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Sandra Pham: Hey y'all, I'm Sandra Pham.

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Minh Vu: And I'm Minh Vu.

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Welcome to Asian in Austin.

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Sandra, I'm really excited
for our guest this month.

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We've got Jenni Lee.

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She's an investigative reporter and midday
anchor in KVUE, and it got me to thinking

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about my own dabbling in high school.

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We had this broadcast journalism
course or elective that we could take,

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and I was actually like a morning
news anchor for our high school.

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It's been like really long since I've
thought about that, but I don't know.

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It just came up.

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I'm curious if that was ever anything
that you got involved with in high school.

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Sandra Pham: Yeah, I think I've
shared in previous episodes.

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So my career aspirations growing up were
actually to be like Oprah, Lisa Ling.

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We grew up with them on TV, but we didn't
see a whole lot of representation there.

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I did actually-- I was in journalism
throughout high school as well as college.

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I actually got into thinking I
want to do broadcast journalism.

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I'm super excited to have Jenni on.

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It gives me a glimpse of what
could have been if I had pursued

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the profession, but ultimately, I
switched careers and I'm in marketing

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now, but, yeah, I'm super excited

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to have her on the show.

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Minh Vu: Did you ever have to do
the morning announcements or what,

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when you were in high school, what
was like, is it yearbook or what?

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Sandra Pham: I did yearbook and newspaper.

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So it was a lot of interviewing, it would
cover our Friday night football game or,

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the controversy about our lunch menu or...

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Minh Vu: I was a news anchor with one
of my good friends, Elizabeth Trovall,

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and she's like a great reporter now
doing national news stories and stuff.

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And she followed that path,
but I never really did.

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I was her like camera person.

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She was like the on-air talent
and also just like the actual

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incredibly talented journalist.

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And I definitely was like, on-air
talent too, I guess in high school,

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but yeah, it's just it's funny to
come full circle a little bit and have

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the opportunity to bring Jenni on.

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So I'm really excited.

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Sandra Pham: Obviously, podcasting
was not around when we were, or

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it was just starting around that
time when we were in high school.

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So I think it just shows that we
always had an interest in storytelling.

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It's just manifested in a
little bit of a unique way here.

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Minh Vu: Yeah.

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All right.

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Let's just get into the episode.

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I'm going to read a little bit more
about Jenni and then we'll switch

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over to the interview Jenni Lee is
an investigative reporter and midday

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anchor at KVUE in Austin, Texas.

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She joined the KVUE news team in
June 2015 as the weekend daybreak

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anchor and a weekday reporter, but
the veteran journalist has worked

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in the Austin TV market since
2001 before arriving in Austin.

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Jenni worked in Bryan --College Station
after graduating from UT Austin.

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For more than 20 years now, Jenni has been
breaking and covering stories important

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to the community and to the world.

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Her work has been recognized by several
organizations, the Texas Associated

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Press of Broadcasters, the Lone Star Emmy
Chapter, to name a few, and most recently,

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the Texas Medical Association in 2023.

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But the award she remembers the most is
her 7th place ribbon in gymnastics for

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her beam routine in the 8th grade regional
competition, and we'll learn a little

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bit more about that in the interview.

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Jenni was born and raised in
Richardson, a suburb of Dallas.

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She's married and has a son and
adopted two crazy rescue dogs

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and is raising all of them.

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You can catch Jenni anchoring Midday
News from 11am to 12pm Monday through

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Friday on KVUE So let's get into it.

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Hi, Jenni.

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Welcome to Asian in Austin podcast.

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Jenni Lee: Hi guys.

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It's so good to be here.

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Sandra Pham: Yeah.

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We're so excited to have you.

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I know it's a busy time for you.

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So yeah.

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So I appreciate you coming on.

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We love to open the episode and
tell our listeners about yourself.

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So would you share your ethnicities
and pronouns and any other identities?

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Jenni Lee: Sure.

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I'm Chinese American.

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I prefer she and her.

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Family is from Hong Kong and Shanghai.

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So people are thinking, Oh,
where in China, big country.

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That's where they're from.

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But I was born in Dallas, Richardson,
specifically suburb of Dallas.

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I was born up there.

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Raised there for a few years,
actually went back to Hong Kong for

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several years, and then came back.

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that's a little bit of my background.

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Sandra Pham: Yeah, very cool.

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Well, thanks so much for
spending your time with us.

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Minh Vu: Yeah, like Sandra said, we're
super happy to have you on the show.

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First, I have to say, so
I grew up in Pflugerville.

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And I grew up watching you over
the years and you were one of kind

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of the first local Asian faces
that I was able to see on screen.

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So it's, I'm a little bit freaking
out right now that we have you on

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the show and I'm just so appreciative
to be able to chat with you.

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And so I think I'm curious, where did.

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journalism fall in line for you in terms
of a career that you wanted to pursue.

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How did that begin?

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Jenni Lee: I think officially
it began in high school.

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I was part of our high school
papers called The Rampage.

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But even before that, the
curiosity gene bit me.

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I was always asking why and
wondering how does something happen?

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How did this become this?

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in retrospect, it started a
lot earlier, but officially.

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In high school, I wanted to be a
newspaper reporter when I went to U.

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T.

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Austin.

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I wanted to be a magazine reporter.

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And then when I did my thousands of
internships with TV stations, that's

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when I knew I wanted to do TV, the
immediacy of it, just the adrenaline

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rush of live TV that kind of bit me.

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And I've loved it ever since.

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Sandra Pham: Jenni, what's so
funny is I haven't told you this,

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but I was the editor in chief
of my high school newspaper.

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It was called The Rampage.

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Jenni Lee: Was it?

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Did you go to high school?

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Sandra Pham: No, I went to high school
in Houston, but funny enough, I also,

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when I rolled into, I, I went to
broadcast journalism, but I switched out.

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Yeah, so I'm just having this moment.

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I was like, well, there's
a lot of similarities.

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Jenni Lee: We're bonding Sandra.

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We're bonding.

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Yeah, just the sequence taught me so much.

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And here's something interesting.

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Bob Buckalew, my professor my senior
year, works here as an executive producer.

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It's full circle for me.

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He was such a great professor and still
nurturing a lot of our newer talent here.

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Minh Vu: That's amazing.

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And I'm curious, starting in
high school, I'm curious how your

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parents were receptive or not,
maybe, to this like career path.

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It's a little maybe more non
traditional, but yeah, I'm curious

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how that experience was like.

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Jenni Lee: As fellow Asians, you
guys know, Asian parents aren't

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too keen about their kids going
into something like journalism that

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doesn't make a whole bunch of money.

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My dad wanted me to be a lawyer.

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Even after college, And I've
been in the field for a bit.

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He's are you done yet?

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Can you go to law school now?

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But now he gets it-- is proud.

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But yeah, in the early
days, what are you doing?

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You're making pennies.

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So you really have to love this, right?

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Because it's not a high paying job.

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Minh Vu: Yeah, that resonates a lot.

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And we know from your bio, you
shared a fun tidbit about being

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in gymnastics at an early age.

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And so I'm curious where, did that bug go?

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do you still, is that still in you?

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Jenni Lee: No, but it was 8th grade.

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And, it was, just an accident.

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this other girl named
Jenni Lee injured herself.

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And they knew that I
dabbled in it just on P.

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E.

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So they just asked me to join and I did
a practice every day and it was such a

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good experience being part of a team.

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Sports teaches you a lot about working
together and teamwork, but yeah, that

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I will never forget that beam routine
during regionals --where I practice

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my rolls and I was okay until then.

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I almost fell off, but
I hung on for dear life.

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For what felt like hours, I'm
sure it was just like a couple of

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minutes, but I was hanging upside
down and I managed to get back up.

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So 1st, it was laughter
and then it was cheers.

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Right?

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So that's a very pivotal moment
for me-- just highlights that

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you should never give up.

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Right?

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Minh Vu: Yeah, what a time to, feel
under pressure and I'm sure, that

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carries over into, being on camera
and being live and reporting and etc.

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Jenni Lee: I never tied the two
together, but yes, I mean, right on.

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Absolutely.

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Minh Vu: Yeah.

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Jenni Lee: Got to make it happen

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Minh Vu: eyes on you and
you just had to keep going.

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Jenni Lee: Eyes on me
and my feet in the air.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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Minh Vu: No, that's awesome.

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Where did the curiosity bug come from?

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You mentioned that's what drove an
interest in getting into high school

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journalism and stuff, but yeah, was that
just something that came natural to you?

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Jenni Lee: Wish I had an intelligent
answer, but I think I'm just nosy.

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Why?

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Why?

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Why?

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I was that kid.

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Why?

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Why?

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Why?

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and that's it.

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And so when no one else could answer the
questions, I had to find out for myself.

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But that's, I'm trying to think of.

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That's it.

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That's it.

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Right before high school.

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It was just maybe after, you
know, I wanted to be Spider Man.

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Then I want to be a firefighter.

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And then I wanted to be a reporter.

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So it's all in the same family for me.

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You're helping out, right?

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You're helping out.

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Minh Vu: 100%.

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Yes.

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I love the Spider Man tidbit.

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Oh, I love Spider Man.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, one other curiosity I have.

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So I know that there was a little bit of
a break before you joined KVUE in 2015.

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I'm curious what kind of brought you back
into anchoring from your first stint.

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And then what was that time away?

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What was that break like for you?

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Jenni Lee: The break, which was much
needed, and I just dabbled in just

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the other side of journalism, right?

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P.

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R.

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Marketing.

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But was still able to use my skills.

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I worked for the City of Austin,
developing stories and one

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of those stories won an Emmy.

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So it wasn't all for not.

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But, yeah, I got back in because the
news director here at KVUE at the

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time, a good friend of mine called
and just said, "Hey, will you just--

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come and fill in for three months.

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Jade is going on maternity leave."

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And I said, "Frank, I'm going
to Costa Rica in the fall.

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So this better just be a summer thing."

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And of course I wasn't, I'm still here.

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So yeah, Frank is no longer here.

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Still a great mentor and friend of mine.

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So it was because of him that
I got back into the business.

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Sandra Pham: Yeah, it sounds like it
reinvigorated this passion that you had.

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What would you say, once you jumped back
into it and you went with both feet and

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you said, "Hey, I really love this space.

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I want to continue."

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And obviously you've built this amazing
career when you look back at it.

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What have been some of the most
challenging stories that you've told over

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the years where you look back and you're
like, "I knew that this was my calling.

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I wanted to get back into this."

238
00:11:54,634 --> 00:11:57,655
Jenni Lee: Well, early on, I have
different phases for challenging

239
00:11:57,655 --> 00:11:59,204
stories when I'm first starting out.

240
00:11:59,895 --> 00:12:07,624
I got to witness an execution and Terry
Washington looked right at me and died.

241
00:12:07,905 --> 00:12:13,440
And man for days, if not weeks,
I had nightmares and it was just

242
00:12:13,820 --> 00:12:16,720
so big and so tragic, right?

243
00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,580
And it happened when I
was in my early twenties.

244
00:12:18,590 --> 00:12:21,830
So wasn't sure how I felt
about the death penalty.

245
00:12:21,830 --> 00:12:25,870
I hadn't formed an opinion, but it
was the gravity of the situation.

246
00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,980
I was allowed to witness someone dying.

247
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,189
That was challenging
emotionally, my head space.

248
00:12:32,439 --> 00:12:34,145
I wasn't really prepared for that.

249
00:12:34,145 --> 00:12:36,415
And because I was so short,
they pushed me out front, right?

250
00:12:36,545 --> 00:12:40,525
There's a room of troopers and family, but
they're like, "Oh, Jenni, come up here."

251
00:12:40,824 --> 00:12:43,754
And I was right up front and
he looked at me and he took

252
00:12:43,754 --> 00:12:45,454
his last breath and he died.

253
00:12:45,484 --> 00:12:48,374
And I had that image burned in my head.

254
00:12:48,584 --> 00:12:51,224
I was offered the opportunity
to witness two more.

255
00:12:51,364 --> 00:12:52,134
I stood in the back of the room.

256
00:12:52,504 --> 00:12:56,535
I didn't need to see the face
of someone whose last moments

257
00:12:56,535 --> 00:12:58,474
on earth, I was witnessing.

258
00:12:58,525 --> 00:13:00,534
So that was pretty heavy.

259
00:13:00,535 --> 00:13:02,844
So early on in my twenties,
that was challenging.

260
00:13:03,245 --> 00:13:09,745
If you're talking about current time, I
think challenging to me are interviewing

261
00:13:09,745 --> 00:13:15,855
people who don't want you to know what
you're asking, say, politicians or

262
00:13:15,855 --> 00:13:20,314
people in power when you're trying to
hold the powerful in account, they don't

263
00:13:20,374 --> 00:13:22,134
want you to know certain things, right?

264
00:13:22,305 --> 00:13:23,104
They have a job.

265
00:13:23,314 --> 00:13:24,055
I have a job.

266
00:13:24,494 --> 00:13:29,305
So that tends can be a
little challenging there.

267
00:13:29,875 --> 00:13:34,165
Another area that I find challenging
because I'm in the investigative unit.

268
00:13:34,175 --> 00:13:38,064
Now, we have a hotline and people
are always calling for help.

269
00:13:38,424 --> 00:13:38,804
It's...

270
00:13:39,324 --> 00:13:40,385
it hurts me.

271
00:13:40,395 --> 00:13:42,765
It hurts my heart when I can't help them.

272
00:13:43,084 --> 00:13:47,045
Even if I don't do a story, I
still call people and try to

273
00:13:47,245 --> 00:13:48,505
give them the resources, right?

274
00:13:48,964 --> 00:13:52,654
These, people are lacking the
access to resources that I'm

275
00:13:52,654 --> 00:13:54,014
fortunate enough to know about.

276
00:13:55,164 --> 00:13:56,205
I pass that along.

277
00:13:56,264 --> 00:13:59,464
But, sometimes, you can't help everyone.

278
00:13:59,934 --> 00:14:02,454
I'm still trying to navigate that.

279
00:14:02,544 --> 00:14:05,104
Because I want to help everyone, right?

280
00:14:05,104 --> 00:14:07,324
That's why I'm in the position I am.

281
00:14:07,324 --> 00:14:08,674
That's why I'm a, KVUE Defender.

282
00:14:09,305 --> 00:14:10,515
But that doesn't always happen.

283
00:14:10,655 --> 00:14:12,125
And I grapple with that.

284
00:14:12,125 --> 00:14:15,455
That's a huge challenge for me, to let go.

285
00:14:15,665 --> 00:14:18,950
Like my husband and I had a big
"Come to Jesus" moment last week

286
00:14:18,950 --> 00:14:20,900
when I literally got depressed.

287
00:14:20,900 --> 00:14:22,550
I'm like, "I don't know
how to help these people."

288
00:14:22,750 --> 00:14:26,180
The laws aren't in
place to help consumers.

289
00:14:26,210 --> 00:14:30,040
Texas doesn't have strong
consumer protection laws, and

290
00:14:30,049 --> 00:14:32,030
there's only so much we can do.

291
00:14:32,370 --> 00:14:37,199
So it's hard for me to, come to a
stop because I'm always like federal

292
00:14:37,199 --> 00:14:39,520
law or another nonprofit group.

293
00:14:39,569 --> 00:14:44,405
What advocacy agency can we
look to and more and more.

294
00:14:44,405 --> 00:14:46,885
I'm finding that's just
the end of the road.

295
00:14:46,915 --> 00:14:48,345
And I have to accept that.

296
00:14:48,545 --> 00:14:50,415
And the people are always nice as can be.

297
00:14:50,755 --> 00:14:54,444
Sometimes they just want someone
to listen to their problems.

298
00:14:54,845 --> 00:14:55,314
Right?

299
00:14:55,444 --> 00:15:00,365
It's just like, when you're talking to, my
husband and I, when I want to just rant,

300
00:15:00,534 --> 00:15:02,135
I don't need you to solve my problem.

301
00:15:02,175 --> 00:15:04,735
I just, honey, just need
you to listen to me.

302
00:15:04,735 --> 00:15:05,105
Right?

303
00:15:05,335 --> 00:15:07,195
That's-- so that's I find...

304
00:15:07,195 --> 00:15:11,680
okay, sometimes our elderly viewers,
because they don't have anybody

305
00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:16,719
else and I feel like there's
pressure to listen and just to be

306
00:15:16,719 --> 00:15:18,759
there for this vulnerable group.

307
00:15:19,060 --> 00:15:21,540
This population that
doesn't get much attention.

308
00:15:21,959 --> 00:15:22,289
Sorry.

309
00:15:22,289 --> 00:15:23,260
I had so many answers.

310
00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:24,939
Sandra Pham: That's great.

311
00:15:24,939 --> 00:15:27,849
I mean, I think that is what
makes a good storyteller, right?

312
00:15:27,849 --> 00:15:32,960
When you are able to connect with other
human beings, and they can express their

313
00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:38,030
emotions to you, and you're also able
to be empathetic and connect with them.

314
00:15:38,030 --> 00:15:39,060
And those are the best stories.

315
00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:44,945
I'm curious if that was also part
of what drove you to do the 3 part

316
00:15:44,945 --> 00:15:50,465
series I know you did back in 2021
about the contributions of local

317
00:15:50,465 --> 00:15:54,095
AAPI folks to the Austin community.

318
00:15:54,145 --> 00:15:56,775
That was at the height of Stop Asian Hate.

319
00:15:57,265 --> 00:16:01,194
Lots of things were going on in the
world, obviously, during the pandemic.

320
00:16:01,305 --> 00:16:04,694
I'm curious if that was part of the
passion that you had there to say,

321
00:16:04,694 --> 00:16:08,755
"Hey, my community is really hurting
and I want to do something about it."

322
00:16:08,765 --> 00:16:12,605
Or could you tell us a little bit more
about what led to the development of that?

323
00:16:13,430 --> 00:16:14,010
Jenni Lee: No, Sandra.

324
00:16:14,079 --> 00:16:14,969
Absolutely.

325
00:16:14,979 --> 00:16:15,680
It was.

326
00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,899
I'll never forget when
the eight women were shot.

327
00:16:19,180 --> 00:16:21,560
And my heart just fell to my stomach.

328
00:16:21,829 --> 00:16:23,819
This is hitting a little
too close to home.

329
00:16:23,970 --> 00:16:27,990
I think I did a big commentary
how I was scared for my father and

330
00:16:27,990 --> 00:16:29,939
my son growing up here in Austin.

331
00:16:30,719 --> 00:16:33,360
You know, you experience a
little bit of racism for me.

332
00:16:34,009 --> 00:16:36,590
I didn't, have a whole lot growing up.

333
00:16:36,590 --> 00:16:39,980
Just some, just teasing,
nicknames, but that.

334
00:16:40,635 --> 00:16:44,875
That my people were being killed just
because of the color of their skin.

335
00:16:44,885 --> 00:16:48,635
And I know there are other minority groups
who are already growing through that.

336
00:16:48,635 --> 00:16:52,735
But yes, and I had friends, those
were all my friends that I profiled.

337
00:16:52,944 --> 00:16:56,365
I've known about their stories
and their struggles and it

338
00:16:56,365 --> 00:16:58,185
makes them great citizens.

339
00:16:58,374 --> 00:16:59,265
We are the fastest...

340
00:16:59,314 --> 00:17:04,475
AAPIs, the fastest growing minority group
in Austin, in Texas, and the country.

341
00:17:04,625 --> 00:17:08,390
Why are we not seeing more
people looking like us?

342
00:17:08,630 --> 00:17:12,819
I think it's a challenge for news
organizations because like you

343
00:17:12,819 --> 00:17:17,200
said, I mean you said it, I was
the first, like Asian broadcaster.

344
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:22,510
There was someone who worked in PBS before
me, but newscaster in a major network.

345
00:17:22,839 --> 00:17:25,480
I was I the first one in 2001, right?

346
00:17:26,050 --> 00:17:28,960
And we're still struggling
with representation.

347
00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,480
Not enough AAPI's on TV.

348
00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,301
I know we're gonna talk about
that a little bit later, but I...

349
00:17:34,990 --> 00:17:36,840
Sandra Pham: No, I would
love to talk about it.

350
00:17:36,940 --> 00:17:42,199
So it feels you were one of the few faces
into the early 2000s and things like that.

351
00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:43,709
But we're in 2023.

352
00:17:44,410 --> 00:17:49,099
and when I think about notable Asian
American journalists, those that we

353
00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:51,380
can, I can really count it on my hands.

354
00:17:51,380 --> 00:17:54,650
And so I'm curious on
what your thoughts were.

355
00:17:55,230 --> 00:17:56,900
Is it just the lack of opportunity?

356
00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:58,290
Have we just not grown?

357
00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:04,649
We see this, renaissance of Asian
media and there is, it does feel

358
00:18:04,649 --> 00:18:06,179
like a moment is happening, right?

359
00:18:06,430 --> 00:18:09,090
With when it comes to the
entertainment industry and things,

360
00:18:09,519 --> 00:18:13,190
but it still feels like maybe
journalism and maybe this is just...

361
00:18:13,540 --> 00:18:18,190
my bias opinion here, but it
doesn't seem like it has really

362
00:18:18,350 --> 00:18:20,760
grown with everything else.

363
00:18:21,010 --> 00:18:22,920
The exposure, the opportunities...

364
00:18:23,580 --> 00:18:26,540
we're still-- when we look
even on our local station here,

365
00:18:26,549 --> 00:18:27,929
you're still 1 of the few.

366
00:18:27,940 --> 00:18:30,830
So what do you think is happening there?

367
00:18:31,490 --> 00:18:37,010
Jenni Lee: Let me start with the good
when the Academy Awards aired and

368
00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:39,430
Asians just won all those awards, right?

369
00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:40,210
Michelle...

370
00:18:40,220 --> 00:18:41,300
I was just so proud.

371
00:18:41,300 --> 00:18:46,420
It's like finally, and I think I looked
up the numbers, the percentage of Asian

372
00:18:46,430 --> 00:18:51,050
actors who've gotten jobs this year
compared to, I forgot what the time

373
00:18:51,050 --> 00:18:54,860
frame was, but the most recent stats,
it did go up a little bit, right?

374
00:18:54,860 --> 00:19:00,145
So yay us making strides, but boo
on us for not making strides in the

375
00:19:00,145 --> 00:19:01,905
media, so entertainment industry.

376
00:19:01,925 --> 00:19:02,325
Great.

377
00:19:02,355 --> 00:19:04,885
But you're right -- like Juju Chang...

378
00:19:05,055 --> 00:19:06,325
I mean, who else is out there?

379
00:19:06,505 --> 00:19:09,895
I know there are a couple of others
out there, but growing up, you

380
00:19:09,895 --> 00:19:12,215
mentioned in your list of questions.

381
00:19:12,405 --> 00:19:13,864
Connie Chung, Lisa Ling.

382
00:19:13,925 --> 00:19:14,144
That's it.

383
00:19:14,374 --> 00:19:17,934
Connie Chung was the only person
that looked like me on TV growing up.

384
00:19:18,415 --> 00:19:24,145
Peter Jennings was an idol of mine,
because he, did so well, but Connie

385
00:19:24,145 --> 00:19:26,875
came in a little bit later and
not for long, as you know right?

386
00:19:26,875 --> 00:19:30,855
She was CBS co anchor with
Dan Rather for a little bit.

387
00:19:31,794 --> 00:19:32,425
That's it.

388
00:19:32,845 --> 00:19:37,384
Having said that, better than nothing,
but we still need to do a better job.

389
00:19:37,435 --> 00:19:42,145
I think it's not lack of
opportunity, but just lack of hiring.

390
00:19:42,145 --> 00:19:42,595
We're not....

391
00:19:43,050 --> 00:19:46,930
it seems like I'm hearing that
Asians aren't the right fit a lot.

392
00:19:47,190 --> 00:19:49,030
That's not what people are looking for.

393
00:19:49,090 --> 00:19:51,310
When I say people-- news organizations.

394
00:19:51,540 --> 00:19:56,440
They have other ideas, other
people for those roles.

395
00:19:56,770 --> 00:20:01,100
And so what I have to say about that for
Austin, we act like we're progressive,

396
00:20:01,310 --> 00:20:03,920
but we're really not progressive.

397
00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,940
If, again, the fasting
growing minority group.

398
00:20:07,260 --> 00:20:12,190
Why are companies not
acknowledging that, right?

399
00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:17,870
So here at KVUE TEGNA, we're real
big on DEI, and that's great, but not

400
00:20:17,910 --> 00:20:21,459
everyone subscribes to those ideas.

401
00:20:21,500 --> 00:20:25,770
I think you can look at which TV stations
and what faces you see, and you can

402
00:20:26,270 --> 00:20:28,340
figure out what's important to them.

403
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:29,950
But we have a long way to go, Sandra.

404
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:31,250
Long way to go.

405
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:33,750
In 2023, we are not there yet.

406
00:20:33,750 --> 00:20:35,340
We're not even halfway there yet.

407
00:20:35,755 --> 00:20:36,185
Yeah.

408
00:20:36,185 --> 00:20:40,975
Minh Vu: And I, wonder, I'm curious
too, for you, knowing that there were

409
00:20:41,245 --> 00:20:45,674
so few when you were even like going in,
what was that experience like for you?

410
00:20:45,674 --> 00:20:46,735
Was it intimidating?

411
00:20:46,735 --> 00:20:52,015
Was it motivating in some
ways to be, a trailblazer?

412
00:20:52,404 --> 00:20:52,594
Yeah.

413
00:20:52,595 --> 00:20:54,795
What was, what were those
early days like for you?

414
00:20:55,065 --> 00:20:56,735
Jenni Lee: I think it's
a little bit of both.

415
00:20:56,815 --> 00:20:57,565
Oh my goodness.

416
00:20:57,995 --> 00:21:00,085
My first job was in
Bryan-- College Station.

417
00:21:00,555 --> 00:21:01,405
So...

418
00:21:01,755 --> 00:21:02,745
the only Asian.

419
00:21:02,745 --> 00:21:09,294
So it was intimidating in that
sense, but also some pressure

420
00:21:09,515 --> 00:21:12,145
to make sure I do things right.

421
00:21:12,345 --> 00:21:15,465
So people who are looking at me,
because I was getting email already.

422
00:21:15,505 --> 00:21:16,514
"Oh, thank goodness.

423
00:21:16,514 --> 00:21:17,184
You're doing this.

424
00:21:17,184 --> 00:21:17,935
I'm watching you.

425
00:21:18,190 --> 00:21:21,540
You look like me" Wanted to make
sure that I didn't let them down.

426
00:21:21,630 --> 00:21:25,450
I know that sounds silly, but, I
felt a certain amount of pressure

427
00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:27,610
on myself that no one put on me.

428
00:21:27,869 --> 00:21:31,559
But if I'm going to be one of
the 1st, I want to do a right.

429
00:21:31,619 --> 00:21:33,350
I want to do a really good job at it.

430
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:33,920
Right?

431
00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:35,910
so yeah, it was a little bit of both.

432
00:21:36,540 --> 00:21:39,900
Minh Vu: Yeah, and there's always
sometimes too, it's a tricky balance

433
00:21:39,900 --> 00:21:45,470
because there's this undue burden that
we may have as being some of the first or

434
00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:48,929
some of pioneering or trailblazing a path.

435
00:21:49,490 --> 00:21:52,359
And you want to be able to be a
good representation, but you also

436
00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,460
want to be true to yourself and
who you are, and we can't represent

437
00:21:55,490 --> 00:21:58,790
everyone and be that for everyone.

438
00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,800
But it's such a tricky balance
sometimes when that becomes the case.

439
00:22:03,090 --> 00:22:05,760
For what it's worth, you've
done such a beautiful job.

440
00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,620
And so I do appreciate the work
that you've been able to do.

441
00:22:14,170 --> 00:22:18,089
So Jenni, as you were mentioning
some of the stories, challenging

442
00:22:18,089 --> 00:22:21,120
stories that you've had to share
in the past, I couldn't help but

443
00:22:21,179 --> 00:22:25,999
think about how heavy those must
weigh when you're experiencing that.

444
00:22:25,999 --> 00:22:29,760
And it made me curious how you're
able to turn that off when you go

445
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,620
home and just not carry that with you.

446
00:22:31,620 --> 00:22:32,920
Because I imagine that's a lot.

447
00:22:33,355 --> 00:22:35,135
These are heavy issues.

448
00:22:35,135 --> 00:22:38,585
These are heavy stories to
report on and investigate in on.

449
00:22:38,715 --> 00:22:39,715
I'm just curious what your...

450
00:22:40,015 --> 00:22:40,805
how you handle that.

451
00:22:41,345 --> 00:22:44,645
Jenni Lee: Sometimes you can
separate yourself, right?

452
00:22:44,724 --> 00:22:46,685
From political issues.

453
00:22:46,985 --> 00:22:48,455
Here's one side, here's the other.

454
00:22:49,895 --> 00:22:50,804
You're crazy.

455
00:22:51,410 --> 00:22:51,980
The end.

456
00:22:52,220 --> 00:22:55,890
But some stories hit too close to home.

457
00:22:56,020 --> 00:23:00,920
So after I just had my son, I
came back and was reporting.

458
00:23:01,250 --> 00:23:05,800
I had to go out and cover a house
fire where a two month old baby died.

459
00:23:06,169 --> 00:23:07,190
And I couldn't.

460
00:23:07,490 --> 00:23:13,290
I did my stand-- I did my live shot at 10
and cried right after that, because....

461
00:23:13,900 --> 00:23:17,670
you change, you grow and you
change and your priorities change.

462
00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:22,410
And I just could not ever
imagine a baby dying like that.

463
00:23:22,719 --> 00:23:25,829
Thinking of my child and
you can't separate it.

464
00:23:26,089 --> 00:23:27,580
And I think that's okay.

465
00:23:28,065 --> 00:23:32,945
You separate what you can, but the ones
that hit your heart, they hit your heart.

466
00:23:33,015 --> 00:23:34,665
You digest everything.

467
00:23:35,135 --> 00:23:38,414
And by the time you get home, you
have your family to deal with.

468
00:23:38,635 --> 00:23:40,364
I have two crazy rescue dogs too.

469
00:23:40,575 --> 00:23:42,125
So that kind of helps.

470
00:23:42,584 --> 00:23:43,315
Dogs are great.

471
00:23:43,744 --> 00:23:44,475
I love cats too.

472
00:23:44,485 --> 00:23:45,774
My husband won't let me have a cat though.

473
00:23:45,774 --> 00:23:47,655
So two crazy dogs it is.

474
00:23:48,035 --> 00:23:52,395
So that helps, you have priorities
at home that you got to attend to

475
00:23:52,675 --> 00:23:53,915
and that takes your mind off it.

476
00:23:53,915 --> 00:23:58,490
But you know, I go over the day
in my mind, so I can't sleep.

477
00:23:58,500 --> 00:23:59,280
I don't sleep well.

478
00:23:59,410 --> 00:24:00,380
I'm not what you call it...

479
00:24:00,380 --> 00:24:01,470
easy sleeper, right?

480
00:24:01,710 --> 00:24:04,060
So I do internalize things.

481
00:24:04,310 --> 00:24:05,300
I don't recommend it.

482
00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:06,360
I can't help it.

483
00:24:06,550 --> 00:24:06,880
Right?

484
00:24:06,899 --> 00:24:08,220
Because everything I take.

485
00:24:08,580 --> 00:24:13,550
I try not to take personally, but it
still has impacted me and my life, even

486
00:24:13,550 --> 00:24:16,040
though it was just a snippet of my day.

487
00:24:16,070 --> 00:24:18,479
Now with my investigations,
they're months long.

488
00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:20,869
So now things are affecting me longer.

489
00:24:20,870 --> 00:24:24,619
I'm mulling over things
longer, but I mean, it's hard.

490
00:24:24,945 --> 00:24:26,055
When you can, you can.

491
00:24:26,055 --> 00:24:26,925
But when you can't...

492
00:24:27,455 --> 00:24:29,435
maybe talk it out, if
people are listening.

493
00:24:29,745 --> 00:24:32,395
I have my husband as a sounding board.

494
00:24:32,655 --> 00:24:35,654
I talk it out with Erica Proffer,
who's my fellow investigator here.

495
00:24:36,124 --> 00:24:40,505
We, fortunately have our own office
and we're able to just-- bounce

496
00:24:40,515 --> 00:24:42,595
things back and forth with each other.

497
00:24:42,705 --> 00:24:45,265
The pandemic really did a
number on our mental health.

498
00:24:45,475 --> 00:24:48,905
So I think more than ever, we
have to be there for each other.

499
00:24:48,975 --> 00:24:50,524
That's part of the deal now.

500
00:24:50,704 --> 00:24:52,555
And you're having a hard
time with the story.

501
00:24:52,605 --> 00:24:57,145
Everybody here, I think in one of
your questions, why did I stay here?

502
00:24:57,595 --> 00:24:58,624
It's been eight years.

503
00:24:58,905 --> 00:25:00,305
Because KVUE is a family.

504
00:25:00,365 --> 00:25:01,475
They care about you first.

505
00:25:01,515 --> 00:25:02,875
And that's not a line.

506
00:25:03,315 --> 00:25:06,775
Really, whatever you have going
on, they'll work with you.

507
00:25:06,995 --> 00:25:12,575
Because they know that work life balance
is so important now more than ever.

508
00:25:13,035 --> 00:25:16,095
So that's why I've stuck around here.

509
00:25:16,095 --> 00:25:17,345
They've been so understanding.

510
00:25:17,575 --> 00:25:19,125
Everybody has family issues.

511
00:25:19,374 --> 00:25:23,225
You can't just separate your
personal life from your work life.

512
00:25:23,284 --> 00:25:26,295
Like that kind of goes
like this most of the time.

513
00:25:26,574 --> 00:25:30,075
So they have been great
and they've understood.

514
00:25:30,085 --> 00:25:32,825
It's very different from other
places that I've worked at.

515
00:25:33,230 --> 00:25:38,390
But this is a good place to grow your
family and grow yourself as well.

516
00:25:38,730 --> 00:25:40,130
Minh Vu: Yeah, that's awesome.

517
00:25:40,130 --> 00:25:43,410
I'm curious about some
maybe specific examples.

518
00:25:43,459 --> 00:25:47,029
Dogs are a great way to maybe
decompress and get some lovins

519
00:25:47,030 --> 00:25:47,929
and all that type of stuff.

520
00:25:47,940 --> 00:25:52,460
But is there other kind of self
care things that you like to do

521
00:25:52,590 --> 00:25:56,380
to just get you more centered and
back into a nice stable place?

522
00:25:56,740 --> 00:25:57,610
Jenni Lee: Yes, sir.

523
00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,460
It's called "Self Care Saturday".

524
00:25:59,530 --> 00:26:02,250
That is every Saturday,
I get my nails done.

525
00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,780
I will get a massage, haircut, facial.

526
00:26:05,780 --> 00:26:06,830
Not every week.

527
00:26:06,830 --> 00:26:07,900
The nails are every week.

528
00:26:08,070 --> 00:26:09,650
Massage, once a month.

529
00:26:09,890 --> 00:26:11,150
Facials, once a month.

530
00:26:11,509 --> 00:26:12,299
Absolutely.

531
00:26:12,310 --> 00:26:15,000
My friends make fun of me,
but Saturdays are mine.

532
00:26:15,020 --> 00:26:16,030
And that's what I have to do.

533
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,440
And I'm a person who has to be by myself.

534
00:26:18,730 --> 00:26:20,290
I crave alone time.

535
00:26:20,705 --> 00:26:24,175
Even though that means just staring at
the wall, I have to be alone because

536
00:26:24,205 --> 00:26:29,255
I'm interacting with so many people all
the time, every day that by the end of

537
00:26:29,294 --> 00:26:31,195
the week, I just have to decompress.

538
00:26:31,584 --> 00:26:32,965
So dogs are helpful.

539
00:26:32,995 --> 00:26:34,175
My self care Saturday.

540
00:26:34,454 --> 00:26:35,505
It is great.

541
00:26:35,770 --> 00:26:40,430
Yeah, and then lean into your friends
because they're there to help.

542
00:26:40,740 --> 00:26:44,170
I just finally had a dinner with my
best friend whom I haven't seen in

543
00:26:44,170 --> 00:26:51,169
months, so you just got to make that
time, especially in this crazy, ever

544
00:26:51,180 --> 00:26:54,210
evolving, ever changing industry of ours.

545
00:26:54,835 --> 00:26:59,435
Minh Vu: Yeah, I love that self
care Saturday, but as you should.

546
00:26:59,455 --> 00:27:00,555
Yeah, you heard it here.

547
00:27:00,555 --> 00:27:01,035
Everyone.

548
00:27:01,085 --> 00:27:03,315
That's good advice.

549
00:27:03,455 --> 00:27:06,055
And also, Sandra, I can't help
but think of you when Jenni

550
00:27:06,075 --> 00:27:08,495
was talking about being alone.

551
00:27:08,495 --> 00:27:10,674
I'm like, I know someone
who likes to do that.

552
00:27:11,524 --> 00:27:12,244
Jenni Lee: You too?

553
00:27:12,364 --> 00:27:13,114
Sandra Pham: Oh absolutely.

554
00:27:13,114 --> 00:27:15,005
Jenni Lee: I always say I'm
going to go stare at the wall.

555
00:27:15,015 --> 00:27:15,585
Leave me alone.

556
00:27:15,915 --> 00:27:16,045
Yeah.

557
00:27:16,675 --> 00:27:19,375
Sandra Pham: Yeah, Minh and
I are different in that way.

558
00:27:19,375 --> 00:27:22,375
So I do consider myself
an introvert at points.

559
00:27:22,625 --> 00:27:23,585
I am very much...

560
00:27:23,595 --> 00:27:27,735
I need to recharge, be with
the dogs, go do some pilates.

561
00:27:27,785 --> 00:27:31,515
But, if I don't talk to 1
single soul that day, I'm good.

562
00:27:34,345 --> 00:27:35,025
Minh Vu: And I'm learning.

563
00:27:35,415 --> 00:27:36,755
Alone time is good.

564
00:27:37,055 --> 00:27:37,665
I'm, learning.

565
00:27:37,665 --> 00:27:38,855
I definitely appreciate it.

566
00:27:38,885 --> 00:27:41,215
Jenni Lee: When I was younger,
I was afraid of being alone.

567
00:27:41,255 --> 00:27:43,274
Now I can't get enough of it.

568
00:27:43,275 --> 00:27:44,675
And Sandra, you brought up something else.

569
00:27:45,284 --> 00:27:46,475
Physical activity is important.

570
00:27:46,625 --> 00:27:52,245
Yoga, walking, whatever it is,
go out and just think outside.

571
00:27:52,385 --> 00:27:52,924
It helps.

572
00:27:53,495 --> 00:27:57,975
as you're walking and getting your 10,
000 steps in, being outside nature helps.

573
00:27:57,975 --> 00:27:59,615
And we've got great running trails.

574
00:28:00,245 --> 00:28:03,375
A lot of people do-- Austin's
great for outdoorsy activities.

575
00:28:04,315 --> 00:28:05,465
Sandra Pham: Yeah, I feel that.

576
00:28:05,475 --> 00:28:10,094
Well, shifting gears a little something
and then this is going to be a big

577
00:28:10,094 --> 00:28:15,745
question-- so we can break this down and
answer and how you would like, but you've

578
00:28:15,785 --> 00:28:20,955
had so many opportunities to tell so many
different stories and put a bit in your

579
00:28:20,955 --> 00:28:26,535
career now, more so in the investigative
reporting space, but are there stories or

580
00:28:26,545 --> 00:28:30,725
something particular that's on your mind
now where you're like itching to tell?

581
00:28:31,365 --> 00:28:35,355
Is there a story where you're like, this
is something that has not been told or

582
00:28:35,355 --> 00:28:40,065
that you personally have not been able
to jump into yet that, you know, "man,

583
00:28:40,065 --> 00:28:43,175
I would really like to tell this story."

584
00:28:43,955 --> 00:28:46,854
Jenni Lee: I thought about that, and
this is an unconventional answer.

585
00:28:47,254 --> 00:28:49,925
One day, many, years from now...

586
00:28:49,975 --> 00:28:52,245
I would like to tell my own story.

587
00:28:52,625 --> 00:28:57,844
And here's why: my mom abandoned
me when I was two months old,

588
00:28:58,385 --> 00:29:00,135
and I don't know who she is.

589
00:29:00,825 --> 00:29:05,675
For the longest time, I didn't know who
I was because of that and the issues

590
00:29:05,675 --> 00:29:08,405
that come with it, people are like,
hey, are you going to look for her?

591
00:29:08,695 --> 00:29:09,384
I don't know.

592
00:29:09,755 --> 00:29:12,365
I'm 51 and I don't know
the answer to that.

593
00:29:12,825 --> 00:29:18,044
I don't know if it's I'm afraid I'm not
ready a combination of all those things.

594
00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:25,640
But one day, when I'm smarter, I would
like to just track my own journey.

595
00:29:26,180 --> 00:29:28,379
I don't know why I'm getting
so personal with y'all, but I

596
00:29:28,379 --> 00:29:29,719
couldn't think of another story.

597
00:29:29,719 --> 00:29:34,390
I've talked to presidents, presidential
candidates, just famous people,

598
00:29:34,390 --> 00:29:36,340
and what story haven't I done?

599
00:29:36,369 --> 00:29:42,460
I definitely want to help as many people
as possible, but that story, I have just

600
00:29:42,490 --> 00:29:46,820
kept back here at arm's length, because
I'm not sure I want to know the outcome.

601
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:48,370
Who knows, right?

602
00:29:49,305 --> 00:29:53,125
Yeah, I've never publicly talked
about this, but I love you two.

603
00:29:53,175 --> 00:29:55,915
Y'all, y'all make me feel
comfortable opening up.

604
00:29:55,925 --> 00:30:00,985
But yeah, that's a journey that I
need to walk the path and figure

605
00:30:00,985 --> 00:30:03,615
out what to do when I'm ready.

606
00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:05,060
Minh Vu: Yeah, Jenni.

607
00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:09,260
Thank you so much for being
vulnerable with us and sharing that.

608
00:30:09,290 --> 00:30:12,340
And I think that's-- that makes
a lot of sense to be honest.

609
00:30:12,340 --> 00:30:16,760
I mean, you spend so much
time facilitating a platform

610
00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,290
for other people's stories.

611
00:30:18,350 --> 00:30:23,190
And I think for us, like, when we did
set out to do this podcast, it was very

612
00:30:23,190 --> 00:30:29,065
much like around just broaching the
conversation of where do we come from?

613
00:30:29,075 --> 00:30:33,155
What does that mean for us
for an individual, and it can

614
00:30:33,155 --> 00:30:34,375
be different for all of us.

615
00:30:34,415 --> 00:30:35,745
It is different for all of us.

616
00:30:35,745 --> 00:30:39,875
And I think I just really appreciate
you sharing that because I think it

617
00:30:39,905 --> 00:30:42,695
is a true and real thing, obviously.

618
00:30:42,695 --> 00:30:43,865
And it also is.

619
00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:45,330
You've done so well.

620
00:30:45,340 --> 00:30:46,760
Otherwise, too, right?

621
00:30:46,770 --> 00:30:51,820
So we support you 100 percent whenever
you feel ready and good to want to

622
00:30:51,970 --> 00:30:53,880
dive into that part of your life.

623
00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,380
Or even if you never do, I
think it is a personal choice.

624
00:30:57,410 --> 00:31:02,260
And it also just there's a lot
of good support, I think, in your

625
00:31:02,260 --> 00:31:05,400
way, whenever you do, however, you
want to move forward with that.

626
00:31:05,970 --> 00:31:08,440
Jenni Lee: I love the positive
vibes I'm getting from you two.

627
00:31:08,580 --> 00:31:10,760
So thank you for being
supportive and so loving.

628
00:31:10,810 --> 00:31:15,420
And this is such-- I feel so safe in
this space, so thank you for that.

629
00:31:15,670 --> 00:31:19,370
I do have to add that I didn't
know if I was going to be a good

630
00:31:19,370 --> 00:31:21,090
mother since I never had one.

631
00:31:21,490 --> 00:31:23,420
So when-- I went to therapy.

632
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:26,540
So I encourage people to talk
about their mental health and

633
00:31:26,550 --> 00:31:27,600
things that they're afraid of.

634
00:31:27,995 --> 00:31:32,025
Because I think I was just afraid to
talk about it and a little embarrassing.

635
00:31:32,025 --> 00:31:32,275
Right?

636
00:31:32,275 --> 00:31:35,095
But I'm older now the therapy helped.

637
00:31:35,325 --> 00:31:35,665
Yes.

638
00:31:35,725 --> 00:31:36,525
I am a mother.

639
00:31:36,525 --> 00:31:39,805
I think I'm a pretty good one
but there was some fear because

640
00:31:40,165 --> 00:31:41,725
I didn't know what to do.

641
00:31:41,755 --> 00:31:43,045
I didn't have a model.

642
00:31:43,315 --> 00:31:48,585
And so to look up to, and, if anybody
else is out there in a similar

643
00:31:48,585 --> 00:31:52,795
situation, you know I highly, they can
reach out to me and talk to me, but

644
00:31:52,995 --> 00:31:54,735
you shout to a professional as well.

645
00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:59,750
Minh Vu: Yeah, it's about creating
community, and I think wherever

646
00:31:59,750 --> 00:32:01,260
we can find that with each other.

647
00:32:01,260 --> 00:32:04,720
And I think we've touched on that a
number of times throughout talking

648
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,710
with each other, is people just want
a space to be able to listen, be

649
00:32:08,710 --> 00:32:15,010
heard, and feel like there's a sense
of community that they can belong to.

650
00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:17,930
Jenni Lee: I think it's really
important, Minh especially since

651
00:32:17,950 --> 00:32:23,065
mental health among young people
has just drastically decreased.

652
00:32:23,085 --> 00:32:24,395
And I did a story in May.

653
00:32:24,485 --> 00:32:27,545
Mental health among teenagers
worse than ever, right?

654
00:32:27,545 --> 00:32:29,315
Starting the pandemic,
but it's getting worse.

655
00:32:29,695 --> 00:32:34,005
And so I'm afraid, and, the 2 suicides
that happened at Austin ISD last week.

656
00:32:34,305 --> 00:32:39,995
My son goes to Austin High that's just
shocking for young people to think that

657
00:32:39,995 --> 00:32:42,675
there's no other way, but that way.

658
00:32:42,705 --> 00:32:45,475
So right then and there, I
just decided I'm going to talk

659
00:32:45,475 --> 00:32:47,675
about everything and it's okay.

660
00:32:48,085 --> 00:32:49,475
And it's absolutely okay.

661
00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:51,410
Minh Vu: Yeah, 100%.

662
00:32:52,350 --> 00:32:57,690
So I think one area that we're
curious about, given that you've been

663
00:32:57,690 --> 00:33:02,540
in Austin for so long to and have
such a good heart for the community,

664
00:33:02,660 --> 00:33:07,000
obviously, and sharing so many stories
here and being able to advocate for

665
00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,250
people through the investigative
journalism and things like that.

666
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,510
What brought you to Austin
from the suburbs of Dallas?

667
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:15,900
And what's kept you here?

668
00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,455
Jenni Lee: Okay, that's an easy
question because, I applied I

669
00:33:19,475 --> 00:33:22,815
only applied to the University
of Texas at Austin when I got in.

670
00:33:23,015 --> 00:33:26,545
That's what brought me to
Austin and this may sound silly.

671
00:33:26,745 --> 00:33:33,065
I didn't know what a but I was
until I moved from Dallas to Austin.

672
00:33:33,105 --> 00:33:34,715
Everybody's so laid back here.

673
00:33:34,775 --> 00:33:36,975
You don't have to get dressed
up to go to the grocery store.

674
00:33:37,295 --> 00:33:40,815
I used to get dressed up to go to
the grocery store in Dallas I don't

675
00:33:40,815 --> 00:33:42,015
get dressed up for anything now.

676
00:33:42,225 --> 00:33:44,155
I don't put on makeup on
the weekends now, right?

677
00:33:44,245 --> 00:33:45,285
And nobody cares.

678
00:33:45,585 --> 00:33:47,925
That's the Austin vibe
I fell in love with.

679
00:33:48,205 --> 00:33:49,325
Is Austin changing?

680
00:33:49,605 --> 00:33:50,545
Absolutely.

681
00:33:50,725 --> 00:33:55,270
But the people, for the most
part, the ones who are raised here

682
00:33:55,340 --> 00:33:57,100
from here are the same, right?

683
00:33:57,370 --> 00:34:01,710
I knew then that I was going
to come back and work here.

684
00:34:01,750 --> 00:34:06,020
I even told my supervisor at the
station I was interning at the time.

685
00:34:06,340 --> 00:34:08,160
I'm like, I'm going to
come back and work for you.

686
00:34:08,490 --> 00:34:09,350
And sure enough, I did.

687
00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,830
So this is exactly the place
I want to raise a family.

688
00:34:12,910 --> 00:34:13,720
Not Dallas.

689
00:34:13,910 --> 00:34:15,340
No, no shade to Dallas.

690
00:34:15,905 --> 00:34:16,735
But I already did that.

691
00:34:16,985 --> 00:34:17,325
Right.

692
00:34:17,475 --> 00:34:18,095
I did that.

693
00:34:18,285 --> 00:34:18,895
Thank you.

694
00:34:19,085 --> 00:34:19,815
But no, thank you.

695
00:34:20,315 --> 00:34:24,155
Sandra Pham: I will say my little
heart here is really proud of you for

696
00:34:24,155 --> 00:34:25,505
saying that because I'm from Houston.

697
00:34:25,675 --> 00:34:28,395
I was born, like I have
to hate Dallas, right?

698
00:34:28,595 --> 00:34:28,845
We're just...

699
00:34:29,575 --> 00:34:31,545
Jenni Lee: yeah, we have
to hate each other, right?,

700
00:34:31,595 --> 00:34:35,895
Sandra Pham: I'm like, yes, she's
she thinks Dallas is, whatever.

701
00:34:36,255 --> 00:34:38,675
I'm just enjoying it.

702
00:34:39,010 --> 00:34:40,160
Jenni Lee: I don't hate Dallas.

703
00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:42,280
I just don't want to live there, right?

704
00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:43,400
I've already done it.

705
00:34:44,690 --> 00:34:45,350
Sandra Pham: Yeah, for sure.

706
00:34:45,430 --> 00:34:48,220
And I mean, obviously we all
have chosen Austin to be home.

707
00:34:48,220 --> 00:34:52,590
I think we're very protective of the
city and are very fond of it, right?

708
00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:57,850
Like I, I similar to you, I just find the
people in the community and are authentic

709
00:34:57,850 --> 00:35:00,130
and real and hope to preserve that.

710
00:35:00,130 --> 00:35:06,030
But obviously we have fears that
as outsiders, like out of state...

711
00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:07,740
Jenni Lee: the Californians!

712
00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:11,120
Sandra Pham: Yeah, I know, and I feel
terrible that we always make fun of

713
00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,170
them, but it is because it's fear.

714
00:35:13,170 --> 00:35:18,710
It's we want to preserve this Austin that
at least in our minds were nostalgic about

715
00:35:18,710 --> 00:35:21,620
and feel is the heart of what Austin is.

716
00:35:21,670 --> 00:35:24,230
But, yeah, I think that's so interesting.

717
00:35:24,230 --> 00:35:29,300
And I'm, also curious and, as
you've navigated your career and

718
00:35:29,330 --> 00:35:35,140
continue to obviously, you have a
great career continued ahead of you.

719
00:35:35,980 --> 00:35:39,850
When you look back, is there
something that's top of mind where

720
00:35:39,850 --> 00:35:45,130
you're like, "I would love for
people to know this is who I was as,

721
00:35:45,190 --> 00:35:47,190
as a storyteller as a journalist.

722
00:35:47,740 --> 00:35:51,270
This is my kind of what I
would like to be known for."

723
00:35:52,180 --> 00:35:53,830
Jenni Lee: I think I want people...

724
00:35:53,870 --> 00:35:57,480
if today's my last day on Earth, I
just want people to remember me as

725
00:35:57,510 --> 00:35:59,410
someone who always sought out the truth.

726
00:36:00,010 --> 00:36:03,850
Always fought for the little guy
holding the power to account.

727
00:36:04,090 --> 00:36:05,320
That's always important.

728
00:36:05,740 --> 00:36:06,890
Doing the best we can.

729
00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:10,640
Just like you said, making
connections, trying to help, trying

730
00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:12,670
to just be out in the community.

731
00:36:12,670 --> 00:36:15,215
So they know that we're there too.

732
00:36:15,375 --> 00:36:16,315
Just not on TV.

733
00:36:16,315 --> 00:36:17,045
I'm your neighbor.

734
00:36:17,375 --> 00:36:21,535
And so when I come and talk to you,
it really is because I live here.

735
00:36:21,685 --> 00:36:23,925
I want to better where we live.

736
00:36:24,225 --> 00:36:24,665
Right?

737
00:36:24,975 --> 00:36:27,945
So I think I just want people
to know I did the best I can.

738
00:36:33,495 --> 00:36:36,785
Minh Vu: We have a couple, one
more question before we move

739
00:36:36,785 --> 00:36:40,105
into some rapid fire questions.

740
00:36:40,515 --> 00:36:43,730
And we like to check in with our guests...

741
00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:46,860
obviously, this podcast
is Asian in Austin and...

742
00:36:47,570 --> 00:36:50,280
what is your relationship with
your ethnic background today?

743
00:36:50,290 --> 00:36:51,240
What does that mean to you?

744
00:36:52,090 --> 00:36:53,650
Jenni Lee: It's changed and evolved.

745
00:36:53,740 --> 00:36:56,600
I am more comfortable with it.

746
00:36:56,780 --> 00:36:59,110
Growing up, I wasn't
so comfortable with it.

747
00:36:59,140 --> 00:36:59,530
Right?

748
00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,590
Being different in Dallas.

749
00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:02,640
Oh my God.

750
00:37:02,740 --> 00:37:03,530
What a fear.

751
00:37:03,570 --> 00:37:03,870
Right?

752
00:37:04,310 --> 00:37:06,490
Because I was one of a handful of asians.

753
00:37:06,590 --> 00:37:07,850
Me, Danny Wong, Jennifer Wong.

754
00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:09,900
And I think someone
else named Jennifer Lee.

755
00:37:10,390 --> 00:37:12,610
We weren't really creative
with names, right?

756
00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,430
So we talk about just...

757
00:37:16,785 --> 00:37:21,025
how that focus is on us to
represent such a huge community.

758
00:37:21,895 --> 00:37:27,615
So there's that pressure, but yeah,
now I'm much more comfortable.

759
00:37:27,645 --> 00:37:32,165
Even though I can't speak Cantonese,
I can only understand Cantonese.

760
00:37:32,355 --> 00:37:35,305
I have such a Southern accent
on my Chinese and my family.

761
00:37:35,675 --> 00:37:36,605
"They're like don't talk.

762
00:37:36,935 --> 00:37:37,725
Please don't talk.

763
00:37:37,725 --> 00:37:38,085
It sounds...

764
00:37:38,315 --> 00:37:39,215
don't talk in public.

765
00:37:39,215 --> 00:37:39,675
It's embarrassing."

766
00:37:41,415 --> 00:37:42,855
But now I appreciate it, right?

767
00:37:42,855 --> 00:37:46,995
Now I seek it, but before I'm
like, "oh, no, do we really have

768
00:37:46,995 --> 00:37:48,435
to wear slippers inside the house?"

769
00:37:48,705 --> 00:37:50,985
We have to put our hands on the
table when we're eating rice.

770
00:37:51,065 --> 00:37:51,575
Come on.

771
00:37:51,825 --> 00:37:54,205
But now I'm trying to
teach my son that, right?

772
00:37:54,365 --> 00:37:56,865
Did you guys get in trouble when you
didn't have your hands on the table?

773
00:37:56,865 --> 00:37:57,485
I know I did.

774
00:37:58,060 --> 00:37:59,200
Minh Vu: Yeah, definitely.

775
00:37:59,230 --> 00:38:04,360
There's little things about like
Vietnamese culture, and maybe some

776
00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:08,300
others too, I imagine, but just
like always inviting the elders

777
00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:12,765
to eat first, just even if it's
not like they're not even hungry.

778
00:38:12,765 --> 00:38:13,975
They're not even at the table.

779
00:38:13,975 --> 00:38:18,225
It's like you just have to do it
before you can take your first bite.

780
00:38:18,225 --> 00:38:19,105
So there's stuff like that.

781
00:38:19,115 --> 00:38:19,575
That definitely...

782
00:38:19,575 --> 00:38:22,305
we would get in trouble
for if we didn't do that.

783
00:38:22,645 --> 00:38:25,435
Jenni Lee: Yeah, we had to
acknowledge everybody in the room.

784
00:38:26,305 --> 00:38:30,735
Once you walk in, you have to just
acknowledge everyone and call everybody

785
00:38:30,745 --> 00:38:32,625
by the appropriate title and name.

786
00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:34,350
Yeah,

787
00:38:34,890 --> 00:38:36,330
Minh Vu: I would trip up a lot on that.

788
00:38:36,870 --> 00:38:37,850
"Are you my...

789
00:38:37,930 --> 00:38:38,580
I think..."

790
00:38:38,590 --> 00:38:39,020
yeah.

791
00:38:39,900 --> 00:38:42,720
Sandra Pham: Any of these
things that you've, maybe

792
00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:44,330
instilled with your son or...

793
00:38:44,380 --> 00:38:47,170
yeah, I'm curious if
you've taught him any.

794
00:38:47,810 --> 00:38:52,000
Jenni Lee: My husband is Caucasian,
so my son is what we call "Waisian."

795
00:38:52,020 --> 00:38:53,310
He's white and he's Asian.

796
00:38:53,390 --> 00:38:53,780
Right?

797
00:38:53,860 --> 00:38:58,310
So he's a mix of both and he's
growing up here and early on...

798
00:38:58,340 --> 00:39:01,895
I did teach him a little
bit of the Chinese I knew.

799
00:39:02,215 --> 00:39:06,895
I regret not enrolling him
in like a Chinese class.

800
00:39:06,945 --> 00:39:08,165
I think we looked into it.

801
00:39:08,165 --> 00:39:12,415
I forgot what happened, but there yeah,
he doesn't have that connection because

802
00:39:12,415 --> 00:39:14,245
I have family in Dallas and Houston.

803
00:39:14,590 --> 00:39:20,900
And we don't travel as much and he has
such a craving for family that I do

804
00:39:20,940 --> 00:39:24,670
regret not doing more to connect him.

805
00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:26,800
Like we have relatives
in New York City, too.

806
00:39:26,830 --> 00:39:29,350
It's really hard for all
of us to get together.

807
00:39:30,220 --> 00:39:35,440
I, wished when he was younger, we
could have had more interactions...

808
00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:37,180
that I would have made more of an effort.

809
00:39:37,570 --> 00:39:41,040
Because, saying you're busy,
everyone's always busy.

810
00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:44,480
I should have taken more of an
active role in trying to connect.

811
00:39:44,500 --> 00:39:52,055
But he does recognize his background,
probably not as much as I would like, and

812
00:39:52,055 --> 00:39:57,125
that's my fault, again, because I'm not
taking him to go see his grandfather in

813
00:39:57,125 --> 00:39:59,975
Houston, because Pearland is so far away.

814
00:40:00,015 --> 00:40:01,205
Why is Pearland so far?

815
00:40:01,245 --> 00:40:05,435
And it's Pearland, not like he's
living really close, but yes.

816
00:40:05,825 --> 00:40:06,595
I wish I could.

817
00:40:07,235 --> 00:40:07,675
I wish I could.

818
00:40:07,805 --> 00:40:09,005
Minh Vu: There's always still time.

819
00:40:10,035 --> 00:40:10,415
Jenni Lee: That's true.

820
00:40:10,495 --> 00:40:13,075
Minh Vu: People's relationship to
their identity, as we've shared

821
00:40:13,075 --> 00:40:15,935
too, evolves and changes over time.

822
00:40:15,935 --> 00:40:19,775
And, you go, you zig and you
zag and then you find your way.

823
00:40:19,775 --> 00:40:23,585
And we're sending good energy either way.

824
00:40:23,665 --> 00:40:24,215
Yeah.

825
00:40:24,365 --> 00:40:26,695
Jenni Lee: He doesn't understand
why I wear slippers in the house.

826
00:40:26,905 --> 00:40:29,325
so yeah, I'm like, okay.

827
00:40:31,045 --> 00:40:34,205
Minh Vu: Maybe this episode will
spark some curiosity for him.

828
00:40:34,215 --> 00:40:35,875
Jenni Lee: Well, he wants Yeezys.

829
00:40:35,885 --> 00:40:38,645
I'm like, I'm not buying Yeezys
for you to wear inside the house.

830
00:40:38,645 --> 00:40:39,335
Oh, gosh.

831
00:40:40,555 --> 00:40:41,905
He's a Kanye West fan.

832
00:40:41,915 --> 00:40:42,815
What did I do?

833
00:40:45,245 --> 00:40:45,735
Minh Vu: That's so funny.

834
00:40:46,195 --> 00:40:47,535
Jenni Lee: Is that a failure
or is that a success?

835
00:40:47,535 --> 00:40:47,965
I don't know.

836
00:40:48,435 --> 00:40:50,485
Minh Vu: Kanye is a creative person.

837
00:40:50,485 --> 00:40:51,575
We'll just leave it at that.

838
00:40:51,665 --> 00:40:52,369
He's very creative.

839
00:40:52,369 --> 00:40:54,445
Jenni Lee: He calls him
a creative genius, "Mom."

840
00:40:54,635 --> 00:40:56,475
I'm sorry, "Mom, he's a creative genius."

841
00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:59,190
He's 13 and his voice
is really low like this.

842
00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:01,870
If you ever meet him, he's like this tall.

843
00:41:02,330 --> 00:41:03,590
"Mom, what are you doing?"

844
00:41:05,300 --> 00:41:06,156
I love him, but that's
what he sounds like.

845
00:41:06,156 --> 00:41:08,060
Minh Vu: That's so funny.

846
00:41:08,130 --> 00:41:09,640
Yes, there's definitely time.

847
00:41:09,650 --> 00:41:14,380
I had my own relationship to my
identity in which I whitewashed myself.

848
00:41:14,380 --> 00:41:18,590
I talked about this in the podcast
and it was only until I was like, in

849
00:41:18,590 --> 00:41:23,760
my like, 17, 18, that I got really
curious about my parents story, and

850
00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:30,330
it changed a lot to hear, what that,
that was like, and so there's time.

851
00:41:30,375 --> 00:41:31,145
There's time.

852
00:41:31,595 --> 00:41:32,345
Jenni Lee: Similar path.

853
00:41:32,355 --> 00:41:35,345
Yeah, I totally whitewashed
myself in high school.

854
00:41:35,745 --> 00:41:35,985
Minh Vu: Yeah.

855
00:41:36,545 --> 00:41:42,175
Yeah, it happens, but we, learn
and we grow and we reclaim.

856
00:41:42,415 --> 00:41:44,785
Jenni Lee: Yeah, because acceptance
is a powerful thing, right?

857
00:41:44,855 --> 00:41:47,485
Just wanted to fit in and be accepted.

858
00:41:47,585 --> 00:41:48,465
Minh Vu: 100%.

859
00:41:48,535 --> 00:41:50,465
You don't want to be
othered and feel different.

860
00:41:50,575 --> 00:41:54,185
And I think this is the beautiful thing
about what we're trying to do with this

861
00:41:54,205 --> 00:41:59,015
podcast, what you're doing and sharing
your story and the stuff that you're

862
00:41:59,015 --> 00:42:02,235
doing with investigative journalism
and just being a face out there.

863
00:42:02,235 --> 00:42:04,665
So it's really, appreciate that.

864
00:42:05,325 --> 00:42:07,105
All right, we'll get into some rapid fire.

865
00:42:07,105 --> 00:42:09,995
So the first thing that comes
into your mind when we ask these

866
00:42:09,995 --> 00:42:13,655
questions, but what's one of your
favorite Asian restaurants in austin?

867
00:42:13,985 --> 00:42:15,615
Jenni Lee: Okay, I can't just name one.

868
00:42:15,625 --> 00:42:16,655
I think that's unfair.

869
00:42:16,655 --> 00:42:19,185
So let me just give you a couple.

870
00:42:20,415 --> 00:42:22,475
Are y'all familiar with Kome off airport?

871
00:42:23,210 --> 00:42:23,990
I love the owners.

872
00:42:23,990 --> 00:42:24,400
They're so nice.

873
00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:26,070
Coco's cafe.

874
00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:28,070
So I go from Japanese to Taiwan.

875
00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:31,730
That's pretty good too.

876
00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:38,340
and a little bit higher in, Qi Austin
on 6th street is really good too.

877
00:42:38,340 --> 00:42:39,950
So those are a few.

878
00:42:39,950 --> 00:42:45,900
I'm sure there are more when it was around
and, love dim sum, but it's not anymore.

879
00:42:46,010 --> 00:42:48,364
if you know of a good place to eat
them, some, let me know because.

880
00:42:48,615 --> 00:42:51,195
There isn't any place, right?

881
00:42:51,495 --> 00:42:51,765
Yeah.

882
00:42:51,775 --> 00:42:52,245
Thank you.

883
00:42:52,365 --> 00:42:54,055
I'm like, where are the Chinese?

884
00:42:54,385 --> 00:42:59,505
See, this is where Houston beats
Dallas, they have the best Chinese food.

885
00:42:59,915 --> 00:43:03,305
Sandra Pham: Jenni, I'm already
a big fan, but the more we talk,

886
00:43:03,315 --> 00:43:05,375
I'm like, I love this woman.

887
00:43:05,665 --> 00:43:10,905
I mean, I'm from Houston, I gripe about
this all the time with Minh I'm like, I'm

888
00:43:10,905 --> 00:43:12,615
sorry, the Asian food is terrible here.

889
00:43:12,635 --> 00:43:13,195
I'm from Houston.

890
00:43:13,255 --> 00:43:14,565
It's amazing.

891
00:43:14,655 --> 00:43:16,135
I just [bleep] on it all the time.

892
00:43:17,685 --> 00:43:19,155
Jenni Lee: Because, I mean, where is it?

893
00:43:19,155 --> 00:43:19,445
Yeah.

894
00:43:19,625 --> 00:43:21,585
And so H Mart is opening up.

895
00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:23,610
So I can't wait for that.

896
00:43:23,820 --> 00:43:24,070
Yeah.

897
00:43:24,070 --> 00:43:26,710
And there's that area off of North Lamar.

898
00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:29,120
What is it called where they have that...

899
00:43:30,025 --> 00:43:33,874
Oh, now I'm drawing like, yes.

900
00:43:33,875 --> 00:43:34,185
Yes.

901
00:43:34,505 --> 00:43:36,195
Well, no, not Chinatown.

902
00:43:36,305 --> 00:43:42,785
Chinatown is good, but even more
middle central Austin, North Lamar.

903
00:43:43,375 --> 00:43:44,545
Sandra Pham: Oh, by 99 Ranch.

904
00:43:44,655 --> 00:43:45,005
Jenni Lee: Yes.

905
00:43:45,025 --> 00:43:45,475
Thank you.

906
00:43:46,035 --> 00:43:46,235
Minh Vu: Yeah.

907
00:43:46,235 --> 00:43:46,505
Yeah.

908
00:43:46,505 --> 00:43:46,525
Yeah.

909
00:43:46,575 --> 00:43:48,155
That's a nice area.

910
00:43:48,155 --> 00:43:48,955
Sandra Pham: Yeah, oh my
god that area is blowing up.

911
00:43:48,955 --> 00:43:49,235
Jenni Lee: Thank you.

912
00:43:50,325 --> 00:43:50,945
So crazy.

913
00:43:50,945 --> 00:43:52,365
It's always busy.

914
00:43:52,955 --> 00:43:53,395
Yeah.

915
00:43:53,825 --> 00:43:55,505
At 88...like Bakery.

916
00:43:55,775 --> 00:43:56,705
It's always busy.

917
00:43:56,735 --> 00:43:58,995
They never have my, custard.

918
00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,130
Because everyone buys it up and
I'm like "ugh, come on," but

919
00:44:03,210 --> 00:44:05,990
Sandra Pham: The best new place in that
complex is I don't know if you eat hot

920
00:44:05,990 --> 00:44:08,760
pot, but Soup Leaf is always packed.

921
00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:13,040
Jenni Lee: Yeah, there's so
many places that I need to try.

922
00:44:13,660 --> 00:44:16,220
Minh Vu: Yeah, and speaking
of little custards or snacks,

923
00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:19,220
what's one of your favorite Asian
snacks that you had growing up?

924
00:44:19,970 --> 00:44:21,970
Jenni Lee: Oh god, I had several,
so I was thinking about this.

925
00:44:22,530 --> 00:44:23,940
Remember squid jerky?

926
00:44:24,450 --> 00:44:24,650
Minh Vu: Yes.

927
00:44:25,710 --> 00:44:26,790
100%.

928
00:44:27,090 --> 00:44:29,060
Jenni Lee: That's gross, but I loved it.

929
00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:33,880
That, and I don't know the name
of it, but the round red coins.

930
00:44:34,330 --> 00:44:35,190
The candies.

931
00:44:35,190 --> 00:44:37,440
I don't know what they're
called, but I ate those.

932
00:44:37,510 --> 00:44:39,330
Minh Vu: They just
disintegrate in your mouth.

933
00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:39,770
Jenni Lee: Yes.

934
00:44:40,425 --> 00:44:41,345
And of course, Pocky's.

935
00:44:41,625 --> 00:44:43,475
My son loves Pocky's right now.

936
00:44:43,665 --> 00:44:45,005
Chocolate, please.

937
00:44:45,565 --> 00:44:46,225
Strawberries, meh.

938
00:44:46,295 --> 00:44:48,175
But, yeah, those were really...

939
00:44:48,225 --> 00:44:49,475
oh, and shrimp chips.

940
00:44:49,845 --> 00:44:51,085
I have all the weirdest stuff.

941
00:44:51,455 --> 00:44:52,755
Minh Vu: Oh, no, those are classics.

942
00:44:52,755 --> 00:44:54,665
I definitely bought them.

943
00:44:54,665 --> 00:44:56,225
Jenni Lee: I still eat them.

944
00:44:56,235 --> 00:44:58,714
Not as much, because my
husband complains it smells.

945
00:44:58,714 --> 00:45:00,209
What are you gonna do?

946
00:45:00,209 --> 00:45:00,807
It does!

947
00:45:00,807 --> 00:45:03,185
It does smell, but I don't eat it.

948
00:45:03,185 --> 00:45:03,724
It's good.

949
00:45:03,725 --> 00:45:04,895
It's so good.

950
00:45:05,950 --> 00:45:09,140
Minh Vu: And the last one, what's
one of your favorite Austin pastimes?

951
00:45:09,140 --> 00:45:10,160
What do you do on your free time?

952
00:45:10,430 --> 00:45:13,440
Jenni Lee: I like to try new
Austin restaurants, right?

953
00:45:13,820 --> 00:45:17,430
There is a new restaurant
opening up like every day.

954
00:45:17,730 --> 00:45:19,820
I'm not even lying.

955
00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:20,820
That's just...

956
00:45:20,820 --> 00:45:21,650
or exaggerating.

957
00:45:21,770 --> 00:45:22,920
There's always a new place.

958
00:45:23,130 --> 00:45:27,180
I haven't tried all the places, but we're
really lucky to have such a great...

959
00:45:27,650 --> 00:45:31,110
like landscape of all different
kinds of restaurants, right?

960
00:45:31,150 --> 00:45:32,770
So that's what I love to do.

961
00:45:32,780 --> 00:45:35,410
Just try to go out trying new places.

962
00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:38,070
I do when the weather permits.

963
00:45:38,370 --> 00:45:41,650
I do like to hit the
trails and head outside.

964
00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:45,745
Minh Vu: Jenni, it's been so
great to have you on the podcast

965
00:45:45,745 --> 00:45:47,749
and get to know about your story.

966
00:45:47,749 --> 00:45:51,325
So yeah, we just really appreciate
you spending some time with

967
00:45:51,325 --> 00:45:51,535
us.

968
00:45:52,825 --> 00:45:54,405
Jenni Lee: I'm honored
you asked to do this.

969
00:45:54,515 --> 00:45:56,805
This was fun and terrific.

970
00:46:03,255 --> 00:46:03,555
Sandra Pham: Man...

971
00:46:03,755 --> 00:46:08,595
I feel like I have so much respect
for journalists and obviously Jenni

972
00:46:08,615 --> 00:46:15,385
specifically just remembering how hard it
can be to separate like your career, your

973
00:46:15,405 --> 00:46:18,575
professional life with your personal life.

974
00:46:18,655 --> 00:46:21,565
Obviously there's just, I
think Jenni mentioned there's,

975
00:46:21,565 --> 00:46:22,635
a lot of overlap, right?

976
00:46:22,635 --> 00:46:27,135
You bring yourself to these stories,
to these moments, especially

977
00:46:27,145 --> 00:46:28,444
in what she specifically does.

978
00:46:28,445 --> 00:46:31,765
So I just really appreciate
also that she called out.

979
00:46:32,275 --> 00:46:37,535
That she carves out time for herself,
like self care Saturday, I'm a big fan

980
00:46:37,595 --> 00:46:42,455
and recognize that everybody should really
be, taking care of their mental health.

981
00:46:43,015 --> 00:46:47,305
Minh Vu: Yeah, I mean, I talk about to
like, how important work life balance

982
00:46:47,365 --> 00:46:49,285
is for me, but the work that I do...

983
00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:55,610
sometimes as it relates to her work, like
she's so in it, she's so in these stories

984
00:46:55,610 --> 00:47:00,330
that can be really uplifting and happy,
but then it could be pretty challenging,

985
00:47:00,330 --> 00:47:05,470
that she shared some of the stories
that she did while we were talking...

986
00:47:05,480 --> 00:47:09,100
but, yeah, I think that balance
in any profession or any

987
00:47:09,100 --> 00:47:10,510
industry is really important.

988
00:47:10,510 --> 00:47:13,720
And obviously you're going to have
to, depending on what the subject

989
00:47:13,720 --> 00:47:15,550
matter that you're dealing with is.

990
00:47:15,890 --> 00:47:19,710
will inform how big of a self
care Saturday that you do.

991
00:47:21,130 --> 00:47:26,150
Well, we really appreciate
Jenni coming on the show.

992
00:47:26,420 --> 00:47:30,640
That was a little bit of a fanboy
moment for me as you heard just

993
00:47:30,640 --> 00:47:36,140
growing up and seeing Jenni on the
screen representing, so we really

994
00:47:36,210 --> 00:47:38,670
appreciate her being on the show.

995
00:47:38,990 --> 00:47:41,130
And y'all for listening.

996
00:47:42,070 --> 00:47:45,580
Sandra, this is our last
episode of the season.

997
00:47:45,700 --> 00:47:46,610
We did it.

998
00:47:46,910 --> 00:47:50,280
Congratulations to you and me.

999
00:47:50,280 --> 00:47:51,259
Sandra Pham: Us?

1000
00:47:51,260 --> 00:47:51,740
Minh Vu: Yeah.

1001
00:47:52,150 --> 00:47:52,590
Yeah.

1002
00:47:53,620 --> 00:47:54,220
How are you, feeling?

1003
00:47:54,220 --> 00:47:54,860
It feels good.

1004
00:47:54,860 --> 00:47:56,680
I'm glad we were able to
do another season of this.

1005
00:47:57,420 --> 00:48:00,910
Sandra Pham: It honestly flies by
like I have people ask and like

1006
00:48:00,910 --> 00:48:04,290
how's the podcast and I'm like,
wow, we are wrapping up season two.

1007
00:48:04,410 --> 00:48:07,850
That's two full years that
we've invested in this.

1008
00:48:08,100 --> 00:48:08,960
It's just flown by.

1009
00:48:09,020 --> 00:48:13,700
But yeah, so proud of us, of course,
as always another season of incredible

1010
00:48:13,700 --> 00:48:18,320
guests that really have taught us so
much that I feel very privileged to have

1011
00:48:18,490 --> 00:48:22,090
been able to learn a little bit more
about have them share their experiences.

1012
00:48:22,880 --> 00:48:24,930
Yeah, just feeling grateful
wrapping up this year.

1013
00:48:24,930 --> 00:48:26,940
I, I get very nostalgic.

1014
00:48:27,285 --> 00:48:29,323
At the end of the year
and very reflective.

1015
00:48:29,323 --> 00:48:30,439
So yeah.

1016
00:48:30,439 --> 00:48:33,825
Minh Vu: I want to do a huge
shout out to all of our guests.

1017
00:48:33,825 --> 00:48:38,705
The people that we've brought on for the
last few years have been really inspiring

1018
00:48:38,715 --> 00:48:44,855
and just hopefully a good like mixture
and representation of the different lives

1019
00:48:44,855 --> 00:48:49,825
that are being lived here in Austin,
Texas by our fellow brothers and sisters.

1020
00:48:49,905 --> 00:48:54,495
But yeah, I'm just I'm really happy
with being able to do this project

1021
00:48:54,495 --> 00:48:56,605
with you and continuing to practice.

1022
00:48:57,000 --> 00:49:01,870
Self care just like Jenni and, we did this
season a little bit differently and it

1023
00:49:01,870 --> 00:49:08,500
felt good to do that and we'll discuss,
what, feels good for next season and next

1024
00:49:08,500 --> 00:49:15,920
year, but we'll keep you all updated and
hope you'll have a great rest of the year.

1025
00:49:16,120 --> 00:49:17,560
Yeah, see you next time.

1026
00:49:30,690 --> 00:49:33,770
This project is supported in
part by the City of Austin

1027
00:49:33,790 --> 00:49:35,430
Economic Development department.