Sandra Pham: Hey y'all, I'm Sandra Pham.
Minh Vu: And I'm Minh Vu.
Welcome to Asian in Austin.
Sandra, I'm really excited for our guest this month.
We've got Jenni Lee.
She's an investigative reporter and midday anchor in KVUE, and it got me to thinking
about my own dabbling in high school.
We had this broadcast journalism course or elective that we could take,
and I was actually like a morning news anchor for our high school.
It's been like really long since I've thought about that, but I don't know.
It just came up.
I'm curious if that was ever anything that you got involved with in high school.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, I think I've shared in previous episodes.
So my career aspirations growing up were actually to be like Oprah, Lisa Ling.
We grew up with them on TV, but we didn't see a whole lot of representation there.
I did actually-- I was in journalism throughout high school as well as college.
I actually got into thinking I want to do broadcast journalism.
I'm super excited to have Jenni on.
It gives me a glimpse of what could have been if I had pursued
the profession, but ultimately, I switched careers and I'm in marketing
now, but, yeah, I'm super excited
to have her on the show.
Minh Vu: Did you ever have to do the morning announcements or what,
when you were in high school, what was like, is it yearbook or what?
Sandra Pham: I did yearbook and newspaper.
So it was a lot of interviewing, it would cover our Friday night football game or,
the controversy about our lunch menu or...
Minh Vu: I was a news anchor with one of my good friends, Elizabeth Trovall,
and she's like a great reporter now doing national news stories and stuff.
And she followed that path, but I never really did.
I was her like camera person.
She was like the on-air talent and also just like the actual
incredibly talented journalist.
And I definitely was like, on-air talent too, I guess in high school,
but yeah, it's just it's funny to come full circle a little bit and have
the opportunity to bring Jenni on.
So I'm really excited.
Sandra Pham: Obviously, podcasting was not around when we were, or
it was just starting around that time when we were in high school.
So I think it just shows that we always had an interest in storytelling.
It's just manifested in a little bit of a unique way here.
Minh Vu: Yeah.
All right.
Let's just get into the episode.
I'm going to read a little bit more about Jenni and then we'll switch
over to the interview Jenni Lee is an investigative reporter and midday
anchor at KVUE in Austin, Texas.
She joined the KVUE news team in June 2015 as the weekend daybreak
anchor and a weekday reporter, but the veteran journalist has worked
in the Austin TV market since 2001 before arriving in Austin.
Jenni worked in Bryan --College Station after graduating from UT Austin.
For more than 20 years now, Jenni has been breaking and covering stories important
to the community and to the world.
Her work has been recognized by several organizations, the Texas Associated
Press of Broadcasters, the Lone Star Emmy Chapter, to name a few, and most recently,
the Texas Medical Association in 2023.
But the award she remembers the most is her 7th place ribbon in gymnastics for
her beam routine in the 8th grade regional competition, and we'll learn a little
bit more about that in the interview.
Jenni was born and raised in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas.
She's married and has a son and adopted two crazy rescue dogs
and is raising all of them.
You can catch Jenni anchoring Midday News from 11am to 12pm Monday through
Friday on KVUE So let's get into it.
Hi, Jenni.
Welcome to Asian in Austin podcast.
Jenni Lee: Hi guys.
It's so good to be here.
Sandra Pham: Yeah.
We're so excited to have you.
I know it's a busy time for you.
So yeah.
So I appreciate you coming on.
We love to open the episode and tell our listeners about yourself.
So would you share your ethnicities and pronouns and any other identities?
Jenni Lee: Sure.
I'm Chinese American.
I prefer she and her.
Family is from Hong Kong and Shanghai.
So people are thinking, Oh, where in China, big country.
That's where they're from.
But I was born in Dallas, Richardson, specifically suburb of Dallas.
I was born up there.
Raised there for a few years, actually went back to Hong Kong for
several years, and then came back.
that's a little bit of my background.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, very cool.
Well, thanks so much for spending your time with us.
Minh Vu: Yeah, like Sandra said, we're super happy to have you on the show.
First, I have to say, so I grew up in Pflugerville.
And I grew up watching you over the years and you were one of kind
of the first local Asian faces that I was able to see on screen.
So it's, I'm a little bit freaking out right now that we have you on
the show and I'm just so appreciative to be able to chat with you.
And so I think I'm curious, where did.
journalism fall in line for you in terms of a career that you wanted to pursue.
How did that begin?
Jenni Lee: I think officially it began in high school.
I was part of our high school papers called The Rampage.
But even before that, the curiosity gene bit me.
I was always asking why and wondering how does something happen?
How did this become this?
in retrospect, it started a lot earlier, but officially.
In high school, I wanted to be a newspaper reporter when I went to U.
T.
Austin.
I wanted to be a magazine reporter.
And then when I did my thousands of internships with TV stations, that's
when I knew I wanted to do TV, the immediacy of it, just the adrenaline
rush of live TV that kind of bit me.
And I've loved it ever since.
Sandra Pham: Jenni, what's so funny is I haven't told you this,
but I was the editor in chief of my high school newspaper.
It was called The Rampage.
Jenni Lee: Was it?
Did you go to high school?
Sandra Pham: No, I went to high school in Houston, but funny enough, I also,
when I rolled into, I, I went to broadcast journalism, but I switched out.
Yeah, so I'm just having this moment.
I was like, well, there's a lot of similarities.
Jenni Lee: We're bonding Sandra.
We're bonding.
Yeah, just the sequence taught me so much.
And here's something interesting.
Bob Buckalew, my professor my senior year, works here as an executive producer.
It's full circle for me.
He was such a great professor and still nurturing a lot of our newer talent here.
Minh Vu: That's amazing.
And I'm curious, starting in high school, I'm curious how your
parents were receptive or not, maybe, to this like career path.
It's a little maybe more non traditional, but yeah, I'm curious
how that experience was like.
Jenni Lee: As fellow Asians, you guys know, Asian parents aren't
too keen about their kids going into something like journalism that
doesn't make a whole bunch of money.
My dad wanted me to be a lawyer.
Even after college, And I've been in the field for a bit.
He's are you done yet?
Can you go to law school now?
But now he gets it-- is proud.
But yeah, in the early days, what are you doing?
You're making pennies.
So you really have to love this, right?
Because it's not a high paying job.
Minh Vu: Yeah, that resonates a lot.
And we know from your bio, you shared a fun tidbit about being
in gymnastics at an early age.
And so I'm curious where, did that bug go?
do you still, is that still in you?
Jenni Lee: No, but it was 8th grade.
And, it was, just an accident.
this other girl named Jenni Lee injured herself.
And they knew that I dabbled in it just on P.
E.
So they just asked me to join and I did a practice every day and it was such a
good experience being part of a team.
Sports teaches you a lot about working together and teamwork, but yeah, that
I will never forget that beam routine during regionals --where I practice
my rolls and I was okay until then.
I almost fell off, but I hung on for dear life.
For what felt like hours, I'm sure it was just like a couple of
minutes, but I was hanging upside down and I managed to get back up.
So 1st, it was laughter and then it was cheers.
Right?
So that's a very pivotal moment for me-- just highlights that
you should never give up.
Right?
Minh Vu: Yeah, what a time to, feel under pressure and I'm sure, that
carries over into, being on camera and being live and reporting and etc.
Jenni Lee: I never tied the two together, but yes, I mean, right on.
Absolutely.
Minh Vu: Yeah.
Jenni Lee: Got to make it happen
Minh Vu: eyes on you and you just had to keep going.
Jenni Lee: Eyes on me and my feet in the air.
Yeah, absolutely.
Minh Vu: No, that's awesome.
Where did the curiosity bug come from?
You mentioned that's what drove an interest in getting into high school
journalism and stuff, but yeah, was that just something that came natural to you?
Jenni Lee: Wish I had an intelligent answer, but I think I'm just nosy.
Why?
I was that kid.
Why?
and that's it.
And so when no one else could answer the questions, I had to find out for myself.
But that's, I'm trying to think of.
That's it.
Right before high school.
It was just maybe after, you know, I wanted to be Spider Man.
Then I want to be a firefighter.
And then I wanted to be a reporter.
So it's all in the same family for me.
You're helping out, right?
You're helping out.
Minh Vu: 100%.
Yes.
I love the Spider Man tidbit.
Oh, I love Spider Man.
Yeah.
Yeah, one other curiosity I have.
So I know that there was a little bit of a break before you joined KVUE in 2015.
I'm curious what kind of brought you back into anchoring from your first stint.
And then what was that time away?
What was that break like for you?
Jenni Lee: The break, which was much needed, and I just dabbled in just
the other side of journalism, right?
P.
R.
Marketing.
But was still able to use my skills.
I worked for the City of Austin, developing stories and one
of those stories won an Emmy.
So it wasn't all for not.
But, yeah, I got back in because the news director here at KVUE at the
time, a good friend of mine called and just said, "Hey, will you just--
come and fill in for three months.
Jade is going on maternity leave."
And I said, "Frank, I'm going to Costa Rica in the fall.
So this better just be a summer thing."
And of course I wasn't, I'm still here.
So yeah, Frank is no longer here.
Still a great mentor and friend of mine.
So it was because of him that I got back into the business.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, it sounds like it reinvigorated this passion that you had.
What would you say, once you jumped back into it and you went with both feet and
you said, "Hey, I really love this space.
I want to continue."
And obviously you've built this amazing career when you look back at it.
What have been some of the most challenging stories that you've told over
the years where you look back and you're like, "I knew that this was my calling.
I wanted to get back into this."
Jenni Lee: Well, early on, I have different phases for challenging
stories when I'm first starting out.
I got to witness an execution and Terry Washington looked right at me and died.
And man for days, if not weeks, I had nightmares and it was just
so big and so tragic, right?
And it happened when I was in my early twenties.
So wasn't sure how I felt about the death penalty.
I hadn't formed an opinion, but it was the gravity of the situation.
I was allowed to witness someone dying.
That was challenging emotionally, my head space.
I wasn't really prepared for that.
And because I was so short, they pushed me out front, right?
There's a room of troopers and family, but they're like, "Oh, Jenni, come up here."
And I was right up front and he looked at me and he took
his last breath and he died.
And I had that image burned in my head.
I was offered the opportunity to witness two more.
I stood in the back of the room.
I didn't need to see the face of someone whose last moments
on earth, I was witnessing.
So that was pretty heavy.
So early on in my twenties, that was challenging.
If you're talking about current time, I think challenging to me are interviewing
people who don't want you to know what you're asking, say, politicians or
people in power when you're trying to hold the powerful in account, they don't
want you to know certain things, right?
They have a job.
I have a job.
So that tends can be a little challenging there.
Another area that I find challenging because I'm in the investigative unit.
Now, we have a hotline and people are always calling for help.
It's...
it hurts me.
It hurts my heart when I can't help them.
Even if I don't do a story, I still call people and try to
give them the resources, right?
These, people are lacking the access to resources that I'm
fortunate enough to know about.
I pass that along.
But, sometimes, you can't help everyone.
I'm still trying to navigate that.
Because I want to help everyone, right?
That's why I'm in the position I am.
That's why I'm a, KVUE Defender.
But that doesn't always happen.
And I grapple with that.
That's a huge challenge for me, to let go.
Like my husband and I had a big "Come to Jesus" moment last week
when I literally got depressed.
I'm like, "I don't know how to help these people."
The laws aren't in place to help consumers.
Texas doesn't have strong consumer protection laws, and
there's only so much we can do.
So it's hard for me to, come to a stop because I'm always like federal
law or another nonprofit group.
What advocacy agency can we look to and more and more.
I'm finding that's just the end of the road.
And I have to accept that.
And the people are always nice as can be.
Sometimes they just want someone to listen to their problems.
Right?
It's just like, when you're talking to, my husband and I, when I want to just rant,
I don't need you to solve my problem.
I just, honey, just need you to listen to me.
Right?
That's-- so that's I find...
okay, sometimes our elderly viewers, because they don't have anybody
else and I feel like there's pressure to listen and just to be
there for this vulnerable group.
This population that doesn't get much attention.
Sorry.
I had so many answers.
Sandra Pham: That's great.
I mean, I think that is what makes a good storyteller, right?
When you are able to connect with other human beings, and they can express their
emotions to you, and you're also able to be empathetic and connect with them.
And those are the best stories.
I'm curious if that was also part of what drove you to do the 3 part
series I know you did back in 2021 about the contributions of local
AAPI folks to the Austin community.
That was at the height of Stop Asian Hate.
Lots of things were going on in the world, obviously, during the pandemic.
I'm curious if that was part of the passion that you had there to say,
"Hey, my community is really hurting and I want to do something about it."
Or could you tell us a little bit more about what led to the development of that?
Jenni Lee: No, Sandra.
Absolutely.
It was.
I'll never forget when the eight women were shot.
And my heart just fell to my stomach.
This is hitting a little too close to home.
I think I did a big commentary how I was scared for my father and
my son growing up here in Austin.
You know, you experience a little bit of racism for me.
I didn't, have a whole lot growing up.
Just some, just teasing, nicknames, but that.
That my people were being killed just because of the color of their skin.
And I know there are other minority groups who are already growing through that.
But yes, and I had friends, those were all my friends that I profiled.
I've known about their stories and their struggles and it
makes them great citizens.
We are the fastest...
AAPIs, the fastest growing minority group in Austin, in Texas, and the country.
Why are we not seeing more people looking like us?
I think it's a challenge for news organizations because like you
said, I mean you said it, I was the first, like Asian broadcaster.
There was someone who worked in PBS before me, but newscaster in a major network.
I was I the first one in 2001, right?
And we're still struggling with representation.
Not enough AAPI's on TV.
I know we're gonna talk about that a little bit later, but I...
Sandra Pham: No, I would love to talk about it.
So it feels you were one of the few faces into the early 2000s and things like that.
But we're in 2023.
and when I think about notable Asian American journalists, those that we
can, I can really count it on my hands.
And so I'm curious on what your thoughts were.
Is it just the lack of opportunity?
Have we just not grown?
We see this, renaissance of Asian media and there is, it does feel
like a moment is happening, right?
With when it comes to the entertainment industry and things,
but it still feels like maybe journalism and maybe this is just...
my bias opinion here, but it doesn't seem like it has really
grown with everything else.
The exposure, the opportunities...
we're still-- when we look even on our local station here,
you're still 1 of the few.
So what do you think is happening there?
Jenni Lee: Let me start with the good when the Academy Awards aired and
Asians just won all those awards, right?
Michelle...
I was just so proud.
It's like finally, and I think I looked up the numbers, the percentage of Asian
actors who've gotten jobs this year compared to, I forgot what the time
frame was, but the most recent stats, it did go up a little bit, right?
So yay us making strides, but boo on us for not making strides in the
media, so entertainment industry.
Great.
But you're right -- like Juju Chang...
I mean, who else is out there?
I know there are a couple of others out there, but growing up, you
mentioned in your list of questions.
Connie Chung, Lisa Ling.
That's it.
Connie Chung was the only person that looked like me on TV growing up.
Peter Jennings was an idol of mine, because he, did so well, but Connie
came in a little bit later and not for long, as you know right?
She was CBS co anchor with Dan Rather for a little bit.
That's it.
Having said that, better than nothing, but we still need to do a better job.
I think it's not lack of opportunity, but just lack of hiring.
We're not....
it seems like I'm hearing that Asians aren't the right fit a lot.
That's not what people are looking for.
When I say people-- news organizations.
They have other ideas, other people for those roles.
And so what I have to say about that for Austin, we act like we're progressive,
but we're really not progressive.
If, again, the fasting growing minority group.
Why are companies not acknowledging that, right?
So here at KVUE TEGNA, we're real big on DEI, and that's great, but not
everyone subscribes to those ideas.
I think you can look at which TV stations and what faces you see, and you can
figure out what's important to them.
But we have a long way to go, Sandra.
Long way to go.
In 2023, we are not there yet.
We're not even halfway there yet.
Yeah.
Minh Vu: And I, wonder, I'm curious too, for you, knowing that there were
so few when you were even like going in, what was that experience like for you?
Was it intimidating?
Was it motivating in some ways to be, a trailblazer?
Yeah.
What was, what were those early days like for you?
Jenni Lee: I think it's a little bit of both.
Oh my goodness.
My first job was in Bryan-- College Station.
So...
the only Asian.
So it was intimidating in that sense, but also some pressure
to make sure I do things right.
So people who are looking at me, because I was getting email already.
"Oh, thank goodness.
You're doing this.
I'm watching you.
You look like me" Wanted to make sure that I didn't let them down.
I know that sounds silly, but, I felt a certain amount of pressure
on myself that no one put on me.
But if I'm going to be one of the 1st, I want to do a right.
I want to do a really good job at it.
Right?
so yeah, it was a little bit of both.
Minh Vu: Yeah, and there's always sometimes too, it's a tricky balance
because there's this undue burden that we may have as being some of the first or
some of pioneering or trailblazing a path.
And you want to be able to be a good representation, but you also
want to be true to yourself and who you are, and we can't represent
everyone and be that for everyone.
But it's such a tricky balance sometimes when that becomes the case.
For what it's worth, you've done such a beautiful job.
And so I do appreciate the work that you've been able to do.
So Jenni, as you were mentioning some of the stories, challenging
stories that you've had to share in the past, I couldn't help but
think about how heavy those must weigh when you're experiencing that.
And it made me curious how you're able to turn that off when you go
home and just not carry that with you.
Because I imagine that's a lot.
These are heavy issues.
These are heavy stories to report on and investigate in on.
I'm just curious what your...
how you handle that.
Jenni Lee: Sometimes you can separate yourself, right?
From political issues.
Here's one side, here's the other.
You're crazy.
The end.
But some stories hit too close to home.
So after I just had my son, I came back and was reporting.
I had to go out and cover a house fire where a two month old baby died.
And I couldn't.
I did my stand-- I did my live shot at 10 and cried right after that, because....
you change, you grow and you change and your priorities change.
And I just could not ever imagine a baby dying like that.
Thinking of my child and you can't separate it.
And I think that's okay.
You separate what you can, but the ones that hit your heart, they hit your heart.
You digest everything.
And by the time you get home, you have your family to deal with.
I have two crazy rescue dogs too.
So that kind of helps.
Dogs are great.
I love cats too.
My husband won't let me have a cat though.
So two crazy dogs it is.
So that helps, you have priorities at home that you got to attend to
and that takes your mind off it.
But you know, I go over the day in my mind, so I can't sleep.
I don't sleep well.
I'm not what you call it...
easy sleeper, right?
So I do internalize things.
I don't recommend it.
I can't help it.
Right?
Because everything I take.
I try not to take personally, but it still has impacted me and my life, even
though it was just a snippet of my day.
Now with my investigations, they're months long.
So now things are affecting me longer.
I'm mulling over things longer, but I mean, it's hard.
When you can, you can.
But when you can't...
maybe talk it out, if people are listening.
I have my husband as a sounding board.
I talk it out with Erica Proffer, who's my fellow investigator here.
We, fortunately have our own office and we're able to just-- bounce
things back and forth with each other.
The pandemic really did a number on our mental health.
So I think more than ever, we have to be there for each other.
That's part of the deal now.
And you're having a hard time with the story.
Everybody here, I think in one of your questions, why did I stay here?
It's been eight years.
Because KVUE is a family.
They care about you first.
And that's not a line.
Really, whatever you have going on, they'll work with you.
Because they know that work life balance is so important now more than ever.
So that's why I've stuck around here.
They've been so understanding.
Everybody has family issues.
You can't just separate your personal life from your work life.
Like that kind of goes like this most of the time.
So they have been great and they've understood.
It's very different from other places that I've worked at.
But this is a good place to grow your family and grow yourself as well.
Minh Vu: Yeah, that's awesome.
I'm curious about some maybe specific examples.
Dogs are a great way to maybe decompress and get some lovins
and all that type of stuff.
But is there other kind of self care things that you like to do
to just get you more centered and back into a nice stable place?
Jenni Lee: Yes, sir.
It's called "Self Care Saturday".
That is every Saturday, I get my nails done.
I will get a massage, haircut, facial.
Not every week.
The nails are every week.
Massage, once a month.
Facials, once a month.
Absolutely.
My friends make fun of me, but Saturdays are mine.
And that's what I have to do.
And I'm a person who has to be by myself.
I crave alone time.
Even though that means just staring at the wall, I have to be alone because
I'm interacting with so many people all the time, every day that by the end of
the week, I just have to decompress.
So dogs are helpful.
My self care Saturday.
It is great.
Yeah, and then lean into your friends because they're there to help.
I just finally had a dinner with my best friend whom I haven't seen in
months, so you just got to make that time, especially in this crazy, ever
evolving, ever changing industry of ours.
Minh Vu: Yeah, I love that self care Saturday, but as you should.
Yeah, you heard it here.
Everyone.
That's good advice.
And also, Sandra, I can't help but think of you when Jenni
was talking about being alone.
I'm like, I know someone who likes to do that.
Jenni Lee: You too?
Sandra Pham: Oh absolutely.
Jenni Lee: I always say I'm going to go stare at the wall.
Leave me alone.
Yeah.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, Minh and I are different in that way.
So I do consider myself an introvert at points.
I am very much...
I need to recharge, be with the dogs, go do some pilates.
But, if I don't talk to 1 single soul that day, I'm good.
Minh Vu: And I'm learning.
Alone time is good.
I'm, learning.
I definitely appreciate it.
Jenni Lee: When I was younger, I was afraid of being alone.
Now I can't get enough of it.
And Sandra, you brought up something else.
Physical activity is important.
Yoga, walking, whatever it is, go out and just think outside.
It helps.
as you're walking and getting your 10, 000 steps in, being outside nature helps.
And we've got great running trails.
A lot of people do-- Austin's great for outdoorsy activities.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, I feel that.
Well, shifting gears a little something and then this is going to be a big
question-- so we can break this down and answer and how you would like, but you've
had so many opportunities to tell so many different stories and put a bit in your
career now, more so in the investigative reporting space, but are there stories or
something particular that's on your mind now where you're like itching to tell?
Is there a story where you're like, this is something that has not been told or
that you personally have not been able to jump into yet that, you know, "man,
I would really like to tell this story."
Jenni Lee: I thought about that, and this is an unconventional answer.
One day, many, years from now...
I would like to tell my own story.
And here's why: my mom abandoned me when I was two months old,
and I don't know who she is.
For the longest time, I didn't know who I was because of that and the issues
that come with it, people are like, hey, are you going to look for her?
I don't know.
I'm 51 and I don't know the answer to that.
I don't know if it's I'm afraid I'm not ready a combination of all those things.
But one day, when I'm smarter, I would like to just track my own journey.
I don't know why I'm getting so personal with y'all, but I
couldn't think of another story.
I've talked to presidents, presidential candidates, just famous people,
and what story haven't I done?
I definitely want to help as many people as possible, but that story, I have just
kept back here at arm's length, because I'm not sure I want to know the outcome.
Who knows, right?
Yeah, I've never publicly talked about this, but I love you two.
Y'all, y'all make me feel comfortable opening up.
But yeah, that's a journey that I need to walk the path and figure
out what to do when I'm ready.
Minh Vu: Yeah, Jenni.
Thank you so much for being vulnerable with us and sharing that.
And I think that's-- that makes a lot of sense to be honest.
I mean, you spend so much time facilitating a platform
for other people's stories.
And I think for us, like, when we did set out to do this podcast, it was very
much like around just broaching the conversation of where do we come from?
What does that mean for us for an individual, and it can
be different for all of us.
It is different for all of us.
And I think I just really appreciate you sharing that because I think it
is a true and real thing, obviously.
And it also is.
You've done so well.
Otherwise, too, right?
So we support you 100 percent whenever you feel ready and good to want to
dive into that part of your life.
Or even if you never do, I think it is a personal choice.
And it also just there's a lot of good support, I think, in your
way, whenever you do, however, you want to move forward with that.
Jenni Lee: I love the positive vibes I'm getting from you two.
So thank you for being supportive and so loving.
And this is such-- I feel so safe in this space, so thank you for that.
I do have to add that I didn't know if I was going to be a good
mother since I never had one.
So when-- I went to therapy.
So I encourage people to talk about their mental health and
things that they're afraid of.
Because I think I was just afraid to talk about it and a little embarrassing.
Right?
But I'm older now the therapy helped.
Yes.
I am a mother.
I think I'm a pretty good one but there was some fear because
I didn't know what to do.
I didn't have a model.
And so to look up to, and, if anybody else is out there in a similar
situation, you know I highly, they can reach out to me and talk to me, but
you shout to a professional as well.
Minh Vu: Yeah, it's about creating community, and I think wherever
we can find that with each other.
And I think we've touched on that a number of times throughout talking
with each other, is people just want a space to be able to listen, be
heard, and feel like there's a sense of community that they can belong to.
Jenni Lee: I think it's really important, Minh especially since
mental health among young people has just drastically decreased.
And I did a story in May.
Mental health among teenagers worse than ever, right?
Starting the pandemic, but it's getting worse.
And so I'm afraid, and, the 2 suicides that happened at Austin ISD last week.
My son goes to Austin High that's just shocking for young people to think that
there's no other way, but that way.
So right then and there, I just decided I'm going to talk
about everything and it's okay.
And it's absolutely okay.
Minh Vu: Yeah, 100%.
So I think one area that we're curious about, given that you've been
in Austin for so long to and have such a good heart for the community,
obviously, and sharing so many stories here and being able to advocate for
people through the investigative journalism and things like that.
What brought you to Austin from the suburbs of Dallas?
And what's kept you here?
Jenni Lee: Okay, that's an easy question because, I applied I
only applied to the University of Texas at Austin when I got in.
That's what brought me to Austin and this may sound silly.
I didn't know what a but I was until I moved from Dallas to Austin.
Everybody's so laid back here.
You don't have to get dressed up to go to the grocery store.
I used to get dressed up to go to the grocery store in Dallas I don't
get dressed up for anything now.
I don't put on makeup on the weekends now, right?
And nobody cares.
That's the Austin vibe I fell in love with.
Is Austin changing?
Absolutely.
But the people, for the most part, the ones who are raised here
from here are the same, right?
I knew then that I was going to come back and work here.
I even told my supervisor at the station I was interning at the time.
I'm like, I'm going to come back and work for you.
And sure enough, I did.
So this is exactly the place I want to raise a family.
Not Dallas.
No, no shade to Dallas.
But I already did that.
Right.
I did that.
Thank you.
But no, thank you.
Sandra Pham: I will say my little heart here is really proud of you for
saying that because I'm from Houston.
I was born, like I have to hate Dallas, right?
We're just...
Jenni Lee: yeah, we have to hate each other, right?,
Sandra Pham: I'm like, yes, she's she thinks Dallas is, whatever.
I'm just enjoying it.
Jenni Lee: I don't hate Dallas.
I just don't want to live there, right?
I've already done it.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, for sure.
And I mean, obviously we all have chosen Austin to be home.
I think we're very protective of the city and are very fond of it, right?
Like I, I similar to you, I just find the people in the community and are authentic
and real and hope to preserve that.
But obviously we have fears that as outsiders, like out of state...
Jenni Lee: the Californians!
Sandra Pham: Yeah, I know, and I feel terrible that we always make fun of
them, but it is because it's fear.
It's we want to preserve this Austin that at least in our minds were nostalgic about
and feel is the heart of what Austin is.
But, yeah, I think that's so interesting.
And I'm, also curious and, as you've navigated your career and
continue to obviously, you have a great career continued ahead of you.
When you look back, is there something that's top of mind where
you're like, "I would love for people to know this is who I was as,
as a storyteller as a journalist.
This is my kind of what I would like to be known for."
Jenni Lee: I think I want people...
if today's my last day on Earth, I just want people to remember me as
someone who always sought out the truth.
Always fought for the little guy holding the power to account.
That's always important.
Doing the best we can.
Just like you said, making connections, trying to help, trying
to just be out in the community.
So they know that we're there too.
Just not on TV.
I'm your neighbor.
And so when I come and talk to you, it really is because I live here.
I want to better where we live.
Right?
So I think I just want people to know I did the best I can.
Minh Vu: We have a couple, one more question before we move
into some rapid fire questions.
And we like to check in with our guests...
obviously, this podcast is Asian in Austin and...
what is your relationship with your ethnic background today?
What does that mean to you?
Jenni Lee: It's changed and evolved.
I am more comfortable with it.
Growing up, I wasn't so comfortable with it.
Right?
Being different in Dallas.
Oh my God.
What a fear.
Right?
Because I was one of a handful of asians.
Me, Danny Wong, Jennifer Wong.
And I think someone else named Jennifer Lee.
We weren't really creative with names, right?
So we talk about just...
how that focus is on us to represent such a huge community.
So there's that pressure, but yeah, now I'm much more comfortable.
Even though I can't speak Cantonese, I can only understand Cantonese.
I have such a Southern accent on my Chinese and my family.
"They're like don't talk.
Please don't talk.
It sounds...
don't talk in public.
It's embarrassing."
But now I appreciate it, right?
Now I seek it, but before I'm like, "oh, no, do we really have
to wear slippers inside the house?"
We have to put our hands on the table when we're eating rice.
Come on.
But now I'm trying to teach my son that, right?
Did you guys get in trouble when you didn't have your hands on the table?
I know I did.
Minh Vu: Yeah, definitely.
There's little things about like Vietnamese culture, and maybe some
others too, I imagine, but just like always inviting the elders
to eat first, just even if it's not like they're not even hungry.
They're not even at the table.
It's like you just have to do it before you can take your first bite.
So there's stuff like that.
That definitely...
we would get in trouble for if we didn't do that.
Jenni Lee: Yeah, we had to acknowledge everybody in the room.
Once you walk in, you have to just acknowledge everyone and call everybody
by the appropriate title and name.
Yeah,
Minh Vu: I would trip up a lot on that.
"Are you my...
I think..."
yeah.
Sandra Pham: Any of these things that you've, maybe
instilled with your son or...
yeah, I'm curious if you've taught him any.
Jenni Lee: My husband is Caucasian, so my son is what we call "Waisian."
He's white and he's Asian.
Right?
So he's a mix of both and he's growing up here and early on...
I did teach him a little bit of the Chinese I knew.
I regret not enrolling him in like a Chinese class.
I think we looked into it.
I forgot what happened, but there yeah, he doesn't have that connection because
I have family in Dallas and Houston.
And we don't travel as much and he has such a craving for family that I do
regret not doing more to connect him.
Like we have relatives in New York City, too.
It's really hard for all of us to get together.
I, wished when he was younger, we could have had more interactions...
that I would have made more of an effort.
Because, saying you're busy, everyone's always busy.
I should have taken more of an active role in trying to connect.
But he does recognize his background, probably not as much as I would like, and
that's my fault, again, because I'm not taking him to go see his grandfather in
Houston, because Pearland is so far away.
Why is Pearland so far?
And it's Pearland, not like he's living really close, but yes.
I wish I could.
Minh Vu: There's always still time.
Jenni Lee: That's true.
Minh Vu: People's relationship to their identity, as we've shared
too, evolves and changes over time.
And, you go, you zig and you zag and then you find your way.
And we're sending good energy either way.
Yeah.
Jenni Lee: He doesn't understand why I wear slippers in the house.
so yeah, I'm like, okay.
Minh Vu: Maybe this episode will spark some curiosity for him.
Jenni Lee: Well, he wants Yeezys.
I'm like, I'm not buying Yeezys for you to wear inside the house.
Oh, gosh.
He's a Kanye West fan.
What did I do?
Minh Vu: That's so funny.
Jenni Lee: Is that a failure or is that a success?
I don't know.
Minh Vu: Kanye is a creative person.
We'll just leave it at that.
He's very creative.
Jenni Lee: He calls him a creative genius, "Mom."
I'm sorry, "Mom, he's a creative genius."
He's 13 and his voice is really low like this.
If you ever meet him, he's like this tall.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
I love him, but that's what he sounds like.
Minh Vu: That's so funny.
Yes, there's definitely time.
I had my own relationship to my identity in which I whitewashed myself.
I talked about this in the podcast and it was only until I was like, in
my like, 17, 18, that I got really curious about my parents story, and
it changed a lot to hear, what that, that was like, and so there's time.
There's time.
Jenni Lee: Similar path.
Yeah, I totally whitewashed myself in high school.
Minh Vu: Yeah.
Yeah, it happens, but we, learn and we grow and we reclaim.
Jenni Lee: Yeah, because acceptance is a powerful thing, right?
Just wanted to fit in and be accepted.
Minh Vu: 100%.
You don't want to be othered and feel different.
And I think this is the beautiful thing about what we're trying to do with this
podcast, what you're doing and sharing your story and the stuff that you're
doing with investigative journalism and just being a face out there.
So it's really, appreciate that.
All right, we'll get into some rapid fire.
So the first thing that comes into your mind when we ask these
questions, but what's one of your favorite Asian restaurants in austin?
Jenni Lee: Okay, I can't just name one.
I think that's unfair.
So let me just give you a couple.
Are y'all familiar with Kome off airport?
I love the owners.
They're so nice.
Coco's cafe.
So I go from Japanese to Taiwan.
That's pretty good too.
and a little bit higher in, Qi Austin on 6th street is really good too.
So those are a few.
I'm sure there are more when it was around and, love dim sum, but it's not anymore.
if you know of a good place to eat them, some, let me know because.
There isn't any place, right?
Yeah.
Thank you.
I'm like, where are the Chinese?
See, this is where Houston beats Dallas, they have the best Chinese food.
Sandra Pham: Jenni, I'm already a big fan, but the more we talk,
I'm like, I love this woman.
I mean, I'm from Houston, I gripe about this all the time with Minh I'm like, I'm
sorry, the Asian food is terrible here.
I'm from Houston.
It's amazing.
I just [bleep] on it all the time.
Jenni Lee: Because, I mean, where is it?
Yeah.
And so H Mart is opening up.
So I can't wait for that.
Yeah.
And there's that area off of North Lamar.
What is it called where they have that...
Oh, now I'm drawing like, yes.
Yes.
Well, no, not Chinatown.
Chinatown is good, but even more middle central Austin, North Lamar.
Sandra Pham: Oh, by 99 Ranch.
Jenni Lee: Yes.
Thank you.
Minh Vu: Yeah.
Yeah.
That's a nice area.
Sandra Pham: Yeah, oh my god that area is blowing up.
Jenni Lee: Thank you.
So crazy.
It's always busy.
Yeah.
At 88...like Bakery.
It's always busy.
They never have my, custard.
Because everyone buys it up and I'm like "ugh, come on," but
Sandra Pham: The best new place in that complex is I don't know if you eat hot
pot, but Soup Leaf is always packed.
Jenni Lee: Yeah, there's so many places that I need to try.
Minh Vu: Yeah, and speaking of little custards or snacks,
what's one of your favorite Asian snacks that you had growing up?
Jenni Lee: Oh god, I had several, so I was thinking about this.
Remember squid jerky?
Minh Vu: Yes.
100%.
Jenni Lee: That's gross, but I loved it.
That, and I don't know the name of it, but the round red coins.
The candies.
I don't know what they're called, but I ate those.
Minh Vu: They just disintegrate in your mouth.
Jenni Lee: Yes.
And of course, Pocky's.
My son loves Pocky's right now.
Chocolate, please.
Strawberries, meh.
But, yeah, those were really...
oh, and shrimp chips.
I have all the weirdest stuff.
Minh Vu: Oh, no, those are classics.
I definitely bought them.
Jenni Lee: I still eat them.
Not as much, because my husband complains it smells.
What are you gonna do?
It does!
It does smell, but I don't eat it.
It's good.
It's so good.
Minh Vu: And the last one, what's one of your favorite Austin pastimes?
What do you do on your free time?
Jenni Lee: I like to try new Austin restaurants, right?
There is a new restaurant opening up like every day.
I'm not even lying.
That's just...
or exaggerating.
There's always a new place.
I haven't tried all the places, but we're really lucky to have such a great...
like landscape of all different kinds of restaurants, right?
So that's what I love to do.
Just try to go out trying new places.
I do when the weather permits.
I do like to hit the trails and head outside.
Minh Vu: Jenni, it's been so great to have you on the podcast
and get to know about your story.
So yeah, we just really appreciate you spending some time with
us.
Jenni Lee: I'm honored you asked to do this.
This was fun and terrific.
Sandra Pham: Man...
I feel like I have so much respect for journalists and obviously Jenni
specifically just remembering how hard it can be to separate like your career, your
professional life with your personal life.
Obviously there's just, I think Jenni mentioned there's,
a lot of overlap, right?
You bring yourself to these stories, to these moments, especially
in what she specifically does.
So I just really appreciate also that she called out.
That she carves out time for herself, like self care Saturday, I'm a big fan
and recognize that everybody should really be, taking care of their mental health.
Minh Vu: Yeah, I mean, I talk about to like, how important work life balance
is for me, but the work that I do...
sometimes as it relates to her work, like she's so in it, she's so in these stories
that can be really uplifting and happy, but then it could be pretty challenging,
that she shared some of the stories that she did while we were talking...
but, yeah, I think that balance in any profession or any
industry is really important.
And obviously you're going to have to, depending on what the subject
matter that you're dealing with is.
will inform how big of a self care Saturday that you do.
Well, we really appreciate Jenni coming on the show.
That was a little bit of a fanboy moment for me as you heard just
growing up and seeing Jenni on the screen representing, so we really
appreciate her being on the show.
And y'all for listening.
Sandra, this is our last episode of the season.
We did it.
Congratulations to you and me.
Sandra Pham: Us?
Minh Vu: Yeah.
Yeah.
How are you, feeling?
It feels good.
I'm glad we were able to do another season of this.
Sandra Pham: It honestly flies by like I have people ask and like
how's the podcast and I'm like, wow, we are wrapping up season two.
That's two full years that we've invested in this.
It's just flown by.
But yeah, so proud of us, of course, as always another season of incredible
guests that really have taught us so much that I feel very privileged to have
been able to learn a little bit more about have them share their experiences.
Yeah, just feeling grateful wrapping up this year.
I, I get very nostalgic.
At the end of the year and very reflective.
So yeah.
Minh Vu: I want to do a huge shout out to all of our guests.
The people that we've brought on for the last few years have been really inspiring
and just hopefully a good like mixture and representation of the different lives
that are being lived here in Austin, Texas by our fellow brothers and sisters.
But yeah, I'm just I'm really happy with being able to do this project
with you and continuing to practice.
Self care just like Jenni and, we did this season a little bit differently and it
felt good to do that and we'll discuss, what, feels good for next season and next
year, but we'll keep you all updated and hope you'll have a great rest of the year.
Yeah, see you next time.
This project is supported in part by the City of Austin
Economic Development department.