'The Blue Suit' is back... now as 'Ten Thousand Things'

In many Chinese sayings, “ten thousand” is used in a poetic sense to convey something infinite, vast, and unfathomable. For Shin Yu Pai – award-winning poet and museologist – the story of Asians in America is just that. Introducing "Ten Thousand Things," a special podcast series about modern-day artifacts of Asian American life, created and hosted by Shin Yu Pai and produced by KUOW.

The initial name of the series, "The Blue Suit," drew inspiration from the suit worn by congressman Andy Kim on January 6 as he was photographed collecting trash following the U.S. Capitol insurrection. Today, the garment lives in the Smithsonian’s collection — and within the fabric of Asian America.

In the podcast series’ newest season, host Shin Yu builds on her focus of commonplace objects that tell the complex story of Asians in America with an expanded name and collection of objects. "Ten Thousand Things" is a vibrant, diverse, and bittersweet celebration of Asian America and a challenge for us all to reimagine stories of the past and future. Featured guests this season include "Disability Visibility Project" podcast host Alice Wong, poet and educator Ebo Barton, and NED founder Eason Yang.

The new season of "Ten Thousand Things" debuts on May 1, 2023, and new episodes release weekly on Mondays on KUOW.org and in all major podcasting apps.