Victoria Tin-bor Hui received her Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University and her B.SSc. in Journalism from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Victoria is an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, and her core research examines the centrality of war in the formation and transformation of “China” in the long span of history.

Hui also studies contentious politics. As a native from Hong Kong, she has written “Will China Crush the Protests in Hong Kong? Why Beijing Doesn’t Need to Send in the Troops” in Foreign Affairs and “Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: The Protest and Beyond” in the Journal of Democracy. She also maintains a blog on Hong Kong victoriatbhui.wordpress.com. She has extensively commented on Hong Kong politics in the media including the Washington Post’s Monkey Cage, ChinaFile, ABC, the BBC, the New York Times, the Guardian, Bloomberg, Sky News, NPR, Vox, and the Christian Science Monitor.

Victoria Hui’s class on Contentious Chinese politics in the Fall of 2016 shifted my understanding of China and its place in the world. Following the end of the century of humiliation and the powerful Qing dynasty, we studied China’s political and cultural history- Mao’s cultural revolution, the invasion of Tibet and Mongolia, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Falun Gong, the widespread jailing of human rights lawyers, and the rise of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime.

Because of China’s growing influence and worldwide power it is vital to understand its history of human rights abuses and oppression of its people. During our conversation Victoria shares a brief history of China as well as her insights into the ongoing fight for freedom in Hong Kong. After more than 10,000 arrests and the passage of China’s new extradition law (which broadly deems any form of dissent punishable with severe consequences) Victoria remains optimistic that daily, decentralized and diversified (the 3 D’s) protest tactics provide hope for the future of Hong Kong.

Photo credit:

Creator: NurPhoto | Credit: NurPhoto via Getty ImagesCopyright: Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Dr. Tressa Pinkleton is a Naturopathic Doctor with Seattle Naturopathy and Acupuncture. She tells the story of how she imagined what her dream job would look like, only to discover that it actually existed. Dr. Pinkleton explains the distinction between a naturopathic and medical doctor, shares diet, sleep and exercise related advice, and what she’s been telling her patients during this recent pandemic.

Matt Melling is an English filmmaker passionate about characters, places, and the stories that make us who we are.

I asked Matt why he likes making films outdoors and his response was just perfect: “The outdoors looks better than the indoors.” Matt’s passion for storytelling spans from the moment he discovers an interesting story, through the relationship-building and planning of the project, to sharing his work with others.

Check out Matt’s films here. 

During episode 14 of The Adventure Creator Podcast with Cooper Johnson, we address topics from understanding emotions, finding identity, embracing discomfort and opting for change rather than accepting the status quo. Cooper’s passion for life and desire to make an impact have been the foundation for an incredible journey and I am excited to see how he tackles his next chapter.

Cooper’s openness and willingness to be vulnerable during our conversation is a reminder of the power of storytelling. One of Cooper’s favorite quotes and motivational videos:

“Don’t confuse the truth with the opinion of the majority.”
— Jean Cocteau

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