Messy Roots, Queer Identity, The Beauty of Wuhan, and Writing a Graphic Memoir While Traveling the World with Laura Gao (Ep 190)

Hear how racism and misinformation about her hometown inspired viral art that transformed her creative career. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Laura Gao takes us on her journey growing up in Wuhan, China, immigrating to the U.S. as a kid, and winding up in a small conservative town in Texas.  She opens up about navigating racism and homophobia while coming of age and trying to fit in.  Laura then talks about her college experience where she was able to explore both the nuances of her Chinese-American identity as well as her gender and sexual identity, and shares her experience coming out as queer.  She also talks about the role of basketball in her life, including playing pick-up hoops in Wuhan.  Laura then talks about the role of art in her life, and explains the important role it played throughout.  Next, she shares her experience as a Wuhanese-American living in San Francisco during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising racism and violence against Asian-Americans, and the rampant misinformation about her hometown, Wuhan, in the media.  Laura explains how she was inspired to write a web comic called “The Wuhan I know” that went viral, and led to the book deal for her best-selling graphic memoir “Messy Roots”.  She talks about her creative process, how her art and writing were impacted by her world travels, and reflects on some of her highlights and personal growth from spending time in Taiwan and Portugal. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!