This week my guest is writer and thinker Dr Pragya Agarwal. She is the author of the amazing book about unconscious bias, Sway, and the super helpful and practical Wish We Knew What To Say, a book that gives parents the tools to have conversations with their kids about race. It’s a must-have. Not just for the parents of brown babies. But for all parents. We should all be having these conversations. She also has a part-memoir, part exploration about what it is to be a woman, out in summer 2021 called (M)otherhood.

Pragya and I talk about what it’s like raising twins, mixed race kids, unconscious bias and the importance of talking to kids about race and racism, and how to do that.

Welcome to Brown Baby, a podcast about parenting and kids and family that asks the question, how on earth do we raise our kids to be joyful and boundless in a bleak world we’re so sad and angry about.

Hosted by me, Nikesh Shukla, a writer, a dad of two and a forty year old man who recently returned to the basketball court because he watched The Last Dance in 2020 and thought, I used to be a super sharp shooter when I was younger.

Each week, I interview fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

This is a podcast Inspired by my memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home. A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Here is a link to a bookshop.org affiliate shop where you can buy all the books from previous guests: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/brown-baby-podcast-guests

Brown Baby: A Memoir Of Race, Family And Home: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781529032918

Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781472971357

Wish We Knew What To Say: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9780349702056 

(M)otherhood: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781838853167

Acast supporter feature: http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I talk to Anoushka Shankar, multi-award-winning sitarist, composer, producer, activist. We talk about her life as a touring musician raising kids, raising two boys, her relationship with her father Ravi Shankar and how she has been talking to her kids about their identities.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby through my bookshop.org affiliate link (money goes to independent bookshops): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781529032918

Other places to buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy Anoushka's music: https://www.anoushkashankar.com/shop

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Emma-Lee Moss (Emmy The Great), a dear friend of Nikesh's. Emma and Nikesh talk about what it was like to tour with a newborn, how having a baby changed her life and excessive internet usage! Emma is an award-winning musician, film composer and writer, who has recorded four acclaimed studio albums as Emmy The Great, and scored films like Austenland and sitcoms like Sara Pascoe's Out Of Her Mind. Her latest album is April/月音

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his newly released memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby through my bookshop.org affiliate link (money goes to independent bookshops): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781529032918

Other places to buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy Emmy The Great merch, including vinyl and clothes: https://www.emmythegreat.com/christmas-shop

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Derek A. Bardowell, author of the book, No Win Race, a deeply personal exploration into the complexities and biases implicit in being black in Britain, told through the prism of sport. It was a Sunday Times and a Financial Times sports book of the year. Derek is a great writer and a lovely person to talk to. We spoke about the power of sport, trying to get our kids to be into the same stuff as us and also, the things our immigrant parents went through. It’s a gorgeous chat.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy No Win Race by Derek A Bardowell: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9780008305147

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome writer, actor, speaker and person behind Kelechnekoff studio, Kelechi Okafor to the podcast. We speak about being present, where Kelechi draws her creative spark from and how she establishes boundaries when it comes to social media usage when with her child.

Kelechi is a recent contributor to the anthology, 'Who's Loving You', love stories by women of colour, edited by Sareeta Domingo, which is out now on Trapeze Books. She can be found at @kelechnekoff on most social media platforms. Nikesh is the author of the recent memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir Of Race Family And Home.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy Who's Loving You, an anthology featuring Kelechi: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781409193722

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I talk to the incredible writer Max Porter about raising boys, about the responsibilities of a parent, social media paranoia, and what to do when your kids treat you like a dickhead. We're good pals so this is a chat between friends vibesy episode. Max is the author of the new book, The Death Of Francis Bacon as well as Grief Is The Thing With Feathers and Lanny. I am the author of Brown Baby and other things.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy The Death Of Francis Bacon by Max Porter: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9780571366514

My creative writing newsletter: nikesh.substack.com

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Brown Baby podcast! This week, we talk to the legendary writer Courttia Newland about growing up in West London, being a 'firm father', kids and technology and curiosity. Also, Nikesh gets all tongue-tied trying to explain to Courttia the impact he has had on his life. Courttia was involved in the anthology that was first to publish Nikesh's work. And Nikesh gets all teary and tongue-tried trying to express this.

Courttia was the writer of two Small Axe films including the iconic 'Lovers Rock' and his new novel, a tour-de-force speculative sci-fi epic called 'A River Called Time' is out now. Nikesh is a writer and editor, the author of 'Brown Baby'. Buy a copy of Brown Baby here: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy A River Called Time by Courttia Newland https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781786897060

My creative writing newsletter: nikesh.substack.com

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Brown Baby podcast! This week, we talk to award-winning writer Kit de Waal about growing up mixed race in the Midlands in the 60s, raising mixed race kids, adopting kids, the power of seeing yourself, and writing. An illuminating look at the creative genius of an exceptional writer.

Kit is the author of My Name Is Leon, The Trick To Time, Becoming Dinah and the recent short story collection, Supporting Cast. She also edited the anthology Common People. Nikesh is a writer and editor, the author of 'Brown Baby'. Buy a copy of Brown Baby here: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://linktr.ee/nikeshshukla

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Buy Supporting Cast by Kit de Waal https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9780241973424

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SURPRISE PUBLICATION DAY EPISODE! Seeing as Brown Baby is published today, here's a second episode of the week for you to enjoy. This time it's week with new father Himesh Patel. Himesh is an actor who has been in Yesterday, Tenet, Eastenders and many other things. In this episode we talk about being a new dad, the chaos of parenthood and what it all means. It's a very intimate personal conversation between two dear friends. Enjoy.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781529032918

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is Nadiya Hussain, MBE. She is the author of six recipe books, the most recent being the delicious Nadiya Bakes. She has written a novel, a picture book and a memoir as well as hosting her own television shows on the BBC. She is one of the most gloriously kind and generous and warm hearted people in the world. She talks to Nikesh about establishing boundaries during lockdown, what it's like being an 'icon, her childhood kitchen and what her kids do in the kitchen.

How do we raise our kids with joy and wonder in uncertain and – let’s face it – increasingly bleak times?

This is the question explored in weekly podcast Brown Baby, hosted by writer (and dad of two) Nikesh Shukla. Inspired by his forthcoming memoir, Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home, each week Nikesh invites fellow parents of brown babies - writers, musicians, chefs, comedians, actors and more - to talk about their parenting journeys and the highs and lows they’ve experienced along the way.

A frank, funny and poignant look at parenting, Brown Baby will spark honest, self-effacing conversation about how we tell our kids about the world. Featuring parenting fails, plus the best (and worst) advice Nikesh and his guests have ever received, this is the comforting, uplifting podcast for anyone who’s ever found themselves searching for answers in a sleep-deprived Google hole.

Buy Brown Baby: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9781529032918

Buy Nadiya Bakes: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/246/9780241396612

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/brown-baby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.