the pandemic and is a co-founder of the worker-owned independent news outlet, Coyote Media Collective. They share their story on how they became a food writer after working in the restaurant industry for a decade, on what it's like writing a cookbook (plus a great snippet of what kind of cookbook Soleil would like to write), and why independent journalism is and will always be important.
You can find Soleil's work at soleilho.com (https://soleilho.com/) and at coyotemedia.org (https://www.coyotemedia.org/). They can also be found on Instagram and Bluesky at @soleilho.
Listen and follow Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and J-Sei's YouTube channel.
4 May 2026
CAAMFest 2026 Special: "The Only Language She Knows" with Steven Okazaki & Genny Lim
In a special episode to celebrate CAAM's 44th Annual CAAMFest, Oscar-winner director Steven Okazaki and San Francisco's first Chinese American poet laureate Genny Lim joins Hibiku Kotoba as they talk about their short documentary film, The Only Language She Knows. Directed by Steven Okazaki and produced by Amy Hill, The Only Language She Knows was filmed over 40 years ago in SF Chinatown and covers an intimate portrait of Genny Lim, her two daughters, and mother. Recently restored and remastered, this film will be shown for the first time at CAAMFest in more than 40 years. In this episode, Kathleen interviews both Steven and Genny about why they made this film, what it meant to them, and the important reminder of why creativity should be explored freely with minimum constraints.
You can watch this rare screening on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 1PM at the Koret Auditorium Main Library. Steven and Genny will have a post-screening Q&A. Listen to this episode before you go! Register for tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-only-language-she-knows-featuring-sf-poet-laureate-genny-lim-caamfest-tickets-1988020544966?aff=oddtdtcreator (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-only-language-she-knows-featuring-sf-poet-laureate-genny-lim-caamfest-tickets-1988020544966?aff=oddtdtcreator).
Listen to Hibiku Kotoba on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or J-Sei's YouTube channel.
29 Apr 2026
Musician and Composer Erika Oba on Connecting Music with Activism
In this episode of Hibiku Kotoba, musician and composer Erika Oba joins Kathleen as they talk about Erika's musical journey as well as her special composition she did with her sister for the Fresno Philharmonic for David "Mas" Masumoto's family autobiography. Through her compositions, she finds the connection with music and activism and how that can bring awareness and conversation among musicians and listeners alike. You can listen to Erika's work on erikaoba.com (http://erikaoba.com/).
25 Mar 2026
Dr. Jeffrey Velotta and the Importance of Early Cancer Screening
In this episode of Hibiku Kotoba, Dr. Jeffrey Velotta joins Kathleen as they talk about his career as a cardiothoracic surgeon and his current research in the rise of lung cancer cases among non-smoking Asian women and men. Dr. Velotta shares how his years in residency helped his career expertise, but moving back to the Bay Area in 2014 he realized the importance of representation in the medical field and currently advocates for patients' health and well-being, specifically those in the Asian diaspora. His mission to reframe how both doctors and patients approach healthcare specifically for lung cancer patients is a remarkable feat that is gradually making an impact, and why community outreach is just one step of the process to help one another through an unfamiliar and emotional journey.
You can read the journey of one of his patients' journey here: https://go2.org/blog/get-rid-of-the-mothership-and-why-surgery-still-matters-in-stage-4-iv-lung-cancer-glens-story/ (https://go2.org/blog/get-rid-of-the-mothership-and-why-surgery-still-matters-in-stage-4-iv-lung-cancer-glens-story/)
25 Feb 2026
Ema Ryan Yamazaki, Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker
In episode 6 of Hibiku Kotoba, Oscar-nominated and award-winning documentary filmmaker Ema Ryan Yamazaki joins Kathleen on the podcast. Together they talk about Ema's origin story as a filmmaker, her menteeship with Sam Pollard, and all three of her feature films along with her Oscar-nominated "Instruments of a Beating Heart. Ema's decision to go back to Japan and create documentary films about Japanese society is to share to the world her experiences as a Japanese person and to showcase the nuances of living in a country where culture is deeply instilled in every part of its society. For aspiring documentary filmmakers, this episode is definitely worth listening to as she shares her insight and advice for those who also want to be a documentary filmmaker.
You can watch her Oscar-nominated short film "Instruments of a Beating Heart" on the NYT Opinions YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRW0auOiqm4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRW0auOiqm4)
22 Jan 2026
Mayor Adena Ishii, First Asian American Mayor of Berkeley
In this episode of Hibiku Kotoba, Mayor Adena Ishii of Berkeley joins Kathleen as they talk about Mayor Ishii's remarkable journey on becoming the first Asian American Mayor of the city of Berkeley. Throughout the episode, they discuss how important it is to be engaged in local communities and politics, and how Mayor Ishii strives to bring together people of all generations and backgrounds to achieve a better, safer community for all.
17 Dec 2025
Tim Kawakami, Sports Journalism, and What It Takes To Be One
In episode 4 of Hibiku Kotoba, Tim Kawakami joins Kathleen as they talk about his incredible career as a sports journalist spanning nearly 40 years. Starting out as a beat writer in the late 80s for the Philadelphia Eagles, Tim found his stride and continued his path to cover the LA Lakers, LA Rams, Oscar de la Hoya and eventually came back to his Bay Area roots to cover the 49ers and Warriors. Have a listen to this episode as Tim shares his experiences from beat writer to columnist to editor-in-chief and what it was like covering Bay Area sports for different newspapers.
Tim is now at the SF Standard where you can read his work at their sports section. You can also listen to Tim's podcast, The TK Show, where he goes more in-depth with the sports he writes about in a more grounded and coversational way.
26 Nov 2025
Kelly Goto on UX Design & Research, Cultural Preservation and New Book "Seattle Samurai"
In episode 3 of Hibiku Kotoba, Kathleen talks with Kelly Goto, a globally renowned lecturer in the UX design and research industry and founder of gotomedia and gotoresearch. The two talk about Kelly's journey into the UX and tech industry and her newly published book, "Seattle Samurai." "Seattle Samurai" covers the life of Sam Goto, Kelly's father, as a cartoonist for the comic strip "Seattle Tomodachi" as well as Japanese American history in the US and in the Pacific Northwest. Together they discuss the latter's full circle from physical media to tech and back, the incredible conception of "Seattle Samurai" and the importance of cultural preservation.
You can learn more about Kelly and her journey here: kellygoto.com (http://kellygoto.com/) and about "Seattle Samurai" here: seattlesamurai.com (http://seattlesamurai.com/)
22 Oct 2025
Mia Ayumi Malhotra and Continuing Culture and Heritage through Poetry
In the second episode of Hibiku Kotoba, Kathleen interviews Mia Ayumi Malhotra, a Bay Area Yonsei poet, editor and author. They talk about Mia's journey in writing, poetry, its hardships and joys, and how she found a deeper connection with her Nikkei roots while working on her most recent publication, Mothersalt. In Mothersalt, Mia shares her experiences of motherhood from pregancy to child-rearing.
Mia shares her poem, "To My Many Mothers, Issei and Nisei" from her book "Isako, Isako" to close the episode. You can find Mia and her works on her website: https://miamalhotra.com/ (https://miamalhotra.com/)
Anthologies mentioned:
The Gate of Memory: Poems by Descendants of Nikkei Wartime Incarceration (https://www.thegateofmemory.com/)
They Rise Like a Wave: An Anthology of Asian American Women Poets (https://itascabooks.com/products/they-rise-like-a-wave-an-anthology-of-asian-american-women-poets)
24 Sept 2025
Former & New Executive Directors of J-Sei
In this episode, Kathleen talks with former Executive Director of J-Sei, Diane Wong, and newest Executive Director of J-Sei, Ky Lam. They talk about their backgrounds, their experience in the nonprofit world, what their excited for in that space and what hopes for the future of J-Sei as an organization.
Hibiku Kotoba is produced by Kathleen Wong and thanks to J-Sei and the K/T Foundation for their support.
24 Sept 2025
Welcome to Hibiku Kotoba!
Welcome to Hibiku Kotoba, J-Sei's newest podcast with host and producer Kathleen Wong. Episodes will drop monthly.
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