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Hiroka Nakahira shops at South Burlington's Always Full Asian Market. In this episode of Brave Little State, we connect with Vermont's Asian and Asian American community.
On Anna Costello’s first visit to Vermont, she was surprised by the large number of Chinese restaurants compared to the seemingly small number of Asian Americans.
Brave Little State is Vermont Public's show that answers questions about Vermont that have been asked and voted on by you, our audience — because we think our journalism is better when you're a part of it.
In this episode, Myra Flynn learns to make bao, tours an Asian market, and talks to some of the leaders within this quiet but booming community here in Vermont.
Note: A heads up that there's some swearing in this episode. Also, our show is produced for the ear. We recommend listening to the audio; for accessibility, click here to find a written episode transcript.
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Anna Costello
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Courtesy
Winning question-asker, Anna Costello, and her husband live in Massachusetts. While driving through Vermont once, she was surprised by the large number of Chinese restaurants compared to the seemingly small number of Asian Americans.
Myra Flynn
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Vermont Public
Japanese Vermonter Hiroka Nakahira stands the aisle of Always Full Asian Market in South Burlington. Nakahira grew up in Harajuku, Japan, a place that is often described as the street-fashion capital of the world.
Myra Flynn
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Vermont Public
Hiroka Nakahira eats edamame and sushi at Asiana Noodle Shop in Burlington Oct. 13, 2022.
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Myra Flynn
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Vermont Public
Chinese American Sam Lai first opened Cafe Dim Sum in October 2021 in Burlington. He reopened in October 2022 with 38 additional seats and 54 additional hot pots, at which guests can cook their own shabu shabu.
Anna Ste. Marie
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Vermont Public
Sam Lai, owner of Cafe Dim Sum in Burlington, gave Brave Little State's Myra Flynn a lesson in making dumpling dough. It's harder than it looks!
Anna Ste. Marie
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Vermont Public
Two workers at Cafe Dim Sum help chef and owner, Sam Lai, stuff pork bao. Sam always makes the dough himself.
Weiwei Wang
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Courtesy
Young Weiwei Wang with her cousin and grandfather in Beijing. Weiwei grew up in South Burlington and co-founded the Vermont Professionals of Color Network (VTPOC) in 2019.
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Courtesy: Weiwei Wang, Paul Yoon, Cynthia Reyes
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Myra Flynn: Vermont Public
Vermont's Asian American community is quiet but booming. (Clockwise from upper left: Chinese American Weiwei Wang poses with her dad; Korean American Paul Suk-Hyun Yoon poses wearing a traditional Korean hanbok; Japanese Vermonter Hiroka Nakahira examines a jar in an international market; Filipino American Cynthia Reyes takes a selfie on a hike near Lake Willoughby; Korean American Paul Suk-Hyun Yoon poses with his family on a hike to Moss Glen Falls.)
Myra Flynn
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Vermont Public
Some members of affinity groups APIDA ("Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans") for Black Lives and the Asian Cultural Group of Vermont meet with Brave Little State's Myra Flynn on Zoom.
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Credits
Myra Flynn reported this episode and did the mix and sound design. Engineering support from Peter Engisch. Editing and additional production from the rest of the Brave Little State team: Angela Evancie, Josh Crane and Mae Nagusky. Music from Blue Dot Sessions.
Special thanks to Mae Nagusky, Marlon Hyde, Ita Meno and Anna Ste. Marie.
As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the DEIB Advisor, Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
