In this episode, Jenny and Eccho welcome Dr. Lea Lynn Yen to explore Asian American perspectives on affirmative action and corporate DEI initiatives. Dr. Yen shares insights from her research on the model minority stereotype and colorblind racial ideology as they relate to affirmative action. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the complexities of racial dynamics and the importance of cross-racial solidarity in fostering better workplace 

Real Talk with Leaders in the Field: Cross racial solidarity with Lea Lynn Yen 

In this episode, we examine recent executive orders affecting DEI, including EO 14173 and EO 14174. We then discuss setbacks, organizational responses, and strategies for resilience.

Resources for the nerds:

Article [https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/65884] about the paradox of meritocracy in organizations and how this can actually fuel bias favoring men compared to equally high-performing women.

The Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology's response [https://www.siop.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Title-VII-and-Job-Relevant-Employment-Practices.pdf] related to Title VII and Job-Relevant Employment Practices



Old McDon had reforms, E-O, E-O, oh?!

In this episode, we bring Jenny and our audience up to speed on Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2025. Eccho and Duoc share the insights they gained from this year's conference. Together, we discuss the prevalence of AI, the impact of current executive orders and how it impacts the work on DEI research, and talks on the perceptions of East vs. South Asians in the workplace.

SIOP 2025 Recap & Insights

We’re back with a very special guest, Dr. Caryn Block, Professor of Psychology and Education and Chair for the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University! You may have heard us talk about Caryn numerous times throughout the podcast. That’s because the three of us met in Caryn’s research group 10+ years ago. Caryn  encouraged and supported us to study dynamics unique to Asians, and she is also one of the inspirations behind this podcast! Join us as we chat with Caryn about what good allyship and mentorship can look like and inspire.

Real Talk with Leaders in the Field: Fireside chat with Caryn Block

This month, the three of us hosted our very own mini book club. We chatted about our thoughts on Dr. Jenny T. Wang's Permission to Come Home, sharing what it means to take up space as Asians, our relationship with work and play, and the meaning of home. 

Permission to come home

In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Mark Martell, Director of the Asian American Resource Center, discusses his journey as a Filipino American living in Miami to becoming a leader in higher education. He emphasizes the importance of representation, sharing how his lack of visible Asian American mentors influenced his career. Mark's work includes research on microaggressions and teaching courses that integrate comics and superheroes to explore cultural identity and social issues. He highlights the need for diverse representation in media and the workplace, advocating for visibility and empowerment of underrepresented groups  — listen to the podcast to hear all the details!

Zero to Hero: The progression of Asian and Asian Americans in Comics

In our latest "clip" we wrap up season 3 and share updates for season 4. For example, we'll be going from bi-weekly to monthly episode drops. But don't worry. We'll be back with a lot more guests, original content, and fun times in 2025. See you in January! 

Wrapping up Season 3 and updates for next season

This week, we spoke to co-founders of Asians in IO Psychology, Alex Hsu and Dr. Shannon Cheng. Alex is a senior people analysts manager for a global people analytics team. Shannon is a scholar and practitioner whose research focuses on DEI in the workplace from a multilevel perspective, looking at interactions between the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and society as a whole. 



Asians in IO Psychology’s mission is to empower Asians within the field of IO psychology. Their aim is to create greater awareness of the multifaceted Asian experience, and partner with allies to drive positive change in IO Psychology. For this interview, we wanted to better understand the people behind this group’s mission. Alex and Shannon talked about their personal experiences and their own identity as part of their drive to create this group. Our conversation then shifts to systemic vs. individual challenges, mentorship and community building, as well as biracial identity, leadership and representation — check out the podcast for all the details!



Check out Asians in IO Psychology! 

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9058893/

Real talk with Leaders in the Field: Asians in IO Co-founders 

In the latest episode, Eccho, Duoc, and Jenny chat about intersectionality among AAPIs. With a little help from AANHPI Data Community Data Explorer, we highlight notable similarities and important differences associated with different intersectional identities within the AAPI diaspora.   

If you want to follow-along, check out the link to aapidata.com [https://explore.aapidata.com/#home]. 

For the identity exercise, check out: Who am I? [https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/who-am-i-identity-exploration-exercise]

Asians and intersectionality

Dr. Sy Islam, is an associate professor of Industrial Organizational I/O psychology at Farmingdale State College, a co-founder and Vice President of Consulting with Talent Metrics, and a published author. He joins us to talk about his upbringing and how he got his start in IO psychology. We also talk about the importance of humor and the effective ways to use it in building relationships in the workplace. While recounting his journey, Sy talks about all the stereotypes that he has encountered, overcame, and deflected. Regarding career progression, he reminds us to be mindful, be respectful, and be yourself — listen to the podcast to hear all the details!

Real talk with Leaders in the Field: The Very Handsome Sy Islam

We are three organizational psychologists - Duoc, Eccho, and Jenny -  here to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly on all things Asian in the workplace. Each episode will break down a specific topic, such as how stereotypes play into pay negotiation, what professional development looks like for Asian employees, and what forms of bias, stereotypes, and microaggressions Asian professionals have to navigate, and so much more. We draw from current events  and from the organizational behavior and psychological research (because we are nerds) to share tips and advice on how best to navigate tricky organizational dynamics. We invite anyone - whether you’re a practitioner working in this space or a casual listener -  with an interest  in this topic to tune in so that we as a community can all play an active role in shaping a more inclusive workplace!

If there's a topic you'd like us to explore, questions regarding what we discussed, or you wanna drop us a line to let us know what you'd like us to do more or less of, you can reach us at: hiddeninplainsight855@gmail.com.




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