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What Do You Mean By That?Author: Sara and Misasha
Join multi-ethnic co-hosts Sara Misasha - two wickedly smart, heart-led, long-distance best friends - as they help folks talk smarter and think deeper about the world around us. Whether it's about science, history, current events, social justice, or more, their community consists of people who want to be better humans, to benefit all of us. We won't let the fire hose of information overwhelm us. Whether you're a seasoned expert or new to the work, you'll find yourself listening, learning, and feeling inspired to do something new after each episode. If you can never get enough knowledge but also don't want to feel overwhelmed Congratulations, you've found your people. Follow to join a community of curious folks who constantly wonder: what do you mean by that? Language: en Genres: Education, Relationships, Self-Improvement, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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22: Where Do You Belong? Multi-Ethnic Identity and Citizenship with Megumi Nishikura
Tuesday, 24 March, 2026
Sara. Misasha. Megumi. All three of us are the daughter of one Japanese parent and one White parent each. All three of us had dual citizenship with the United States and Japan at one point. But the trajectories of our citizenship are distinctly different, and only one of us holds a Japanese passport now. Are we all still Japanese? Today, we speak with Megumi Nishikura, a documentary filmmaker who focuses on stories not often told in our history books, despite their themes impacting so many of us, Japanese or not. We explore belonging, identity, citizenship, and what history teaches us about where we are now - and the stories we want to carry forward with us. If you've ever wondered if you've belonged, or if you've ever been told you're not ____ enough, we hope you listen, and join our conversation. What to listen for: The small things people - sometimes unintentionally - say that make others feel like they don't belong. What it's like to live in the grey zone between the law and reality when it comes to citizenship and membership in communities. One word: anxiety. How observed demographic changes don't necessarily mean that lived experiences change too much…yet. About Our Guest: Megumi Nishikura is a documentary filmmaker whose work explores identity, belonging, and the cultural intersections between Japan and the world. Her feature documentary film "Hafu - the mixed race experience" screened theatrically throughout Japan and aired on PBS and NipponTV. She produced "Fall Seven Times, Get Up Eight: The Japanese War Brides," which aired globally on BBC World News. In 2019, Megumi directed and produced "Minidoka," a short film about the Japanese American internment experience during WWII, which was published by TIME magazine. She is currently making a film about Japan's Nationality Law and the dual citizenship issue in Japan. When she's not making her own films, Megumi works as a producer on docuseries for major streaming platforms. A few photos from HAFU and her latest film: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JK8VEHfq9dhog5ZSindMVccurZQXcYDj Trailer links: Hafu - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j_wQQZY-OE&t=1s War Brides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc0cpMPmMeU Minidoka - https://vimeo.com/384081882?fl=pl&fe=sh
