Shows
Chit ChaatMental Health in the Brown CommunityMany South Asians rush to treat physical pains but brush off emotional ones. In this episode, the ladies invite Kulpreet Singh, the founder of the South Asian Mental Health Alliance (SAMHA), who explains why we're not immune to things like clinical depression. Diagnosed with ADHD, Singh learned that he faced limitations others around him didn't. And yet, people didn't take his condition seriously. He explains what mental health issues South Asians are more prone to and how Indians often dismiss problems of the mind while our religions focus on them. He then delves into how to help a loved...
2020-09-0121 minChit ChaatThe South Asian Role in Black Lives MatterChallenging deeply rooted notions of anti-black racism among South Asians starts with educating ourselves. This week we speak with Deepa Iyer, a South Asian American writer, strategist, lawyer, and racial justice advocate to tackle ideas such as the "model minority" myth. How can we be impactful in the Black Lives Matter movement if we aren't frontline workers in the justice system? How can start conversations about dismantling long-held views about colorism and discrimination amongst the South Asian community and even our own families? Tune in to learn how we can become part of this change.
2020-07-1221 minChit ChaatWhy Black Lives MatterBlack Lives Matter: three words that profoundly capture the pain and inspiring resilience of the most marginalized minority group in the US. As a minority community that has faced its own anti-racist challenges, South Asians should empathize with the Black community, yet many feel angered by the rise of riots in our country this past June. In today’s episode we speak with special guest Arjun Singh Sethi, a Sikh American civil and political rights writer, human rights lawyer, and Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center and Vanderbilt University Law School. Arjun helps Chit Chaat explore wh...
2020-07-0521 minChit ChaatThe Beautiful Truth of Being BrownBeauty is far from skin-deep when it comes to Indian culture. Though our Indian features are just starting to become accepted by American standards (thank you to all the South Asian influencers and celebs out there), sometimes the harshest critics of our physical selves are the people who are closest to us...and, of course, the auntie network. The ladies of Chit Chaat share their internal struggles to fit in and feel beautiful.
2020-06-0114 minChit ChaatFacing our Indian Identity with Special Guests 2AvgBrownGirls, Part 2The Chit Chaat ladies continue to explore the evolving identity of Indian Americans with the fabulous 2AverageBrownGirls hosts. In this episode, we share our appreciation for today’s media landscape that has broadened perceptions of the Indian identity to more than just a convenience store owner named Apu (finally). Thanks to storytellers like Mindy Kaling and Aziz Ansari, a unique representation of a ‘brown voice’ has captured the media centerstage. However, their stories still represent only a minority of experiences within today’s Indian American population. Tune in to hear the ladies passionately discuss their desires for the future of ‘brow...
2020-05-2614 min
How Not to Get Eaten by a CatDating Coach Cherlyn Chong: Why Do High-Achieving Women Love Toxic Men?Dating and breakup recovery coach Cherlyn Chong explains why you shouldn't just cry it out when you want to get over an ex--you need a game plan. She talks about why high-achieving women love toxic men, and walks through the most common dating mistakes she sees women make.
2020-05-2114 minChit ChaatFacing our Indian Identity with Special Guests 2AvgBrownGirlsThe Chit Chaat ladies discuss the 'hairy' details of growing up in North America as young Indian women with special guests Ravneet and Jafrin, co-hosts of the podcast 2AvgBrownGirls. Together the ladies share the first time they all felt uncomfortably 'different' from their peers. Their skin color, their hair texture, and their accents left them feeling excluded from traditional perceptions of normalcy. And, though they're all in their 30s, it is only recently that many of them finally appreciate their brown girl identity enough to not apologize for it.
2020-05-1813 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Roger Patulny: How would you manage isolation amid COVID-19?Sociologist Dr. Roger Patulny of the University of Wollongong in Australia talks social connection: why it's gendered, how we can foster it during the pandemic, and why it's critical to think about this in an increasingly individualistic world.
2020-05-1415 minChit ChaatThe Gut-Wrenching Truth of Generational GuiltAfter many years spent 'adulting' (or at least trying to adult), the Chit Chaat crew takes a moment to candidly share the guilt they live with day in and day out because their parents immigrated to the US. The ladies acknowledge the selfless sacrifices their families made with the sole purpose of building a bright future for their children (a.k.a us). What they didn't expect though, was the pressure many first generation Millennials feel nowadays to live a life worthy of their sacrifices. We now realize their selflessness ironically allows us to be selfish to pursue our...
2020-05-1115 minChit ChaatDating as Indians: Uncensored, Part 2The Chit Chaat crew takes on the most taboo topic among Indian parents. Ladies and gents, let's talk about S-E-X...and sex education. The ladies make it clear that dating as an Indian-American woman is no easy feat. As Ludacris so eloquently put it, we are expected to be 'ladies in the streets', nurturers for all those around us, well-educated and professionally successful, and somehow also 'freaks in the sheets'. And while we carry these heavy responsibilities on our shoulders, we're also supposed to be attracted to and fall in love (or grow in love) with what we like...
2020-05-0414 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Emily Cross: Can Robots Help Us Feel More Connected?If robots can eventually replace cashiers, opponents in chess, and even some doctors, could they help with our biological need for social connection? Our guest this week, Dr. Emily Cross, Professor of Social Robotics at the University of Glasgow, explains how our brains respond to robots and humans, and how studying dancers and actors could help revolutionize the world of robotics.
2020-05-0114 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDillon Hill: What One YouTuber Did When He Felt Isolated in a New CityHe threw a dart on a map and it landed on Vancouver. Shortly after, YouTuber Dillon Hill moved there. Hill realized everyone he spoke to in this new city had one thing in common: they all felt isolated. In an effort to ease their discomfort and his own, he launched an event called "Loneliness Sucks".
2020-04-2411 minChit ChaatDating as Indians: UncensoredNow in their 30s, the ladies of Chit Chaat reflect on their dating history and the pressures faced to bypass dating and immediately marry within their community once they are 'of age'. What drives Indian parents' persistence to marry their sons and daughters off to families within their same culture - is it for cultural preservation or does it offer a sense of security? And how do we resolve the obvious double standard that exists between Indian men and women and their dating behavior? The crew shares their theories on how we can move forward and de-stigmatize dating for...
2020-04-2314 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatMarlies Maes: How Do We Prevent Adolescent Loneliness?In this talk, Neha Gajwani asks Belgium researcher Marlies Maes about the difference between social and emotional loneliness. Maes explains why loneliness can be a good thing, and how to treats its different forms.
2020-04-1710 minChit ChaatRearranging our Perception on MarriageIn the Indian culture, older generations often disagree with younger ones on the purpose of marriage: though tradition prioritized security and stability, today, we 'young folk' advocate for compatibility and chemistry as the keys to wedded bliss. The Chit Chaat ladies both defend and reject the traditional Hindu custom of arranged marriages. Are old-school biodatas and dating app profiles the exact same thing? Should we grow in love in a marriage, or fall in love before lifelong commitment? Their unique experiences with marriage reveal some surprising insights.
2020-04-1314 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatWhat Social Issues Cause Loneliness and Should Doctors Treat It?The world of emotions is complex, but medical sociologist Dr. Kelly MacArthur knows one thing for sure: racial, gender, and class inequality causes loneliness. We need to tackle loneliness at its root and work on these underlying causes. At the same time, doctors need to evaluate connection levels.
2020-04-0912 minChit ChaatDiwali: The Celebration of Community and CultureFamily Karma provided a glimpse into the most anticipated holiday celebration among the Indian community in Miami - Diwali. Known commonly as "The Festival of Lights", Diwali represents many things to many people. The Chit Chaat crew gets personal and talks about the role Diwali played in their childhood lives and how its role evolved as they matured into young chatty women. They question and explore the intersection between culture and Hinduism, pondering traditional customs and rituals that define being "Indian."
2020-04-0614 min
Chit ChaatSweeping it all Under the Rug: The Power of Perception among Indian Generations in AmericaEach cast member on the Bravo TV show Family Karma has chosen to air their personal lives on national TV - an act that defies the Indian tradition of sweeping all things personal 'under the rug'. In this episode, the-five-ladies-who-laugh explore how impactful perceptions are in their lives, realizing that it "takes more than abs...it takes guts" to share your truths to the world.
2020-03-3014 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Geoffrey Greif: How Do Men See Relationships Differently than Women Do?How do men see relationships differently than women do? How do you raise boys who turn out to be vulnerable, loving men? In this candid talk, Neha Gajwani discusses Dr. Geoffrey Greif's extensive research on how genders diverge when it comes to relationships.
2020-03-2011 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Eti Ben Simon: Does Sleeplessness Cause Loneliness and Anxiety?70-80% of people who report anxiety also have trouble sleeping. But is sleeplessness a symptom or something that promotes anxiety? Does a lack of sleep affect how others view you? And what technology could help deepen sleep in the future? Dr. Eti Ben-Simon answers these questions and passionately explains why sleep is more important than we realize.
2020-02-2114 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Lisa Hinshelwood: What is Social and Emotional Learning and Why is it Critical for Kids?We grow up studying math, science, and reading. As adults, we work together in teams, for bosses, and sometimes we manage people. We sometimes marry and have children and manage complicated relationships. But we never go to class to learn the skills of communicating effectively, negotiating, and listening attentively. For something so critical to success in our careers and to our personal lives, why do we leave it up to chance? Dr. Hinshelwood explains what she teaches kids, what challenges she has, and why she does it.
2020-02-1313 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Abraham Palmer: Is Loneliness Genetic?We sometimes think of loneliness as a feeling to overcome, one that belongs to the weak or to outcasts. Dr. Abraham Palmer challenges that assumption, exposing new evidence that loneliness may be genetic. In this riveting talk, Neha Gajwani discusses this misunderstood emotion with Dr. Palmer, and dives head-first into what we know about our brain on loneliness.
2020-01-3113 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDr. Berit Brogaard: What is one of the main reasons relationships fail?What is the one of the main reasons why relationships don't last? Are people in arranged marriages better off? Will you ever biologically feel the high from the beginning of a relationship later on? If we're drawn to opposites, and that causes relationship issues, what is the best way to change ourselves? For other interviews, go to www.nehagajwani.com.
2020-01-1013 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatStephanie Coontz: Why Does It Feel So Hard to Find a Partner?What should you look for in a partner? Why do men mansplain? Is date night actually a good thing? Neha Gajwani and Stephanie Coontz explore these questions and others. They look at why it feels so hard to choose just one, and if our expectations for partners are too high (spoiler: they're not.)
2019-12-1214 minHow Not to Get Eaten by a CatDmitri Williams: Are Gamers Doomed to be Loners?In this episode of How Not to Get Eaten by a Cat, Neha Gajwani interviews Dr. Dmitri Williams, associate professor of technology and society classes at the University of Southern California.While some of us think of gamers as people who deprioritize social connection, Dr. Williams explains some games enable connection. He argues that games have become more social over time.For more information on this interview, please go to: https://www.nehagajwani.com/new-blog/2019/12/4/if-your-kids-play-video-games-are-they-likely-to-be-loners.
2019-12-1014 min