EP 6 – Living in the grey areas

Alisa Tanaka-King is Japanese/Australian and lives in Creswick on Dja Dja Wurrung country.

We chat about:

• Stereotypes about mixed asian families

• When people say you're lucky to be bilingual

• Looking more Japanese as a child

• Parents crushing your dreams of being an actor

• Being biracial in media

• The grey areas of tokenism

• The most “diverse” person in the room

• The influence of mixed identity on Alisa’s many art practices

• Who can claim traditions? Who can create fusions?

• Japanese week on the Great British Bake-off

• Cultural appropriation v cultural appreciation

• “Stop Asian Hate”

• Playing games with people when they ask “where are you from?”

• Japan as an insular nation

• Naomi Osaka

Mixed Media: You can find out more about Alisa’s art here: https://www.alisatanakaking.com/

Guest: Alisa Tanaka-King

Edited by: Maria Birch-Morunga