Rice & Shine

It's our junior year (aka the most stressful) and so we sit down to talk about how our first round of finals as juniors went. As we talk, the conversation turns into the pressure for us to succeed. The conversation gets deep as we talk about our competitive school, being compared to our siblings, and the pressure we put on ourselves.

After a week of finals, we decide to make a short and sweet episode about the generation gap between us and our grandparents. We discuss the factors that play into our distance from them--the language gap, geographical separation, and differences in attitudes.

Being fed up with Tik-Tok "Glow-Up" challenges, today we decide to talk about what glow-ups mean to us. We reminisce about our glow-ups whether they be physical, mental, or emotional.

TW for discussions of gun violence and school violence. Our school went into lockdown this week, so we decided to talk about our experiences. We recount what was going through our heads in the moment, what the school should do better, the what-ifs of the situation, and our anger at what the lockdown was actually called for. Link to article on the lockdown: https://mihsislander.org/8813/features/false-report-of-armed-burglary-caused-mihs-lockdown/

We're back!! We've had a long hiatus caused by a corrupted audio file and winter break, but that creates some fun stories to tell. In this catch-up episode, we talk about what we did over break, the best holiday gifts, and our New Years' resolutions (or lack of them).

After a snow day, we decided to talk about some of our past snow day experiences. We chat about sledding, the myth of seeing the first snow with your true love, and how eventful (or not) our snow day was.

In the midst of thanksgiving chaos, Sophie took a step back to talk to Michelle Ritter about students' mental health. Michelle works with various organizations on Mercer Island to take care of students' mental health across the school district. Sophie and Michelle talk about the projects and campaigns she has brought to life and what inspires her to do what she does.

TW: discussions of gun violence In response to the Ingraham High School shooting, we decide to speak out on how we feel about our safety in our school. We talk about how real it became when the shooting was 20 miles away from us and what change we need to see. This is a heavy topic, so as always our DMs (@riceandshinepodcast) and email (riceandshinepod@gmail.com) are open Use your voice to speak out More information on gun violence in America: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/02/mass-shootings-in-2022/

The ick is a topic that has taken the internet by storm, defined as "something someone does that makes you instantly hate the idea of being with them romantically". In this week's episode, we dive into icks we have, icks we've seen go viral, and discuss whether the ick is a valid basis for no longer liking someone.

With Halloween being this week we decided to talk about the problematic side of Halloween costumes: cultural appropriation. As we discuss we get into where things deemed as problematic come from, and talk about our personal guidelines when assessing if something is offensive or not.

In this episode, we discuss the internet's favorite recent topic: the Ned Fulmer cheating scandal. As the conversation shifts away from the YouTube star himself, we question why celebrities take up so much media space over more serious topics and debate whether we can separate art from artists.

After a mixup in plans, we decide to go back to one of our favorite topics--MBTI. Listen to us take the test, explain our answers, and break down our results. We reflect on how our results have changed and what exactly impacted them.

With Lauren out of town, Ava, Sophie, and Grace explore the idea of family. In the chaotic nature of life, many of us have one thing to fall back on--family. But what does that word entail? Blood-related or not, today we uncover the meaning of "family" and the roles ours have in our lives.

After getting so pumped up on the SAT topic in the last episode, we decided to go all out in this week's to talk about standardized testing, college counselors, our competitive school, and our future lives in the American college system. With some tear-jerking moments in the end, this episode is truly a time capsule into our teenage lives.

After the summer break, we are back with season three of Rice & Shine! In this episode, we give a quick recap of our sophomore year and summers, talk about the future of Rice & Shine, and discuss our worries and what we're looking forward to as juniors. Here are the links we referenced in this episode: Ava wins a Toyota art competition: https://www.mi-reporter.com/news/mercer-islands-yeh-rolls-to-victories-in-toyota-art-contest/ The first vlog Lauren made: https://youtu.be/3QnBdDgPuPA Lauren makes vlogs for KMIH: https://youtu.be/_IRaRVwT8F0

Sophie and Lauren are back for a duo episode to dive into their experiences as student-athletes. They get candid about their years playing volleyball, the ups and downs of various teams, and why they eventually quit.

In this week episode, Grace and Ava discuss the term “Tiger Parent” by unpacking its origin in media, the traits of the parenting style, and examining whether or not they have true Tiger Parents. Links: On Amy Chua: https://www.npr.org/2011/01/11/132833376/tiger-mothers-raising-children-the-chinese-way Amy Chua Website: https://www.amychua.com/

With how the past weeks have played out, we decided to talk about Asian Pacific-Islander excellence together! In this episode, we highlight our favorite API people in film, music, business, and talent in our community. Link to donate to Sophia's upcoming film: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sophias-short-film?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

With the recent leaked Supreme Court draft suggesting the Roe v. Wade case be overturned, there has been a lot of back and forth between various sides. Yet with all of this discourse, teens' perspectives seem to be rarely shown. Today, we decide to use our platform to provide this perspective. As always, everything in this piece is our own opinion. Link to the latest news on the Roe v. Wade standing from NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/abortion-news

It's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2022! To celebrate, we have set up a new series highlighting people we think represent AAPI excellence. In this episode, we give some teasers for our upcoming series, talk about the unity of AAPI Heritage Month, and give a few ways you can help celebrate and uplift the AAPI community this month and all year.

We're back with another Asians On-Screen! Turning Red has turned heads on its representation and diversity, so today we put that to the test as we give our analysis and opinions on the film. We discuss the depth of the characters, give our thoughts on Ming, celebrate the woman-forward attitude of the movie, and much more.

If you're looking for a good laugh, you've come to the right place! We initially planned on this episode being about the world "going back to normal" after COVID, but after a long day with tough exams and spring break around the corner, we welcomed the chaos as we talked (and laughed) about whatever came to mind. With Starbucks in hand, we talked about our plans going into spring break, middle school memories, our opinions on theme parks, Phineas and Ferb, and much more. Make sure to check out the article we were featured in here: https://www.k12dive.com/news/3-ways-podcasting-can-strengthen-core-academic-skills/620705/

After a break, we're back to talk about representation! We realized we never talked about representation head-on, so in this episode, we tackle all things representation. We show love for Shang-Chi, Doogie Kamealoha M.D., Bruno Mars, and TwoSet Violin. As well as get deeper as we pick apart the idea of Hollywood recycling Asian actors, and discuss representation (and lack thereof) in our community. While we were gone, we had a super cool article written about us and other student podcasters! Check it out here: https://www.k12dive.com/news/3-ways-podcasting-can-strengthen-core-academic-skills/620705/

In the second installment of the relationships series, Grace and Sophie unpack their previous relationship failures and successes. They discuss first crushes, Sophie's successful path to dating her crush, and Grace's mindset when having crushes.

Starting with a simple, "what have you been up to?" to catch up, we realize that we have not been doing so well. So, today we decompress all the stress as we talk about: our anxieties around the future, all our efforts to complete various applications, our academic strengths, and how much we've changed since last year.

With the holiday just around the corner, today we talk about everything Valentine's Day-related: childhood celebrity crushes, what candy we would give out in elementary school, what candy is the best, and our thoughts on Valentine's Day now as teenagers.

With Sophie & Ava out, we, Lauren & Grace, talk about our experience seeing Eric Nam live on his "There & Back Again" tour. We give a rundown of the night with the long wait to get in, seeing Lyn Lapid open, and Eric's incredible performance. We express our love for Lyn and her music and Eric with his professionalism, stage presence, and great voice. OUR CONCERT VLOG IS UP! https://youtu.be/3QnBdDgPuPA

Today we sit down and talk about Axel Webber's path to fame. Axel first made his impact on the internet with his charismatic videos showing the deromanticized side of New York life. As his fame amassed, some of his fans took shots at Julliard for rejecting him in the past. In this episode, we reflect on how much of an influence social media really is, as it was able to hold power over the world-renowned Julliard.

DISCLAIMERS: Everything in this episode reflects our own opinions; although we have done our research, not everything is fact-checked. Today, we sit down and get candid about COVID and the Omicron variant. With this being our third COVID episode, things are a little different. Grace talks about her experience contracting the virus, and we all share our concerns surrounding Omicron. Link to MISD COVID Dashboard: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/e/2PACX-1vQluJUxA6nr1vD4CquD0NStaw-aCNNk8tKI8W7kJ_odTRceGRSvSLkG1U3zRzcdtOzuibl2eFc3V7I5/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true&urp=gmail_link&gxids=7628 Link to petition for an online learning option: https://www.change.org/p/superintendent-donna-colosky-tell-the-mercer-island-school-district-to-return-to-online-school?redirect=false

With no specific plan, we sat down and talked about anything that came to mind. In this chaotic episode, we talked about: the butterfly effect, the logic behind seating charts, elementary school math, our short attention spans, and Sophie's obsession with using literary terms.

Today we celebrate one year of Rice & Shine! We reflect on our growth, talk highs and lows, and look forward to many more years to come.

Inspired by the New York Times article "A New Look For a New World", today we break down the creative outlet of makeup and discuss the idea of a male and female gaze. We ask where the middle ground is between the male and female gaze, reflect on our makeup journey and our struggles balancing feminity and masculinity, as well as look towards a near future with no gender roles. Check out the article that inspired this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/style/post-lockdown-makeup-looks.html?searchResultPosition=1

Today we talk to Yordanos Gebreamlak from the Washington state Office of Education Ombuds. We discuss about what Ombuds do, what's changed since COVID, and appreciate the OEO. Find all OEO contact here: https://www.oeo.wa.gov/en OEO intake form: https://services.oeo.wa.gov/oeo Interpreters are available for all OEO resources!

With Lauren and Ava out (aka the unemotional people), Grace and Sophie take the opportunity to reminisce on their past relationships of all sorts and share some advice. Listen in as they talk about boundaries, affection, and their thought on dating in high school.

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* With Grace out, the crazy sleepover energy is brought back as we talk about the 2018 Chinese drama, Meteor Garden. The episode gets pretty chaotic as we remember the bizarre plot points and characters. Sophie expresses her affection for the main love interest, while Lauren and Ava realize Sophie conned both of them into watching the show with her. Although this episode may not make sense to those who haven't seen Meteor Garden, laugh along with us as we go back down the rabbit hole of this show!

*CONTAINS SPOILERS* Today, we revive the Asians On-Screen series to talk about the wildly popular Squid Game. We discuss the good and the bad of Squid Game's impact. Ava talks about Squid Game art, Grace gives us some cultural background, Lauren shows her appreciation for the cast, Sophie assesses if she would make it through Squid Game, and we all figure out which characters we would be. Link to Liberty in North Korea: https://linktr.ee/libertyinnorthkorea

Happy Halloween! (Or happy whenever you're listening) In this episode, we tell our Halloween stories, talk about costumes, and show our love for Big Hero Six

Lately, the Rice & Shine team has been going through a rough patch, so today we sit down and talk through it. We discuss our changed dynamic, why we've decided to push through, but also give advice to ourselves and others who struggle with friendship.

Needing a break week, we air an old un-released episode. Back in August we talked about our city Mercer Island, addressed its stereotypes and the truth they hold.

We're back for Season 2 of Rice & Shine! In this episode, we talk back to school stress, covid concerns with in-person school, how we attempt to balance school with extracurriculars, and the highs and lows of our sophomore year so far. We are back and will be regularly updating! Make sure to stay updated with us whether that be following us on your favorite podcast platform, or following our Instagram: @riceandshinepodcast !

Today we discuss our thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) and technology and the impacts on our lives. From minor issues such as Siri activating unintentionally to more serious concerns regarding personal security, we weigh the pros and cons.

Today we bring the heat as we talk about climate change (pun intended). We discuss how we handled the Pacific Northwest heat wave, talk about our concern for the planet's & our future, show appreciation for Greta Thunberg, and give our tips on how to stay eco-friendly.

In a continuation of our interviews with LGBTQ+ AAPI people, we are joined by film writer and director Sarah Kambe Holland! We get the background on her upcoming film, Egghead & Twinkie, discuss the importance of representation, and she speaks on her identity as a queer woman in the film industry. Check out the trailer for Egghead & Twinkie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=231owwkDnY0

Today we're joined by a new friend, Ren (@ren1_59 on TikTok)! We ask about his TikTok fame and influence, the struggles of being a queer creator, and his life in Australia. Find him on TikTok @ren1_59 and on Instagram @1_59cmr

You read that right! Our freshman year has come to a close, and with that, we reflect on what an odd year this has been. Lauren appreciated the unique opportunities the COVID situation brought us, Sophie talked about trying to enjoy the "once in a lifetime" experience, Ava gave her advice to incoming freshmen, and Grace talked about thriving as an extrovert in the hybrid system. Don't worry, although the school year is over, Rice & Shine will be continuing over the summer!

Last week we had an episode in which we talked about the deeply rooted sexism of traditional dress codes in school. Today we interview Jordin, an 8th grader at a middle school in Kennewick, Washington. Jordin got dress-coded, challenged the authority, and today she tells her story.

Although our school year has been dominated by zoom, dress codes are still prevalent. Especially with Bartram Trail High School making headlines by digitally altering girls' yearbook photos. Today we sit down to discuss our personal experience with dress codes, their sexist and body type-phobic ways, as well as seek change for dress codes and sexism in the future.

With TikTok seeming to be the app of the year (or past 3), today we sit down to discuss its pros and cons. From its strong hold on pop culture to its problematic security, we each voice our thoughts on the app and determine whether TikTok is a blessing or a curse for each of us.

With Sophie and Lauren out of town for volleyball, Grace and Ava lead this episode alone, discussing their thoughts and experiences regarding performative activism. They talk about what "Performative Activism" means and how they have encountered it, while Grace shares some personal stories. Links to some helpful articles: - https://www.dearasianyouth.org/post/how-to-combat-performative-activism - https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/ally-or-actor-how-to-avoid-the-trap-of-performative-activism-ana-white/ - https://www.google.com/amp/s/forge.medium.com/amp/p/c900645d9f1f As always, feel free to reach out to us on Instagram @riceandshinepodcast, or send us an email at riceandshinepod@gmail.com

Trigger Warning at 17:30 for mentions of suicide. This week, we take a deeper dive into the mental health of students, specifically South Korean students. Grace shares her parent's stories of being students in one of the top performing academic countries in the world. We compare the academic systems of South Korea to our schools and share how we deal with the stress surrounding education and our futures. In the midst of important exams and finals, we hope our words can help you in some way. If you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, we're here for you. Reach out to us on Instagram @riceandshinepodcast, or send us an email at riceandshinepod@gmail.com

After a week-long break, we are back with new content! While we were gone, we did an interview with Radio Survivor. Now with high school seemingly going back to normal, we reflect on the current hybrid system. We compare and contrast the online-only system with the hybrid system, voice our concerns, and appreciate our teachers. Link to the interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zqJZSwz7xAPWK3KOXzDoO?si=WO1ZN7J3RYuDLfmqEk-ZNQ Link to our old episode about online only: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4P3HLf4MRsQqfUUFkHHwP5?si=nIRWCquSTHCPdcQ49M-bzQ

This week we hop back on the K-Pop train as we discuss the industry's flaws: unrealistic beauty standards, disregard for mental health, controlling rules, creepy fans, the list goes on. We discuss our concern for idols' mental health and hope for a future of better treatment.

In a continuation of our "get to know you" episodes, today we channel the sleepover vibe as we dive into hypothetical and most-likely-to questions. From rants about Mark Lee to deep mental health discussions, this episode is sure to entertain everyone.

This week, the team reflects on the beauty standards of Asian and western countries and how they have impacted their lives. We become as vulnerable as ever as we unpack our insecurities and share the stories of our journeys to self-love along with what has helped us feel at peace with our self-image. Keep an eye out for announcements about Sophie's upcoming solo mental-health series on our Instagram (@riceandshinepodcast)!

You've heard the team talk about their passions, but today they take a deep dive into their extracurricular activities. Extracurriculars can be daunting, with the feeling of the college board watching. But today, the pressure is taken off as they discuss their hobbies, how they got into them, their past passions, and much more.

In today's episode, get to know the hosts better as the Rice & Shine team reflect on their own personalities and analyze each other's (accidentally turning into a compliment battle). Also discussed is self-growth, the pressure (or motivator) of end goals, and the bond between the hosts.

Bathrooms, spas, trains, food, make a world (or country) of a difference. With the hosts of Rice & Shine having different cultural backgrounds, today we compare and contrast our countries with each other and America.

Whether you're a parent, a child, or somewhere in between, the Rice & Shine team is here to discuss their thoughts on parenting. We reflect on our parents and their ways as well as envision our possible future as parents.

After two weeks of covering heavy topics, today we take a breather as we retreat back to our "virtual sleepover" roots. We crank up the late-night talk vibe as Sophie tells the story of her "I love you trauma", Lauren's inner theatre kid jumps out, Grace longs for simpler days, and Ava talks about her first grade art tantrum.