Podcasts about neema avashia

In this hour stories of acceptance, moving on, and letting go. Growing older and maybe wiser, and stepping boldly into the future. This hour is hosted by Moth Executive Producer, Sarah Austin Jenness. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.Elizabeth Gray contends with aging.Neema Avashia and her students are united in grief.A teacher helps keep Maxie Jones on the straight and narrow.After swearing off love, Jennifer Birmingham gets advice from an unexpected source. Susan Earley tries to return a shirt purchased for her late grandfather. Erik Heen's stepdaughter doesn't want his help. Podcast # 693

If you've never spent time in Appalachia, your idea of the region might be shaped by what you see in media like vice presidential nominee JD Vance's bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and its subsequent movie adaptation. But many popular depictions of Appalachia ignore its rich diversity. This hour, we talk to people who grew up in Appalachia to go beyond the stereotypes. Neema Avashia discusses her book Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place and tells us about searching for belonging with multiple marginalized identities. And Crystal Wilkinson, former Poet Laureate of Kentucky and author of the culinary memoir Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks, reflects on her family's long and complex history in Appalachia stretching back to a marriage between a white man and an enslaved Black woman. GUEST: Neema Avashia: Educator and author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. Crystal Wilkinson: Writer and former Poet Laureate of Kentucky. She teaches creative writing at the University of Kentucky and is author of Perfect Black. Her latest book is Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Kendra Winchester talks to Neema Avashia and Sarah Lemon about their experience carving out the time to write.Things MentionedLemon's Substack, The Devil's CutBooks MentionedGUESTSNeema AvashiaWebsite | Instagram | Twitter / XSarah Nicole LemonWebsite | Instagram---Show Your Love for Read Appalachia! You can support Read Appalachia by heading over to our merch store, tipping us over on Ko-fi, or by sharing the podcast with a friend! For more ways to support the show, head over to our Support page. Follow Read Appalachia Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok ContactFor feedback or to just say “hi,” you can reach us at readappalachia[at]gmail.comMusic by Olexy from Pixabay

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-american-studies

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies

Neema Avashia is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born and raised in southern West Virginia. She has been an educator and activist in the Boston Public Schools since 2003 and was named a City of Boston Educator of the Year in 2013. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was published by West Virginia University Press in March 2022. It has been called “A timely collection that begins to fill the gap in literature focused mainly on the white male experience” by Ms. Magazine, and “A graceful exploration of identity, community, and contradictions,” by Scalawag. The book was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library's Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award. Neema lives in Boston with her partner, Laura, and her daughter, Kahani. Julia H. Lee is professor of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. She is the author of three books: Interracial Encounters: Reciprocal Representations in African and Asian American Literatures, 1896-1937 (New York University Press, 2011), Understanding Maxine Hong Kingston (University of South Carolina Press, 2018), and The Racial Railroad (New York University Press, 2022). With Professor Josephine Lee, she is co-editor of Asian American Literature in Transition, 1850-1930 (Cambridge University Press, 2021), a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2022. You can find her on Instagram @julia.x.lee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-south

Neema Avashia discusses the first pages of her essay collection and memoir, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, the structural power of list-making, the second person, and her twist on the usual advice: write the specific to convey the universal.Avashia's first pages can be found here.Help local bookstores and our authors by buying this book on Bookshop.Click here for the audio/video version of this interview.The above link will be available for 48 hours. Missed it? The podcast version is always available, both here and on your favorite podcast platform.Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia to parents who immigrated to the United States from India. She has been a history and Civics teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003, and now coaches ethnic studies teachers across the distinct. Her debut memoir, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was a Weatherford Award finalist in nonfiction, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist in lesbian memoir/biography, a New York Public Library Best Book of 2022, and was named the best LGTBQ+ memoir of 2022 by Book Riot.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com

This week, we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia and learn how racial segregation followed some people to the grave. We also hear from Neema Avashia, author of the celebrated memoir, "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer And Indian In A Mountain Place."  And we remember Hershel “Woody” Williams. The West Virginia native was America's last living World War II Medal of Honor winner. He died last summer at the age of 98. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Good morning everyone. I just want to tell you about what we're doing next on the 7am novelist, which is something I'm lamely calling “Passages of Summer.” But the upcoming episodes this summer won't be so lame, because we're going to be talking about one of the most difficult parts of a story or novel or memoir to get right: The first pages. I'll be interviewing over forty writers as we read and analyze the beginning pages of their novels in hopes of helping you with your own. We'll have Idra Novey, Caroline Leavitt, Paul Rudnick, Amina Gautier, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, and many more. Take a look at our schedule below:PASSAGES OF SUMMER ‘23 RELEASE SCHEDULEAll episodes will be pre-recorded and released at 7am EST. They can be found on 7amnovelist.substack.com and your favorite podcast platforms.May 25: Elizabeth Graver on KantikaMay 29: Vanessa Hua on Forbidden CityMay 31: Marisa Crane on I Keep My Exoskeletons to MyselfJune 2: Jane Roper on Society of Shame~~~June 5: Nathaniel Miller on The Memoirs of Stockholm SvenJune 7: Juliette Fay on The Half of ItJune 9: VV Ganeshananthan on Brotherless Night~~~June 12: Jasmin Hakes on HulaJune 14: Julie Carrick Dalton on The Last BeekeeperJune 16: Amina Gautier on “Lost and Found” in The Loss of All Lost Things~~~June 19: Henriette Lazaridis on Terra NovaJune 21: Frances de Pontes Peebles on The Air You BreatheJune 23: BA Shapiro on Metropolis~~~June 26: Daphne Kalotay on “Relativity” in The Archivists: StoriesJune 28: Wanda Morris on Anywhere You RunJune 30: Idra Novey on Take What You Need~~~July 3: Aaron Hamburger on Hotel CubaJuly 5: Caroline Leavitt on Days of WonderJuly 7: Joanna Rakoff on My Salinger Year~~~July 10: Rachel Barenbaum on Atomic AnnaJuly 12: Alix Ohlin on Dual CitizensJuly 14: Maya Shanbhag Lang on What We Carry~~~July 17: Kirthana Ramisetti on Advika and the Hollywood WivesJuly 19: EB Moore on Loose in the Bright FantasticJuly 21: Allegra Goodman on Sam~~~July 24: Kelly Ford on The HuntJuly 26: Alta Ifland on Speaking to No. 4July 28: Suzanne Berne on The Blue Window~~~July 31: Neema Avashia on Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain PlaceAugust 2: Jessica Keener on Night SwimAugust 4: Hank Phillippi Ryan on The House Guest~~~August 7: Nancy Crochiere on GracelandAugust 9: Elizabeth Silver on The MajorityAugust 11: Alyssa Songsiridej on Little Rabbit~~~August 14: Sara Johnson Allen on Down Here We Come UpAugust 16: Julie Gerstenblatt on Daughters of NantucketAugust 18: Paul Rudnick on Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style~~~August 21: Rachel Kadish on The Weight of InkAugust 23: Angel Di Zhang on The Light of Eternal SpringAugust 25: Charlotte Rixon on The One That Got Away~~~August 28: Virginia Pye on The Literary Undoing of Victoria SwannAugust 30: Isa Arsén on Shoot the MoonSeptember 1: Shilpi Suneja on House of CaravansSeptember 4: David Heska Wanbli Weiden on Winter Counts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com

In the fourth episode of Read Appalachia, host Kendra Winchester examines the question, what is the future of Appalachian memoir in a post-Hillbilly Elegy world? Special guests Neema Avashia and Shawna Kay Rodenberg discuss their memoirs and the importance of pushing back against JD Vance's problematic narrative.You can find the full show notes over on Read Appalachia's website.Things MentionedPhoto of My New Sunroom“Hillbillies Need No Elegy” by Meredith McCarroll (Bitter Southerner)“Ep. 6 Hillbillies Need No Elegy” (The Bitter Southerner Podcast)Bitter Southerner StoreHill & HollerInterview with Meredith McCarroll (Reading Women)Interview with Elizabeth Catte (Reading Women)Books MentionedGuest InfoNeema Avashia: Twitter | Instagram | WebsiteShawna Kay Rodenberg: Twitter | Instagram | WebsiteShow Your Love for Read Appalachia! You can support Read Appalachia by heading over to our merch store, tipping us over on Ko-fi, or by sharing the podcast with a friend! For more ways to support the show, head over to our Support page. Follow Read Appalachia Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok ContactFor feedback or to just say “hi,” you can reach us at readappalachia[at]gmail.comMusic by Olexy from Pixabay

Jeed Saddy performs this dazzling debut essay collection from author Neema Avashina. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss the essays, which explore Avashia's experience growing up as a queer Indian American woman in West Virginia. Identities are messy, and Saddy's narration captures the emotional complexity of Avashia's life. As we follow Avashia through basketball games and Hindu holidays, Saddy imbues her performance with all of the tenderness and hope that Avashia has for her hometown and the people who helped make her who she is today. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia to parents who immigrated to the United States. She has been a civics and history teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003. Her first book, "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place," was recently published this past March 2022. Neema begins by talking about how how her book Another Appalachia came together.  Initially, her book was a collection of essays mapping her experience growing up in Appalachia to her Indian immigrant parents. One important theme in the book is nostalgia.  She describes it as “a sense of missingness, of lost lovers or homes.  The love that remains, even after objects of that love are gone.”  Although she certainly doesn't  sugarcoat the racism and discrimination she experienced, for her, the hard parts were outweighed by the good. So much has changed about her hometown on Pamela Circle in West Virginia.  When she was growing up, her hometown was healthy and people had work and there was civic engagement,   However, today she says there is a level of pain that has left the people in really rough shape. Another powerful part of the book focuses on the role of community.  Her understanding of community was shaped by the intersection of the Appalachian and Indian communities.  She says both communities understand love in a very similar way.  She writes: “We don't say ‘I love you' in my community.  We cook for you.  We host you in our houses.  We accept your loved ones as our own.” Although her experience of community is different in Boston than in West Virginia, she says there are certain people in Boston that feel like home.  She says the pace of life here in Boston is a lot faster and people don't slow down easily.  It's very different than her life growing up on Pamela Circle.  She says she feels like she's chasing that "feeling" from growing up on Pamela circle. Neema speaks about the tension that she faces in her writing life.  It raises some questions: how do you write non-fiction in a way that doesn't make everyone mad?   And what is the price of not expressing oneself and staying silent?  Who does that silence serve?  One of her writing professors encouraged her to “write with a clearer heart.”  Neema tells the story of playing Pandemic Santa with her partner Laura at the beginning of the pandemic.  They would cook lots of food, randomly drop it off and offer joy to others.  This is one way to make the world feel smaller and find your power. In the end, Neema explains that her book has been medicine for many young people in Appalachia and elsewhere who might otherwise feel alone and disconnected.  It's a beautiful gift she can give her readers. You can learn more about Neema and her book Another Appalachia right here on her website: https://www.neemaavashia.com/ Today's episode's sponsor is Microbiome Labs.  For the last 9 years, Microbiome Labs has been committed to advancing understanding of the human microbiome. They are at the helm of innovation, putting new formulations and technology in the hands of healthcare practitioners and patients. Among many other novel innovations, MBL can now help improve the gut-brain connection with their ZenBiome Cope and ZenBiome Sleep products.  Maybe it has been a while since you've re-examined your probiotic choices, the science around the microbiome, or novel solutions that are coming out every day. Microbiome Labs will be here, at the forefront of science, continuing to pioneer health in this space. For more about this strain and other gut microbiome products, visit microbiomelabs.com. And, as a special bonus for The Drew Pearlman Show listeners, receive 15% off your total order from Microbiome Labs by using this discount code: https://microbiomelabs.com/shop/?guest=yes&ref=drew APPLE PODCASTS

This week on OutWithDan, author Neema Avashia joins me to chat out her autobiography "Another Appalachia" I was blown away by how lovingly Neema talks about her past, not through rose-colored glasses, but with respect and love of where she is from. And she also shares the love that she experienced from her family and extended family. And we talk about where we are now in education and our society and how far we still have to go. Thank you Neema for sharing!

This week on OutWithDan, author Neema Avashia joins me to chat out her autobiography "Another Appalachia" I was blown away by how lovingly Neema talks about her past, not through rose-colored glasses, but with respect and love of where she is from. And she also shares the love that she experienced from her family and extended family. And we talk about where we are now in education and our society and how far we still have to go. Thank you Neema for sharing!

Episode 143 Notes and Links to Neema Avashia's Work       On Episode 143 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Neema Avashia, and the two discuss, among other topics, her lifelong love of words, books as sources of comfort and disappointment, formative writers like Abraham Verghese and Salman Rushdie, her own writing and its strengthening through workshops and writers' groups and through her work as an educator and activist, her book as a direct response to uneven and often wrong depictions of South Asians and more diverse Appalachian communities, the ways in which the book's diverse chapters coalesce, and salient ideas of home and belonging.       Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia to Indian immigrant parents, and she has been a civics and history teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003. She is the author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, published in March 2022. Neema Avashia's Website   Buy Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place   Neema is Profiled for CNN by Harmeet Kaur-“What it was like to grow up in Appalachia for a child of Indian immigrants” from July 14, 2022   Neema's Article for Lithub from Jan. 2021- “The Deep Connection of West Virginia's Indian Community”           At about 1:55, Neema sets Pete straight on the correct pronunciation of    At about 2:15, Neema discusses her childhood relationship with words-with Gujarati and English, her favorite books, etc.-and she    At about 6:10, Neema discusses reading as a way of exploring life outside of her small town, and highlights a seminal moment recently with hometown librarians    At about 8:05-10:20, Neema responds to Pete's question about representation; she cites racist and factually-wrong references to South Asian people in pop culture    At about 10:20, Neema describes moments in which writing became a love and a possible profession for her   At about 11:15, Neema talks about writers and writing that gave (and gives) her “chills at will,” including the formative Salman Rushdie   At about 13:05, Neema is asked how teaching informs her writing, and vice versa, and she gives background on how her writing career has had stops and recent starts    At about 14:35, Neema explains how a lot of her inspiration for her book, Another Appalachia, is in direct response to the book and hoopla from JD Vance's    At about 16:35, Neema further expands on how she has learned “clarity” through teaching    At about 18:45, Neema responds to Pete's question about Neema's school community's reactions to her book publication   At about 20:15, Neema answers Pete's questions about books that have resonated with her students over the years-she highlights Jason Reynolds and Elizabeth Azevedo's work   At about 21:20, Pete and Neema discuss contextualizing works that resonate with young readers when    At about 23:55, Neema explains how her essays were found to have a “throughline” and how Grub Street Writers and Kenyon Writer's Workshop (and mentors like Geeta Kothari) help the book crystallize    At about 26:20, Pete compliments the book's opening and asks about Neema's rationale for its second person usage   At about 28:30, The two discuss a pivotal early passage about patriotism and “returning home”   At about 30:30, Neema discusses Appalachian tropes and how she balanced what people previously thought they knew about the region with counter examples    At about 34:30, Neema discusses the wonderful CNN documentary done by W. Kamau Bell and how she was profiled for the CNN website   At about 36:10, The two discuss the book's second chapter/essay and her parents' move to the United States and the two discuss connections to the great Abraham Verghese's work   At about 38:10, Neema speaks glowingly of the “masterpiece of a book,” Cutting for Stone, as well as Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See   At about 38:40, Pete references Chaya Bhuvaneswar's fictional account of the 1984 Bhopal explosion in discussing with Neema the horrific tragedy and her father's working for Union Carbide    At about 42:30, Pete highlights the juxtapositions and comparisons between mother and daughter and mother and father that make the book stellar   At about 43:50, Pete and Neema discuss the “moment-in-time” essence of the profile of Neema's Indian “aunties” in the third chapter   At about 45:15, Pete and Neema discuss the salient chapter regarding Neema's connections to Wilt Chamberlain (and underhanded free throws) and the importance of supportive mentorship   At about 49:20, Pete asks Neema about how she sees any distinctions between “less than” and “different”   At about 50:10, The two discuss the painful chapter that deals with the wonderful relationship with “Mr. B.” and his family and the implications of the ensuing and ongoing hateful narratives that have coupled with the growing influence of social media   At about 55:30, The two discuss ideas of “coming home” in the essay that deals with Neema's bringing her partner Laura to Neema's various homes; also, the two talk about a cool connection and memories attached to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's “Islands in the Stream”    At about 57:30, Neema gives background on her ritual enacted to remember her beloved cousin after his death    At about 1:00:25, Neema explains hireath and its connection to a chapter in the book; the conversation moves to saudade, the Portuguese concept that informs much of the book   At about 1:02:20, Neema delves into the ideas connected to sharam and links between her writing and her cousin's social media livelihood   At about 1:05:00, Pete and Neema discuss ideas of shame on Sept 12, 2001 from Hasan Minhaj's Homecoming King   At about 1:07:05, The two discuss the book's last chapter with the quote, “ ‘I am from here, but no of here' ” as a launch pad   At about 1:10:30, Neems talks about upcoming projects-(“Be Like Wilt” as a children's book? Yes, please!)   At about 1:13:30, Neema gives out her contact info and social media info while shouting out independent bookstores    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.  This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form. The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.    The Chills at Will Podcast is joining Patreon in October! Pete will be spreading the word-sharing links and discussing the perks that come with Patreon membership during next week's episode with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez. Keep your ears and eyes out as we unveil Chills at Will merch like refrigerator magnets and t shirts and unlock bonus episodes.     Please tune in for Episode 144 with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez. He is a writer and educator from Richmond, California. In his writing, Barahona-López draws from his experience growing up as the son of Mexican immigrants. His poetry chapbook, "Loss and Other Rivers That Devour," was published by Nomadic Press in February 2022.     The episode will air on October 4.

Episode 142 Notes and Links to Sadie Shorr-Parks' Work        On Episode 142 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Sadie Shorr-Parks, and the two discuss, among other topics, her lifelong love of poetry, formational writers and poems, art's role in her writing life, themes of her poetry revolving around love and loss and so many more themes, and the amazing circumstances that inspired her poetry collection's title and ethos.       Sadie Shorr-Parks teaches writing at Shepherd University, where she is the Director for the Society for Creative Writing. She is the author of HONEY MONTH (Main Street Rag). Her writing has previously appeared or is forthcoming in Appalachian Heritage, Aquifer: The Florida Review, Blueline, Cimmaron Review, The Hongkong Review, Lines+Stars, Painted Bride Quarterly, Sierra Nevada Review, Southwest Review, Utne Reader, and Witness, among others. Her book reviews can be found in Los Angeles Review of Books and Southern Literary Review.  She edited Becoming International: Musings on Studying Abroad in America (Parlor Press). Sadie Shorr-Parks' Website   Buy Honey Month   Read Samples from Honey Month   “Making Light of It”-Gabby Bates Interviews Sadie for Southwest Review, Aug 2022   At about 2:00, Sadie discusses her loves in teaching, and the two discuss the power of personal narratives   At about 4:20, The two begin to explore ideas of perspective in writing   At about 4:45, Sadie lists some of the artistic works-visual, literature, etc.-that have thrilled her and inspired her   At about 8:00, Pete cites a profound quote from Sadie's work that dovetails with questions for her about art and muses; Sadie analyzes the exact quote with regard to her mother's life and her own   At about 11:50, Sadie responds to Pete's questions about works/writers that have given her “chills at will,” including Warsan Shire, “For Women Who are Difficult to Love,” Marianne Boruch, Louise Gluck (“her desert island poem”), and Ada Limón    At about 14:25, the two fanboy/girl as they discuss Andrea Cohen's legendary, chill-inducing “The Committee Weighs In”   At about 15:20, Sadie gives some Ada Limón recs   At about 16:10, Pete (again) recommends “The Gospel According to Mark” as a stunner   At about 18:00, Pete wonders about “ ‘Eureka' moments” for Sadie, and she talks about the “dreamy” feeling associated with grad school and creating   At about 21:30, Sadie delves into the significance of the title and inspirations for Honey Month   At about 23:55, The two discuss the “loving review” done by Gabby Bates for Sadie's collection   At about 24:55, the two use a quote from Bates to discuss    At about 27:20, Pete cites a quote from Honey Month's Goodreads page and the conversation moves to Pete's description of the collection as “quiet” and Sadie reacts to this description    At about 30:30, Sadie talks about her love of 16th/century poetry and its characteristics    At about 31:50, The two reflect on the quiet and nature depicted in the collection    At about 35:25, Sadie references a certain poem and ideas of beauty and love being intertwined    At about 37;00, Sadie discusses the recurring theme of love and breaks from lovers, and Pete notes the opposites that stand out that accentuate love and other ideas   At about 38:25, Pete points out some clever and interesting verb usages throughout the collection    At about 40:20, Pete cites another set of opposites and Sadie is reminded of writing this work in 2017, as the world was changing so rapidly   At about 42:00, Sadie notes how differently her upcoming collection themes are from the first    At about 43:00, Pete shouts out Nightbitch as an incredible work that so aptly describes early parenthood   At about 44:50, The two discuss “adding to subtract” and Sadie discusses ideas of body image, double-standards and metaphors that come with “destruction”   At about 47:40, the two discuss poems that feature themes of nostalgia and lost love and equilibrium    At about 49:40, Sadie talks about the importance of being “even-keeled”   At about 50:50, Pete cites a meaningful line, and Sadie discusses various meanings of “missing” someone   At about 52:40, The two discuss poems dealing with love and reconciliation     At about 55:15, The two gives differing takes on a key line about “endings”   At about 57:15-57:50, Sadie describes how a poem brought her boyfriend (now husband!) and her together   At about 57:55, A key line about daughters and mothers engenders conversation about a key theme of the book and how hard is it to write about beloved people (moms for sure!)   At about 1:00:00, The two discuss the format of    At about 1:02:50, Sadie reads “The Slowing”   At about 1:03:45, Sadie reads “Magma”   At about 1:05:20, The two discuss “comfort books”   At about 1:06:40, Sadie shouts out places to buy her book and discusses upcoming        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.  This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form. The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com. Please tune in for Episode 143 with Neema Avashia. Neema was born and raised in southern West Virginia to Indian immigrant parents, and she has been a civics and history teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003. She is the author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, published in March 2022. The episode will air on September 27.

In this episode of TeachLab, our host Justin Reich goes behind the scenes of the Teaching Systems Lab's new documentary film We Have to Do Something Different: Teachers on the Journey to Create More Equitable Schools. The 35-minute film provokes important conversations about the big challenges facing schools by taking a detailed look at the small steps teachers around the country are taking every day to help their students succeed. These dedicated teachers provide hope that, while the systemic inequities in our schools won't disappear overnight, educators can make a positive impact, starting now. In this episode, Justin explains the film's origins in TSL's online course Becoming a More Equitable Educator. He then shares key clips from the film that show the teaching practices that help teachers build relationships with their students and engage students in challenging but important conversations about representation and equity. The episode ends with Justin interviewing Neema Avashia, social studies teacher in Boston Public Schools and one of the stars of the film. They discuss the current challenges facing public schools and the need to bring joy back into the classroom.This fall, you can screen We Have to Do Something Different and get a peek into Neema's classroom yourself. Attend a local screening or sign up to host your own. Learn more about screening opportunities and check out the screening guide at somethingdifferentfilm.com. Resources and LinksLean about our film We Have to Do Something DifferentCheck out Justin Reich's book Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can't Transform Education Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/WHTDSD/transcriptProduced by Aimee Corrigan and Garrett Beazley. Recorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab on Twitter and YouTubeFollow our host Justin Reich on Twitter

From West Virginia University Press comes middle school teacher turned debut author Neema Avashia to talk about her memoir Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer & Indian in a Mountain Place. Neema takes readers on a journey to discover the family and community that raised her, as she discovered who she was as a Queer girl in the south. Join us for this laugh-out-loud conversation where we learn what actually goes inside of a pickle sandwich, the spice she cannot go without, and how Country Road is most likely the state anthem of West Virginia.

On this episode, we talk with Neema Avashia, author of "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place," about her memoir, identity, finding your people, and growing up in West Virginia. This interview was first recorded at Rural Assembly Everywhere, a virtual gathering of the Rural Assembly in May 2022. Avashia is interviewed by Skylar Baker-Jordan, Contributing Editor for Community Engagement at 100 Days in Appalachia. For more rural content, subscribe to Rural Assembly newsletter: https://ruralassembly.org/newsletter-subscribe The Rural Assembly is a movement of people and organizations devoted to building a stronger, more vibrant rural America. This interview was first aired at Rural Assembly Everywhere, our virtual festival for rural advocates and the rural-curious, listeners and leaders, neighbors and admirers.

Neema Avashia was born and raised in the bedroom suburban community of Cross Lanes, West Virginia. She's an Appalachian through and through. She can sing Take Me Home Country Roads by heart. She knows the state's mountains and waterways by heart. In her new collection of essays, “Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place,” she describes feeling more hillbilly than hindu. She wrestles with big questions about identity in her book. Could she really call herself Appalachian if her family didn't go back several generations like her neighbors? What are the ways in which the ethics of community and kinship interact with an ethics of survival and assimilation? What does it mean to grow up in a business environment like chemicals or coal that extracts so much from its places and people? And what does it mean to see the people you love posting vile, hateful things about immigrants and people of color on Facebook?  Neema now lives in Boston as a teacher and advocate for her students and school.  On this episode of the Reckon Interview, she describes her Appalachian upbringing and how it feels to love and support a place from afar – even on days when it doesn't feel like it gives you the love you deserve in return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Readers have heard of the big 5 publishing companies that include Harper Collins, and Penguin/Random House. But there is something really special about university presses. Unfortunately, they don't often get the attention they deserve. Sarah Munroe, Marketing Manager and Acquisitions Editor at West Virginia University Press, is our guest this week who talks to us about what makes a university press special and how they operate differently from the big 5.    One of the unique things about them is that they can and do feature more diverse voices and topics than what major publishers are willing to put out there. Former guest Neema Avashia, author of Another Appalachia, was published by WVU Press and she is just one of the diverse voices that readers can find at smaller publishers. WVU Press has made some pretty important headlines lately after their author Deesha Philyaw's book The Secret Lives of Church Ladies became a finalist for the National Book Award in 2020.    While we definitely book nerd out with Sarah, we hope you stay tuned to what was supposed to be her 3 in the Third Degree where we asked only one question but learned a ton about her abiding love for dinosaurs and how they were part of her wedding ceremony with her husband.  You can find WVU Press at their website, www.wvupressonline.com and on instagram and twitter @wvupress and Facebook at West Virginia University Press.                                                                                                                                                                                  Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.    Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 2- Bad Tourist by Suzanne Roberts 3- The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw 4- Deer Season by Erin Flanagan 5- Even As We Breathe by Annette Sanuooke Clapsaddle 6- Ghosts of New York by Jim Lewis 7- Foote: A Mystery Novel by Tom Bredehoft 8- Lioness by Mark Powell 9- Curing Season by Kristine Langley Mahler 10- Kindred by Octavia Butler 11- Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin 12- Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James 13- Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 14- The Kill by Richard House 15- City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty 16- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Greene 17- Eragon by Christopher Paolini   Podcast mentioned: Strong Sense of Place hosted by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys

Readers have heard of the big 5 publishing companies that include Harper Collins, and Penguin/Random House. But there is something really special about university presses. Unfortunately, they don't often get the attention they deserve. Sarah Munroe, Marketing Manager and Acquisitions Editor at West Virginia University Press, is our guest this week who talks to us about what makes a university press special and how they operate differently from the big 5.    One of the unique things about them is that they can and do feature more diverse voices and topics than what major publishers are willing to put out there. Former guest Neema Avashia, author of Another Appalachia, was published by WVU Press and she is just one of the diverse voices that readers can find at smaller publishers. WVU Press has made some pretty important headlines lately after their author Deesha Philyaw's book The Secret Lives of Church Ladies became a finalist for the National Book Award in 2020.   While we definitely book nerd out with Sarah, we hope you stay tuned to what was supposed to be her 3 in the Third Degree where we asked only one question but learned a ton about her abiding love for dinosaurs and how they were part of her wedding ceremony with her husband.  You can find WVU Press at their website, www.wvupressonline.com and on instagram and twitter @wvupress and Facebook at West Virginia University Press.                                                                                                                        Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.  Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 2- Bad Tourist by Suzanne Roberts 3- The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw 4- Deer Season by Erin Flanagan 5- Even As We Breathe by Annette Sanuooke Clapsaddle 6- Ghosts of New York by Jim Lewis 7- Foote: A Mystery Novel by Tom Bredehoft 8- Lioness by Mark Powell 9- Curing Season by Kristine Langley Mahler 10- Kindred by Octavia Butler 11- Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin 12- Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James 13- Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 14- The Kill by Richard House 15- City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty 16- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Greene 17- Eragon by Christopher Paolini Podcast mentioned: 1- Strong Sense of Place hosted by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys

On this West Virginia Morning, author Neema Avashia grew up in a neighborhood in Kanawha County as the daughter of immigrants. In her book, "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place," she discusses growing up queer and Indian in West Virginia.

Author Neema Avashia joins Daniel Ford and Kelly J. Ford on the show to discuss her debut essay collection Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. To learn more about Neema Avashia, visit her official website and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Another Appalachia was featured in March 2021's "Books That Should Be On Your Radar." Writer's Bone is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm, A Mighty Blaze podcast, and Daniel Paisner's upcoming novel Balloon Dog.

This week on Inside Appalachia we'll visit a luthier's shop where old instruments get new life, and hear about a new comedy film set in Beckley, West Virginia. We'll also hear from author Neema Avashia, whose new book is "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer And Indian In A Mountain Place."

This week on Inside Appalachia we'll visit a luthier's shop where old instruments get new life, and hear about a new comedy film set in Beckley, West Virginia. We'll also hear from author Neema Avashia, whose new book is "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer And Indian In A Mountain Place."  Comedy Film Set In Beckley, West Virginia The upcoming slapstick comedy “Ambrosia” is set in a quirky bed and breakfast in Beckley, West Virginia. It's a feature-length movie, but it's not a Hollywood movie; the two directors are from West Virginia, along with nearly the entire cast and crew. The film is set to debut at the Raleigh Playhouse in Beckley this spring. Our Folkways reporter Clara Haizlett spoke with Beckley filmmakers Shane Pierce and Dave Gravely about the movie.. A Guitar Surgeon Gives Old Instruments Their Voices Back Bob Smakula of Elkins, West Virginia, has made a career out of fixing old musical instruments so modern musicians can keep playing them. He tries to make repairs to fix an instrument's problems while also staying true to its history.  “I've definitely honed my skills to try to be invisible,” he said.  “I don't want anybody to know I was ever there, except to go ‘Hey, this plays better than they usually do,' or ‘This sounds better than they usually do.'” Smakula has been honing his invisibility powers for a long time. Folkways reporter Zack Harold spoke with Smakula about his career for this week's episode.  Coming Up Queer and Indian In A Mountain Place Author Neema Avashia grew up in a neighborhood in Kanawha County, West Virginia as the daughter of immigrants. Her new book, "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place," is a collection of essays that describe her experience growing up as an Indian American — who also happens to be queer — and an Appalachian. Co-host Mason Adams talked with Avashia about the book and about her experiences.  Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Blue Dot Sessions, Jake Schepps, and Dinosaur Burps. Roxy Todd is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Alex Runyon is our associate producer. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.  You can find us on Twitter @InAppalachia.

We've talked about many books on this podcast with an Appalachian setting. And in the Trump and post-Trump era, talking heads have been trying to understand Appalachia. After the publishing of Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, a book about Appalachia that many people love to hate, a whole slew of books by diverse Appalachian writers came out that showed other versions of this complicated region of the country. Neema Avashia's new book of essays, Another Appalachia: Growing Up Indian and Queer in a Mountain Place really demonstrates those contradictions and strong sense of place. Neema is a middle school teacher who lives in Boston, but she grew up in a small West Virginia town that was built up around the chemical industry that used the state's coal to power its plants. Her parents migrated from India and Neema had what she felt was a magical childhood. But as much as she loved her hometown and home state, as she became an adult she had to to come to terms with what home means when you are Indian-American, Hindu, vegetarian, and queer growing up in a place that is overwhelming white, meat and potatoes, and Christian. Her essays ask interesting questions about what it means to love a place that doesn't always love you back. You can find Neema on instagram at @avashia and at her author website www.neemaavashia.com. Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Books Discussed in this Episode: 1- Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia 2- The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa 3- Drowned Town by Jayne Moore Waldrop 4- Death in the Air: The Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson 5- Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson Articles mentioned-- What Does the Image of the Cat Signify in Japanese Literature? by Dee Das bookriot.com/cats-in-japanese-fiction/

We've talked about many books on this podcast with an Appalachian setting. And in the Trump and post-Trump era, talking heads have been trying to understand Appalachia. After the publishing of Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, a book about Appalachia that many people love to hate, a whole slew of books by diverse Appalachian writers came out that showed other versions of this complicated region of the country. Neema Avashia's new book of essays, Another Appalachia: Growing Up Indian and Queer in a Mountain Place really demonstrates those contradictions and strong sense of place. Neema is a middle school teacher who lives in Boston, but she grew up in a small West Virginia town that was built up around the chemical industry that used the state's coal to power its plants. Her parents migrated from India and Neema had what she felt was a magical childhood. But as much as she loved her hometown and home state, as she became an adult she had to to come to terms with what home means when you are Indian-American, Hindu, vegetarian, and queer growing up in a place that is overwhelming white, meat and potatoes, and Christian. Her essays ask interesting questions about what it means to love a place that doesn't always love you back. You can find Neema on instagram at @avashia and at her author website www.neemaavashia.com. Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Books Discussed in this Episode: 1- Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia 2- The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa 3- Drowned Town by Jayne Moore Waldrop 4- Death in the Air: The Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson 5- Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson Articles mentioned-- What Does the Image of the Cat Signify in Japanese Literature? by Dee Das https://bookriot.com/cats-in-japanese-fiction/

When Neema Avashia tells people where she's from, their response is nearly always a disbelieving “There are Indian people in West Virginia?” A queer Asian American teacher and writer, Avashia fits few Appalachian stereotypes. But the lessons she learned in childhood about race and class, gender and sexuality continue to inform the way she moves through the world today: how she loves, how she teaches, how she advocates, how she struggles. Another Appalachia examines both the roots and the resonance of Avashia's identity as a queer desi Appalachian woman, while encouraging readers to envision more complex versions of both Appalachia and the nation as a whole. With lyric and narrative explorations of foodways, religion, sports, standards of beauty, social media, gun culture, and more, Another Appalachia mixes nostalgia and humor, sadness and sweetness, personal reflection and universal questions. Avashia shares a conversation with Sejal Shah in this episode. _______________________________________________   Produced by Natalie Freeman, Lance Morgan, & Michael Kowaleski. Theme: "I Love All My Friends," an unreleased demo by Fragile Gang. Visit https://www.skylightbooks.com/event for future offerings from the Skylight Books Events team.

In today's episode, we have Neema Avashia in the #FiveDesiFaves segment. She has a new essay collection out titled Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place. Here, she shares her five favorite desi books that have shaped her as a reader, a writer, and as a person. These are works of nonfiction by The Women of South Asian Descent Collective, Vijay Prashad, Mira Jacob, Sejal Shah, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Thank you for listening. Twitter: @DesiBooks Instagram: @desi.books Facebook: @desibooksfb Website: https://desibooks.co Newsletter: https://bit.ly/desibooksnews Email: desibooks@desibooks.co --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/desibooks/support

Neema Avashia, author of Another Appalachia, grew up queer in rural West Virginia. Most of her debut essay collection is about that, but it also is extremely universal. She joined the podcast to discuss her childhood, her time as a public education teacher, and why a book about a queer Indian woman is so easy to connect with regardless of demographics. Follow the author: www.neemavashia.com Follow Debutiful: www.debutiful.net www.instagram.com/debutiful www.twitter.com/debutiful

In this episode Neil and Will talk Appalachian identity with Neema Avashia, an Appalachian Author of the new book, "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place."  A child of immigrants, Neema discusses her love for Appalachia and how basketball helped her to integrate while trying to form her own identity.  Listen as she discusses how important mentors were for her upbringing, how "neighboring" is just different in Appalachia and how a diversity of voice is important in the region.  She might even solve the age old question of biscuits - Cracker Barrel or Tudor's Biscuit World?  You might even find out who the guys are rooting for in the Super Burrowl!  Don't forget about the #AppBiz of the week: Butcher's Bites.  Take a listen! Neema Avashia: www.neemaavashia.com Butcher's Bites: www.butchersbites.com    

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Boston-based educator, author and activist Neema Avashia. We talk about rites of passage (including why she did a surprise wedding!), her activism, and about what led her to write her book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, forthcoming from West Virginia University Press on March 1, 2022.You can learn more about Neema and check out some of her writing at her website, www.neemaavashia.com, and you can find her on Twitter at @AvashiaNeema.You can read the  article we reference in the conversation, "Chemical Bonds," at this link. Find us & let us know what you think!Instagram: @queereverythingpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/queereverythingTwitter: https://twitter.com/QueerEverythingWebsite: http://www.queereverything.comYouTube: Queer Everything's channel

In this episode, I speak to Boston-based educator, author and activist Neema Avashia about her experiences growing up as a person of Indian origin in West Virginia, how she's navigated living at the crossroads of different cultures, and about exploring her identity through writing.Neema's forthcoming book Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place will be available from West Virginia University Press on March 1, 2022.You can learn more about Neema and check out some of her writing at her website, www.neemaavashia.com, and you can find her on Twitter at @AvashiaNeema.Find us & let us know what you think!Instagram: @queereverythingpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/queereverythingTwitter: https://twitter.com/QueerEverythingWebsite: http://www.queereverything.comYouTube: Queer Everything's channel

Episode 2 focuses on the Boston Globe's coverage of bussing during then-editor Tom Winship's tenure, inquiring into how news organizations see their responsibility to provide fair media coverage. Following the audioplay, we will bring you a panel moderated by scholar and Facing History-affiliated teacher Neema Avashia featuring Garry Armstrong and Phillip Martin.

I had the pleasure to be a presenter in Jim Knight's TLC21 Conference. Jim Joined my session and shared his insights as we explored four different mindsets. In part 2, we examine a longer term focus rather than the usual education short term and how we can use our proximity to students for greater learning impact. View the Marshmallow/Acorn Video here.  Listen to Neema Avashia's comments here.

This week on TeachLab, host Justin Reich is joined by Neema Avashia to discuss the recently released Teaching Systems Lab report Healing, Community, and Humanity: How Students and Teachers Want to Reinvent School Post-COVID. Together they reflect on what educators have seen in their classrooms since the pandemic, and how we can learn and grow from these experiences.“I'm a pretty firm believer that the old normal didn't work already for too many young people. And that a lot of our young people, even if they're going through the paces of education or complying, that didn't mean that education was meeting their needs, or providing them with the educational experience that they deserve.”  - Neema AvashiaIn this episode we'll talk about:How Neema adapted her class in the face of the pandemicThe research and methodology from Healing, Community, and Humanity: How Students and Teachers Want to Reinvent School Post-COVID The pressures of “learning loss”What the students missed most about being in schoolHow the pandemic served as a window into longstanding school inequities and how we are adapting school based on what we've learnedWWays that Neema is incorporating these new insights  into her classroom teachingHow Neema incorporates these new ideas into her classroom Resources and LinksCheck out the full webinar Healing, Community, and HumanityCheck out the report Healing, Community, and Humanity: How Students and Teachers Want to Reinvent School Post-COVIDCheck out all of Teaching Systems Lab COVID-19 resources Transcripthttps://teachlabpodcast.simplecast.com/episodes/healing-community-humanity/transcript Produced by Aimee Corrigan. Recorded and mixed by Garrett Beazley Follow TeachLab:FacebookTwitterYouTube

Chuck and Big John talk with Neema Avashia, author of the forthcoming memoir "Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place." You can preorder her book here (and support a local bookstore while you're at it!) https://bookshop.org/books/another-appalachia-coming-up-queer-and-indian-in-a-mountain-place/9781952271427Join our Patreon for $5 and access ad-free shows, weekly exclusives, and more http://www.patreon.com/appodlachiaGet some of our new merch! http://tee.pub/lic/LTvbvIFuCbsGet your holiday gifts from Cornbread Hemp, Kentucky-grown organic CBD provider: http://www.cornbreadhemp.com (use code "APPODLACHIA" to get 25% off)For full transcripts of each episode, check out our website: http://appodlachia.com (note: there may be a delay in some transcriptions)Follow us on all social media!-Instagram: http://instagram.com/appodlachia-Twitter: http://twitter.com/appodlachia-Facebook: http://facebook.com/appodlachia-TikTok: http://tiktok.com/appodlachia-Discord: https://discord.gg/czgUeWzvhT***Appodlachia is a product of 18 Husky. The views expressed on this show are solely that of the co-hosts - Chuck Corra and John Isner - and do not reflect the views of either Chuck or John's employers***

Neema Avashia teaches ethnic studies in the Boston Public School system, and Jen Poeger is the Assistant Principal of La Follette High School in Madison Wisconsin. Both have accomplished incredible things and learned valuable lessons over the past year. Highlights from their conversation with Rod and Jal include: what classrooms should be focusing on as students return to in-person learning; what it means to re-socialize an entire school community; how we should leverage the pandemic disruption to re-think what "normal" schooling looks like; why saying all the right things isn't enough - educators need to start "walking the walk;" and emphasizing that there needs to be more dialogue between students and policy makers.

Episode 1 focuses on the conflict between then-mayor Kevin White, Judge Arthur Garrity, and then-president Gerald Ford, including the standoff over sending federal troops to enforce bussing in Boston. Following the audioplay, we will bring you a panel moderated by scholar and Facing History-affiliated teacher Neema Avashia featuring Bishop John Borders III, Dr. Karilyn Crockett, and Professor Matthew Delmont.

Students have been living in an alternate reality these past 13 months as they attempt to learn in a pandemic. As we take stock of the gaps created and worsened by COVID, one teacher is advocating for a more humane approach, one that tackles student healing and trauma head on. Host Arun Rath talks about this with middle school civics teacher Neema Avashia.

Students have been living in an alternate reality these past 13 months as they attempt to learn in a pandemic. As we take stock of the gaps created and worsened by COVID, one teacher is advocating for a more humane approach, one that tackles student healing and trauma head on. Host Arun Rath talks about this with middle school civics teacher Neema Avashia.

Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrant parents who moved to Appalachia in the early 70s so her father could work in the chemical industry. She has lived and worked in Boston for the last 17 years as a Civics teacher in a public middle school. Her writing has appeared at The Bitter Southerner, Catapult, and the Kenyon Review Online.