Be proud of your heritage. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Know who you are. Know where you came from. Learn the road your fore-parents came, so you don’t go through the same experience. Free yourself. You may not have chains around your legs, but you may have chains around your mind. Break loose from the chains. Find your true identity.

- Malcolm X

WORKSHOPS / LECTURES AVAILABLE:

Asian Americans are more represented than ever in media and society, yet we remain invisible in the public eye and the target of increasing hate crimes. In addition to external forces that render us invisible–like Racism and White Supremacy–we also render ourselves invisible through the internal forces of guilt, shame, self-doubt, and inter-generational trauma. The repression of this emotional pain buries it even deeper until we are ready to explode.

In this workshop, participants will learn how to combat both the external and internal forces of invisibility by understanding the root causes of both, how they affect us, and how we have the power to overcome them. Participants will be given tangible tools to heal themselves, heal others, and be seen.

Workshop presentation followed by interactive physical, vocal, and somatic exercises developed from therapy practices, public speaking techniques, and psychological research, and can be tailored to fit the specific needs (length, content) of your organization.

What does it mean to be Asian American?

...Stop asking the question and start answering it.

With more Asian Americans than ever involved in the arts, sports, culture, politics, entrepreneurship and beyond, we are poised to create a distinctive identity, rooted in our unique experiences, that sets us apart from other communities but also brings us together in our shared experience as marginalized peoples. But the big question is, what will that identity look like? What IS Asian American culture?

This workshop will cover the history of Asian American culture and introduce the revolutionary notion of "cultural synthesis". Now, more than ever, we need more than just cultural competency–which is merely code switching–we need self-determined individuals who are armed with cultural agency to be able to change the culture around them.

Workshop presentation followed by interactive exercises developed from cultural research, and can be tailored to fit the specific needs (length, content) of your organization.

How can you influence others, speak your truth, AND boost your self-esteem at the same time? TELL YOUR STORY.

Our brains are wired to use stories to navigate the world and to understand ourselves and others. But so often we are discouraged from using these gifts, that many of us have forgotten how. Ryan Takemiya has developed a curriculum that will help you find your voice and learn how to use it.

This multifaceted workshop touches on story structure, mythology, and even neuroscience to help you understand how stories engage the mind (and even change our brain chemistry!). Vocal and psycho-somatic exercises will help you strengthen your voice, and you will learn how to engage an audience of any size. Amplifying your voice with the power of storytelling could unlock your potential in all aspects of life. The world deserves to hear your unique voice. So…what's your story?

Workshop presentation followed by interactive journaling, physical, vocal, and somatic exercises developed from professional writers, therapy practices, public speaking techniques, and psychological research, and can be tailored to fit the specific needs (length, content) of your organization.

Every day, Asian Americans are triggered by toxic invisibility and sent into cycles of shame and anxiety. This creates a negative personal narrative that lowers our self-esteem, making us less likely to take risks, speak out, and become effective leaders. Changing that personal narrative requires constant internal work.

This workshop will teach participants how to regulate their nervous systems and rewire their brains to tell a different story about themselves. Using concepts from neuroscience and techniques from therapy/psychology participants will learn how to deactivate their stress response, craft their stress experience into a story, and then share that story with others for emotional validation, all for the purpose of positive identity formation.

Workshop features presentation followed by interactive physical, vocal, and somatic exercises developed from therapy practices, public speaking techniques, and psychological research, and can be tailored to fit the specific needs (length, content) of your organization.

Want to learn more?