Shows
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Unfiltered Thoughts Amidst the 2024 Election CycleIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Sneha and Keerthi talk all things election. They talk about recent events with Biden stepping down, Kamala running and announcing her running mate, to the emerging prescence of South Asians in politics. As they talk about current events - they dive into voter thinking and how technology can affect information spreading. They end on what they are looking ahead on and what to keep in mind as we get closer to voting for our presidential candidate.2024-08-2156 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: South Asians on Broadway! (w/ Sonya Balsara)In this special episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi talks with Sonya Balsara - actress and Broadway star who plays Jasmine on the hit Broadway Musical Aladdin! They dive into the process of becoming Jasmine, how Sonya got started in acting, and pursuing performing arts as a career. They also talk all about South Asian representation and her experience growing up with a mixed cultural identity. They conclude the episode with Sonya's next ambitions and advice she has for others looking to get into Broadway and an acting career path.
See other work Sonya...2024-06-1934 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Intersection of Activism and Art (w/ Tanzila Ahmed)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Tanzil Ahmed, a political strategist, storyteller, and artist based in Los Angeles. They talk about her career as a writer and activist, the experiences she had when building her career to what is now, and some of the mediums she has released. They also dive into her latest collection Grasping at This Planet Just to Believe that was written through 10 Ramadans. Finally, they end the conversation with talks about the South Asian identity, advice for up-and-coming activists/writers, and how to keep connected with South Asian American history...2024-05-0853 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Cancel CultureIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha pick apart the topic of Cancel Culture. They talk about their views of what the umbrella term means, how it sways views and opinions on social media, the implications of the reactionary behavior cancel culture brings, and ways we can be better or better use of the collective mindset.
Referenced Article by the New York Times: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eco82jrqWsEEqbPABayORhPjpjpae6Vf/view?usp=sharing2024-04-101h 03
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: South Asian A Capella (w/ Samhita Iyer and Arjun Aggarwal - ASA)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha talks with Samhita and Arjun about the origins of South Asian A Capella as a genre and South Asian A Cappella Association (ASA), is a national non-profit organization committed to the growth of South Asian A Cappella across the globe (ASA). Arjun is one of the founders of ASA and Samhita is the Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Relations Officer for ASA. They share how they got involved in music, how to sustain their passions while balancing their professions and school, and their goals and growth for ASA.
2024-03-0638 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Road to Recovery (w/ Sonia Kahlon)In this first episode of season 5, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Sonia Kahlon - founder of Everblume, an online community for alcohol recovery support and sobriety meetings. Sonia shares her experience with alcohol and her journey to sobriety. As they discuss her personal life, they also dive into the community perspective of how South Asians perceive and talk about alcohol. They talk about the problems that it can lead to and how it affects conversations around mental health and support for those wanting to recover from addiction. Finally, they talk about Everblume, methods to support those recovering from an...2024-02-0744 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Disability Awareness & Advocating for Individuals with Disabilities (w/ Suswati Basu)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Suswati Basu - a South Asian British journalist and editor, as well as podcast host of How to be…- a books podcast focusing on enhancing mental well-being, self-development, and understanding key social issues on a global scale. They start with how disabilities are defined - physical, mental, and hidden and talk through stigmas with each. As Suswati shares her experiences, Keerthi and Sneha also talk about theirs which leads the conversation to the healthcare system - particularly gaps in the current system that were hyperbolized with th...2023-12-061h 02
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Third Culture Kid - 'Tembo Tones' (w/ Pooja Shah)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Pooja Shah - photographer, creative director, and founder of Tembo Tones - a creative studio focused on photography, design, and art to capture storytellers and entrepreneurs of color. They talk with her about her experience growing up with a multi-cultural identity - Kenyan, Indian, American. While they talk about her identity and experiences growing up in Mumbasa, they dive into the vision and philosophy of Tembo Tones and how it can be a medium/bridge to uplift the melanin community. Pooja also shares the importance of photography in...2023-12-0641 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Let's Talk About Divorce (w/ Natasha Mahtani)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Natasha Mahtani - a certified Relationship Coach and accredited Divorce Coach. She is also the founder of her own coaching service where she uses her passion to help other women feel empowered in their relationships and marriages. They dive into the stigmas around divorce in the South Asian community, perspectives on divorce from different points of view - arranged vs love marriages, children seeing their parents go through a divorce, and stay-at-home significant other vs a double income household. Natasha opens up about her experience going through...2023-10-111h 01
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: The Film Industry and the Ways it can Improve (w/ Urwa Zubair)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi invite Urwa Zubair - a South Asian producer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles to this segment. Urwa has produced 50 digital commercials and her clientele includes United Airlines, Haleon brands like Flonase & Voltaren, Target, State Farm, WB & Paramount. Most recently, she is the producer of an upcoming feature film in development, BANI, a coming-of-age comedy-drama on the misunderstood cultural practices of South Asian countries. They discuss the differences between Pakistan's movie industry and Hollywood, how she got started as a producer, the unique contributions to the creative process she...2023-09-0648 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Hustling Corporate America (w/ Hani Anis)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Hani Anis - founder and CEO of Kahani Digital, a full-service digital marketing agency uplifting and supporting South Asian American brands and clients. They talk with Hani to learn more about how she initially started Kahani Digital and her experiences working as an investment banker to her pivot to becoming an entrepreneur. As they learn about her background - they dive into issues with Corporate Culture and how to navigate the workplace as a woman of color, setting boundaries with work and life, and how Hani breaks...2023-08-0243 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Neo-Desi Music - A New form of South Asian American Representation (w/ ROYAL)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview ROYAL - a Bengali-American multi-instrumentalist, singer, aCappella arranger, and Neo Desi music producer. During the day, he is pursuing his residency in general surgery, and by night, is hustling in the music industry. In this episode, they talk about the genre he coined as "neo-desi music" and how it symbolizes the blend of various cultures, how he derives his sound, his debut album shaunak, his efforts in mixing music for the desi dance network, and the behind-the-scenes process of developing his album. While they discuss all things music...2023-07-0554 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma (w/ Anjali Badrinath)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha interview Anjali Badrinath - a recent graduate from the College of New Jersey in clinical mental health counseling. They dive into aspects of generation trauma - what that may look like, how the conversations occur with different relationships (elders, younger family members, etc.), and how first-generation/second-generation South Asian Americans can start finding ways of breaking that generational cycle. While they discuss different mental health issues, they also talk about the available resources and what clinical mental health counseling is so people can differentiate the different types of professionals...2023-06-0747 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: How Culture & Traditions Affect the way we Handle Trauma (w/ Krishma Tuli Arora)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Krishma, author of From Ash to Ashes. This coming-of-age story follows Mira and her immigrant family as they grapple with the stark differences between their traditional Sikh faith and the changing culture of the world around them. As they talk about the various themes in the book, they dive into Krishma's background and how she used her book to grieve the loss of her firstborn. They talk about how culture affects the way we process grief, address mental health concerns, and modernize parenting techniques as we go...2023-05-0340 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Conversation of the Generations (Gen X, Millenials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about how the different generations are perceived - from the perspective of Gen Z and the typical stereotypes we see in society. They talk about how different aspects of our life affect how we think (generationally) like communication, social dynamics, relationships, and friendships. While discussing those dynamics, they also talk about how it impacts how they set career goals and ambitions. Keerthi and Sneha finally wrap the episode by answering - what does the future hold for Gen Alpha? What good and bad things are we passing down to...2023-04-0557 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: The Plight of Streaming ServicesIn this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk about streaming services and the effect it has on the entertainment industry. They dive into their platforms, where they see positive impacts in the type of media available, how it changes the quality of shows and films available to us, and even how it showcases representation of our community on the big stage. While they discuss the impact, they look forward to their conversations of how the streaming services will continue to diversify the content available to viewers. They end the episode with their thoughts on what the content...2023-03-0145 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Love LanguagesWelcome to Season 4! We start this season with a Larger Than Us episode in time for Valentine's day/month - love languages. Keerthi & Sneha guess each other's love languages and talk about how love languages affect different scenarios & dynamics in relationships, friendships, and work/corporate life. As they discuss different experiences and considerations of how love languages, they also discuss how each category is defined based on societal biases (gender roles and expectations within different environments).
Not sure what your love language is? Take this test and share your results with us on social media!2023-02-0153 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Navigating BurnoutIn this episode of Larger than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about what it means to be stressed vs burnt out. As we come close to the end of the year - life's pace picks up a little - Sneha and Keerthi talk about triggers and forms stress can be present in their life. While they talk about ways they view stress, they also talk about different advice they've received from mentors and experiences in order to look to become better at managing stress. As they break down certain aspects - work-life balance, work scenarios, friendships, and relationships...2022-11-1658 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: The Art of Travel and Pushing Past Stigma (w/ Veena Murali)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Veena Murali - a 22 year-old solo female traveler who’s traveled to a total of 55+ countries and recently went on a ‘Journey Around the World in 180 Days’ solo trip. They talk with her to learn more about her passion for travel and how she became a solo traveler. While they learn about her personal experiences with the countries she's visited, they also talk about the perception different cultural identities have around the world and how to push past what the media shares of those countries to expand your ow...2022-10-1948 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: The Idea of Self-loveWe are back from our break! In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about the idea of self-love and how they would define it from their experiences, how confidence, social media and other realms of thought in society affect the way we perceive ourselves. While they discuss these topics, they also dive into the aspects of our community that limit us from practicing self-love and how we can move forward in breaking those perceptions. They end the episode with concluding thoughts on the future and how they see themselves growing further into the idea of...2022-09-1456 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Cultural Appropriation & How it affects our communityIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about cultural appropriation - how to define it, examples of growing up with it, and how it affected their mindset towards their identity. While they discuss the difference between appropriation vs appreciation, they talk about how other minority groups are appropriated within the South Asian American community. As they reflect on why people act this way, they conclude their thoughts on how to change the mindset that leads towards the cultural appropriation of other cultures and often times people's own cultures in hopes people join in on changing the...2022-07-2047 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Non-profit organizations and their social impact. (w/ Poonam Rahman)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Poonam Rahman - Founder and CEO of two international nonprofit organizations, Virtue Mental and Shattering Bias in S.T.E.A.M., both, designed to provide free resources to historically marginalized communities. In their conversation they discuss non-profit organizations and their larger social impact. While they discuss her background in non-profit work, they also discuss the importance of inclusivity in the workplace and ways in which non-profits can stand-out and make an impact. Poonam concludes the episode with advice she would give to others looking to pursue...2022-06-2928 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: How cultural and family interest can shape a musical identity (w/ Anirudh Rajagopalan)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Anirudh Rajagopalan - music composer, director, performer, and founder of AR Productions. They dive into his training in classical music in the Western and Carnatic world and how his identity being Indian-Japanese-American affects the way he approaches blending different music styles. While they discuss his background and technical abilities in music, they also discuss how he formed AR Productions and where he hopes his career evolves in the next few projects. Anirudh concludes the episode with the advice he would give to others pursuing their own career...2022-06-1536 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Realities of being the Younger Sibling in a South Asian Household (w/ Shyam Sekar & Shreya Ameya)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha make it a little special. They invite their siblings to talk about being the youngest, reflecting on their childhood years, and how being the youngest affected them in a South Asian household. Sneha and Keerthi take this time to reflect with their siblings on growing up and looking towards the future as they face different life challenges. While they have fun asking each other questions about fond memories, they also ask questions about the pressures of being the youngest and how older siblings can support them. They wrap the...2022-06-0147 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Portrayal of Mental Health on the Big Screen (w/ Sujata Day)**SPOILER ALERT - We do touch on a few moments within the movie so please go watch Definition Please on Netflix first if you don't want spoilers! **
In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Sujata Day - actress, director, and writer about her directorial debut film Definition Please, and how the movie elevates South Asian representation on screen, especially with conversations surrounding mental health. They dive into her personal experiences with how she appreciates her upbringing and background, but also the lack of discussion around mental health growing up. While they discuss...2022-05-1850 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Navigating Rejection & FailureIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha dive into the concepts of rejection and failure, how they differ from each other, and how the South Asian community views these concepts with the meaning of success. While they utilize their personal experiences to navigate through these topics, they also question how they can improve themselves in order to process rejection and failure in a healthier light. They also dive into external factors like social media and see how they change the perspective of handling failure or viewing other's timeline and comparing it to themselves. They conclude the episode...2022-05-0442 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Representation in Youth Movies & TVIn this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi dive into the importance of having cultural representation in children/teen movies and TV shows. They discuss from their age to now how the on-screen representation has shifted and the impacts it has on shaping perspectives. While they discuss the industry itself, they talk about their personal reflections from childhood and how the on-screen portrayals can affect individuals as adults on topics such as sex, intergenerational trauma, healing, stigmas, and stereotypes. While they talk about the serious notions of representation, they dive into the importance of embracing your inner...2022-04-2053 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Power in Learning your Mother Tongue (w/ Subhadra Suresh)In this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk to Subhadra Suresh, an aunty who they have grown up learning Tamil from and who is a major role model in their community in Cincinnati, to dive into the conversation of how your mother tongue can connect you to your cultural identity. They dive into their personal experiences, how their community strengthened from establishing a language school, and how learning the language influenced the way they are prideful in their heritage. While they discuss the impact language has on their understanding of cultural identity, they also explore the various...2022-04-0647 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Effects of Social Media on the Creative IndustryIn this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk about the effect social media has on the creative industry. They talk about their personal uses of social media with their creative efforts, how technology has changed, the types of creatives on social media, and how they are affected by society's issues propogated on all the social media apps. While they talk about social media and all the issues around it, they talk about how it gives everyone a platform to speak on and discuss the various ways social media has been a positive influence. They conclude the...2022-03-2350 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Internalized Racism and the Pressures to Fit inIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi & Sneha dive into the concept of internalized racism and how it affects the various spheres of our lives - social life, home life, mental health, the portrayal of cultural identity, etc. As they discuss their experiences and how it has shaped the viewpoints that they see now, they also discuss what other ideas or perceptions our community has that needs to change. They wrap the episode with advice on how we can change as individuals and also break the cycle of actions in our community to create healthier conversations.
To see all...2022-03-091h 02
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Reimagining Classical Music (w/ Rizwan Jagani)In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi talk with Rizwan Jagani, an American new fit musician who is a Western classically trained violist. They discuss Rizwan's experiences studying Western Classical music and how he blends modern and classical styles to bring his niche in a traditional, puritan world. While they discuss what it means to be a "new fit Musician", they break down what it means to be a South Asian creative and stay true to yourself in a field that still practices traditional methodologies. In addition, they talk about how the South Asian competitive attitude...2022-02-2358 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Value in VulnerabilityIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about what it means to be vulnerable in this day and age and how the concept of vulnerability affects the way they see different types of relationships. As they discuss the importance of a meaningful relationship, they also talk about how the South Asian community views vulnerability in the hopes to see how we could potentially change the mindset it carries with us. Finally, they wrap up the episode with advice on how they feel opening up can be integrated into new and daily relationships.
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Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: South Asian Pride in Fashion Industry & Standing against bad fashion practices (w/ Naavi Clothing)In the first episode of Brown Art Network for Season 3, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Gnanaselvan Ponnampalam - director and founder of Naavi Clothing. A casual streetwear brand inspired by Tamil culture, rooted in the arts and ways of life of Tamils across the Globe. Gnana talks about how Naavi started and the purpose of his brand - to bridge the east and the west through thoughtfully designed apparel depicting Tamil culture and heritage. With Naavi's values, they also dive into the importance of South Asian Pride in the fashion industry with a fine balance between representation and ethically...2022-01-2634 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Is the grass always greener on the other side?In the first episode of season 3, Keerthi and Sneha kick it off with a Larger Than Us episode! They dive into how people perceive the US and India as an outsider to those countries and how it can affect the way you carry your identity as an Indian American, hyphenated identity, and their parents as immigrants. As they discuss how the stereotypes for people living in both countries can sometimes be deceiving, they touch on ways we can dismantle those stigmas or perceptions to ensure we can change the way the relationship is seen of "the grass is always...2022-01-1244 min
Redefining ABCDWelcome to Season 3!In this episode, Keerthi and Sneha take a look at what they have done in the past few months, how our segments are changing, and what to expect in season 3.
To watch our video podcasts of each episode, subscribe to our YouTube Channel here.
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[intro/outro credits]
For more information about Ravi Ray Audio click here.2022-01-1009 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Ravi!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha interview Ravi Ray (Ravi Lad) who is the Head Mix Engineer and founder of Ravi Ray Audio - an audio post-production company looking to help desi creatives reach their fullest potential. They dive into how Ravi got started in engineering, how he fell in love with music, and how he found his passion and career in Mix Engineering. As they talk about his creative passions and business, they also dive into his relationship being South Asian American and what he has learned from growing his identity over the years...2021-12-2942 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Mayuri!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha interview Mayuri Baheti - founder and CEO of Mor Collections, a clothing brand that makes versatile South Asian-inspired clothing pieces. Mor Collections looks to redefine the shopping experience for South Asian fashion. Mayuri talks about the inspiration behind starting Mor, her experience of becoming a founder and entrepreneur, and the internal battle she had as she transitioned from a career at Microsoft to starting her company and running it full time. As she speaks about her story with Mor, she also talks about her inspiration to keep her motivated...2021-12-1542 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Mrinal!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Mrinal Gokhale - author and former journalist. They dive into how Mrinal got into journalism, what her book "Saaya Unveiled: South Asian Mental Health Spotlighted" is all about, and how she came up with the idea of her book. While Mrinal shares how she got into her passion for writing and her career, she also shares with us her journey with mental health and how her identity as a South Asian American affected her growing up. They wrap the episode expanding their views on mental health to a...2021-12-0140 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Realities of being the Eldest in a South Asian HouseholdIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha talk about their experiences being the eldest daughter in their family and how that affected them growing up, the parallels they see to media representation of the eldest in a South Asian/Asian household and reflect on how they grew up with the expectations of being the eldest. As they navigate various experiences, they also talk about the expectations for sons vs daughters in a household and how it affects the way society sees the eldest daughter. They wrap up the episode with warm feelings and fun stories about...2021-11-1750 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Challenges of Building a Career in the Creative SpaceIn this segment of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha change things up and try something new. In this episode, they talk about their own relationship to creativity, art, and expression and dive into some of the challenges of planning for a career in the creative industry. They break down education and resources they wished they had, how the South Asian community responds to growth in the creative space, how their inner selves (with the way they were raised) affected the perspective of continuing on in creative positions, and the idea of making your passion your career. Finally, they give...2021-11-0345 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Queen Bee SyndromeIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha discuss everything about Queen Bee Syndrome - what it is, how it affects people, and where they have seen it in the workplace, social relationships, and the South Asian community. While they discuss instances of queen bee syndrome, they talk about non-traditional experiences (outside of the workplace) particularly within the Indian community and people focused on competition. Just like other stereotypes/labels though, they also discuss when people try to label women in power as "Queen Bee" and how you need to identify real behaviors vs superficial labeling. They...2021-10-2039 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Goirick!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha interview Goirick Das - filmmaker and founder of 8 Sages Entertainment. They dive into how Goirick got started in filmmaking and directing, the challenges of getting support from people in his community, and his experiences in film school. While he wears multiple hats in the filmmaking process, he dives into the meaning behind 8 Sages and how his entertainment company aides to be a hub for a multitude of artists to display meaningful content on various mediums. As they wrap up the episode, Goirick shares with us some advice he would...2021-10-0643 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Unblurring the lines between societal pressure and cultureIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Sneha and Keerthi dive into how we can separate the multiple cultures involved in our identity and societal pressures. Oftentimes, some people in our community tend to "hate on their culture" instigating internalized racism and negative association to South Asian Culture. They use this episode to navigate through how we define culture and the complexities that come with it. They wrap the episode with some advice they have to understand how to prioritize life values and use the pillars of your identity to reach your goals.2021-09-2245 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Cathy!In this segment of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Cathy Gomes, founder of 700 Rivers - a global, ethical, and sustainable lifestyle brand that creates high-quality products by Bangladeshi artisans who have escaped human trafficking. Their products are made from natural ingredients local to South Asia. Cathy dives into how she started 700 Rivers, how she incorporated her passion for spreading good in the world with her career, and how her hyphenated identity allows her to appreciate her roots and be prideful of her Bangladeshi background. As she shares with us her story and being Bangladeshi American, she also...2021-09-0854 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Stigmas Around Matchmaking ServicesIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha interview Radha Patel - founder of Single to Shaadi, a matchmaking service that connects singles to meaningful, deep relationships. In their conversation, they discuss why matchmaking has developed a negative connotation, how the cultural influences from our South Asian and Western sides affect the way some approach matchmaking, and how Single to Shaadi is redefining what it means to be a "matchmaker" by emphasizing mutual compatibility in their process. In addition to this, Radha also gives great advice to youths in the early stages of looking for love in...2021-08-2546 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Natalie!In this segment of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi meet Natalie Varkey - a history teacher and stand-up comedian living in North Carolina (and soon Boston!). They dive into how she got started in comedy, her experiences being an Indian American woman performing comedy in the South, her views of South Asian representation in both comedy and teaching, her growth into pride in her cultural identity, and reflections of her time growing in stand-up. As they wrap up the conversation, Natalie leaves the listeners who aspire to join the stand-up world with some great advice. To learn more...2021-08-1148 minRedefining ABCDRedefining ABCD Turns 1!In this mini-episode, Keerthi and Sneha take the time to reflect on the year they had with making this podcast and discuss their favorite memories "on and off camera". As they talk about their favorite moments, they also think back to the first recording to see how much they've grown from then to now. From Redefining ABCD to every listener and guest that has been a part of our segments, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for sticking around and consistently supporting us! (Stay Tuned for exciting things in the future)2021-08-0413 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Processing Anxiety & DepressionIn this episode of Larger than Us, Keerthi and Sneha open up about their personal experiences and reflections with their continuous journey with Anxiety and Depression. With media romanticizing the path of healing from mental health, the purpose of this episode is to share the darker sides of dealing with mental health issues to help encourage our listeners to have safe conversations with other people in their community about their own experiences. While they get personal, they also discuss how the pandemic has shifted ways of addressing mental health issues and the repercussions (good and bad) that come with...2021-07-2849 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Durgy!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha interview Durgy - a magician and wedding MC based in Toronto! They dive into his career and role models that helped shape his interest in magic and also dive into his view of representation in his field of work. They wrap the episode by hearing Durgy's advice on how to set yourself apart from others in your industry by creating your niche. To learn more about Durgy, click here: https://www.durgyspade.com/2021-07-1435 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Healing From BurnoutIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha interview Aditi Shakti - a spiritual business coach for women focused on mindset, empowerment, and energy healing. They dive into Aditi's business and how she got started in her field, as well as, ways to navigate through those feelings of loss of purpose and burnout. Aditi also talks about the importance of understanding our ancient culture as we move into a more westernized world as our long-upstanding culture provides ways to heal from burnout. As they dive into how burnout may look like and how to overcome it, Aditi...2021-06-3046 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Janani!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha interview Janani, founder of The Indian Standard - a magazine focused on normalizing the day-to-day of mental health. As they dive into conversations about how The Indian Standard came to be, her future goals with the magazine, they also talk about how cultural identity works with mental health and other topics that are prevalent in the South Asian community when talking about the importance of taking care of yourself. To view/subscribe to the magazine click here: https://theindianstandard.co/. To learn more about Janani, click here: https://www...2021-06-1642 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Interracial RelationshipsIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Keerthi and Sneha meet with Ragini Chatterjee Branch to discuss her experiences with her relationship and marriage to her husband Neil and how she deals with the stigmas surrounding interracial relationships in the South Asian community. She also dives into how she navigates through various conversations with her partner that helped her relationship be successful. As they wrap up the conversation, Ragini ends the episode with the advice she would give to interracial couples and people starting out in their marriages after reflecting on her own.2021-06-0237 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Nithya!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Nithya Gundlapali who is a Fin-Tech Consultant by day and an artist and business owner by night. Nithya’s business, MyDecorify is a website dedicated to DIY projects as well as Nithya’s beautiful illustrations and digital art, which you can also buy as prints or stickers. While they dive into her business and how she balances 2 careers, she also goes into how she found the balance in her South Asian identity as well as representation in both career fields. She wraps the episode by giving advice to all...2021-05-1940 min
Redefining ABCDSpecial Collaboration with co-founder of TamilCulture: Ara EhamparamIn this special collaboration, Keerthi and Sneha sit down with Ara Ehamparam, co-founder of TamilCulture and myTamilDate, co-host of The Tamil Creator, and his other startup ventures in the tech space. They discuss why TamilCulture was created, how the idea of their organization came to be, and his other startup ventures he has created through his entrepreneurial spirit. While they talk about his experience, they also dive into what mindset entrepreneurs should have and advice for people looking to be founders of their own projects and startups.
Redefining ABCD was featured on TamilCulture so check out the...2021-05-0534 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Krithika!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Krithika Rajkumar, Lawyer, and Bharatanatyam Dancer. Krithika dives into how she got started into Bharthanatyam, her experiences she took from her Arangetram, and how she views dance now and continues to grow herself as a talented artist. While she goes into her dance journey, she also gives advice to prospective dancers on how to get started in the field of expressing ideas and choreographing various dance pieces. In addition to dancing, Krithika is the Head of Legal and Compliance for a nonprofit organization called CAREspaces which aims to...2021-04-2148 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Self Worth & Breaking from InsecuritiesIn this Larger Than Us segment, Keerthi and Sneha talk about the struggles they have in terms of breaking from their insecurities and identifying what it means to have self-worth. This is a follow-up episode of the Season 1 episode that addressed the question “Am I Enough?”. While they dive into personal experiences, they reflect on ways to overcome various obstacles such as Imposter Syndrome, Anxiety, and insecurities that can affect confidence or self-esteem.2021-04-0748 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Sachit!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Sachit Grover, actor and filmmaker. They dive into how he got into acting, the people who inspire him, and how he utilizes various social media and platforms to engage people with his works! He also talks about the ideation process for his short films and other works on his YouTube channel and his cool experience working in Mumbai. To view his work, check out his youtube channel with all the segments he mentions in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/sachitgrover2021-03-2436 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: What does it mean to be successful?In this episode of Larger than Us, Keerthi and Sneha get into an intimate conversation revolving around what it means to be successful. They dive into what the South Asian community defines as success onto their children and the struggles of growing up with those expectations. They also talk about the competitive environment that the South Asian community exudes through comparing children to one another and finally, they discuss how they view success based on their past experiences and what metrics they keep in mind going forward. 2021-03-1051 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Tara!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Keerthi and Sneha talk with Tara Ashraf, creator of inbetweenamerican - a blog dedicated to talking about the various ups and downs of being a hyphenated identity. Tara uses her identity as a Pakistani American to navigate through various topics on her blog. Keerthi and Sneha ask Tara about her experiences finding that balance in her identity, ways she navigates being a blogger and communications/media professional, and advice for everyone trying to figure out how to balance all their interests and set goals in their career/life.
To read...2021-02-2434 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Opening up about Relationships and Setting BoundariesIn this episode of Larger Than Us, Priya Tahim, founder of Kaur Counseling, joins Keerthi and Sneha to dive into the conversation about what it means to have a healthy relationship and how to put yourself out there in the dating scene. While diving into what it means to have a healthy relationship with a partner, Keerthi, Sneha, and Priya also talk about why dating is a closed-off topic in the South Asian community and how to set boundaries with friends and potential partners. Check out Kaur Counseling here: https://www.kaurcounseling.org/2021-02-1041 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Manasi!Welcome to Season 2 of Redefining ABCD! We kick off this season with a Brown Art Network Segment with our wonderful guest Manasi Arya! Manasi is a digital creator and artist who spreads positivity and joy through her art. While she works to elevate her small business, she is a special education teacher, completing her Masters in Special Education. Sneha and Keerthi talk with her to learn more about her journey as a creative, as well as, her teaching career. Click here to view her work: https://linktr.ee/Artwithmanasi
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Music by BeatByShahed (IG @imshahed)2021-01-2735 min
Redefining ABCDSpecial Collaboration with The Desi Condition!In this special episode, Sneha and Keerthi talk with the host of The Desi Condition Podcast, Tanushree, to discuss her experiences through her career, her decision to go into education as well as cultural identity. To hear Sneha and Keerthi go on as guests and to check out other episodes, click here: https://anchor.fm/the-desi-condition/2021-01-0649 min
The Desi ConditionEpisode 3.14: Redefining ABCD"Am I Desi enough? Am I TOO Desi?" If you're South Asian, chances are you've asked yourself these questions before.
In this episode I speak with the ladies of the podcast Redefining ABCD: Sneha & Keerthi! Two Tamilian-Americans, they question what ABCD culture is, and discuss how to turn the "confused" in ABCD and into "confident." We also discuss the trappings of a "hyphenated identity": having labels such as "oreo" or "fob" assigned to you, and knowing how to distinguish between your and your community's voice in your head. Finally, we talk about preserving culture as a new S...2021-01-0657 min
Redefining ABCDSeason 1 Wrap!That's a wrap! As we come to the end of Season 1, Keerthi and Sneha take the time to highlight their favorite conversations with all of the season 1 guests, reflect back on the season as co-hosts by sharing their thoughts before and after starting Redefining ABCD, and give a preview of what to expect in season 2. From Redefining ABCD to you, we hope you all have a great holiday season and New Year! Stay safe!2020-12-2826 min
Redefining ABCDLarger than Us: How can we be more transparent about Mental Health in our community?In this episode of Larger Than Us, Vaidehi joins us to talk about the importance of being open and honest about mental health and how the South Asian community tries to suppress the conversation about mental health, deeming it a topic of taboo. The goal of this episode is to discuss how we can start having open conversations about mental health with both family and friends by opening up ourselves, through this episode, about our experiences so that we can show people that we aren’t alone in this discussion. We hope this episode helps spark conversations within your ow...2020-12-2350 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Tricha!In this episode of Brown Art Network, Sneha and Keerthi interview Tricha Kumar, a dancer/choreographer and filmmaker to hear all about her experiences, career-shift, goals, and advice for aspiring South Asian creatives. She has been a part of India’s Bollywood Industry since 2017 and has worked on many international shows in Mumbai. As a filmmaker, she has various works under her repertoire in Bollywood music videos, commercials, and shows. Her most recent project includes an independent short film called "Addiction".
"Addiction" is a 100% South Asian, a women-led experimental short film shot in Mumbai, India. It tells the...2020-12-0947 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: How can we be better allies to the Black Community?In this episode of Larger Than Us, we will have Asia Porter come and talk about her perspective as a black individual and learn more about the black community so that we can better understand how we can support one another. To listen to Asia's podcast The Narrative, click here: https://linktr.ee/thenarrative.podcast2020-11-2558 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Sabreet Kang Rajeev!In this episode of Brown Art Network, we have Sabreet Kang Rajeev, a full-time social science researcher and the author of the book, Generation Zero: Reclaiming My Parents’ American Dream, a memoir that highlights the everyday experiences of the first generation Indian-American. In this episode, Sneha and Keerthi will dive into her upcoming book releasing on December 8th, 2020, and her career as a sociologist and writer.
For more information about her book visit: https://www.sabreetkangrajeev.com/2020-11-1137 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: How can we be better allies to the LGBTQ+ Community?In this Larger Than Us episode, we will have our first guest of this segment, Bijin Basu! For this episode, we are going to be having a conversation with Bijin to learn more about the LGBTQ+ Community and how as the South Asian community, we can be better allies to our friends who identify in the community. Our goal for this episode is to publicize the learning process and have an open conversation about how we can educate ourselves and others about the LGBTQ+ community. For more information about the LGBTQ+ community, and ways you can support, go to...2020-10-2845 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Zenab Kashif!In this episode of Brown Art Network, our guest is Zenab Kashif! Zenab is a freelance photographer and designer based in Minnesota. Through her company ZKCaptures, she provides a multitude of services from professional photoshoots, web design, personalized illustrations, and branding.
To learn more about her business visit: https://www.zkcaptures.com/home 2020-10-1445 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: Am I Enough?In this episode, Keerthi and Sneha will dive into a question a lot of us struggle to answer: Am I Enough? With the societal expectations that desi households and families put up for themselves and their children, many times the pressures of wanting to meet everyone's expectations can get to us. In this episode, Keerthi and Sneha will discuss societal pressures, Imposter Syndrome, and reflect on their past experiences and cultural expectations to help you do the same.2020-09-3047 min
Redefining ABCDBrown Art Network: Meet Vidita Kanniks!This episode will be the first in the series called Brown Art Network, highlighting specific South Asian voices in various professions in their chosen industry. Our guest for this episode is Vidita Kanniks! She will be talking about some of her experiences, the work she has done so far, and some advice she has for South Asian creatives pursuing a similar career in the Arts.
Listen to Vidita's album that she mentions in the episode, Sarada, to gain more insight into her work! The link below is the information about her album and where to listen to i...2020-09-1647 min
Redefining ABCDLarger Than Us: What does it mean to be Indian American?We are so excited to kick-off our podcast with a Larger Than Us segment, talking about a topic that hits home for both Keerthi and Sneha: What does it mean to be Indian American?2020-09-0250 min
Redefining ABCDIntroduction to Redefining ABCDWelcome to our podcast! In this episode, you will get to know the co-hosts of the show, Keerthi Sekar and Sneha Ameya. You will also learn about our guest formats, episodes styles, and what to expect. 2020-08-2504 min