When we spoke to Renee in Summer 2020, Black Lives Matter and antiracism protests had just broken out in every corner of the world, even Korea. What we loved about this interview was two-fold. On one hand, we got to hear from Renee about her experience being a trailblazing Black model in Seoul. And on the other hand, she helped us understand how and why Koreans had decided to protest and join Black Americans in the fight against white supremacy.

Leroy’s first trip abroad was through a study abroad program to Taiwan. Fascinated by almost everything, but mostly the kindness and curiosity of the local community when they met him, he decided that traveling abroad would become a staple in his life. This decision led him to join the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, followed by two years of living in China with many trips to different countries sprinkled in between. During that time, he would meet Black Americans who had found joy and entrepreneurial success, creating a healthy and thriving life for themselves. It was through these experiences that Leroy challenged the idea of an exceptional America and could no longer see himself existing in one corner of the world.

Keith Bartlett is someone who beat the odds. From growing up in Detroit to becoming a fluent Mandarin speaker to running successful consulting businesses in China, his story symbolizes a phenomenon we saw all over Asia -- African-Americans are creating success in Asia that would be harder to achieve in America. What we loved most about Keith, is that he gave clear tips and strategies as to how you can do the same.