Episodes

In this episode of Militantly Mixed, host Sharmane Fury shares a personal update about shifting the show to a bi-weekly schedule as she enters the final month of her first semester of law school and approaches the second anniversary of her partner Tristan’s death. November, what she calls “death month,” brings both emotional weight and logistical challenges, yet this conversation felt too important to delay. Sharmane is joined by Traci Hobson, a first-generation African American & Korean transracial adoptee who grew up in the United States and recently returned to Korea to reclaim her cultural identity, language, and sense of self. They first met at a mixed-race event earlier in the year, where Sharmane immediately connected with Traci’s story and presence. Traci shares her experiences of assimilating into the African American community, losing her Korean language and cultural ties, facing bullying, and navigating colorism and corporate spaces as a Mixed woman. She also reflects…

This week on Militantly Mixed I’m joined by the brilliant Alison Hart, an OG Mixed Cousin who first appeared on Episode 24 back in 2018 with the release of her debut novel, Mostly White. Alison returns to share her stunning new novel, The In-between Sky, and we dive into creativity, identity, and what it means to write from a Mixed-race perspective. Talking with Alison felt like catching up with family because that’s exactly what it was. We reflected on the years between our first conversatio...

Even though Militantly Mixed is still on Mental Health hiatus, I wanted to drop a quick update for my Mixed Cousins about a few important tech transitions because of technical difficulties. First, I recently switched the email domain, and some of you may be getting spam, spoofing, or phishing warnings when you receive emails from me. I’m working on fixing that, but you may need to re-accept access or mark my messages as “not spam.” Second, the new Militantly Mixed newsletter is now hosted on S...

In this episode of Militantly Mixed, Sharmane sits down with the creative team behind Disarm, an animated short film that captures the painful yet powerful intersections of identity, grief, and resilience in the wake of anti-Asian violence. Following the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings, Disarm tells the story of a young woman navigating multiple layers of identity when a hate crime unfolds on her train ride home. Through stunning visuals and heartfelt storytelling, the film explores anti-Asian hate ...

After a truly amazing summer filled with Mixed Affinity experiences and the big step of starting law school, your Sir Auntie Mane is taking a much-needed Mental Health Hiatus. If you’ve been around a while, you already know this is my rhythm—every three months I pause to rest, reset, and rebalance. If you’re a new cousin, don’t worry—I’ll be back this November with fresh energy and a lineup of amazing guests. Law school has added a whole new chapter to my life, and I just need some space t...

On this episode of Militantly Mixed, Alex Chester-Iwata from Mixed Asian Day returns for a heartfelt post-event conversation with Mane. We had a wonderful, cup-filling weekend in San Francisco at the Koho Creative Hub in Japantown (Nihon Machi) celebrating Mixed-Asian identity. Together, we reflect on how the event unfolded, the community connections that were built, and our hopes for next year. Above all, this episode centers on the importance of community—why it matters, how it sustains us, a...

On this episode of Militantly Mixed, I sit down with Rena Heinrich, Lauren Lola, and Ingrid Hu Dahl to talk about their upcoming panel, Our Stories, Our Ink: Mixed Asian Authors in Conversation at Mixed Asian Day 2025. We tease their panel a little bit and dig into the importance of holding space for Mixed Asian voices across generations and geographies. I also share a bit about my own panel and why I’m so excited to be a part of this year’s event in person. Connect with our guests: Lauren Lol...

This episode of Militantly Mixed comes from a recorded IG Live hosted by Nina C of @Reunion.Mixed.Race.Events. Together, we explore the concept of Liminality—what it means to exist in the “in-between” spaces of identity as Mixed-race people. We talk about how Mixed folks often find themselves navigating liminality—sometimes by choice, sometimes due to external pressure—and what that means for how we see ourselves, our communities, and the world around us. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave ...

This week on Militantly Mixed, I’m joined by the planning committee of Free To Be Fest, a celebration of Mixed identity, community, and creativity. Fresh off the success of this year’s festival, we sat down together to debrief the event, share our reflections, and dream out loud about the future of Free To Be Fest. We talk about the highs, the challenges, the magic moments, and what we hope to build for next year and beyond. If you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating a festival rooted in i...

In this episode, Alex Chester‑Iwata dives deep into the origins, evolution, and cultural significance of Mixed Asian Day, a vibrant celebration that amplifies the voices and experiences of Mixed Asian and Pacific Islander communities. She shares how the day came to be and what she hopes for this and future Mixed Asian Days. Mixed Asian Day info: https://mixedasianmedia.com/mixedasianday ------------------------------------------------------------------- Have thoughts about this episode ...

In this special “Take Over” episode, friend and Ep. 12 alum, Gretchen Brunner, returns to flip the script—interviewing Mane as the guest on their own show. Expect real talk about identity, grief, creative evolution, and what it means to hold space for Mixed folks while still claiming your own. Candid. Curious. It’s the conversation Mane usually hosts—only this time, she has to answer the tough questions.

This week on Militantly Mixed, I’m recapping my amazing weekend in Los Angeles at the Free To Be Fest 2025 — a full day of celebrating Mixed identity, community, and representation. I also share my big personal announcement. At the festival, I had the honor of moderating the panel: "Permission to Be Mixed" This panel explored the emotional and societal complexities of a Mixed identity, from questions of authenticity to the power of representation. Panelists: Alex Chester-Iwata – @alexf...

In this episode, Maris Lidaka returns to Militantly Mixed to reflect on his experience at last year’s Free to Be Fest, where his film Gabriella was screened to a fully Mixed audience. He shares how experience affinity spaces like Free To Be Fest is important for Mixed people.. This year, Maris is stepping from behind the camera to center stage as a panelist on the “Permission to Be Mixed?” panel moderated by Sharmane at this year’s fest. Together, they discuss the emotional layers of visibility...

This week on Militantly Mixed, host Sharmane Fury is joined by filmmaker Sarah Shuman, who is not only a brilliant creative mind but also a member of the planning committee for Free To Be Fest. In this episode, Sarah shares her powerful experience screening her film, TSEHAI, at last year’s Free To Be Fest—for the first time ever with a fully Mixed audience. We dig into what it means to be seen, heard, and understood through the lens of a shared cultural identity—and how transformative that is c...

Konnichiwassup, cousins! After a longer-than-expected hiatus, Militantly Mixed is officially back on the mic. In this return episode, I (Sharmane) share a bit about why the relaunch has been delayed — namely, because mental health has required me to slow down and focus on one thing at a time. And right now, that one thing is Free to Be Fest 2025 — a celebration of Mixedness, community, and joy! Joining me today is Dr. Jenn Noble, licensed psychologist and the creator of Free to Be Fest. As bot...

Konnichiwassup, cousins! I'm back with a quick life update from your Sir Auntie, Sharmane Fury! This week’s mini-episode is a solo check-in as I am getting settled into my new home base in Seattle. I also do a brief recap of my recent trip to Chicago where I got to link up with a couple of amazing cousins of the show—y’all know who you are! It was a beautiful reminder of the strength of the Mixed community and the connections that keep this show going strong. Stay tuned, cousins—your community ...

Konnichiwassup, cousins! Your favorite podcast is BACK! I’m so happy to announce the return of Militantly Mixed with a brand-new episode featuring the incredible Shannon Luders-Manuel, author of The One Who Loves You: A Memoir of Growing Up Biracial in a Black and White World. In this episode, we dive into Shannon’s personal journey of navigating her biracial identity, the complexities of belonging, and how her lived experiences shaped her work as a person. We also discuss the importance of Mix...

Konnichiwassup cousins, Sharmane is *almost* ready to return to a more regular schedule. It will take a couple months but we are almost there. In this quick update, Sharmane shares that she has moved to Seattle, Washington, where there already is a decent community of Militantly Mixed cousins (former guests of the show) and hopes that there will be new opportunities to relaunch the show. While it may not be weekly episodes right away, Sharmane is ready to get back to the work once she gets sett...