Carolina Desi Podcast

Meet Udit Rathore: Delhi born, Charlotte raised, and Boston dwelling. Udit and his family moved to North Carolina in the 90s and built a flourishing academy, Sangrock Blackbelt World. The Carolina Desis and Udit discussed everything from his experience in the US Armed Forces, his family’s Sangrock Blackbelt World journey, and the true meaning and impact of self-empowerment and leadership. Udit is soon launching the Sangrock Initiative, a service to underprivileged students to experience the empowerment they deserve through the art of Taekwondo. To learn more about Sangrock Blackbelt World, visit http://sangrock.com/

Time. There’s never enough of it! At least, not for the Carolina Desis. Why is it so hard to come by? Is it a side effect of being an adult? Join them this week as they try to unravel the concept of punctuality and priorities in both the Desi and American cultures. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

We had the pleasure of having a conversation with Manoj Kesavan. Manoj is an architect, urban designer, educator, creator, and everything else under the sun within the Charlotte Arts community. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Que-OS, a non-profit organization whose mission is to "transform the way art/culture is created and shared, and how people connect to causes and community." They create open and inclusive platforms for artists and other creative professionals to engage and create social impact at a large scale. Que-OS organizes BOOM, an annual artist/community-led festival of contemporary art and creativity, which launched in April 2016. Their other initiatives range from the design of an off-the-grid free rural clinic in Haiti to running the Pecha Kucha Night series in Charlotte. Kesavan has been a visiting lecturer/panelist/juror at several universities and writes/lectures internationally. Aside from Manoj’s incredible contributions, we learned about his social capital serving him, working

The American Dream: the epitome of what is possible, what you value, and what you want to be. The immigrant American Dream is exactly that but is strongly influenced by heritage, culture, and upbringing. Join the Carolina Desis this week as they reflect on what the American Dream is and what it means to them. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

Episode 25 already?! Wow, the silver jubilee. Give us a moment to bask in this ~1 year of existence (thanks to you all!). This week, we spent some time reflecting on our progress, share the evolution of our message, and hint at future projects. There is a lot headed for you all and we are excited to share soon!

Have you considered or even noticed how brands permeate through your life? For example, using the brand name Band-Aid when referring to a bandage. The concept of brands and function are prevalent in any industry and any consumer market. The Carolina Desis explore brands from their childhood that are common in a typical Desi-American household. You may recognize them all! From food and beauty to technology and fashion, tune into this week’s episode about various brands, consumerism, the idea of shopping local, and brand loyalty as a whole. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

We had the honor of speaking with Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera, for this week’s episode! Councilwoman Ajmera was elected in 2017 and is serving her first term on the Charlotte City Council At-Large and has the proud distinction of being the first Asian-American and the youngest woman to serve. She is passionate about creating a sustainable, equitable and safe Charlotte. Her accolades and accomplishments are endless and nothing short of inspiring, but you will find out just how impressive she is when you tune in! Listen in to learn more about Councilwoman Ajmera’s political journey, the Charlotte Women’s March, and her response to anyone who asks about her rotis. Instagram: @dimple4charlotte Twitter: @DimpleAjmera About: http://charlottenc.gov/CityCouncil/bios/Pages/DimpleAjmera.aspx Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

The Carolina Desis are back from the holidays and ready to take on 2018! They’ve had time to reflect on their holidays, which was accompanied by the concept of distance. When is distance good, and when is distance bad? We divided the topic into physical distance and distance as intangible to aid the question. While it is not simple to pinpoint a single answer, we concluded that self-awareness is a key factor in accepting the effects of distance. Tune into this week’s episode to find out how and why. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

It's December already?! We can't believe it's the last Carolina Desi episode of 2017! We wanted to spend some time reflecting on an incredible year, the rise and shift of holiday symbolism, and what the holidays mean to the Carolina Desis. We've come a long way this year and we truly couldn't have done it without YOU. So, thank you to each and every one of you! HAPPY HOLIDAYS and see you in 2018! Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

When time dictates, you will be required to step up into a role for the benefit of your family. The Carolina Desis constantly ask themselves, “What do I do when the time comes? What steps do I take to make sure my family is provided for at any capacity?”. We continuously try to regain diluted information from financials to traditions through conversations with our parents, but what else have we missed? Tune into this week’s episode to better understand the information gap between our parents’ upbringing and our own, and the importance of keeping family traditions alive. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

Is love ever truly unconditional? This week, the Carolina Desis questioned unconditional love as they simultaneously attempted to understand the cultural impact and justification of love with conditions. For example, where is the line drawn on conditions that warrant disownment? Or even as simple as, how {desi} family members show affection to each other - which is rather different from how super dad, Danny Tanner, does so. Hasan Minhaj describes the Conditional Love narrative the best in his off-broadway show, “Homecoming King”; basically, the immigrant parents’ attempt to mold their children into “little Kobes”. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

Meet Akaash Singh (@akaashsingh)! A fellow American Born Desi Comic (see: Episode 13 with Alingon Mitra), Akaash is a regular on MTV (Wild n' Out, Guy Code), on the cast of Brown Nation on Netflix, and co-host of the American Desis podcast. Born and raised in Texas, Akaash has quite the perspective of growing up Desi in the American South. Before we realized, we went through about 8 topics in our conversation with Akaash and each one is hilarious, yet thought-provoking (as usual, right?). Hear Akaash’s take on being terrified of “real fame”, show business, aging, aunties, and a lot more. The American Born Desi Comics are BACK! The ABDC Independence Day Show was a huge success and they were picked up for the upcoming New York Comedy Festival (@nycomedyfest) as the first and only all South Asian show! Catch the ABDCs on Sunday, November 12th, 7:30p at Caroline’s on Broadway (@carolinesonbway) in New York City. Full details & ticket information here: http://nycomedyfestival.com/…/american…/ Book now with pro

In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we sat down with Payal Patel to discuss the stigma, assumptions, and systematic challenges surrounding Mental Health Treatment within the Desi community and American culture at large. Payal is a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist hailing from New Jersey but now settled in North Carolina to start her own counseling practice, Manu Counseling (@manucounseling). Payal has treated numerous clients affected by traumas such as mental illness, sexual assault, and domestic violence - all of which are also prevalent in the Desi community but more repressed from conversation than they should be. Join the Carolina Desis this week as they speak to Payal about the importance of discarding labels when it comes to Mental Health and Wellness. If you are in the Charlotte area, check out Payal’s counseling practice at http://www.manucounseling.com. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

It took us long enough, but we finally had a chance to sit down with Yash Mistry (@yashyog), a Charlotte Digital Storyteller and a Day 1 fan of Carolina Desi! Yash runs Mistry Design Co. where he does Graphic Design, Web Dev, and everything in between. Join the Carolina Desis this week as they discuss with Yash, the process of pursuing and owning a business within the creative field, working for yourself, and the value of connections. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

It’s time for a... BOLLYWOOD BREAKDOWN! We know you’ve been waiting for this. Joining us this week is director, producer, film critic, and writer, Bhavna Singh (@theBhavnaSingh). Bhavna spends all day every day working, thinking, and dreaming about the film and media industries so who better to break down Bollywood with us? We sat down with Bhavna to learn about her projects, her experience covering the International Indian Film Academy Awards, and obviously the history, aesthetics, and perception of Bollywood from a Carolina Desi perspective. (BONUS: This just in, find out where Priyanka Chopra gets her burgers!) Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

This week, the Carolina Desis dive into some of the history, importance, and influence of Dance as a performing art and institution within Desi culture. They differentiate between various fine arts and folk dances while staying true to each topic's religious, cultural, colorful, and emotive nature. How does dance play a tremendous role in a Desi’s life? Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about its rich history and Rashmili’s personal (emotional) attachment to it. For a quick overview on the performing arts in India, check out Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) India. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

SURPRISE! We’re releasing next week’s episode early! Don’t deny that you’re extremely thrilled :) Joining us this week is comedian, Alingon Mitra (@alingonmitra)! Based in NYC, Alingon has written for The Daily Show and has appeared on Last Comic Standing, Conan, Colbert…just to name a few. Hopefully Alingon didn’t mistake our excitement for obnoxiousness but we could’ve truly talked to him for hours. Tune in to hear Alingon’s witty yet perceptive thoughts on Comedy as a genre, craft, and career as well as the evolving representation of Desis in media. Alingon and a few other comedians are doing a show on India's Independence Day called American Born Desi Comics (ABDCs) on August 15th at Caroline’s on Broadway (@carolinesonbway) in New York. Check out their trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xEdC9GMfTtE and find more information about their event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americanborndesicomics/. Get your tickets here: ttp://www.carolines.com/comedian/american-born-desi-comics/. Use promo code ‘

Would breaking a mirror really bring seven years of bad luck? The answer differs depending on who you ask. But more importantly, why does superstition still play a part in some of our lives? While each culture has its fair share of superstitions, the mysticism revolving around superstitious beliefs and the ominous control of fate play a different, yet significant, role within the Desi diaspora. Join the Carolina Desis in this week’s episode to learn about common superstitions among Desi cultures and the rooted explanations for supernatural reverence. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

This week, the Carolina Desis are in conversation with photographer Kripa Shah. A Desi, Charlotte native, and strong advocate for equality of all kinds, Kripa recently directed her photography skills towards shaping her passion project, Echoes of Equality. Inspired by personal experiences, Echoes of Equality aims to educate about equality in all its forms and its importance in society. We sat down with Kripa not only to discuss her project as a whole, but also to delve into the not-so-talked-about struggle for LGBTQ Equality within the South Asian community. Tune in to today's episode to learn more about Kripa, Equality, and the human right to be who you want to be. Learn more and get involved with Kripa's project, #echoesofequality Echoes of Equality: https://kripakshah.wixsite.com/kriptography/people. Find Kripa on social @kupppeee and her beautiful photography @therealkriptography! Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.

​Happy 4th of July, everyone! Banana Bread and Bald Eagles. Football and Freedom. Apple Pie and the American Dream. A country known for its freedom, opportunities, and prosperity - what's not to love? However, the Carolina Desis are questioned, unintentionally or intentionally, for their patriotism towards any country they may hold dear. Especially in the south, they often find themselves at the crossroads of nationalism and patriotism. Who is to say what's right or wrong? Tune in to this week's episode to celebrate America with first generation Americans. Follow @thecarolinadesi on social media to join the conversation.