Our True Colors
Our True Colors is a podcast that explores the challenges of being racially ambiguous and focuses on identity and belonging. What’s it like when you fit everywhere yet belong nowhere all at the same time? If you or someone you care about might be considered a racial riddle, an ethnic enigma, or a cultural conundrum, this show is for you! Conversations are facilitated by your host, Dr. Shawna Gann, along with guest co-hosts who join each season.
Our True Colors is an extension of True Culture Coaching and Consulting, a firm dedicated to enhancing workplace culture through the principles of business psychology and diversity, equity, and inclusion. For more information and to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Gann, visit www.truecultureconsulting.com.
Our True Colors
Ornamental No More: Dr. Kalya Castillo on Identity, Hypervisibility, and Healing
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Kalya Castillo—a Black and Japanese psychologist and trauma-informed therapist—joins Shawna to explore identity, racial ambiguity, and the lived experiences of multiracial individuals. Together, they unpack what it means to grow up without cultural mirrors, the coded messages around hair and professionalism, and how mixed-race identity can shape the way we’re seen, valued, and understood.
Kalya shares insights from her research on the hypersexualization of Black and Asian women, and how these dynamics often show up in the workplace and therapeutic settings. She also offers a deeply personal reflection on motherhood, internalized bias, and the work of helping others navigate the in-between spaces of identity with compassion and clarity.
Stuff to check out from mentions in the episode:
- "How Are You?" A Question of Depth and Trust
- The Tahitian woman behind Paul Gauguin's paintings
- SheaMoisture - Break The Walls
- The Pain We Carry by Natalie Y. Gutiérrez
- What Is Trauma-Informed Therapy?
- Whites Distrust Biracial People When Their Racial Presentation Varies
- You're called a 'model minority' as an Asian American — until they decide you aren't
Don't forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram and new for Season 5, check us out on and YouTube and keep up with True Culture on LinkedIn.
If this is your first time with OTC, check out EPISODE 1: START HERE for more background on the show.
Our True Colors is sponsored by True Culture Coaching & Consulting. Head to our website to find out how True Culture Coaching and Consulting can support you and your organization, and subscribe to our LinkedIn Newsletter, The Culture Clinic, for more great content. You can find us at truecultureconsulting.com where you can also contact us to schedule a free consultation.
