I got to interview Aruna Rao (she/her) @desirainbowparents;@aruna_anubhava

Aruna Rao is the proud parent of a queer and transgender young adult and the founder and Executive Director of Desi Rainbow, which provides support, education and advocacy for diasporic LGBTQIA+ South Asian Americans and their families. She is deeply committed to building a world where all LGBTQIA+ identities are affirmed and celebrated. Her work is rooted in lived experience and deep understanding of community needs. She has served on the PFLAG National Board and has over two decades of experience as a mental health advocate and non profit leader. Her work has been recognized with the NQAPIA Catalyst Award in 2020 and the 2026 Community Building Award from South Asian Americans for Change. Previously, she was the Associate Director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New Jersey, where she founded SAMHAJ, the first program in the USA to provide support and education for South Asian families affected by mental illness. She received the 2011 South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) Changemaker Award for her work in mental health.