Podcasts about south asian american

In an era of increased isolation where civic deserts, disinformation, and technological dependence separate us from one another, how can we reimagine our capacity for deeper connection and sustainable collaboration in our current reality? Deepa Iyer, a social justice advocate, leads an exploration of the pathways that strengthen ecosystems for social change in this talk. Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Her work is rooted in Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab communities where she spent fifteen years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11th attacks and ensuing backlash. Currently, Deepa leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit organization that catalyzes social change through research, strategic partnerships, and resources for movements and nonprofits.

In an era of increased isolation where civic deserts, disinformation, and technological dependence separate us from one another, how can we reimagine our capacity for deeper connection and sustainable collaboration in our current reality? Deepa Iyer, a social justice advocate, leads an exploration of the pathways that strengthen ecosystems for social change in this talk. Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Her work is rooted in Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab communities where she spent fifteen years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11th attacks and ensuing backlash. Currently, Deepa leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit organization that catalyzes social change through research, strategic partnerships, and resources for movements and nonprofits.

Khushi T Saha joins Victoria to discuss her steamy romance novel "Free Fall" and her journey writing authentic stories that explore the South Asian-American experience.• Writing romance with South Asian representation that explores identity and finding love• Balancing between two cultures and navigating different expectations for women and men• The challenges of writing from a male perspective for the first time• How a vivid dream during a personal crisis sparked her writing career• The reality of marketing as an indie author while balancing other responsibilities• The freedom of self-publishing to tell authentic cultural stories• The importance of refreshing your backlist with new covers or relaunches• Finding balance between social media marketing and creative writing time• The value of in-person events and author collaborationsAbout the author:Bringing you interracial romances with tons of heat, passion, and a healthy infusion of love ... unapologetically Aunty unapproved and HEA an ALWAYS!I'm a notorious daydreamer. Ask anyone close to me and they'll tell you I'm a positive mushy person, too. Enter in ‘writing romance novels': what began as self-care to overcome personal trauma, ended up evolving into something much more fulfilling. Bringing stories of angst, personal growth, and passion (the steamier the better!) with some snarky humor to romantics all around has become a hunger I can't seem to satiate. In fact, once I'm done with a story, there's already another one brewing. I'm also first-generation Bangladeshi—born and raised in the US—so my connection to the motherland is fierce, with sprinklings of a sense of loss in there. I include South Asian nuances/representation in my writing because I want experiences like my own to be seen (that of straddling two very strong cultures and finding one's identity).When I'm not writing, I manage my local craft business and teach, garden in the spring and summer months, run around with my boys and puppy, and spend time with my hubby and family. I'm also obsessed with murder mystery shows and podcasts.LINKSwebsite: www.ktsromance.compurchase my most recent release, Free Fall:https://books2read.com/Free-Fall-ktspurchase signed paperbacks & receive character art + swaghttps://www.etsy.com/shop/KTSRomanceconnect with me:https://www.instagram.com/ktsromanceauthorhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076841631484https://www.tiktok.com/@ktsromancesign up for my newsletter:subscribepage.io/PG9p3aAbout Victoria:Hey there, I'm Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn't have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!Here's how I can help:

BUSHRA CHAUDHRY A memorable interview wit Bushra Chaudhry  She expresses her vision and understanding of culture, identity and changing world through her beautiful paintings. Bushra expresses her identity in a distinct manner, she unites the continents and erases borders.  If you happen to visit Santa Monica Art Studios, you may see her paitings or other artists work from Pakistan. I hope you will enjoy learning about her.   dildarpakistan@hotmail.com  

Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. She leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project. Deepa talks about her social change ecosystem framework which includes ten roles that many people play in the service of social change values. And she talks about her children's picture book "We Are the Builders!" Deepa Iyer: https://www.deepaiyer.com Research Notes: Neil O'Brian, assistant professor of Political Science at the UO, discusses his new book "The Roots of Polarization: From the Radical Realignment to the Culture Wars" which was published by the University of Chicago Press in 2024. Neil O'Brian: https://neilobrian.com Eric Schickler: https://sites.google.com/berkeley.edu/eric-schickler Daniel Schlozman: https://www.danielschlozman.net Christina Wolbrecht: https://christinawolbrecht.com

Much queer theory in America is based on white male experience and privilege, excluding people of color and severely limiting its relevance to third-world activism. Within the last three decades, chronicles from gay lesbian bisexual transgender intersex queer (GLBTIQ) communities within the South Asian diaspora in the United States have appeared, but the richness and contradictions that characterize these communities have been stifled. Too often, the limitations due to undertheorized South Asian American lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual historiescompounded by a queer canon overwrought with the East/West and tradition/modern equationsrender queer South Asian Americans as a monolithic homogeneous category with little or no agency.

Much queer theory in America is based on white male experience and privilege, excluding people of color and severely limiting its relevance to third-world activism. Within the last three decades, chronicles from gay lesbian bisexual transgender intersex queer (GLBTIQ) communities within the South Asian diaspora in the United States have appeared, but the richness and contradictions that characterize these communities have been stifled. Too often, the limitations due to undertheorized South Asian American lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual historiescompounded by a queer canon overwrought with the East/West and tradition/modern equationsrender queer South Asian Americans as a monolithic homogeneous category with little or no agency.

Much queer theory in America is based on white male experience and privilege, excluding people of color and severely limiting its relevance to third-world activism. Within the last three decades, chronicles from gay lesbian bisexual transgender intersex queer (GLBTIQ) communities within the South Asian diaspora in the United States have appeared, but the richness and contradictions that characterize these communities have been stifled. Too often, the limitations due to undertheorized South Asian American lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual historiescompounded by a queer canon overwrought with the East/West and tradition/modern equationsrender queer South Asian Americans as a monolithic homogeneous category with little or no agency.

Author, writer, and journalist Sanjena Sathian rejoins TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING to chat about her new novel Goddess Complex, and the state of South Asian American millennial adulthood with attention to procreation, pregnancy, and parenting. Abhay was thrilled once again to step into the Sanjenaverse!(0:00 - 2:53) Introduction(2:53) Part 1 - the birth of a new book, narrative speed, tormented writing(15:45) Part 2 - taking risks, regret or not, take aways for men, reproduction and the immigrant experience(32:52) Part 3 - Balance and privilege, unlearning, frenemies and changes(44:25) Conclusion

Dr. Grisma Shah's debut novel Anagram Destiny is a soul warming love story nestled in an inspiring tale of the American dream, manifesting an Indian immigrant success story shattered by the evils of globalization– paying homage to a generation of immigrants who held their heads low so one day, their children could lift theirs high. To learn more about Dr. Shah and her novel go to www.shahgrisma.com. 

In this episode of Walk Talk Listen, Maurice Bloem sits down with Nikhil Bumb to discuss his journey from engineering to corporate social impact. Nikhil shares his upbringing as a South Asian American born in Wyoming and raised in South Carolina, describing how his family's immigrant experience and Jain faith shaped his worldview. He reflects on the challenges of growing up as part of a minority community, navigating cultural and religious differences, and finding his own identity. Nikhil also delves into his academic path, studying electrical engineering at Princeton University and later pursuing graduate studies at Georgia Tech, before transitioning from the technical field into a career centered on purpose-driven business strategies. His passion for making an impact led him to work with Medtronic, Deloitte, and Technoserve before settling into his current role at FSG, where he supports companies in creating equitable, purpose-driven models of growth.   The conversation moves into the intersection of business, leadership, and social change, as Nikhil discusses the evolving role of corporations in tackling global issues. He introduces the concept of 'shared value,' advocating for companies to integrate social impact into their core strategies, rather than treating it as a separate philanthropic endeavor. Maurice and Nikhil explore the challenges of implementing these changes, the necessity of shifting organizational culture, and the increasing recognition of systems thinking and conscious leadership in today's business world. They also discuss the role of inner development and personal growth in achieving broader systemic change, touching upon frameworks like the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) and their relevance to business and sustainability efforts. Nikhil emphasizes the importance of seeing businesses not just as economic engines, but as key players in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable society.   Nikhil Bumb is a managing director at FSG, a nonprofit consulting firm founded by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer that helps organizations drive social change through equitable systems transformation. He leads the firm's corporate impact work in the U.S., working with businesses to embed purpose into their strategies while achieving commercial success. With a background in engineering and an MBA, Nikhil brings a blend of analytical expertise and strategic vision to his work. He also serves on the board of the Parliament of the World's Religions, where he champions interfaith dialogue and social justice initiatives. His experiences in interfaith engagement, corporate strategy, and systems-level thinking make him a compelling advocate for reshaping leadership and business models to meet the challenges of today's world.   Listener Engagement: Discover more about Nikhil via his LinkedIn profile and Instagram. Check the FSG website and LinkedIn profile as well. Share your thoughts on this episode via walktalklisten. Your feedback is invaluable to us. Explore the songs selected by Nikhil and other guests on our #walktalklisten playlist here. Follow Us: Support the Walk Talk Listen podcast and Maurice by liking and following Maurice on Blue Sky, Facebook and Instagram. Visit our website at 100mile.org for more episodes and information about our initiatives. Check out the special WTL series "Enough for All," featuring Church World Service (CWS) and the work of the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI).

In this eye-opening episode of Brown Women Health, anchor Ameek explores a groundbreaking study that links birth weight to the risk of developing diabetes later in life. The research, Exploring the Relationship Between Birth Weight and Diabetes Among South Asian American Women, authored by Anisa Amiji, Dr. Nitasha Nagaraj, and Dr. Amita Vyas, uncovers startling statistics about how early-life factors shape long-term health outcomes. We dive deep into the science, discuss its implications for South Asian American women—who face disproportionately high diabetes rates—and share actionable insights to improve maternal and community health. Plus, a shoutout to Dr. Nagaraj for sharing this important work with us! Study Citation:Amiji, Anisa; Nagaraj, Nitasha; Vyas, Amita. Exploring the Relationship Between Birth Weight and Diabetes Among South Asian-American Women. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 12, n. 11, Nov. 2024. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/5907. Accessed: 23 Dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v12i11.5907. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brownwomenhealth/support

Abhay is joined by the founders of the Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee, to talk about activism, unearthing local South Asian American history, and suprises from their experiences.(0:00 - 3:23) Introduction(3:23) Part 1 - reflecting on the first tour, South Asian American history as a "secret"(14:57) Part 2 - identity as historians and activists, amplifying stories, temperament of an activist, racial intersections and interrogations(36:48) Part 3 - unlearnings as activists, "3D activism", lasting impressions(47:40) ConclusionContact info@berkeleysouthasian.org to get updatesLocal Bay Area photography shout out to George Nixon - the ultimate pro!

Abhay is joined by gender fluid singer, actor, model, performer and activist, Sushant Divigikar AKA Rani KoHEnur.They chatted about everything from art and comfort on stage to parenting and gratitude. Listen to and watch  BAWLA , Sushant's latest work (collaborating with Mikey McCleary and others)(0:00 - 2:44) Introduction(2:44) Part 1 - feeling most comfortable with singing, gratitude from parents, the stage as a safe place(19:01) Part 2 - introversion/extroversion, feeling humble, feeling empowered(39:41) Part 3 - the basics of "unlearning", dreams, lasting impressions on new audiences(52:07) Conclusion Special shout out to KDC Performing Arts in Phoenix - if you somehow ever need dance in your life, please check them out!

Abhay shares a conversation with United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy.  They chatted about some of the imperatives of doctoring, serving youth and parents, and promoting health through human connection. And of course, mangoes were definitely discussed!(0:00 - 3:06) Introduction(3:06) Part 1 - Prioritizing and keeping the population healthy, kindling connection, parenting(17:59) Part 2 - Gun violence and safety, building community, Indian American background, gifts from his parents(32:58) Part 3 - Combating disinformation, finding joy and optimism in each other(42:31) ConclusionShout out to Alivia Irwin and please help her in her fight to honor her grandfather and end Alzheimer's disease

Abhay catches up with actor, Adi Roy, lead actor for the Broadway hit musical Aladdin.They chatted about actor life, Alanis Morissette songs, South Asians in theater, and much more...(0:00 - 2:20) Introduction(2:20) Part 1 - pre-show routines, transition from touring to Broadway(13:47) Part 2 - Jagged Little Pill experiences, auditions and feeling content, resilience as an actor(24:53) Part 3 - South Asians on Broadway(34:57) Conclusion

Abhay chats with Israa Nasir, psychotherapist, speaker, and author of the book "Toxic Productivity",.They chatted about everything from habits and rituals to her South Asian background to steering toward healthy productivity.(0:00 - 2:57) Introduction(2:57) Part 1 - Slow mornings, rituals and reminders(16:23) Part 2 - Quieting the critic, cultural background accelerating her work, managing emotions(30:15) Part 3  - Epiphanies with productivity, writing the book, masks and parents(48:23) Conclusion

It's election week here in the US, so onTRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we're sharing Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform us and get out that vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we're making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  Not just for our community, but for every community of voters of any age in the US, what it all comes down to is showing up and exercising the ultimate demonstration of trust and individual power in a democracy - which is casting your vote in a free and fair election. Indian Americans and South Asian Americans are the fastest growing voter bloc in the US, having the power to be the true margin of victory in many places, and as civic engagement continues to grow and foundationally expand, the work of organizing and mobilizing and activating at local and national levels become more complex and genuinely imperative.  With over 60 endorsed candidates across the country, Indian American IMPACT is doing just that - making a difference with a thoughtful and action oriented approach. And as the last push is upon all of us after such a long and incredibly grueling road, it was great to catch up with Executive Director Chintan Patel. And getting right to it after traveling to many battleground states recently,  as Chintan introduced himself and his work, I also asked him to describe the tone and temperature of what he's seeing and feeling out there in the community…Remember, conversation is truly the antidote to apathy… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about voting resources, to desipresident.com, iaimpact.org, southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to get engaged and learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get active, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot, and most importantly GO VOTE.  Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar.

In 2003, a group of Indian Americans established the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), an organization explicitly modeled on the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in a bid to address anti-Hindu discrimination in the US. Just as the ADL has long insisted that fighting American antisemitism requires bolstering support for Israel, the HAF committed itself to lobbying for India's Hindu nationalist movement in the name of protecting Hindu Americans' civil rights, an approach that has garnered significant success. The HAF is not the only organization that has drawn inspiration from the ADL. In 2021, the Asian American Foundation (TAAF) was formed in direct partnership with the ADL as a way to address growing anti-Asian racism. While lacking connection to a single ethnonationalist movement, TAAF nevertheless drew on the ADL's and HAF's approaches in positioning anti-Asian racism as a unique problem requiring carceral solutions instead of solidaristic organizing. As such, TAAF debuted with ADL head Jonathan Greenblatt as the only non-Asian person on its board, and Hindu nationalist Sonal Shah as its founding president. The HAF and TAAF's use of the ADL model has thus far helped them achieve significant support and legitimacy. However, as the ADL itself faces an unprecedented crisis of legitimacy in the wake of October 7th, affiliation with it now risks becoming a liability. For instance, following members' criticism over its ties to an increasingly repressive Greenblatt, TAAF removed him from his board this July (while still affirming its “strategic relationship” with the ADL). As dissent continues to grow in Asian and South Asian American communities—with reporters and activists questioning ties of anti-racist groups in the US to injustices abroad—it is not just ties to the ADL but the power of the ADL model of antiracism that stands to come into question. To discuss these developments, Jewish Currents news editor Aparna Gopalan spoke to associate editor Mari Cohen, New Yorker contributing writer E. Tammy Kim, and Savera coalition activist Prachi Patankar about the similarities and differences between the ADL, the HAF, and TAAF; their embrace of a “hate crimes” approach to anti-racism and what it leaves out; their ties to supremacist movements; and their shifting fortunes in the wake of the pressures over the past year. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).Texts Mentioned and Further Reading:“How the ADL's Israel Advocacy Undermines Its Civil Rights Work,” Alex Kane and Jacob Hutt, Jewish Currents “ADL Staffers Dissented After CEO Compared Palestinian...

Speaking in the same spot where former President Donald Trump addressed supporters on Jan. 6, Vice President Kamala Harris focused on her goal of making progress through national unity, pledging to be a president for all Americans. As Harris delivered that speech in Washington, D.C., President Biden made a comment that could undermine her message. CBS News' Nancy Cordes has more.Former President Trump and other Republicans were quick to jump on comments from President Biden as Trump's campaign sought to pivot away from the controversy over racist remarks at his mega-rally on Sunday. CBS News' Caitlin Huey-Burns is in Pennsylvania, where Trump spoke last night.As both parties face backlash and public scrutiny, recent remarks by Biden and comments from a comedian at a Trump rally have become focal points in the final week before the election. John Dickerson breaks it down.Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss the final week of the election, Biden's response to rhetoric at Trump's rally and the importance of unity in Vice President Harris's closing message.ER visits for "walking pneumonia" have sharply risen in young children over the past six months. Dr. Celine Gounder, editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News and CBS News medical contributor, discusses what this means for parents and caregivers.With the holidays approaching, travelers now have the right to automatic refunds if flights are canceled or face major delays. New rules also cover flight changes and baggage delays. Kris Van Cleave reports from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.As the 2024 election approaches, CBS News asked Republicans and Democrats to watch each other's favorite news channels. The results reveal just how differently each side sees the nation's issues.Therapist Lori Gottlieb and Oprah Daily's Pilar Guzmán join "CBS Mornings" to discuss the pressures women face managing life's demands.The Indian Festival of Lights is now celebrated at the White House and in schools across 26 states. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul shows how a new generation of South Asian Americans is spotlighting Diwali.Broadway's Shaina Taub made history with her hit musical Suffs, earning her a Tony for both best book and best score. She's been named to the TIME100 Next list and collaborated with Elton John on The Devil Wears Prada musical.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Periodically on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we share a SPOTLIGHT conversation and feature brief chats with an individual from the community about a special topic or a unique endeavor. And I guess there is no more celebrated or more special a topic than Diwali.  It's a centering feeling of home for so many, and as a growing global spotlight shines  brightly on this lit up tradition, there remain great opportunities to help support more excitement and meet an eager curiosity.  In a way, as equally fulfilling and festive as it is to recognize and celebrate Diwali just because you and your family and your neighbors and your community have always done so, there also needs to be great simplicity and understanding for those who are just getting to know Diwali and its significance or those who are refreshing or reaquainting themselves or even those who are hoping to to help create new Diwali traditions.  Thankfully, entrepre neur and author Chhavi Bhargava has written a new book called “A Kids Book About Diwali” to help start and continue these conversations. Chhavi is an Indian American, and was an elementary school teacher in Canada for over a decade.  Her deep experiences in building curriculum, especially organizing learners around diversity and inclusion, informed her to write a book about Diwali, to showcase the timeless Hindu festival as an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming experience for everyone. As more and more school districts in the United States  are observing Diwali, A Kids Book About Diwali may serve as an entry point for more open discussions among neighbors, teachers, and administrators to not just learn more about Diwali, but about respectful curiosity and empathy for our differences. Chhavi and I caught up recently to chat about the book and I started by asking her particularly about that centering feeling of “home”The book is available everywhere and please visit bookaboutdiwali.com for more.  Shubha Dipaavali and a peaceful, healthy, and Happy Diwali to everyone.  Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar

Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy Installations and Environment, is a leader who has taught his team to, "Eat no for breakfast." He lives by a value he learned from his mother at an early age: "If you do your full duty, the rest will take care of itself."   SUMMARY In this edition of Long Blue Leadership, Dr. Chaudhary discusses his role in modernizing and reoptimizing Air Force installations to withstand kinetic, cyber, economic, and extreme weather threats. He emphasizes the importance of ruggedizing installations for the Great Power Competition. Dr. Chaudhary shares his background, including his upbringing in Minneapolis and his parents' immigrant journey, and highlights the values instilled in him. He also discusses his work on the implementation of microgrids and microreactors to enhance energy resilience at critical installations like Eielson Air Force Base.   5 QUOTES "If you do your full duty, the rest will take care of itself." - This quote from Dr. Chaudhary's mother reflects the importance of dedication and doing one's job well. "We eat no for breakfast." - This quote highlights Dr. Chaudhary's team's determination to not accept limitations and push boundaries. "Love what you do. Love our nation." - Dr. Chaudhary emphasizes the importance of passion and patriotism in leadership. "America is not about what goes on entirely in Washington. It's about neighbors. It's about what you do for your neighbors." - This quote reflects Dr. Chaudhary's belief in the power of community and service. "Get out of the way and let them in." - Dr. Chaudhary's advice on enabling the next generation of leaders to excel.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Ravi Chaudhary and His Role 03:07 The Importance of Air Force Installations 06:08 Dr. Chaudhary's Early Life and Family Background 09:03 Lessons from Family: Service and Community 11:52 Reflections on the Air Force Academy Experience 14:54 Leadership Lessons from Cadet Days 18:01 The Role of Innovation in the Air Force 20:48 Strategic Imperatives for Future Operations 23:59 Optimism for the Future of the Air Force Academy 25:07 A Lifelong Dream: Becoming a Pilot 27:31 Launching Innovations: The GPS Program 28:36 Inspiring the Next Generation of Pilots 30:14 Adapting to Modern Challenges in Aviation 32:40 Navigating Change: The Evolution of Standards 34:57 Learning from Failure: A Personal Journey 35:42 The Role of the Assistant Secretary 38:55 Preparing for Great Power Competition 41:09 Innovative Energy Solutions for the Future 44:58 Leadership Lessons and Final Thoughts   5 KEYS TO LEADERSHIP Embrace failures as opportunities for growth. Dr. Chaudhary shared how his failures, like failing a check ride, ultimately helped him grow as a leader. Keep moving forward, even in the face of adversity. Dr. Chaudhary emphasized the importance of keeping your "legs moving" and not giving up when faced with challenges. Leverage the bonds formed with your team. Dr. Chaudhary highlighted how the bonds he formed with his classmates at the Academy carried over into his missions, demonstrating the power of camaraderie. Empower and enable the next generation. Dr. Chaudhary expressed optimism about the capabilities of the current cadets and emphasized the need to get out of their way and let them excel. Maintain a service-oriented, patriotic mindset. Dr. Chaudhary's passion for serving his country and community was evident throughout the interview, underscoring the importance of this mindset in effective leadership.   ABOUT DR. CHAUDHARY '93 BIO Dr. Ravi I. Chaudhary is the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Department of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Dr. Chaudhary is responsible for the formulation, review and execution of plans, policies, programs, and budgets to meet Air Force energy, installations, environment, safety, and occupational health objectives. Dr. Chaudhary most recently served as the acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy. Prior to this role, he served as the Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, at the Federal Aviation Administration. He provided technical leadership and oversight for the commercial space industry, to include research and development activities to support Department of Transportation and White House National Space Council initiatives. Prior to this role, he served as Executive Director, Regions and Center Operations, at the FAA. In this role, he was responsible for leadership, integration and execution of aviation operations in nine regions nationwide. Dr. Chaudhary served as second in command to the Deputy Assistant Administrator and was responsible for providing Department of Transportation and FAA-wide services in the areas of operations, safety, policy, congressional outreach and emergency readiness for the National Aerospace System. Dr. Chaudhary commissioned in the Air Force in 1993 upon graduation from the United States Air Force Academy. He completed 21 years of service in a variety of command, flying, engineering and senior staff assignments in the Air Force. As a C-17 pilot, he conducted global flight operations, including numerous combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as a ground deployment as Director of the Personnel Recovery Center, Multi-National Corps, Iraq. As a flight test engineer, he was responsible for flight certification of military avionics and hardware for Air Force modernization programs supporting flight safety and mishap prevention. Earlier in his career, he supported space launch operations for the Global Positioning System and led third stage and flight safety activities to ensure full-operational capability of the first GPS constellation. As a systems engineer, he supported NASA's International Space Station protection activities to ensure the safety of NASA Astronauts. Dr. Chaudhary is a DoD Level III Acquisition Officer and has published numerous articles in future strategy, aircraft design, business transformation and space operations.  - Bio Copy Credit to AF.MIL   CONNECT WITH DR. CHAUDHARY LINKEDIN  |   INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Guest, The Honorable Dr. Ravi I. Chaudhary '93  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz 00:00 My guest today is the assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy installations and environment, the Honorable Dr. Ravi Chaudhary USAFA, Class of '93. Against the backdrop of Great Power Competition, Dr. Chaudhry leads the modernization and reoptimization of the Air Force to ruggedize our installations across the globe against what he describes as kinetic threats, as well as non-kinetic cyber, economic and extreme weather threats. He has served as acting deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for energy; the director of advanced programs and innovation, Office of Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration; and he has led in the commercial space industry research and development in the support of the Department of Transportation and the White House, National Space Council. We'll talk with Dr. Chaudhry about his life before, during and after the Academy. We'll discuss his role, modernizing and re-optimizing initiatives and strategies for the Air Force. We'll touch on leading through new and changing threats and making decisions with climate in mind, and we'll discuss Dr. Chaudhary's work with the secretary of the Air Force and leadership at the base, command and warfighter levels. Finally, we'll ask Dr. Chaudhary to share advice for developing and advanced leaders. Dr. Chaudhary, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad to have you.   Dr. Chaudhary 01:18 Navier, thank you so much. Thank you for that way too kind of an introduction, and I only have one regret. On this weekend, did you have to mention that I was in the Navy for a little while? You just about blew me away. I know you've got some white clear liquid here. I'm just about ready to find out what the clear liquid is.   Naviere Walkewicz Cheers.   Dr. Chaudhary 01:40 Off we go, and we'll let our audience speculate, and depending on how it goes, we'll critique ourselves. Just an honor to be here, and congrats to you on your career of service in the Air Force.   Naviere Walkewicz Thank you so much. This is truly a pleasure. And I think what we love about Long Blue Leadership is it's really about our listeners getting to know you. And we have so many different listeners that are really excited. So let's start with the hat. I've noticed we've got a hat on right here. “Air Force Installations: Best in the World.” Let's talk about it.   Dr. Chaudhary Yeah, let's talk about that. Because we do have the best installations in the world. Our installations are power projection platforms. Every Air Force installation has a mission that begins and terminates with it. If you go all the way back in our history, Gen. Hap Arnold had this to say about our installations: “Air bases are the determining factor in air operations.” Think about that. Think about why we need to make sure that our installations are ready to go, and why we invest in them as an Air Force. It's because you can't get the jets out of town unless they have a good runway that works, unless they are hardened and ready to absorb the types of blows that have come to us in the past. And I'm telling you right now that we've got to be ready for this future, in a decade of consequence in Great Power Competition. We've got to focus on ruggedizing and ensuring that our installations are as survivable as they ever have been.   Naviere Walkewicz Absolutely. Well, I can say that that is certainly true, having been at bases where we've seen some challenges, it does halt and sometimes stop operations. So yeah, you're right. Yeah. So it's incredible the work you're doing, and we're going to talk about that today. But before we get there, can we rewind the clock a little bit?   Dr. Chaudhary Please don't rewind it too far, but I have a feeling you will.   Naviere Walkewicz Just a little bit. Just enough to kind of get to know who Ravi was as a young boy. What were you like growing up? Tell us about your family and where you grew up.   Dr. Chaudhary That's cool. So, I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I grew up there all my life. My parents came from India in 1960s and they always dreamed to do the unusual, it was the American Dream that brought them to this country. And they had kids, you know, and growing up as a South Asian American, you know, people in community would be like, “Hey, you know, why are you going to join the military? Why are you going to, you know, once you just be a doctor or engineer or lawyer or something like that?” Kind of fit the stereotype. But I always thought about it this way: If my parents would give up everything they wanted in their life, their language, their culture, everything to pursue their dreams, wouldn't they want that for their children as well? And so off I went to the Air Force Academy, and the values that my parents instilled in me rang true just about every single day. In fact, when I grow up, my mom would always tell me this. She'd say, “You know, if you do your full duty, the rest will take care of itself.”   Naviere Walkewicz That sounds very familiar to me.   Dr. Chaudhary And she would say, in the Sanskrit word for that — and my faith tradition is Hinduism — the Sanskrit word for that is “dharm.” If you follow your dharm, everything will take care of itself. And lo and behold, I'm getting choked up a little bit, because when I showed up and opened that Contrails and saw that quote, I knew that Mom and Dad had prepared me, had prepared me for the challenges that would come, not just the Academy, but everything from 9/11 to deploying to Iraq to raising a family and making sure they have everything they need to prosper. So, all that brought me to an institution that honestly brought out the flavor and gave me in the same opportunity that this country gave my father. So, it's just been a pinch-me career, and it's just an honor to be here with you today and with the entire AOG team talking about this.   Naviere Walkewicz 05:36 That's amazing. I mean, I, thinking about what you just said, that your parents came and they pursued a dream. What was that like in your household? What did that look like?   Dr. Chaudhary 05:45 Here's what it looked like. My dad — he actually came to this country with about $165, $80 of which went to his tuition. He was at University of Missouri, and then he eventually went to University of Minnesota. The rest he used to get a house and fill the fridge. And so, when he was looking for an opportunity to serve, he wanted to be in the U.S. Department of Agriculture and serve as a fed and so he didn't get that chance. So, what he did, he literally drove, put me and my brother and my mom in a car and drove to Washington. When he drove to Washington, he dropped us off at the Lincoln Memorial and walked up the stairs of the Capitol. Two senators from Minnesota, one was walking out, Sen. Walter Mondale. He said hello to him. He didn't know him from Adam. And then he went to the office of Hubert Humphrey and he sat down with him, and he told his story to Hubert Humphrey and Hubert Humphrey said, “This is what America is all about.” And he was kind enough to give my dad a shot in Minneapolis. And he spent his entire career, 25 years, as a federal inspector in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   Naviere Walkewicz My goodness.   Dr. Chaudhary It's an incredible story. But you know what? It all came together about a year and a half ago when I was confirmed and during my swearing, and it was honored to have Sec. Kendall swear me in, but to have my dad walk up the front steps of the Pentagon with my mom and I. We go up the stairs, and I said, “Dad, would you turn around for a second?” And he turned around. I said, “You know, you can see the Lincoln Memorial and you can see the Capitol.” And I said, “Look what you've done in one generation.” That is the embodiment of the American dream. And as he was kind of — I'm getting choked up — he wiped the tears from his eyes. He realized that that that what this country has given to us is something that we've got to always think about giving back and giving back, and that's really what my career has always been about, giving back to the country that has given my family everything.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:59 That is amazing. Wow. I mean, I'm almost without words, because I can see what your dad has instilled in you, made possible, but instilled in you as a servant leader as well. I'm just… that's pretty impressive. So, tell me about your mom, because it sounds like she also instilled some pretty incredible traits in you and some beliefs in how to treat people. What did that look like in, her leadership in your life?   Dr. Chaudhary 08:26 What can I say about my mom? She's a pillar of the community back in Minneapolis. She runs a nonprofit called Seva. In Hindi, seva means service, to serve, serve your fellow citizens, serve your nation. And again, I told you about her, her enduring quote, “If you do your full duty, the rest will take care of itself.” So, in that nonprofit, she is actually bringing cultural-specific services, health services, to the Asian American community. One thing she did during Covid was incredible. She pulled together a meal team, and she served somewhere around 20,000 seniors. And it wasn't just Asian Americans, anybody in the Minneapolis community that was struggling, that couldn't get food, that was having a tough time. And then, as you know, after the George Floyd tragedy occurred, the town, the city went through a tough time, and there was an area right around one of the police stations where the riots were going on and everybody was fleeing when. When the community was fleeing, she was mobilizing her team to go in. They were going in and they were rescuing people from shelters to get them to a safe place. And two days later, she brought a team into the community that was still smoldering and set up meal stations to just give people sandwiches, bread, whatever — to just make everybody feel good and move forward, and that's what America is about. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the times and differences, but we realize that America is more than just Washington. America is about neighbors and neighbors caring for each other. So, where did I learn that? I learned that from my mom, but the Air Force Academy brought it out, and I applied that every single day, whether it was a mission launching GPSs, doing engineering — tough engineering problems, or flying missions into the CENTCOM AOR, where we had to bring crews to bear to execute incredible missions. And so, reflecting on that — boy, you're really tearing me up today…   Naviere Walkewicz No, not at all…   Dr. Chaudhary …because you're bringing this all out of my heart, and it's just an honor to be here and humbling to tell the story. But I know that there are thousands and thousands of grads out there that have just as inspiring stories, and that's why I love to come to AOG. That's why I like to spend time with our cadets today, which was just as incredible. I went down to Jacks Valley and got to see the assault course as well. Luckily, I didn't have too many flashbacks.   Naviere Walkewicz I was going to say, did you have your rubber ducky with you?   Dr. Chaudhary Yeah, I did not. They didn't push me through it, but the demo was incredible. And I know our secretary was equally impressed with the cadets and the caliber of students that are here, the caliber of our cadets, and how I'm so optimistic for the future of our Air Force and Space Force.   Naviere Walkewicz 11:33 Absolutely. And I can share, based off of what you shared about your mom and dad, there's no reason why you're [not] able to take on a job that almost seems impossible with the scope and breadth of what you're responsible for. So, I can't wait to get into that as well. Can we go to when you're at the Academy? I want to know more about you as a cadet, because as interesting as you are as an adult, what were you like as a cadet?   Dr. Chaudhary 11:54 There's a lot that I really shouldn't disclose. Okay, so we've got to be really, really careful. So, me and my classmates, we have this thing called “mutually assured destruction.” You know stories about me, I know stories about you. Just leave it there. But let me tell you, the Academy was just the honor of a lifetime. But you know what — going through it with your classmates is something. I was just having lunch with our cadets today. I was a grad of Delta Tau Deuce, and to spend time with them and tell them stories, and hear about their stories, about what Deuce is like these days, was absolutely just, I was just blown away with it. But yep, I was primarily in Deuce. I had the just pleasure of beaing a squadron commander and having peers that really care for each other, peers that I keep in touch with. To this very day, I have them up on text.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh, wow.   Dr. Chaudhary And we share with each other. We have challenges. We go through it together, but I will tell you one story about why your cadet story matters, and you don't realize it until the balloon goes up. When I graduated from pilot training, I graduated essentially the day after 9/11 and I was actually in the planning room when 9/11 happened, and within a few weeks — I did my check ride that day — within a few weeks, I was at Charleston Air Force Base, and my squadron commander had me look out the window and said, “We don't have time to mission qual you. We don't have enough pilots. We're going to marry you up with a crew to go down range.” And you know what he did? He married me up with two people, one who was my classmate from the Class of 1993,   Naviere Walkewicz Really?   Dr. Chaudhary Two was a member of my squadron from Deuce, and he was a new aircraft commander. We had an experienced first pilot, and I didn't know nothing from nothing. I was a brand-new co-pilot. And so, getting ready for that, for those missions, a new environment for me, required something that our squadron commander knew that if I put three Academy graduates together, the bond that they've had in their years was going to carry them through toughest conditions, in unknown conditions. And sure enough, we clicked and did well. But to anybody who's a current cadet and listening in and wondering, “Hey, is this bonding — is what's going on now, the time that we have together here in the Academy going to amount to anything?” I'm here to tell you, it does and through my own life experiences, and quite honestly, in a number of missions, we fly working it together as a team. The bonds we create as cadets carry over for decades.   Naviere Walkewicz 14:54 So maybe you can share some of those bonding moments at the Academy. You said you were a squadron commander. What were some of the lessons you learned from a leadership aspect, in leading your peers, but also while still trying to bond with them?   Dr. Chaudhary 15:08 Yeah, when you look back, sometimes you're separated by age and rank, right? You got age and you got rank and your peer groups kind of set you that way. At the Academy, it's completely different because your peers, as a senior, you're all peers and colleagues, and to take on a leadership role is what I would say is the toughest challenge of all. To lead a team of peers and colleagues can be challenging. And there's challenges that really kind of come with everything like that, but to me, you can't do it without collaboration, without consulting folks and being inclusive in how you give people a voice. Now the jury is out — I'm not going to judge whether I was successful or not. Probably not, you know? But I will say we did one thing: It was gonna be we were gonna be the athletic squadron of the year. We were a beast. In fact, we decided that we were gonna go for one thing: We were the athletic squadron. And so, we did.   Naviere Walkewicz That's impressive!   Dr. Chaudhary We kicked some serious buttt. So, back in the day, you do what was called a sweep. So, if you swept all your sports and intramurals that day, you would, the next day, you would get Mitch's Mountains. And so, the lore of Mitch's Mountains was incredible. And today, interestingly enough, we had what I would call Mitch's Mountain version 2.0 — probably half the calories and twice the caffeine. I don't know what it is. But I actually whipped out a picture of an old Mitch's Mountain. And I show them, they're like, it was really funny, because to see the look in their eyes and to see an original Mitch's Mountain, it was like, oh, you know they looked at and they're like, “That's what a Mitch's…” And they're like, “There's an Oreo cookie on top!” I'm like, for us, “Ok, this is a nice 2.0” and everything, like you gotta go back to…   Naviere Walkewicz 17:05 So, how many of those did you get? If you were actually the athletic squadron, you must have swept multiple days.   Dr. Chaudhary 17:12 You see the love handles on me right now? That was the one challenge. Because, you know, [you‘ve] got to stay in shape. But we kicked some serious butt; we would sweep all the time. I was actually on the water polo team…   Naviere Walkewicz 17:25 …we share that. I did not enjoy it. It sounds like you might.   Dr. Chaudhary 17:30 I don't know. So, I'm a decent swimmer. I'm pretty good. Grew up in Minnesota, tons of lakes. I could say I'm a decent swimmer, but I can tell you I am not a water polo player. So, what they used me for in water polo…   Naviere Walkewicz Were you the buouy?   Dr. Chaudhary I was the anti-buoy, because whoever was the good player, they'd say, “Go and put your arms over that one and get them underwater,” so that our fellow water polo teammate could go in and score. And so, probably one of my most beloved plaques in my life is my water polo plaque because we were Wing champs.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh, my goodness!   Dr. Chaudhary We ran the tables and were Wing champs, and that plaque still sits on my desk. It's one of my most beloved things. You know, my wife, she's getting ready to toss it. I'm like, “No, no, not that!”   Naviere Walkewicz Not the water polo plaque!   Dr. Chaudhary She's like, “Oh, what about this graduation plaque from the Academy?” You can get rid of that, but don't get rid of my water polo plaque. That is beloved. So anyways, I was asking cadets today, “What's Deuce like?” I'm like, “So are you guys a training squadron?”   Naviere Walkewicz What are they like?   Dr. Chaudhary They're like, “We're the standards squadron.” And I'm like, “Wow, that's impressive.” I'm like, “What about Mach One? Are they the training?” So, they're like, “Mach One. Nah, not really.” They're like, “We're No. 1 in SAMIs. We're No. 1 is…? I'm like, “Oh, wow, they still have SAMIs and stuff like that.” Have fun. Yeah, that was a haze for me. Triple threats were always a haze, yes, so I never liked that, because well…   Naviere Walkewicz 18:49 Maybe the Deuce team does now.   Dr. Chaudhary 18:53 Mach One, they loved it. I've got friends from Mach One. They're gonna kill me, but yeah, they love it. They're all into it. Cleaning their rooms and Deuce would be on the corner going, “Would Mach One please go to bed?” So anyway, sorry. But yeah, it was an interesting time, you know, talking with some of our cadets.   Naviere Walkewicz 19:26 I love these stories. So, were you this happy as a cadet?   Dr. Chaudhary 19:31 No, I was not a happy cadet. I was a surviving kid. I was trying to get through the next day. And honestly, to me, it was always a wonder to be there, and I was always grateful for being there to serve. I was in a tough major, aero major, and honestly, it didn't come right away to me. And so I was not one of those sterling cadets that just rocks the house and everything. I was on the Comm List for a good portion of the time, but the academics took some time for me. I spent a lot of time in the aero lab. And, you know, the cool thing is, …  I did projects and drag reduction, and we we tested these winglets on the tips of wings, and we did flow visualization. I had this professor. His name was Tom Yechout, and I was talking to some aero majors today. They're like, “You know, Tom Yechout?” And I'm like…   Naviere Walkewicz He's still there.   Dr. Chaudhary “He teaches controls here” I go, “Well, he taught me flight controls as well.” But he supervised me, and one time, I think, maybe at the last reunion, he brought me to the cabinet, and he opened up the cabinet and he showed me the hardware that we used for our project.   Naviere Walkewicz 20:39 From your class?   Dr. Chaudhary 20:43 Yeah.   Naviere Walkewicz That's amazing!   Dr. Chaudhary And here's why I'm telling you that: When in my interview with Sec. Kendall, he sat me down and he was talking about, “Hey, in your in your team, we're doing some drag reduction activities.” And he's like, “What do you know about blended wing body aircraft?” And it turns out, not only had I done some research on that, I had done a project at Staff College and to me, you know, my message to cadets out there who are working on a project who are wondering, “Hey, is this going to amount to anything? Does this matter?” I'm here to tell you that it does, because the type of work that goes on at this Academy is literally out of this world. We got folks who are working with SpaceX. I went down and that we're actually doing a project called the blended wing aircraft, which is like a big flying manta ray. It's going to reduce fuel consumption by roughly 30% to reduce fuel for fuel consumption across our Air Force and extend our range.   Naviere Walkewicz How are we going to do that?   Dr. Chaudhary Well, we're going to build a prototype in 2027. One of my sections is operational energy, and we have a team dedicated to reducing drag on aircraft, finding efficiencies. Why is this important? Well, it's because in Great Power Competition, we know that our adversaries are going to come after our logistics and fuel — our resources. And as a logistician, you know that. Our adversaries are targeting our installations, they're going to target our fuel resources. So, what's the best thing we can do? We can be as efficient as we can with our fuel and flying C-17s, is one thing you get to know real quick that if you land at an austere location, you're going to drain that fuel bladder almost instantly. And what does that mean? That means less sorties. That's less fire missions if you're flying Apache's out of there. That means less fuel for generators if you lose power. That means less ability to get your CAPs in the air, and we've got to embody that as a department and be ready for what that challenge holds for us. So getting efficient with our field, to me, isn't something that we're going to do because we're nice. We're going to do it because it's going to be an imperative. It's going to be a strategic imperative, and we've got to be ready for that. And so, we've been working hard at those things. The blended wing body aircraft is a long-term thing that it's been out there for a long time, but we've got to proof it. And so, it's really cool…   Naviere Walkewicz It's almost full-circle for you.   Dr. Chaudhary Yeah, it's incredible. And we just were at this, at the plant for Jet Zero. We did a visit there to spend some time with them and look at look at their production facility. And what do I see when I walk in the conference room? Five cadets sitting on the end of the table, learning, taking notes, interacting with the top systems engineers. And interestingly enough, one of those cadets had come and visited me and spent the summer — actually, three of them. She was part of a team of three that came and visited my organization and worked on the impacts of strategic temperature changes and how it will affect payloads for tanker aircraft. And so, they did this research, presented me this paper, and now here I am seeing them at industry being on the leading edge. And to me — let me tell you that filled me with so much optimism and excitement for the future, and most importantly, what we're producing here at the Air Force Academy, a top-notch engineering school that is regarded across the industry. So, a little turn to academics there, but big shout out to what we're doing across our academic programs. I just think we're on the right track, and we need to keep up the momentum.   Naviere Walkewicz 24:30 No, that's huge. I was actually going to ask you, how are you leveraging some of our cadets in some of the things you're doing? But it sounds like they're already doing it.   Dr. Chaudhary 24:40 Check! Done. They're rocking the house. Just, just leading the way. It's awesome.   Naviere Walkewicz 24:43 That's amazing. Yeah. So, let's talk about — and I'm really curious — so, after you graduate the Academy, did you know you always wanted to be a pilot, by the way? Did you know you wanted to fly?   Dr. Chaudhary 24:50 I can't remember a day where I wasn't drawing airplanes. And you're asking me about when I was younger. You know, “What kind of kid were you?” I was a kid who was drawing airplanes. OK, I was the kid with the airplane books. I was a kid who was checking out every single airplane book and library and learning about them and trying to understand them and wanting to know more. And so naturally, it was just — I can't think of a day where I didn't want to be an aerospace engineer, be a pilot. And you know, sometimes the ebb and flow of demand for the Air Force —there was a time of reduction in pilots for the for the Academy, and I didn't get that opportunity then and it was a bummer. But you know, if you do your full duty, the rest will take care of itself. And so, I landed at Los Angeles Air Force Base where we launched this program. I got to launch rocket programs. And you may have heard of this particular payload: It's called GPS.   Naviere Walkewicz 25:44 I might have heard of that one, yes…   Dr. Chaudhary 25:47 …and it was the first time we were doing it. And we're young lieutenants, and we're at Los Angeles Air Force Base, and I was getting the responsibility for third-stage engines and ordnance systems and some of the avionics, and my boss said, “We don't have time. We're launching rockets every single month. I need you to go out to this corporation called Thiokol, and I want you to buy that rocket.” And by the way, he said it in a way that was like, “Don't screw this up,” right?   Naviere Walkewicz The undertone was there.   Dr. Chaudhary Yeah, we've had that don't-screw-it-up moment. And so that was one of them. And so, the one thing that I remember is that our Academy demands a lot, and it demands a lot for a reason. Because leaders will be demanding a lot of brand new officers. Now the jury's out as to how well I did, but we had three we had three successful missions, and we delivered full operational capabilities for our department. And to me, I look back on that. I, believe it or not, still keep in touch with the captain who welcomed me, who brought me on the team and, in 2018, I got the incredible opportunity to let the last Delta II rocket go. And I brought my wife and my daughter with me, and that kind of brought the whole band back together. And it was cool to have kind of the old space cowboys and in the room again going, “Well, let's, let's let this rocket go for one last time.”   Naviere Walkewicz That is really cool.   Dr. Chaudhary And the best part of it was, after that rocket went and you felt the rumble — the rumble of a rocket, there's nothing like it in the world. When you feel the rumble go into your stomach — I leaned over my daughter. I go, “What do you think?” She said, “I am doing that.”   Naviere Walkewicz 27:34 I was just going to ask you, did it bleed over into your daughter?   Dr. Chaudhary 27:38 Now, she's a cadet at Georgia Tech. She just finished field training, and of course, like every good Academy graduate should do, buck the system. So, she bucked the system with her dad and said, “I'm gonna do ROTC and go to Georgia Tech. So, good luck this weekend against Navy. I'll kind of vote for you, but just want to let you know the Academy is a lot easier than Georgia Tech.” So, she and I jaw back and forth, but watching her grow has been really cool. And I got a chance to take her up and fly and get her ready for her career. She wants to be a pilot. And let me tell you, we got nothing on this next generation. They are ready for technology. They are ready for the leading edge, and we've just got to enable them. Honestly, we've got to get the hell out of the way and let them in. There's one situation, we had new avionics on the aircraft. I won't bore you with the details, but it allows you to deconflict from traffic. It's a GPS-based instrument, and I was kind of flying with her one time a few years ago, and I said, “All right, well, this is what is so, you know that little piece, you know 2,000 below you, positive means 2,000 above you. It's closing it…” She's like, “Dad, Dad, Dad, stop, stop!”   Naviere Walkewicz 28:58 She knew…   Dr. Chaudhary 29:00 She knew how to interact with that technology, and honestly, I didn't. I was learning how to interact with that technology. So, we've got to really make sure that we're blazing a path for our next generation, but at the same time, make sure that that we're not getting in their way. And I think sometimes we do that as grads. We're like, “I was like this when I was there…” You know? I was at Mitchell Hall today, and I saw the 0-96 up there and it's memorialized. And I walked by that thing…   Naviere Walkewicz 29:32 Did you scan the QR code to fill one out?   Dr. Chaudhary 29:33 Yeah, I did not do the QR code. I was like, that's too much for me. But when you look at it, you know, I thought, I'm like, that's probably where that thing ought to be right now. It's a great remembrance of why it's important, why standards are important, and then the example of how it paid off in combat conditions and saved a life was pretty important. But I'll be honest with you, we find other ways today with this next generation. I can remember flying one mission and we lost SATCOMMS with a particular field, and we were roughly maybe six hours out for Iraq in the combat zone, and we didn't know the status of the field. And one of the things you need to do is make sure the field's not under attack. So, before we did that, we're like, “Hey, how do we get our 30-minute… You know, it just wasn't happening. But you know what we're doing. We had brevity codes. And all along the line, all the C-17s that were lined up miles after miles going all the way back to Azerbaijan at 30,000 feet. We're all on. We're communicating. … We're using brevity code, so, we're not giving anything away. We're using our brevity code, and we're saying this is the status of the field. And we're relaying, we're literally relaying a half world away. That's a testament to our pilot corps, testament to duty. And so it's really in the spirit of that 0-96 there that we've adopted. So, when people say, “Oh, that tradition is going to ruin us, you know, we're going to lose standards.” I could tell you that, even though we got rid of that thing, that we're still an effective force. And I think we have to understand that a little more and as we kind of move through a period of change at USAFA — I was talking to our cadets about, “Hey, what do you think about the changes?” and, “Yeah, well, restrictions, but I understand on the importance.” I'm going to hearken back to 1991 or so, when the first Gulf War kicked off, and we were cadets when that thing kicked off, and almost instantly we moved into BDUs. We started wearing those every day. We started creating the warfighter mindset. We sealed off to make sure that we had good security. We canceled a lot of passes, and you  know what we did? We moved from a fourth-class system to a four-class system. Sound familiar? Sound familiar? That was after the war kicked off. Think about that. After the war kicked off. Our superintendent is trying to do it before the war kicks off, to make sure that we're ready, ready to fight the fight and get into it. So, I have a lot of respect for our superintendent and taking this step. I do agree that we've got to get execution right. Sometimes you get some growing pains with those things, but I think we've got to step back in the grad community and digest a little bit and get behind some of the changes that have been going on. And I was talking to some cadets last night, I go, “What do you think of this?” And they're like, “We understand it. It hurts a little bit.” Because the expectations … the environment that we're in has now changed. And you know, honestly, I'll shoot straight from the hip and say that sometimes it feels like the goal post is being moved on you, because you meet one standard, and then they move again. Yeah, you know, things get tough, but we're a resilient institution, and when you get down to the brass tacks of who we are as grads, the core of what we do and execute our mission will never go away. And we've just got to blaze a path for our next generation to be successful.   Naviere Walkewicz 33:24 Absolutely. Well, speaking of blaze a path — and I think some of our listeners want to hear sometimes, you know they have times when they fail at things in leadership. How do you grow from that? Can you share a time when you experience failure and what it looked like, to help inspire them through that.   Dr. Chaudhary 33:42 Yep. Well, worst day of my life was when I failed a check-ride. I failed a simulator check-ride in the C-17. And it hurt. It hurt bad. I had aspirations in my career. I was like, “What's this gonna mean for me?” But you know some really smart folks, and that's when you turn to people who you really go to for advice, and it's like, you know, “Ravi, there are those who have and those who will.” So honestly, I just needed a smack in the head. They're like, “Get over it, man. You know, whatever you failed check-ride. Go out there, clean that thing up and those ups and downs in a flying career occur.” I'm being 100% honest with you, my failures are stacked up right next to my successes. And so, I think, to me, the failures were the things that helped me grow, grow through things and sometimes you think, “OK, well, that failure was unfair. I got, you know, I got a raw deal out of that.” Maybe I did, maybe I didn't, but you keep moving forward. Keep taking one step after another. Now I'm not a football guy. I love football. Watch about I never played football, but I do know what running back coaches say. I think, I'm not sure, they say, “Above all, always keep your legs moving. Don't ever up when you're running. Keep your legs moving.” And so, to me, I've always taken that advice. I've given that advice to other people too, especially when they come to me with challenges.   Naviere Walkewicz 35:09 That's great advice. So maybe we can talk about your role now a little bit. And so, can you actually explain what you do? It might actually be shorter to say what you don't do, because when I look at the description, it's quite a bit. We have listeners that are parents and that maybe don't have a lot of military background and really understand. So, I think it's wonderful to share with the full community.   Dr. Chaudhary 35:31 Yeah, let me talk about the position. So, the job is one of those long titles. It's the assistant secretary for energy, installations and the environment. First thing first. I'm not a military member. I am a presidential appointee, so my job is as an appointee, a Senate-confirmed appointee. That means that you go through a hearing like you see in TV, and you get voted on, right? You get the vote. I was lucky enough to have after a period of being held, I had a bipartisan vote. And so that was pretty neat to have that. But my role specifically is to ensure that our installations are ready for the fight, for the future fight, and for current conditions. Things that I lose sleep over: Right now we're in a decade of consequence that our secretary and chief regularly say that decade of consequence includes great power competition in which China and Russia seek to shape the world order in ways that that work to their advantage, in autocratic manner, and so we've got to be ready for that, and that includes establishing an important deterrence. So, my job is to make sure installations are strong and present an approach of deterrence, and when deterrence failed, be ready to win. So, what does that mean for us? That means ensuring that our installations have power capabilities, that have strong runways, that have strong hangars, strong facilities, and included in which — families live on installations as well — to ensure we have top-notch housing. So, you'll see me reaching across all those areas, but importantly enough, making sure that those installations have the right power is critical. Our adversaries have declared their intent and have the capacity to go after our critical infrastructure, and that's the one thing that keeps me up at night: making sure that we have critical redundancies and opportunities to if somebody comes after our infrastructure tries to cut our power, we have redundant capabilities, that our control systems are cyber hardened. And you mentioned earlier, both kinetic and cyber threats. So roughly in the past two decades, as China has modernized our CENTCOM theater has really shaped an environment in which CONUS installations are under threat a little bit, but not entirely. We could be relatively confident that Grand Forks would be generally safe from ISIS from a major attack. In Great Power Competition, all of that goes out the window. Our adversaries, to include Russia and China, know how to go after critical infrastructure. They know how to employ cyber capabilities, and that's why we've got to make sure that we are pursuing cyber hardened energy control systems that protect you from those threats, and the ability to island from the local grid when we need to. So, here's one thing we're doing. I'm on a march over the next five years to bring 20 or so micro grids across our most critical installations. A micro grid — it's kind of like a power bar. You plug it in the wall and you can plug in renewable energy, you plug in wind, geo, you know, all kinds of things into that — solar — to build critical redundancies. So ultimately, building those redundancies allows you to harden your capabilities at the installation and micro-reactors give you the ability to manage and distribute power where you need it. Now we can also put in battery storage. So, battery storage allows you to — when the balloon goes up, boom, put in a firewall with the local community and get the jets out of town. Keep your employed in-place mission moving and build critical redundancies. Then once the jets are out of town, plug back in and share that power with a local community, because we know that our adversaries are going to be driving civil disruption to affect the efficiency of our installations as well, too. So that dynamic is really complex.   Naviere Walkewicz Wow, and the time is compressed.   Dr. Chaudhary And the time is compressed, so we won't have time to react as quickly. So, we've got to prepare for an all-new environment in our installations. And it goes right back to the Hap Arnold quote. We've got to make sure that they're ready to ensure our operations are effective. And I was recently at Eielson Air Force Base, and what we're doing at Eielson is really novel. We're going to put in a small, modular micro-reactor, a small baby nuclear reactor.   Naviere Walkewicz Is there a small version of that?   Dr. Chaudhary Yeah, there is a small version, but it hadn't been developed yet, and we decided that we're going to push on with this new capability and bring it to Eielson Air Force Base. The key is to now — back in the day, we used to do something, proof it military-wise, and then see if it's viable in the in the commercial market, right? Not anymore. We're going to do it all concurrently. So, we're going to pursue a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license. We've been engaging the local community. They love it, including tribal nations, who know that power advantages are going to be important for sharing in the community. And so that will be the first micronuclear reactor in any installation. We're looking to award in the spring or sooner, and then get this thing up and running in 2027. Why is this important at Eielson? And you're like, “Whoa, it's way up in Alaska.” Eielson is a critical entry point for the INDOPACOM theater.   Naviere Walkewicz I was gonna say, where it's located…   Dr. Chaudhary It's where the one of the highest concentrations of our 5th-gen fighter force is at. It's where we do air defense, and it's where our mobility forces will be moving from Fort Wainwright all the way down range. So that's a critical node, and there's a few more of those that we've got to really, really stay focused on. So, energy and, by the way, a happy Energy Action Month as well. This month is Energy Action Month where we're looking at how we can improve power consumption across our Air Force and be more efficient. And bringing these micro-grids online is going to be a crucial, crucial aspect of that.   Naviere Walkewicz 42:07 Well, something I've learned about you is that you're not afraid to push the envelope, push the speed, but do it, like you said, concurrently and to find some solutions. And I don't know that there's anyone else that could do it just like are you're doing it.   Dr. Chaudhary 42:19 It's not me, it's my team. I have an incredible team of folks that refuse to accept anything [less] than excellence in our department. In fact, we have a saying in our organization that, “We eat no for breakfast.” So, I dare you to tell us no and that we can't do something. One of our coolest announcements recently that we were told “no” to for roughly three years, was a new apartment complex at Edwards Air Force Base. So, some folks may not know this, but Edwards Air Force Space is very isolated, and it's located in the desert, and so it takes roughly 45 minutes to get to the base once you get through the gate. And so, isolation of our military members, especially our junior enlisted, has been around for roughly four decades or more. And when we said, “Hey, let's do a venture-backed business model that allows us to bring state of the art departments not in MILCOM timeline like right now, timeline…” And so, we just announced an all-new venture commercial apartment complex that we just broke ground on, and we're going to start building, hopefully done by 2026 and these are timelines that allow us to move the Air Force forward aggressively. Another thing that we're doing is, I just announced a $1.1 billion investment in our dormitories and CDCs. As you know, quality of life is so critical. Back to this: If we're going to be, say that we're the number, have the number one installations in the world, we've got to live up to it, and that means our families need that too, as well. So, you've heard a lot about the GAO reports, everything from mold to decrepit housing. We're going to fix that, we're going to get ahead of it, and we're going to stay ahead of it. And so that's why our secretary, in our most recent president's budget, announced this. All we need is a budget now, yeah, and so, so our secretary is pressing hard for that, and we know that once that budget is approved, we can get working on these things and start changing quality of life and start upping our game in our installations.   Naviere Walkewicz 44:23 Well, I'm gonna take one of those leadership nuggets as “just eat no for breakfast,” but we're gonna learn more about your final takeaway lessons. Before we do that with you. Dr Chaudhary, I wanna thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio, and it's available on all your favorite podcast platforms, watch or listen to all episodes of Long Blue Leadership at longblueleadership.org. Dr Chaudhary, this has been incredible. If you might leave our listeners with one thing, what would you like to share with them when it comes to leadership, or maybe just some lessons or anything about you that you'd like to share?   Dr. Chaudhary 44:57 Love what you do. Love our nation. I love my country because it's given me and my family everything. And I want everybody to believe that, you know, sometimes we get in these periods where we feel divided right across the spectrum, and it doesn't matter what your affiliation is, sometimes you just feel that. But I want folks to remember that America is not about what goes on entirely in Washington. It's about neighbors. It's about what you do for your neighbors. And to me, that's our biggest strength as a nation. You know, many years ago, our forefathers felt that the values of equality, fair treatment and self-determination would be enough to topple an empire, and it is. We should believe that too, and I want everybody to know that. So, it's an honor to be here. But before I go, I want to say thank you for just an intriguing hour. It's an honor to be here, and I want to give you my personal challenge coin…   Naviere Walkewicz Oh my goodness…   Dr. Chaudhary …and say thank you so much. It embodies a lot of what we do, military family housing, airfields, of course our beautiful 5th-gen fighter aircraft and our wind power and capabilities as a symbol of what we've got to do for installation school.   Naviere Walkewicz 46:16 That is an honor, sir. Thank you. Thank you so much. Oh my goodness, thank you.   Dr. Chaudhary 46:20 It was a great hour, and just a pleasure to spend time with…   Naviere Walkewicz 46:26 It was my pleasure. There's so much I wanted ask you and I know we're limited on time … Is there anything we can do for you?   Dr. Chaudhary 46:36 Just keep doing what you do. Keep making sure that our grads out there have a voice, have a say, and can contribute to all this institution has to offer our nation. And so, you're doing it, and I can't thank you enough for it.   Naviere Walkewicz 46:49 Thank you very much.     KEYWORDS Air Force, Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, leadership, installations, energy, community service, innovation, military, great power competition, sustainability, Air Force Academy, leadership, aviation, innovation, energy solutions, GPS, pilot training, military standards, personal growth, resilience     MORE FROM DR. CHAUDHARY ON THE FOR THE ZOOMIES PODCAST with C1C ANDREW CORMIER '25     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

In this episode, Neil Katyal discusses the current election cycle, focusing on Kamala Harris's centrist approach and her empathetic leadership style. He emphasizes the importance of voting rights and electoral integrity, while also addressing the challenges of misinformation and trust in institutions like the Supreme Court. Neal reflects on his identity as an Indian American and how Kamala Harris' candidacy resonates with that experience, urging listeners to recognize the constitutional implications of the upcoming election.We're almost at election day here in the US, so these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we're sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the urgent choice we're making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  As the question of “what's at stake” is such an important one to keep asking ourselves, we also know that from the beginning there's been a swirl of tangled questions surrounding the “what ifs” in a very close race and also involving a convicted felon who has used the legal system as a vindictive bludgeoning tool against the free and safe  election process.  So particularly to help clarify some of these thoughts on the imperatives that we face, it was simply wonderful to chat with Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general of the United States.  Neal is an attorney with expertise in constitutional, criminal, and intellectual property law, and along with his prior experiences in the Justice Department as a National Security Advisor, he has argued 51 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, more than any other minority lawyer in history.  He's had deep experiences in some of the most significant trials in our country's history over the past 25 years, including the George Floyd murder trial, defending the voting rights act of 1965, the Trump travel ban, military trials at Guantanamo, and the election dispute in 2000, just to name a few. Neal is a law professor at Georgetown, and along with being a respected scholar and prolific author, he seems to have won nearly every major legal award out there and thankfully is a frequent news commentator.  He also hosts a great podcast called Courtside, designed help inform the public and help explain a variety of court cases.  So in that spirit, it was great to catch up with him and talk about the upcoming election from his unique and superb perspective on Kamala Harris, and since he has mentioned in the past how he is an ardent believer in “extreme centrism”, I first wanted to know with this in mind what was making him feel optimistic about the Harris-Walz campaign.Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to desipresident.com and southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn directly about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar.

With the election upon us here in the US, these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we're sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the imperative choice we're making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  With liberty and justice for all - it's the last part of our national pledge and being an empowered voter in an American democracy means finding this implemented through our elected leaders.  So it was great to catch up with Anurima Bhargava, who has been a leader in promoting dignity and justice both at home and abroad,  and advancing civil rights for many stakeholders. Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, she's an experienced attorney who has worked to litigate cases on diversity and segregation with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, led civil rights enforcement in schools and educational institutions at the US Department of Justice, and served as Chair and Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which documents and makes recommendations on religious persecution and violence abroad. Anurima's incredible commitment to advancing human dignity through justice shines also as a seasoned storyteller, as she's been a producer and advisor to numerous documentary films and projects.  Along with being the founder and president of Anthem of Us, a strategic advisory and consulting firm for strengthening equity, belonging, and trust in workplaces, schools, and communities, Anurima has long been active as an advisor and organizer for numerous political campaigns, marshaling resources and information for action, especially noted these past few months in co-organizing the impressive and ongoing South Asian Women for Harris movement.  We chatted recently about all the compelling highlights that are drawing voters to Kamala Harris, but I first wanted to know if similar to herself in her own work, whether it is safe to say that Kamala Harris is a “Justice Ninja” ? Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Now this is all in the shownotes, but I'll share here too… Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar.

Chinese companies control 80% of the shipping cranes in U.S. ports. And the People's Republic of China is now the largest foreign investor in U.S. shale gas. And Chinese companies operating in the U.S. are regularly caught stealing American intellectual property, personal data, and even genomic data. Why should we care? Because Chinese companies are legally beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, and have given the CCP the opportunity to cripple critical American infrastructure in the event of any confrontation between the U.S. and China. In this episode of WTH Live! the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party outline the threat certain Chinese companies operating in the U.S. pose to national security, and how to combat it. Congressman John R. Moolenaar represents Michigan's Second Congressional District and serves as the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Rep. Moolenaar also serves as Michigan's senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and as the Co-Chair for the School Choice Caucus. Prior to joining the House, Rep. Moolenaar served in the Michigan State Senate and Michigan House of Representatives. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois's Eighth Congressional District and serves as the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, making him the first South Asian American in history to lead a Congressional Committee. He also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.Read the transcript here.

This episode gives credence to the saying that "there are no coincidences in life." It's being released on the eve of World Mental Health Day, October 10th. Every year on this date, I marvel at the mental health journey I've been blessed to embark on thanks to this podcast. Further, this episode was recorded on September 20th. Eight years ago on this date, I'd hit rock bottom in a psychiatric hospital in Chicago - divorce, unemployment, complete detachment from my kids, and the nadir of my mental and physical health. I'm thankfully in a better place now. This is in part because I "did the work," but also because of my incredible wife Shelly. She pushed for me to get an accurate clinical diagnosis, pursue an effective treatment regimen, and many other factors that helped me get to where I am today. I'm living proof of the pivotal importance of caregivers in the journey of adults with bipolar disorder and other forms of serious mental illness (SMI). On this World Mental Health day, I dedicate this episode to my wife and the millions of caregivers out there. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and as beneficiaries we're eternally grateful for your perseverance and determination. Hopefully this episode gives you some comfort in the storm. This week's guest, Mitul Desai, has emerged as a champion and voice for these unsung heroes and, given my own lived experience, I was thrilled to cross paths with him through organizations such as Indiaspora and South Asian Americans for Change (SAAFC). Mitul has been helping care for his brother, who lives with schizophrenia, for the past two decades. Mitul began his career working in healthcare law and finance, and he's held leadership roles in product development and data services. He also served in the Obama Administration. Mitul serves on the Board of NAMI-NYC and has written about his family's experience in Forbes and USA Today. Mitul created The Care Hack with Dr. Eli Shalenberg to ensure that no other family has to suffer in isolation the way his did. To connect with Mitul, visit thecarehack.com, or follow @thecarehack on Instagram. Connect with Nikhil to learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Untether Your Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and other projects: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

With the election upon us here in the US, these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we're sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the imperative choice we're making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  Now a big part of amplifying our voice for more representation in 2024 comes from engaging, educating, and mobilizing the South Asian American community to show up and frankly be heard through our vote.  And especially with our growing significance in the past several elections, South Asians for Harris has been accelerating, strategizing, coalition building, and supporting voters as a national, grassroots, and volunteer organization dedicated to securing a victory for Kamala Harris. So it was terrific to share a conversation together with Neha Dewan, co-national director for South Asians for Harris, and Sonjui Kumar, national legal director for South Asians for Harris.  Neha is an attorney with a wealth of experiences who has long been active in politics and advocacy for the South Asian community at the local and national level and Sonjui is also an attorney a former President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America and a key leader and organizer in the Georgia South Asian community. They both, along with many many other leaders,  have been tirelessly working to build and grow the effort to help voters register, combat disinformation, get resources out there in many languages, and strengthen collaboration among other voter blocs. Whether canvassing or rallying or phonebanking or cultivating relationships, the movement has been gaining support and momentum and still has much work to do. I caught up recently with Neha and Sonjui as we hit the home stretch here about the work that's in front of all of us, but I also wanted to quickly reflect on the exciting and transformative whirlwind that the Harris campaign has already been, and asked them both when reflecting on the past few months, what words came to mind to describe it… Here's Neha first…Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to Iwillvote.com for information about resources, to southasiansforharris2024.org, and to kamalaharris.com to learn about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. Till next time, I'm Abhay Dandekar.

With the election upon us here in the US, these next few weeks on TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING , we're sharing a series of Lotus for POTUS conversations, hearing insights from leading edge voices to help inform and get out the vote!  A few months ago, I created a meme with a photo of Vice President Harris that went “In Sanskrit, Kamala means Lotus… In America, Kamala means POTUS” and for me and many others, that sentiment sums up the imperative choice we're making at the highest level, being thoughtful about our past, present, and future.  Now, Neera Tanden is someone who has had a front row seat at both the campaign and policy level, with decades of experience as an advisor and leader.  She currently serves as Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, which drives the development and implementation of President Biden's domestic policy agenda. Previously, she was Senior Advisor and Staff Secretary in the White House, where she was responsible for Presidential decision-making. Prior to her roles in the Biden-Harris Administration, Neera was the President and CEO of the Center for American Progress, one of the largest think tanks in the country. She has served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations, and Neera has also been a policy advisor to Hillary Clinton in the White House, the Senate, and her campaigns. So it was great to catch up with her about the campaign, and what's resonating for her, as I was particularly curious about hearing what was both compelling and unique about Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate. Remember, conversation is the antidote to apathy. Go to vote.gov for information about registering, and to kamalaharris.com to learn about the Harris-Walz campaign. Please get involved, get engaged, and get informed about all your local issues and candidates up and down the ballot. 

Abhay is joined by professor, advisor, and author, Gautam Mukunda.He is the author of Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter and Picking Presidents: How to Make the Most Consequential Decision in the World, and has served as a professor at Harvard, Yale, and Tufts. By cultivating expertise as an advisor on leadership and strategy problems,  with publishing widely on innovation, security issues, and synthetic biology, in being on the board of the UPAKAR FOUNDATION (a national non-profit devoted to providing college scholarships to underprivileged students of South Asian descent), and in being a former Jeopardy champion, Gautam is well on his way to achieving his life's goal: to have the world's most confusing resumé !(0:00 - 2:40) Introduction(2:40) Part 1 - Systems, dispensability, seduced by unfiltered leaders(18:53) Part 2 - "Standing down", Kamala Harris, risk mitigation(41:59) Part 3 - Unlearnings and lessons, leadership style, advise for voters(1:03:18) Conclusion

So I thought that today we would focus on the world of puzzles.  As kids, young and old, we are fascinated and curious about putting together random pieces of cardboard to make a picture, or take numbers or scenes or words and fit them together to make something whole, craving that satisfaction to find the answer and all the frustrations and exhilarations that come with it! Whether you're doing sudoku or playing a game or proving online that we're human and not a robot, puzzles keep our minds focused on solving problems.  For many across the world, crossword puzzles are part of a daily routine, trying to find different ways to use and frame words from clues that playfully speak to everyday culture, trivia, knowledge, and even local or global nuances.  So it was really fun to catch up with crossword puzzle constructor, Mangesh Ghogre, first India-based crossword constructor for the Los Angeles Times in 2010 and The New York Times in 2013.  Mangesh is an investment banker and a writer, and has had a true passion as a crossword puzzle solver and constructor since his college days.  His expertise has developed over decades and his work and writing have been featured in The New Yorker, The Times of India, and The Economic Times, among others. Mangesh is currently the editor and constructor for the Mini Crossword in The Forbes India magazine. Some of his marquee NYT crosswords include a Fourth of July-themed crossword in 2017, a Mahatma Gandhi-themed crossword in 2019 to celebrate Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and Taj Mahal-themed crossword in 2023 to celebrate Indian independence day.  I was able to chat with him this summer, and in true puzzle solving fashion, we started out with the basics…

Abhay shares a conversation with Los Angeles based art gallerist and curator, Rajiv Menon, to talk about his ongoing work, about art and race and the global South Asian, and even some of the barriers and accelerators he's encountered along the way.Rajiv's latest exhibition is titled "Three Steps of Land", as an artistic ode to Onam and Kerala.(0:00 - 2:46) Introduction(2:46) Part 1 - Mobilizing art, making art relevant, trusting relationship with visual arts(19:54) Part 2 - Nostalgia and Whiteness, connecting the dots of his exhibits, misconceptions(32:23) Part 3 - Unlearning, finding harmony with art in a digital world, Los Angeles and beyond, "how can I get involved"(44:59) ConclusionRemember that it's National Suicide Prevention Month in the US - if you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 9-8-8 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Abhay shares a conversation with social entrepreneur and recent Harvard University graduate, Shruthi Kumar.They talked about her commencement speech, college activism, being a South Asian student, and now entering life after graduation(0:00 - 3:32) Introduction(3:32) Part 1 - "The Power of Not Knowing", harmonizing empathy with action(17:22) Part 2 - Nebraska and Harvard, complacency, South Asian student life(32:45) Part 3 - Power and Peace, unlearning, optimism going forward(48:24) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by Dr. Ritu Raman, MIT engineering professor and author of the book "Biofabrication", for a conversation about personal and professional lessons learned from her journey, the tethers of science fiction and pop culture, and the possibilities and limits of her work.(0:00 - 2:58) Introduction(2:58) Part 1 - setting the stage and defining the work, popular science fiction(16:39) Part 2 - robotic applications, ethical considerations, priorities, extension of herself(32:01) Part 3 - achieving in the academic world, scientific literacy and mentoring, finding joy(47:34 Conclusion

Entrepreneur, journalist, and podcaster Ginni Saraswati joins Abhay for a conversation that touched upon everything from storytelling to mythbusting to wedding planning! Ginni is the founder and CEO of Ginni Media and hosts "The Ginni Show".(0:00 - 2:40) Introduction(2:40) Part 1 - wedding planning, storytelling  and building relationships(12:24) Part 2 - the weight or lightness of identity, the biggest myths about podcasting(24:19) Part 3 - media mogul, AI and the optimism(30:02) Conclusion

Two high-profile Indian American women – Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Usha Vance, wife of Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, are shining a spotlight on South Asian women in politics. They're just two of the 4.4 million Indian Americans in this country – the largest Asian demographic identifying solely from one country, and an increasingly powerful voting bloc. As Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepts the Democratic nomination this week, will South Asian women mobilize for her campaign? And how are they shaping the 2024 elections in their communities and states, both as active voters and as candidates? 

Chef, content creator, and author Sanjana Modha joins Abhay to talk about everything from lunchtime food, to cooking as a parent, to her go-to dessert, to writing her new book "Sanjana's Feasts", which is due out this fall 2024. (0:00 - 3:01) Introduction(3:01) Part 1 - lunchtime, cooking as a parent(11:14) Part 2 - cooking as a way to connect the dots, vegetarian cooking, local specificities(25:28) Part 3 - making a great recipe, hospitality, single dish expression(35:32) Conclusion

So it finally happened, the official Democratic nominee for President of the United States is a woman of color. Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris, has made history as the first Black and South Asian American woman, to capture a major political party nomination for President. I didn't think this day was coming for women of color in politics as soon as it did, but now here it is. Despite the record levels of excitement for her candidacy and (now her VP pick), a lot of the American public is still getting to know her, and some are wondering if Americans will rise above it's racism and sexism to elect a Black and Asian woman as President, especially after 2016.Well in this solo episode I answer some of these questions with six reasons whyMadam Vice President Kamala Harris can (and should be) elected the 47th President of the United States:In this episode I talk about:

It's hopefully obvious to many that the AI revolution has not only begun but it's in full swing. Now since I'm in healthcare and well a wee bit older than those entering the workforce right now, I wanted to get the perspective of someone who has not only grown up with AI as a digital tool and familiar science but also has developed a relationship in researching AI and using it to tackle problems at scale.  So it was wonderful to connect and share a brief chat with machine learning technology researcher and entrepreneur, Dhruv Kulkarni.  Dhruv is both a current college student at Berkeley (GO BEARS!)and a tech startup founder - someone who grew comfortable with machine learning and AI early on in his formative years.  It's that same comfort and ease that fueled a spirit of innovation and utility to use these tools and help solve problems, particularly of interest for me in the healthcare space, where so far Dhruv has tackled the administrative problem of accelerating the prior authorization process in small clinics and now is serving as AI director at Forta Health and helping to tackle chronic conditions and problems like helping parents in caring for autistic children.  If you're keeping score, Dhruv has already along the way, served as an entrepreneurial peer resource and mentor for other students, founded two startup companies that were acquired, developed an emerging expertise at the intersection of fintech and AI, and has already gained investor experience as a venture partner. We chatted and I wanted to learn a bit more about his work and journey, but we started by talking about when Dhruv first discovered that AI and machine learning was something he could harness and actually control…

[00:30] Media Pivots Back to ‘Trump Is Racist' Narrative (55 minutes) ABC's Rachel Scott opened her interview with President Donald Trump at the National Association of Black Journalists conference by calling him a racist. Rather than avoiding potentially hostile situations like this one, Trump's campaign strategy is to face the resistance head on. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris is suddenly emphasizing her black heritage even though she has been presenting herself as a South Asian-American for decades.

Vice President Kamala Harris is vying to be the first woman to serve as president.She's already broken boundaries in her current position — as the first woman, first Black woman and first South Asian American to serve as Vice President.MPR News host Angela Davis and her guests talked about women in leadership and the Black women leaders who paved the way for Kamala Harris' candidacy.America has gone nearly 250 years without a woman in the top job. But systemic barriers still remain.Guests:  Duchess Harris is a professor of American studies at Macalester College and is currently on the project advisory board for The Kamala Harris Project, which is tracking all aspects of her tenure as the nation's first woman of color to serve as Vice President.Cheniqua Johnson is a St. Paul city council member representing Ward 7 on the city's East Side.Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Samhita Mukhopadhyay, author of "The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning" joins Abhay for a conversation about a range topics from “trickle down feminism” to being the daughter of two Bengali immigrants, to mentoring and leadership. Samhita served as the executive editor of the popular blog Feministing and then for Teen Vogue and in reflecting on her journey, found herself squarely in the messy middle of it all in being a girl boss, questioning the notion that happiness and fulfillment stem from overwork and professional achievement. In “The Myth of Making It”, Samhita questions “hustle culture” and the neo-liberal feminist mantras of leaning in and persevering as seductive and often destructive definitions and methods. Through a blend of personal anecdotes, expert analysis, and the varied experiences of workers, she tackles this paradox of why working success for women can feel deeply important and so unsatisfying at the same time.(0:00 - 3:30) introduction(3:30) Part 1 - redemption and liberation, "hustle culture"(14:20) Part 2 - "trickle down feminism", mentoring and leadership, counseling new women entering the workforce(31:49) Part 3 - daughter of Bengali immigrants, South Asian modern feminism, exploring and enjoying paradoxes(46:48) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by writer, director, and producer Vivek Agnihotri to share a broad ranging conversation about his life as a filmmaker.His films include The Kashmir Files, The Vaccine War, and the upcoming The Delhi Files.  Believe it or not, the kidneys, Keyser Söze, and cricket all were involved!(0:00 - 2:45) Introduction(2:45) Part 1 - Rallying and inspiring, truthseeking, combating the lonely journey(18:00) Part 2 - unlearning vs additive journey, fear and fearlessness(36:38) Part 3 - his advertising background, national pride, aging gracefully(52:53) Conclusion 

Abhay is joined by cricket athlete Saurabh Netravalkar, whose clutch bowler performance led Team USA to a dramatic victory over Pakistan and into the Super 8 competing against Team India in the recent Men's T20 World Cup.  They chatted about everything from his cricket journey to integrating sport with life as a software engineer to growing cricket in the US. (0:00 - 2:59) Introduction(2:59) Part 1 - compartmentalizing cricket and non-cricket life, goal setting, lessons learned(17:19) Part 2 - staying level, being a leader, an unconventional cricket journey, loyalty to team(33:58) Part 3 - growing cricket in the US, talents and legacy(45:34) Conclusion

In this episode of the Sober Motivation podcast, Nisha shares her compelling journey of growing up as a first-generation South Asian-American in a small town, navigating the complexities of fitting in, and eventually finding a connection in sports. As her story unfolds, she details the role of alcohol in her life through high school and college and the realization that it was leading her astray. Through heartfelt support and reflections, Nisha shares how a call for help and the support of her family led her to sobriety and a fulfilling career as a Counselor and sober coach. The conversation highlights the importance of community, staying curious, and the continuous journey of personal growth and alignment. Donate to support the show here: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Nisha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nishajp/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:14 Nisha's Childhood and Early Life 02:21 High School Experiences and Early Drinking 03:03 Personal Reflections and Struggles 08:47 College Life and Increasing Drinking 15:05 Post-College Challenges and Career 17:27 Moving to California and Hitting Rock Bottom 25:07 Switching Substances: A Common Misconception 26:00 Introducing the Expert: A Licensed Professional Counselor 28:11 The Journey to Sobriety: Personal Stories and Insights 30:31 The Importance of Support Systems 34:38 Therapy and Personal Growth 42:39 Reflecting on the Sobriety Journey 45:28 The Role of Therapy in Recovery 47:57 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

Abhay is joined by Dr. Ami Bera, United States Congressman (D) CA-6, as they share a broad conversation about his experiences and journey as the longest serving Indian American in Congress. (0:00 - 3:10) Introduction(3:10) Part 1 - Doctoring and crossover skills in politics, relationship building and prioritizing(13:36) Part 2 - Governing and campaigning(26:01) Part 3 - Foreign affairs, Indian American experiences, Patriotism(36:16) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by Vikas Khanna, the celebrated judge of Master Chef India,  Michelin award-winning chef, author, and filmmaker.  Vikas' new restaurant BUNGALOW, opened this past spring in New York City.  They shared a chat about his journey and bringing people "home" through his food experience.(0:00 - 2:36)  Introduction(2:36) Part 1 - first professional meal, how to age gracefully as a culinary artist(12:00) Part 2 - merging sentiments of other worlds and finding "home", diverse interests, how to prevent cooking boredom(27:06) Part 3 - cooking when no one's watching, nostalgia(37:04) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by award-winning actor Kani Kusruti for a conversation about her ongoing work and recent role in the film, "All That We Imagine As Light", which recently won the Grand Prix award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.(0:00 - 3:06) Introduction(3:06) Part 1 - relationship with the film, awards, working with director Payal Kapadia(15:17) Part 2 - the acting process, feedback and success, her craft of acting(33:39) Part 3 - women as storytellers in the industry, discovering Kani(44:53) Conclusion

Abhay is joined by award-winning filmmaker, Raja Choudhury, whose newest documentary "America's First Guru" is available to stream on PBS, and showcases the story of the young and charismatic Swami Vivekananda's travels to the US in the late 1800's to speak at the first World's Parliament of Religions conference in Chicago, broadly introducing Hindu philosophy and India's spiritual culture to American audiences.(0:00 - 2:41) Introduction(2:41) Part 1 - deciding to make the film, surprises and discoveries(16:53) Part 2 - unlearnings, journey toward "bliss", American experience(29:42) Part 3 - trusting in spirituality, Indian and Hindu wisdom, empowering message

National policy expert, Rohini Kosoglu, joins Abhay to talk about everything from building trust with leaders to policy intersections and governance with AI to the imperatives of this upcoming election cycle.  Rohini recently served in the Biden-Harris administration as Deputy Assistant to the President and Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President. (0:00 - 3:19) Introduction(3:19) Part 1 - parenting and relationship development, additive experiences with leaders(14:29) Part 2 - intersections of A.I. and policy, innovation vs regulation, governing with compromise(32:44) Part 3 - South Asian American patriotism, election imperatives(45:37) Conclusion

We love sharing thought provoking conversations with fascinating people on Reading With Your Kids. We beging by chatting with the CEO of Reash Out And Read Marty Martinez. Marty tells us Reach Out and Read,  trains pediatricians to integrate books into well-child visits to promote early literacy. He explained how shared reading helps children's brain development and bonding with parents. Later in the episode we meet author Hena Khan. Hena tells us her new anthology "The Door is Open" is a collection of stories written by South Asian American writers. She also shared about her upcoming graphic novel "We Are Big Time" based on a girls basketball team. Additionally, she talked about her middle grade novels "Drawing Deena" and co-authored book "Like a Boss." Throughout the episode, the importance of reading with children from a young age was emphasized, as well as using books to inspire creativity and build emotional connections between families. Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com  Click here to learn more about Read Out And Read - https://reachoutandread.org/