Faith & Chai

Join Kevin and Caroline as they unpack some of their favorite moments, learnings, and hot takes from season 3 of the Faith and Chai Podcast! Chai time!

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

Grab your chai and listen to our convo with Grammy Award-winning artist Maryanne George!

Maryanne is multi-faceted artist, Christian musician and songwriter. Maryanne grew up in New York, the child of Malayalee immigrants. She graduated from University of Missouri - St. Louis with her Masters of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Afterwards Maryanne decided to pursue music full-time. She was a member of the Maverick City Music collective. In 2021, Maryanne recorded and released her debut EP, Not Just Stories. It was a culmination of her spiritual journey with Jesus and it charted nationally.

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Special Guest: Maryanne George @maryannejgeorge
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

In this episode we are talking with social media influencer Bilal Bhatti! 

Bilal is a Toronto-based culinary content producer and social media celebrity. Bilal has accumulated nearly 7.5 million followers and billions of views and impressions across his library of content. He draws his inspiration for recipes from his Pakistani heritage, often including members of his family in his content.

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Special Guest: Bilal Bhatti @golden.gully
  • Check out Bilal's forthcoming cookbook - Beyond Measure
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

In this episode we welcome Taiba Zahir to the living room!

Taiba is a Muslim Pakistani-American, born in New York and raised in Massachusetts where she currently lives. She did her undergrad studies as Boston University and completed a Masters of Public Health from George Washington University. She is currently an epidemiologist and the Global Health Coordinator at Butterfly Network and a Health Equity Advisor for the Maine CDC.

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Special Guest: Taiba Zahir
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

On this episode we talk with Shreya Ramachandran!

Shreya is a second generation, Indian American. She was born in Chennai and moved to the United States at the age of 2. She grew up in a Hindu family and became a Christian in middle school. She has a BA in Linguistics and is currently pursuing her MA in Theological Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary at the intersection of race, post colonialism, and Asian diaspora studies. Recently, Shreya published her first poetry book, Revival, reflecting on her journey as an Indian American Christian.

Mentioned on Today's Episode:

• Check out Shreya’s poetry book! - Revival
• Book recommendation from Shreya: Redeeming Mulatto by Brian Bantum
• Are you a South Asian woman in the theology/biblical studies space? Hit us up in our DMs  @faithandchai to connect with Caroline and Shreya!

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Special Guest: Shreya Ramachandran @shreya.faith
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

On this episode we invite Nabeela Iqbal to join us in living room!

Nabeela is an activist in peacebuilding and works in the intersection of women’s rights and minority rights in Sri Lanka. She co-directs a civil society organisation for young Muslim women which she founded called Sisterhood Initiative. Her work for human rights is recognized by Amnesty International and the UN Youth Envoy as a young human rights defender in the face of the pandemic. Currently, she is pursuing her postgraduate studies in Human Rights at University College London as a recipient of the Chevening Award for 2023.

Mentioned on Today's Episode:

• Sisterhood Initiative 

Credits:

• Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
• Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
• Special Guest: Nabeela Iqbal @nabeelaxiqbal
• Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
• Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
• Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

We are back with SEASON 3! In this season we explore the question: What should I do with my life?

Through candid conversations with guests from various South Asian faith backgrounds, we uncover the profound impact that faith and culture have on our understanding of purpose. Our guests share the journeys that led them to where they are today. We talk about societal pressures, family expectations, and cultural norms while expanding our imaginations about what to do with our lives.

On this episode we chat with Dr. Monica Bodd. Monica is the child of South Indian immigrants, and was born and raised in San Jose, California. She did her undergrad at Rice University, studying anthropology and global health. After she went to Duke for Medical school. While at Duke she also completed a MTh at Duke Divinity with a focus on liberation + disability theology as it relates to our care of persons with facial disfigurement. Currently she lives in Palo Alto and is doing a Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery residency at Stanford.

Mentioned on Today's Episode:

• Monica Bodd: Strengthening my Vocation to Health Care
• Books: 
  • When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
  • This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley
  • After Virture by Alasdair MacIntyre 

Credits:
Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity (@intervarsity.sa)
Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
Special Guest: Monica Bodd @monicahimaani
Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturekev)
Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Divya Putty & Alex Waters
Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster

Comedian Hasan Minhaj says "Immigrants love secrets." Our hosts discuss the propensity for South Asian families to keep secrets and what impact protecting the family's honor has on our identities. Enjoy the last episode of the season with a cup of chai as we spill the South Asian tea! 

Credits:
Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturechristian)
Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Kyle Lee & Alex Waters
Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster
Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity @intervarsity.sa

Depression and mental illness are real but more often than not South Asian communities can ignore or deny those realities. Join our hosts as they discuss their experiences with depression in college, what they feared their parents would think and how their view of mental health has been shaped by time, culture and faith. Plus, during our biscuit break find out who ran for student council to hide being sad.
 
Mental Health Resources:
*Check your college's mental health office for local resources that are FREE to students.
*South Asian Therapists Directory -  southasiantherapists.org
*Asian Mental Health Collective -  asianmhc.org
*Chicago + Denver-based South Asian Therapist -  https://optimumjoy.com/ruth-nathaniel/
*Books from a Christian perspective about inviting God into your mental health journey -  https://www.ivpress.com/browse/resources-for-mental-health
 
Mentioned on Today's Episode:
*The Silence About Mental Health in South Asian Culture Is Dangerous:  https://newrepublic.com/article/122892/silence-mental-health-south-asian-culture-dangerous
 
Credits:
Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturechristian)
Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Kyle Lee & Alex Waters
Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster
Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
 Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity @intervarsity.sa

What happens when we decide to leave our South Asian family's faith to practice another? Join our co-hosts as they welcome SPECIAL GUEST Divya Putty for a vulnerable and honest conversation about the challenges, beauty and healing that can come in navigating this major social stigma in the South Asian community.

For more info about the South Asian InterVarsity Support Network mentioned on today's episode visit: https://www.southasianintervarsity.org/south-asian-support-network.html

Credits:
Special Guest: Divya Putty (@divya_putty)
Hosts: Caroline Lancaster (@carolinesusie) & Kevin Wilson (@crossculturechristian)
Production: Arul Karunanidhi, Kyle Lee & Alex Waters
Design: Lisa Matsui & Caroline Lancaster
Follow us on instagram @faithandchai
Brought to you by South Asian InterVarsity @intervarsity.sa