Brown Mom with Raakhee Mirchandani

Avani Modi Sarkar is the Co-founder of Modi Toys, an award-winning children's brand of toys and books, rooted in South Asian culture and Hindu faith. After welcoming her first child, she set out on a mission to spark curiosity in children about their roots. On this episode, we talk to Avani about starting a business, investing in yourself, building a community and working with family.

Rajvinder Khaira is a lawyer, author and anti-oppression activist. In this episode, I talk to Raj about Ladoos, smashing the South Asian patriarchy, one sexist custom at a time. We also talk about reindeer, kidlit and belonging. Raj is the founder of the globally acclaimed, award winning campaign, the Pink Ladoo Project. The Pink Ladoo Project is a global gender equality campaign dismantling patriarchy by encouraging South Asian families in the diaspora to abandon sexist customs and celebrate girls' births. The campaign has inspired the celebration of the birth of thousands of South Asian girls across the diaspora. Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram @BrownMom on Instagram

A conversation on motherhood, with my mom Deena Mirchandani. Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram @BrownMom on Instagram

Trisha Sakhuja-Walia is the CEO and Founder of Brown Girl Magazine, a digital stomping ground for South Asians to challenge traditions and embrace feminism. Neha Patel is a writer and Brown Girl Magazine staffer. Her short story, Someday, Maybe, was published in the Brown Girl Magazine anthology, Untold: Defining Moments of the Uprooted. Untold, a Brown Girl Magazine anthology, is a collection of real stories that explores the South Asian experience in the US, UK and Canada through the lens of identity, being, and relationships. Thirty-two emerging voices share deeply personal moments relating to immigration, infertility, divorce, mental health, sexual orientation, gender identity, racism, colorism, casteism, religion, and much more. In this episode I talk to Trisha and Neha about our Untold stories, something they are both working on changing. Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram @BrownMom on Instagram

Aarti Virani is an arts and culture writer, covering the South Asian diaspora. Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, she now lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with her husband and son.  Steered by curiosity, empathy and cross-cultural communication, Aarti tells stories that shine a light on people and communities that are often overlooked. It's a passion she's nurtured since arriving in the United States nearly 20 years ago. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Saveur, Surface, Endless Vacation, and Travel + Leisure, among other publications. In this episode we talk about immigrant parents, diasporic Desis and hyphens. You can find Aarti in Vogue India, where she's a contributing editor, and at aartivirani.com. Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram @BrownMom on Instagram

Brown Mom is back for Season 2 and we're kicking it all off with Satjeet Kaur, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition. On this episode, we spill the chai about Pandemic holidays, Khalsa school, growing up Brown in New Jersey, Sikhi and lots more. Satjeet Kaur serves as the Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the United States. Though she became Executive Director in 2018, she has worked in nearly every core facet of the organization's work throughout her more than 10 years on the team. During that time, Kaur has served as a leading organizer and activist providing direct support to Sikh communities across the country, from responding to crises such as hate crimes to organizing advocacy campaigns for Sikhism to be accurately included in education standards and mobilizing Sikh civic engagement. Last year, she was named as one of 15 Faith Leaders to Watch by the Center for American Progress. Follow The Sikh Coalition on Instagram @SikhCoalition @Sikh_Coalition on Twitter SikhCoalition.org on the Interwebs Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram @BrownMom on Instagram Glad we're back for Season 2? So are we! Subscribe, review and share. Not glad? Keep it moving. The Internet is a big place and you're bound to find *something* you like.

I’ve been thinking about the kisan protest for months now. I've been educating myself with articles, talking to friends and community leaders and making donations to organizations like the Sikh Coalition And Khalsa Aid. But let me be clear: I am not an expert. I want to learn more and I know lots of us want to know what is happening in India and what we can do. That’s why I’m really grateful to have Mallika Kaur on this special episode of Brown Mom. Mallika Kaur is a writer, lawyer, community organizer who focuses on human rights, with a specialization in gender and minority issues in the United States and South Asia. Her new book “Faith, Gender, and Activism in the Punjab Conflict: The Wheat Fields Still Whisper” was recently published by Palgrave MacMillan. She is the co-founder of the Sikh Family Center, the only Sikh American organization focused on gender-based violence. Kaur teaches skills-based and experiential social justice classes at UC Berkeley School of Law. Brown Mom stands with the #FarmersProtest.

Aparna Shewakramani is the breakout star of Netflix's hit TV show Indian Matchmaking. She became an overnight ambassador for women demanding to be heard—in their love lives, workplaces, and in every space they occupy. While she did practice law full time for 10 years, Aparna is currently on sabbatical and working on her first book based on the show and her life experiences. On this episode, I talk to Aparna about marriage, Seema from Mumbai, dating after being on a hit TV show, villain music, career switches and Lilly Singh. I also may have signed up to be her new matchmaker. (Just call me Raakhee from Hoboken.) Follow Aparna on Instagram @aparnashewakramani Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @Raakstarwrites on Instagram Like the episode? Of course you did! Leave us a review, subscribe and rate. Didn't like it? Haters gonna hate.

For our first live show, Brown Mom teamed up with Brown Girl Mag and Ravi Patel and Neel Shah, Creators of Netflix's Bhaag Beanie Bhaag.  In this episode, we talk to Patel and Shah about babies, bathroom leaks, shooting in India and what it’s like to be Brown in Hollywood.  A little about Bhaag Beanie Bhaag: Unhappy at work and engaged to a man who doesn't quite get her, aspiring stand up comic Beanie Bhatnagar realizes she's on a fast track to a life that she doesn't exactly want. The first season of this hilarious new Netflix comedy, created by Ravi Patel and Neel Shah, and starring Swara Bhaskar, follows Beanie as she chases her dreams.  Ravi Patel is an actor, documentarian, philanthropist and director of the autobiographical documentary, "Meet the Patels." He is also the director of HBO Max's four-part docuseries "Ravi Patel's Pursuit of Happiness." Ravi currently lives in L.A. with his wife and daughter. Follow him on Twitter @showmetheravi.  Neel Shah is a writer and producer, known for The Bold Type, Powerless and Men at Work. Neel lives in LA with his partner and a newborn daughter.

Supriya Kelkar is an author, illustrator, and screenwriter who grew up in the Midwest, where she learned Hindi as a child by watching three Hindi movies a week. Supriya’s books are exceptional. There’s the award-winning Ahimsa, the darling and important The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh and American As Paneer Pie, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2020. And she's got three books coming out this year: Strong As Fire, Fierce As Flame, Bindu's Bindis and That Thing About Bollywood, all available for pre-order now. In this episode, I talk to Supriya about Bollywood, Bakwaas and Brown stories. We also talk about Sridevi, bringing PB&J for school lunch, Amar Chitra Katha comics and dive into our complicated love of 90s Desi movie classics. Follow Suprita on Instagram @Supriya.Kelkar @SupriyaKelkar_ on Twitter  Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram Like the episode? Leave us a review, subscribe and rate. Don't like it? Try again. New year, new you, right? 

In our first episode of the new year, we caught up with Brown Mom favorite, Dr. Saumya Dave to talk about mental health and rejection. We've all been through a lot over the past year and sitting down with Dr. Dave was just what the doctor ordered. We also talk about setting boundaries, therapy, Instagram and why she kept trying to get her book published, even after more than 200 rejections. (I took her advice about doom scrolling, btw. It's brilliant.) Dr. Saumya Dave is a writer, psychiatrist who does therapy and mental health advocate. Her debut novel, Well-Behaved Indian Women, was released last year and featured in Elle, The New York Times, Today with Hoda and Jenna, and more. Dr. Dave has written for The New York Times, ABC News, Refinery 29, and others. She is a practicing therapist and an Adjunct Professor at Mount Sinai. Follow Saumya Dave on Instagram @SaumyaJDave  @SaumyaJDave on Twitter SaumyaDave.com on the Interwebs Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram Still looking for a resolution to kick off 2021? Make this the month you review and subscribe to Brown Mom.

This was a sad, weird and exhausting year. When I think about 2020, I think about social unrest, Black Lives Matter, remote working, COVID and distance from friends and family. This year was tough for a lot of us, for a lot of different reasons. And while I've thought about doing a podcast so many times, it never really came together until this fall, when I needed connection the most. As I reflect on the year, cautiously, yet optimistically, making plans, setting goals and dreaming dreams for 2021, I feel especially grateful for Brown Mom and the community we're developing. Thanks for reaching out, for your reviews, Tweets, shares, DMs and notes.  On this episode, I'm joined by Jyoti Chand - @MamaJotes on Instagram - a friend I made because of this podcast. She's a real one and I'm so thrilled this pod brought us together. Jyoti stopped by to ask some of the questions you sent in.  We'll see you back here at Brown Mom on Tuesday, January 5th. 

This week on Brown Mom, DJ Rekha (they/them) stops by for a chat about identity and gender identity.  Let's be clear: if it sounds like I'm fangirling on parts of this episode, well, it's because I am. I have zero chill in life, but even less so during this chat.  I have been a massive DJ Rekha fan for decades, from those years at Basement Bhangra to Rekha's Sunday Sessions, quarantine sets they played to help us get through the Pandemic. I love listening to Rekha because whether it's an Insta set, a panel they are speaking on, or their Twitter feed, I feel like I'm a little better, happier and smarter after. Rekha and I talk about a lot of things: pronouns, gender, Whatsapping Jasmine Sandlas, Queens, Pandemic DJ-ing, among other topics. And yes, I asked if we'll ever get another Basement night. I had to.  Follow DJ Rekha on Instagram @DJRekha @DJRekha on Twitter DJRekha.com on the Interwebs Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you like the episode, leave us a review and subscribe. Tell your mom and your sahelis. Don't like it? Try again. It's probably you, not us!

Shelly Anand is all of the things - a human rights lawyer and author of Laxmi’s Mooch, a joyful, body-positive picture book about a young Indian American girl's journey to accept her body hair and celebrate her heritage, after being teased about her mustache. Shelly is also a mummy, a biwi, a beti and a saheli. She's my saheli, a friend I’ve had some pretty deep conversations with during these complicated COVID times.  In this episode we talk about biracial bachhas, Georgia, gol gappe, assimilation and nazaar. We talk about a lot of other things too! You can pre-order Laxmi's Mooch here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610852/laxmis-mooch-by-shelly-anand-illustrated-by-nabi-h-ali/ Follow Shelly on Instagram @LikhoShelly @maanandshelly on Twitter Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you like the episode, leave us a review and subscribe. Tell your mama and your friends. Don't like it? Chup kar, besharam! 

Pooja Makhijani is a writer, an editor, an author, a baker, a photographer and a mama to an 8-year-old horse loving little lady. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Cut, Epicurious and Eater, among many other publications. She’s an old friend, and a dear friend, and our FaceTime quarantine dates brought me much needed joy, eye rolls and laughs during this time we’ve been socially distant. And in this episode of Brown Mom, I talk to my pal Pooja about pandemic parenting and being a single South Asian mama. We also talk about food, daughters, reading, writing and aachar. We also compare notes on growing up Sindhi, something I don’t get to talk about with a lot of people. We also chat about some pieces she's written that I love; here they are:  1: https://www.thecut.com/2019/04/the-lipstick-i-wore-to-my-divorce.html 2: https://catapult.co/stories/edible-how-breadmaking-helped-me-during-my-divorce 3: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2015/10/14/postpartum-depressions-as-an-american-living-overseas/ 4: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/parenting/divorce-single-mom.html Follow Pooja on Instagram @Laborofloaf Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you like the episode, leave us a review and subscribe. Don't like it? Try again. This show is hilarious and charming. 

I’m sure it’ll surprise no one when I say I had a complicated relationship with my hair growing up. Desis are supposed to have this super glossy, shiny, long, full straight hair and I had - and have - a gigantic curly mane. And that’s just on my head.  I’ve got hair on my arms and legs, face, stomach. Once, in the third grade, my friend helped me shave my mustache - secretly, quietly, in her bathroom - and I had a lot of explaining to do when I got home. So if there’s a silver lining with mask wearing, it’s that I’m sitting in the threading chair a lot less these days. In this episode of Brown Mom, I talk to Hitha Palepu about hair. Hitha Palepu is a multi-hyphenate - an entrepreneur and investor, an author, a wife and mother. And while she says she spends more time than she should on Instagram, I'm glad she does. Her Insta content speaks deeply to me. Follow Hitha on Instagram @HithaPalepu Subscribe to Hitha's newsletter, #5SmartReads: https://hitha.substack.com/ Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you liked the episode, leave us a review and subscribe. Don't like it? Shhhh. Positive vibes only.

Reshma Saujani is the Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, the national non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. Girls Who Code has already reached over 90,000 girls in all 50 US states.  Reshma is also the author of three books, including Brave, Not Perfect - which I LOVE - and her TED Talk has sparked a national conversation about how we're raising our girls. I’ve learned so much from it, her books and in the example she sets by how she lives her life. And, of course, there’s the fantastic and award winning Brave, Not Perfect podcast.  Follow Reshma on Instagram: @reshmasaujani @GirlsWhoCode Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you liked the episode, leave us a review. Didn't like it? Keep that noise to yourself!

Pandemic Diwali 2020. And while I'll be the first to admit, we need light more than ever this year, celebrating without family and friends has us deep in our feelings. We talk to LoveLaughMirch's Nisha Vedi Pawar about tradition, Diwali and '90s Bollywood and Bhangra tunes. Happy Diwali to all who celebrate; may your lights illuminate the world. Follow Nisha on Instagram @LoveLaughMirch Follow Brown Mom on social media: @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you liked the episode, leave us a review. Didn't like it? Keep trying. Maybe we're an acquired taste. 

Never did I ever think that we'd be kicking off Brown Mom with Poorna Jagannathan. Poorna is all of the good things: an actor, a producer, a supporter, a mama and a friend. She stops by to talk about names, working for Mindy Kaling and what it felt like on that beautiful brown set of Netflix's Never Have I Ever.  Follow Poorna on Twtitter @PoornaJags Follow Poorna on Instagram @Poornagraphy_ Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram And if you liked the episode, leave us a review. Didn't like it? Keep that noise to yourself!

Brown Mom is a podcast about culture. Desi culture. First-generation-Indian-American culture. Join Raakhee Mirchandani as she chats with friends about breaking down the hyphens and being brown in America. Indian names, hair, Kamala Aunty, Diwali, parenting, Drag Queens, books: she'll spill the chai. Follow Brown Mom on social media:  @Raakstar on Twitter @RaakstarWrites on Instagram