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Oliver Wang is a professor of sociology at California State University, Long Beach, who specializes in the study of popular culture. He is the author of Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews of the San Francisco Bay Area and Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture In Los Angeles. In 2025, he served as the project curator for the exhibition Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, which was produced by the Japanese American National Museum and hosted at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Additionally, he has co-hosted the podcasts Pop Rocket and Heat Rocks, created the audioblog Soul-Sides.com, and works as a regular culture writer for National Public Radio's All Things Considered, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and KCET's Artbound.

This episode covers Oliver's extensive research into ethnic subcultures and the social impact of music and car ownership. The conversation explores the history of Japanese American car scenes, detailing how vehicles evolved into literal and figurative tools for community self-expression, identity, and social mobility throughout greater Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. The discussion also touches upon his work documenting the Northern California mobile DJ movement, his decades of experience as a music journalist, and his current development of a new podcast project focused on the songs of Asian America.

For viewers in the San Gabriel Valley, this conversation highlights a regional history that directly touches local communities, including historic car scenes spanning out to Pasadena. Oliver's audience will appreciate the deeper context behind his curated exhibitions, books, and long-standing multimedia journalism projects. Furthermore, individuals searching for insights into ethnic studies, popular culture sociology, Southern California automotive subcultures, or music history will find clear, academic examples of how diverse communities shape and preserve their own distinct cultural narratives.

Subscribe to the MySGV Podcast to stay connected with the cultural histories, thinkers, and innovators of our community. If you found this discussion on subcultures and community identity insightful, please share this episode with a friend or a fellow history enthusiast.

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Music Credits

Intro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

Stinger
Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library

Outro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

__________________

My SGV Podcast:

Website: www.mysgv.net
Newsletter: Beyond the Mic
Patreon: MySGV Podcast
info@sgvmasterkey.com

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Keegan Fong is the founder and owner of Woon, a homestyle Chinese food restaurant and packaged goods line based in Los Angeles. Raised in the Pasadena area, he worked professionally in apparel marketing before transitioning full-time to the culinary industry. Woon initially launched as a pop-up noodle stand in 2014 to share the original recipes of his mother, Julie Chen, also known as Mama Fong. The family-backed venture grew to open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Historic Filipinotown in 2019, followed by a second location in Pasadena in 2025, while also expanding its distribution of sauces and pantry staples nationwide.

This episode details the evolution of Woon from a temporary food cart into a multi-location restaurant brand and retail packaged goods company. The discussion explores Keegan's professional background in brand building and how those storytelling skills were applied to launch and scale a food business. Key topics include the logistics of scaling family recipes for high-volume commercial kitchens, transitioning from a single brick-and-mortar space to a multi-unit operation, and developing a nationwide consumer packaged goods line for retail distribution.

For San Gabriel Valley viewers, this conversation highlights a local business owner who grew up in the region and recently expanded his operations back into Pasadena. The guest's audience will gain insight into the behind-the-scenes mechanics of keeping a family-oriented food brand authentic while managing rapid business growth. Additionally, individuals searching for real-world case studies on restaurant entrepreneurship, career pivots, and scaling retail pantry items will find practical insights into building a brand centered around cultural heritage.

To stay updated on the stories of entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators across the region, subscribe to the MySGV Podcast. If you found value in this discussion about family business and operational scaling, please share this episode with a friend or a fellow food enthusiast.

_______________
Music Credits

Intro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

Stinger
Scarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio Library

Outro
Euphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG

__________________

My SGV Podcast:

Website: www.mysgv.net
Newsletter: Beyond the Mic
Patreon: MySGV Podcast
info@sgvmasterkey.com